Scooters... no not for me.


J

JonKerr

Senior Member
Elite Member
So a friend of my wife from work is looking at buying a scooter. She wants something for surface streets only. No freeway. She lives in a beach community and takes surface streets to work. She wants to buy one new so she has a warranty. She wants to spend about $4000 max. She's getting her scooter license soon and has asked Kristen to see if I can help her pick something out. So I was just searching around online to see what's out there. I found a few that look decent. Anyone here who may have experience with scooters, please feel free to chime in.

Yamaha Zuma 125 ooks pretty decent. almost 90mpg and has kind of a rugged look.

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The Honda SH150i seems like a really good option, but a little pricey

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I really have no experience with scooters so anyone that's ridden/owned one and can shed some light on known issues etc... please chime in.
 

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We have a HUGE zuma following here in minnesota, with ZUMA rides going on weekly. Its the most bullet proof and reliable scooter you can buy. They can be pounded on, wheelied on, modded out to no end, and still just as bullet proof if not more bulletproof then our bikes. It tops out at about 45-55mph unless modded but can get up to 100mph from videos of my friends and mods they have performed
 
to be completely honest my best friend bought a sonny scooter ( chinese brand) and has had it for the past 3 or 4 years they shipped it to his house with all the documents in a crate brand new for like $600...the engine is derived from honda...so its solid the only issues he has had with it is the kick start no longer operates ( electric start still works) and when he first got it there was an issue with the gas tank not getting enough air or something to feed the fuel but it was an easy fix....other than that most motorcycle shops wont work on them.... but they are pretty reliable.... however if i were to truly recommend a scooter it would be one of the honda's the zuma has a ton of parts available but now that its a four stroke its just not as "fun" the honda elite has been around for like 20 years....id go for that.
 
My girlfriend has a Vespa, it's an Italian made scooter, QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY. plus it would appeal to your wife's friends taste I am sure. I ride it from time to time and it is very well made it is IMO the best scooter on the market hands down! It's atleast worth a look for her.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Casey (aka) Hunter77!
 
Go with a yamaha scooter. Consider the 50cc Zuma. Fuel-injected and hassle free. Gets over 100MPG and doesn't have to license it. (at least in MO). Also doesn't need insurance but I strongly suggest adding small coverage anyway. Super cheap on a 50cc. The 50cc scoot should go around 35mph and are super easy to ride. They also have plenty of storage under the seat.

The Zuma 50f is the Fuel-injected. It's a new model.

Yamaha also has the Vino classic for about the same price if she likes that styling. However, it is carbed and not injected so starting may be a pain on cold days.

And hunter is correct, Vespa's are THE BEST but a little more pricy.

The cinese scooters are cheap new (under 700 all over ebay) but you have to be competent with repairs to keep them going. I always doing little fixes and rigs on my GF's scooter. I also had a 150cc china scoot. Constant tweaking and repairs keep them going. If she is capable of that go for a ebay scoot. I rode my 150 for a solid year before getting my fz1. I'll be taking my GF's pink 50cc for my next and last year of college.

After having both a 150 and a 50, I can confortably say the 50cc is ideal for most uses. The 150 is still too slow for highway speeds and heavier for driving around town. The 50 is super light and sips gas. Both have about the same amount of storage space. Insurance is less if it's required where she lives.
 
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While I don't own one, I always read that Vespa's are good!

However, I do not like Scooters, lol ... he or she may be better with a Ninja or Honda 250, or maybe a used Buell Blast, the small ones.
 
jocampo said:
While I don't own one, I always read that Vespa's are good!

However, I do not like Scooters, lol ... he or she may be better with a Ninja or Honda 250, or maybe a used Buell Blast, the small ones.
Click to expand...

For riding around town, a scooter is much better suited. And it's a woman so she can close her legs if she must ride in a dress or something. Don't knock scooters till you try em!
 
I've rode motorcycles in Indonesia, Philippines and China.
They ride 125cc step through frame automatics. For around town and in crowded driving at low speeds you can't beat them, A R1 or a Harley won't work in Asia. Too big and too fast. The little bikes will zip past them all day long.

No one rides a scooter...tires are too small....potholes eat a small tire.
A used Honda is the only thing you can get here that is close. They have 16" tires so they handle the rough pavement and potholes fine and at 150cc it has enough power to keep up with traffic.

2010 Honda SH150i Review - Motorcycle.com

There are some off brands that are available tho with 16" tires. Cheap too.

150cc scooter, Znen gas scooter, Znen scooters, Znen 150cc scooters, Znen 50cc scooters, Znen classic scooters, Znen retro scooters

CF-Moto scooters including the CF Moto V5, V3, Fashion and E-Charm found at valley scooters
 
The Honda ruckus is good but has a carb, which for a scooter is not that bad. If the fuel pump goes out on a fi scooter, its about $200 just for parts.

for wife got a left over 2009 aprilia scarabeo 200 and its great around town and carries my 240lbs right down the freeway too....less than $3000 otd new. Very well made and I like the big wheels.
 
I have not owned one,but have worked on a few. If she wants reliabilty stay away from the cheap Chinese ones. Honda,Yamaha and the like are very good if cared for. The main problem is people let them set all winter. You have to care for the gas and battery just like anything else.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone.

hunter77 said:
My girlfriend has a Vespa, it's an Italian made scooter, QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY. plus it would appeal to your wife's friends taste I am sure. I ride it from time to time and it is very well made it is IMO the best scooter on the market hands down! It's atleast worth a look for her.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Casey (aka) Hunter77!
Click to expand...

I know Vespas are the top of the line. But she really doesn't want to spend $10K on this thing. From what I've seen they're ridiculously overpriced. I mean you can buy a hell of a nice sportbike for the cost of a Vespa. She's getting it to save money. Her daily driver is a monster SUV that gets 12mpg I guess. So 90mpg will pay for itself quickly. But not at $10,000.

I was recommending that she go with a more readily available brand like the Yamaha or Honda for the ease and cost effective repairs if needed too. I think the Zuma is the one I've seen around here the most, which is why it was the first one I looked for.
 
You can't go wrong with a razor.

Edit: I would recommend a rear wheelie bar.
 

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I forgot cost, down hear in the south things tend to run cheaper, Vespas go from $4500-6000. They are more expensive but they are really well made! Well I wish her the best in her search and hope she finds something to suit her needs. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Casey (aka) Hunter77!
 
aprilia sr 50r!!! I bought one, after the break in period it would do 55 mph. I had it remapped and derestricted after its first service and it did 62 mph. It is a 2 stroke 49cc scooter. I loved it!!!
 
I just got back from Hawaii, and there were soooo many scooters there. It was crazy! I did see a ton of those Zumas and as far as scooters go, they're not too bad looking. All the younger guys who had them had aftermarket exhausts on them, which cracked me up.

Unrelated, other than it involves a scooter, but I saw one lady while I was there, who was riding down a busy surface street right on the beach holding a cup of coffee and cigarette in one hand and watched as she took a drag while zipping by. Nuts. Oh, and while scooters far outnumbered the motorcycles there, I saw no one who was ATGATT, and only a few who even had helmets.
 
I saw multiple guys nearly dragging their bare knees on the ground without helmets on sport bikes on the "Road to Hanna" on Maui. They're just dumb. Google Road to Hanna to get an idea of one of the twistiest roads in the world. I wouldn't even think about riding a motorcycle on it and twisties are my Nirvana.
 

I was on the Big Island, and I drove all over the island, and kept thinking, "Man this road would be so much fun on my bike!" There's not a lot of roads, but the ones they do have are twisty as hell for the most part. Lots of elevation changes and switchbacks.
 
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