Scooter Chix

It’s that time of year again, the snow is gone, the weather is warming up and across the nation people are bringing their scooters out of storage. This year, the popularity of the two (and sometimes 3) wheeled vehicles is predicted to be higher than ever, with the price of gas already at $4.00 gallon for most of the nation, and expected to climb.  If you’re looking to buy a scooter, from a classic looking Vespa to maybe a sportier looking T’NG there are scooter models to suit every price and style. 

Scooter Vs. Motorcycle

Sure scooters and motorcycles both have two wheels and get good gas milage, but what is the real difference between the two? After some intense research, i.e. reading a couple of articles online, it seems that the major difference between is the seating. A motorcycle is straddled whereas a scooter has a foot board where you rest your feet. Scooters can also be motorized or not, whereas a motorcycle is always motorized, hence the “motor” in the “motorcycle”.  For this site, we are going to concentrate on motorized scooters, though the non-motorized ones that kids use are still pretty  cool.

One thing that is not different between the two wheeled cousins, is the necessity of helmets. Yes, yes, helmet laws vary from state to state, but wherever you are, please, cover your noggin.  One of the great joys and great dangers of riding a scooter is  the same, riding in the open air. Sorry to say, it doesn’t take much to cause a fatal head injury. Seriously, there are only about a zillion different styles, colors, brands, and prices of helmets available, there’s no excuse not to wear one.

Scooter Gas MPG, Sometimes as Low as Zero.

The average gas mileage for passenger vehicles in the United States is about 25 MPG. The average gas mileage for gas burning scooters is about 70 MPG . With such a glaring difference in gas mileage, it’s easy to see why some commuters are making the switch to two wheeled transportation. Electric scooters, some that look a lot like bicycles, need to be charged, and can travel up to 25 miles at between 23 – 15 MPH on a single charge.

Check Your Local Scooter Laws

Many states allow people to drive scooters with no special license, as long as they are under a certain engine size. For example, Maine requires no special license until the size is over 50CC. However, it’s always good to err on the side of caution and get as much training/instruction as possible before striking out. Besides, if you start out on a smaller model, it might not be very long before you’re ready to graduate to a bigger size.

So, get your helmet, read up on the laws, and get out there and have some fun. A scooter is a great way to get around, save money, and leave less of a carbon footprint.