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It's nice to meet new people, but on a scooter, sometimes strangers are dangerous. Had a few unnerving experiences on this ride, including someone following me, possibly seeking an opportunity for road rage. Freaked me out a bit.

Leo, would you mind if I grabbed this and tagged you as a "Guest writer" on my written blog? This is a perfect summation.

So, I'm on my way to work and I give an update on Maggie the Scooter dog, then I start to talk about what I'm going to make for dinner for the folks at the group home where I work. PA Dutch cooking. Watch, ask questions. Hope you enjoy my rainy day ride. 

When it comes to buying a scooter, it's good to know which brands are best. Note that the list is not comprehensive, but more of an overview.

Well, first things first, while this forum primarily caters to the Chinese scooter enthusiast, there is often a fair amount of technical acumen needed to keep one running (not always, many are gems). As you have suggested, you might just want to avoid these since your own mechanical acumen may not be prepared for the challenge.

Japanese, Taiwanese, or Korean brands are generally reliable, and can often be had for a reasonable price, especially used. They also have a huge dealer support network. 

I'm a big fan of the Honda PCX150 and if you watch, you can bag one new (old stock) for around 3 grand out the door (OTD). It's difficult to miss on quality with Honda, Yamaha, or Suzuki scooters, but they will be just above your desired price range. The fit and finish will often be top notch. Scooters to look for from these manufacturers include the PCX (as mentioned), the Burgman 200, and the Honda SH150.

Kymco scooters often have hard seats, seem a bit on the plasticky side, and have odd displacement claims (the like 200i is only 163cc), but I ran a People 150 for 7 years and 25,000 miles with the only trouble being caused by a mechanic who forgot to put both brake pads back in after a tire change. The People series is pretty darn solid and has nice big wheels.

Sym, Daelim, PGO (Genuine), bajaj and most other south Asian brands are good and reliable choices, but may be short on dealer support. But specimens of these can be had within your price range. I don't know a lot about the product lines of these manufacturers, but know they have good reputations.

I would be remiss to not mention the Italians. There, I've mentioned them. You probably can't afford one. Though the Piaggio Beverly is nice and runs on big rims as does the Aprillia Scarabeo.

Also so important to keep in mind, the smaller the wheels, the worse potholes will be if you happen to hit one. 13 inch wheels are about the smallest I would want to go, and TBH, I'm not even sure I'd want to go that small. The PCX has 14" wheels, and it's not too bad. Bigger wheels help absorb the bumps better. True story. 

You're right to aim at the 150 - 250cc range, though taking a 150 on the highway can be dodgy since you're right at the top of its abilities. Highway riding is another reason to aim for bigger wheels. 

Hope this has helped without being too long winded. 

Thanks all. I will be posting another vid tonight I hope. I was sick for a couple days, so didn't get any good footage.