Why choose a scoot over a small m/c?  By  2wheelfun (Read 2,755 times)

What JerryScript said, plus I started using scooters because arthritis made mounting a motorcycle and shifting gears painful. I found I loved scooters and am happily making interstate trips on my TMAX.

If you never go places where the speed limit is over 40 MPH or so the 150 is the way to go as long as there not a lot of hills to climb, especially if you are a large heavy person. This leaves you with a power reserve to climb hills without losing a lot of speed. If you are considering rides that take you 15-30 miles to the next town at 55 to 60 MPH you are going to be a rolling roadblock, especially going up hills. A 250cc scooter is a better choice for that kind of riding. It will even do Interstates for short distances if you are brave and the traffic isn't heavy.

Really the only reason I can see is you can't or don't want to shift or you need the storage. I have had both and have decided (at least for now) it's motorcycles for now...

I prefer a flat-floor 100cc scooter because of the amount of cargo I can carry on the floor, and I stay dry in the rain. Much more useful than a small motorcycle for me. Also motorcycles have complicated clutch/gearboxes and their carbs/ignition are difficult to service. Scooters are a no-brainer for maintenance and hot-rodding, & parts are incredibly cheap (new scooter starter motor is $35, for example), You can buy a complete brand-new scooter carburetor on eBay for $29. There's no motorcycle that is so cheap & easy to maintain as a scooter.

While I agree with your comparison of single piston engines, my first motorcycle had 4 carbs, Honda CB550. Without a special tool, the only way to tune was to attach long lengths of tubing to each carb with a special adaptor, run the tubing up and over a stick or bar, then down to jars of water. Tune each carb till the water level in each tube was identical. I had to have a friend do it, he had been wrenching on his various rides for 30 years at that point, and he told me it was a "PAIN IN THE #$$, DON'T YOU EVER BRING THAT PIECE OF @#$% HERE AGAIN!!!" Course he only rod Hogs!

I love my gy6!

Yup, what they said. If you are only doing the in town thing, you really can't beat a scooter. Mostly because while some of the riding will be for pleasure, a whole lot of it will be for trips to the grocery store, or maybe to the park, where the carrying capability of the scooter comes into play. You can certainly put saddlebags and tank bags on a small m/c and give it near the capability, but you are still left with the up/down shifting every time you come to a red light or stop sign. Also, the ride and handling can be quite different between the two. Kind of like, why should I buy a van instead of a compact car. Different tools. If possible, borrow or maybe rent a scooter for a day. Even a 50cc will give you the feel for the difference in handling.
A lot of scooter owners also own motorcycles. When I wake up for work, a lot of the time I don't know whether I'll take my scooter or my Yamaha 1200 in. Most days it is the scooter, though.
Hope that helps..

Novaraptor

I'm 67, and agree with all of the above... I used to ride motorcycles (the bigger the better... LOL!) but now, arthritis makes it nearly impossible to get on a cycle. I found even the "semi-hump" of the longer touring 250cc and bigger scoots is a problem, so I had to go with a true flat-floor, step-through design.

I happily rode a 150cc for six years, but local surface streets have gotten SO fast that the 52-54mph top speed, and limited acceleration of 9hp finally became downright dangerous. This year, I traded it on a used Kymco Grand Vista which pretty much looks and feels like a step-through 150, but with its watercooled 250 engine, it's capable enough to run with the cars and trucks which regularly drive 50 to 65mph on the 35mph speed-limit streets. It also can run 70mph+ if needed to sneak onto freeways.

The Grand Vista/Grand Dink is an outdated design, but meets my desire for something small and nimble, yet 65mph+ capable. As for choosing a scooter over a small motorcycle, the above replies tell the story. After more than 50 years riding every type of motorcycle, I'm very happy with a scooter.

The only further advice I might add is that I found my small 250 still handles smartly like a 50, or 150cc scooter, BUT... and THIS is a BIGGIE... Above 50mph it FEELS very much like a full-sized motorcycle. THAT feature I absolutely LOVE.

I test-rode everything on the planet before making a decision, and I'd REALLY recommend you do the same. You may prefer a smaller-displacement scooter, OR, you may like a bigger one. Scooters today have come light-years from the old days. They are as sophisticated as fine cycles, but offer easier climbing on and off, on-board storage, and no shifting.

My last six years of scootering showed me that a 50cc was truly too slow for my needs, a 150cc was "marginal" at best, and the 250cc is about right for 99% of my riding.

When checking out scoots, you'll find from the 150cc size on up, they come in very SHORT wheelbases for snappy in-town handling, AND much LONGER wheelbases for extended highway riding. The two styles are very different, and some riders prefer one, and some prefer the other. I prefer the shorties, but I still want 65+ speed when I need it. But that's just me.

If you try a vast selection before buying, you'll probably find the one that's just right. Summing it all up, I have ridden all sorts of motorcycles, for a half-century, and am VERY happy transitioning to scooters.  Because I need a flat-floor, step-through, I lean toward Kymco, SYM, and Italian makes.  If climbing on and off is not a problem, your choices are limitless!

Whatever you choose, ride safe!

Leo in Texas