Scooter FAQ

by Vespa, Honda, Lambretta, Yamaha and others ...

latest changes to this website

TABLE OF CONTENTS [latest update]

DEFINING TERMS:
1.1 Introduction [11/99]
1.2 What is a scooter? [11/99]
1.3 How do scooters differ from mopeds?
1.4 How do scooters differ from motorcycles?
1.5 What are "classic" scooters?
1.6 What are "modern" scooters?
1.7 What are "retro" scooters? [5/00]
1.8 What are "chopper", "cut-down", "mod" and "rat" scooters?
1.9 What are "two-strokes" and "four-strokes" and how do they differ? [5/00]
1.10 What are "maxi", "touring", "sport" and "performance" scooters? [7/99]

WHY SCOOTERS EXIST:
2.1 What are the general advantages of scooters? [6/00]
2.2 What are the general disadvantages of scooters? [6/00]
2.3 Don't the small wheels on scooters make them unsafe?
2.4 What are the advantages of scooters over automobiles?
2.5 What are the advantages of scooters over motorcycles?
2.6 What are the advantages of scooters over mopeds?
2.7 What are the upcoming trends for scooters? [8/99]

SPEED OF SCOOTERS:
3.1 How fast can scooters go? [7/99]
3.2 Can I make my scooter go faster?
3.3 How do you make 2-stroke scooters go faster?
3.4 How can I de-restrict my 50cc scooter? [11/99]
3.5 How do you make 4-stroke scooters go faster?
3.6 Is there organized scooter racing? [7/99]

POPULAR SCOOTER MAKES:
4.1 What are Vespa or Piaggio scooters?
4.2 What are Lambretta scooters?
4.3 What are Cushman scooters? [7/99]
4.4 What are Honda scooters? [11/99]
4.5 What are Yamaha scooters?
4.6 What are Allstate or Sears scooters? [7/99]
4.7 What are other popular makes of scooters? [11/99]
4.8 What are "clone" scooters?

BUYING A SCOOTER:
5.1 What is a good "beginners" scooter to buy?
5.2 Which make or model of scooter is best to buy? [1/00]
5.3 What engine size do I need? [7/99]
5.4 Should I buy a new or used scooter?
5.5 Where can I find used scooters for sale? [8/99]
5.6 How can I determine the value of an old scooter I have? [8/99]
5.7 Does it makes sense to buy "grey market" scooters?
5.8 Why does the same scooter have different names? [8/99]

SCOOTERS IN THE USA -- GENERAL:
6.1 What are the current trends of the scooter market in the USA? [1/01]
6.2 What new scooters are sold in the USA and what do they cost? [1/01]
6.3 Why are there so many more models sold in Europe than the USA? [9/99]
6.4 What will insurance and registration cost?
6.5 How can I get a title when the seller has none?
6.6 What is the minimum engine size needed for highways in the USA?
6.7 Where can I buy performance parts in the USA? [5/00]
6.8 Can I import a model not sold in the USA? [12/99]

SCOOTERS IN THE USA -- REGULATIONS:
7.1 Who administers vehicle safety regulations? [12/99]
7.2 Who administers regulations regarding vehicle emissions? [12/99]
7.3 Who oversees vehicle import regulations? [12/99]
7.4 Who administers vehicle licensing & registration? [12/99]

SCOOTERS IN EUROPE:
8.1 What are the current trends of the scooter market in Europe? [5/00]
8.2 What new scooters are sold in Europe and what do they cost? [1/01]

SCOOTER CULTURE:
9.1 What is "scooter culture"?
9.2 What are "scooter clubs"? [9/99]
9.3 Why do some clubs only accept one make of scooter?
9.4 What is a "scooter rally"?
9.5 Will my scooter be accepted at a scooter rally?
9.6 What is a "scooter run"?
9.7 Who are "mods" and "skins" and how do they relate to scooters?
9.8 What is ska music and what is the connection with scooters?
9.9 Why is there a rivalry between owners of classic and modern scooters?

SCOOTER DISCUSSION FORUMS:
10.1 What is the history of "alt.scooter"? [11/99]
10.2 Are there other scooter newsgroups? [11/99]
10.3 Are there listservs devoted to scooters? [5/00]
10.4 Are there chat rooms devoted to scooters?

SCOOTERS IN EUROPE:

8.1 -- What are the current trends of the scooter market in Europe?

Clearly, the most interesting trend is toward progessively larger engines. Suzuki has now introduced the Bergman 400 and because it is getting such a favorable response, other scooter manufacturers seem to be racing to build 400cc "maxi" or "GT" scooters as well. Another almost uniquely European trend is towards larger wheeled scooters, somewhat like the older style of mopeds years ago. [5/00]

8.2 -- What new scooters are sold in Europe and what do they cost?

Retail prices for 250cc & larger scooters sold in the UK in 2000:
Make	Model	Size	Price	Origin	Comments
Aprilia	Leonardo 250	250cc	£3499	Italy	4-stroke that doesn't look like a cruiser
Benelli	Velvet 250	250cc	£3824	Italy	Minarelli/Yamaha power with unique style
Honda	Foresight	250cc	£3795	Japan	now with linked brake system; 19.5bhp
Malaguti	Madison	250cc	£3799	Italy	uses popular Minarelli engine with linked brakes
Piaggio	X9	250cc	£3699	Italy	triple disc brakes, linked front & back
Piaggio	Hexagon GT250	250cc	£3399	Italy	good around-town cruiser
Suzuki	Burgman AN400	400cc	£4200	Japan	fastest & largest scooter to date
Suzuki	Burgman AN250	250cc	£3600	Japan	good top speed
Yamaha	Majesty YP250	250cc	£3999	Japan	4-stroke cruiser with great power

Retail prices for 150-200cc scooters sold in the UK in 2000:
Make	Model	Size	Price	Origin	Comments
Aprilia	Leonardo 150	150cc	£2774	Italy	allegedly does 80mph
Bajaj	Chetak Classic SL	150cc	£1339	India	electric start & anti-dive forks update this Vespa clone
Bajaj	Chetak Retro	150cc	£1339	India	authentic 60's looks; great value
Beta	Eikon	150cc	£2800	Italy	4-stroke, bigger bore version of the 125
Gilera	Runner FXR180	180cc	£2499	Italy	vastly improved sportster now with rear disc
Italjet	Dragster 180	180cc	£2599	Italy	engine from Piaggio, very sharp looking & fun
LML	NV SPL	150cc	£1399	India	clone of Vespa PX150
Gilera	Runner FXR	180cc	£2499	Italy	0-60mph in 5 seconds, top speed of 75mph
Piaggio	Hexagon LXT180	180cc	£2699	Italy	2-stroke nippy cruiser, good value
Vespa	PX200 Disc	200cc	£2115	Italy	classic design with modern hydraulic front disc

Retail prices for 125cc scooters sold in the UK in 2000:
Make	Model	Size	Price	Origin	Comments
Adly	Activator	125cc	£2285	Taiwan	revamp of the Predator with bigger motor
Aprilia	Scarabeo 125	125cc	£2899	Italy	16" wheel with large top box
	Leonardo	125cc	£2774	Italy	handsome but heavy 4-stroke
	SR125	125cc	£2099	Italy	uses air-cooled Piaggio Skipper engine
Benelli	Velvet 125	125cc	£TBA	Italy	Minarelli/Yamaha power with unique style
Cagiva	Cucciolo	125cc	£TBA	Italy	uses 4-stroke engine from the 125cc Piaggio Liberty
Easy Rider	Trans Eagle	125cc	£2089	Korea	the largest automatic made by Daelim of Korea
Gilera	Runner FX125	125cc	£2169	Italy	reworked sportster now with twin disc brakes
Honda	FES Pantheon	125cc	£2825	Japan	well-powered small cruiser
Hyosung	Grand Prix	125cc	£2140	Korea	4-stroke luxury cruiser
Italjet	Formula 125LC	125cc	£2649	Italy	trick sports twin
	Dragster 125	125cc	£2499	Italy	super trick scooter using Gilera Runner engine
	Torpedo 125 T4	125cc	£2349	Italy	large wheeled 4-stroke with style
Kangda	ZS125T-6	125cc	£1295	China	"cheapest 125cc scooter on the UK market"
Kawata	Falcon 125	125cc	£1944	Taiwan	cheap 4-stroke with comfortable ride
Kymco	Spacer 125	125cc	£2495	Taiwan	popular in Europe
Kymco	Heroism	125cc	£1945	Taiwan	good value, but lacks style
Malaguti	Madison 125	125cc	£3120	Italy	Minarelli/Yamaha power with two disc brakes
Peugeot	Elyseo	125cc	£TBA	France	4-stroke engine
PGO	T-Rex 125	125cc	£2099	Taiwan	4-stroke engine
Piaggio	Hexagon LX125	125cc	£2499	Italy	cruiser with nice boot
	Skipper 125 RST	125cc	£2249	Italy	fun & nippy
	Liberty 125	125cc	£2115	Italy	4-stroke engine with large wheels
	Typhoon 125	125cc	£1999	Italy
Suzuki	UC125 Epicuro	125cc	£2474	Japan	4-stroke with good power & Burgman anti-tamper ignition
Suzuki	AN125	125cc	£2404	Japan	4-stroke handles well
SYM	Shark 125	125cc	£2124	Taiwan	liquid-cooled, four valve, 4-stroke
	Atilla 125	125cc	£1925	Taiwan	practical, if uninspiring 4-stroke
	Super Duke 125	125cc	£1825	Taiwan	bargain 4-stroke
Vespa	ET4	125cc	£2299	Italy	class-leading 4-stroke automatic with metal body
	T5 Classic	125cc	£1900	Italy	much beloved scooter
	PX125 Disc	125cc	£1900	Italy	slower than T5, but with disc brake
Yamaha	Majesty YP125	125cc	£2699	Japan	4-stroke cruiser

Retail prices for 70cc-100cc scooters sold in the UK in 2000:
Make	Model	Size	Price	Origin	Comments
Adly	Predator 100	100cc	£1900	Taiwan	incredible stopping power with two front discs
Adly	Jet X-1	100cc	£1640	Taiwan	light, fun, well-priced, but lid bay too small
Benelli	K2 100	100cc	£TBA	Italy	company claims 11hp
Easy Rider	JL100 T Stylish	100cc	£1539	Korea	inexpensive for a 100cc model
Honda	SJ100 Bali Ex	100cc	£2825	Japan	good town scooter, very practical
Honda	Joker/Shadow 90	90cc	£TBA	Japan	quality posing scooter
Hyosung	EZ-100	100cc	£1790	Korea	fun & good around town, includes immobiliser
Kawata	Fever 90KH	90cc	£1727	Taiwan	disc brakes front and rear, practical
Kawata	Stinger P90-1	90cc	£1566	Taiwan	street machine
Kymco	Cobra Racer	100cc	£1795	Taiwan	may look strange, but good torque
Malaguti	Phantom 100TD	100cc	£2220	Italy	rear disc brake
	Firefox F15-RR	70cc	£2275	Italy
	Yesterday West-1	70cc	£2275	Italy	trendy retro city scooter
	F69	70cc	£2024	Italy
Motorama	Grand Prix 100	100cc	£1795	Taiwan
Motorama	Roadrunner 100	100cc	£1395	Taiwan	cheapest official 100cc in the UK
Peugeot	Elyseo 100	100cc	£2124	France	luxurious
	Speedfight 100	100cc	£2024	France	good value 55mph sportster with many security features
	Trekker 100	100cc	£1824	France	same engine as Speedfight
	Vivacity 100	100cc	£1824	France
PGO	PMX 90	90cc	£1799	Taiwan	off road style
Piaggio	Typhoon 80	80cc	£1599	Italy	best value in its class
SMC	On/Off Road	100cc	£1995	Taiwan
	Sports Force	90cc	£1995	Taiwan
	Navigator 90	90cc	£1850	Taiwan
	Partner 90	90cc	£1699	Taiwan	well priced & two year warranty
Yamaha	BW's 100	100cc	£TBA	Japan	2-stroke
Yamaha	Aerox YQ100	100cc	£1999	France	2-stroke larger version of 50cc model, but with 7.9bhp

Retail prices for 50cc scooters sold in the UK in 2000:
Make	Model	Price	Origin	Comments
Adly	Predator 50	£1860	Taiwan	mean-looking with two front discs
	Fox	£1490	Taiwan	bit more style & rugged than the Citybird
	Citybird	£1288	Taiwan	good value includes top box
Aprilia	Area 51	£1999	Italy	radical-looking & it should fly de-restricted
	Habana Custom	£1999	Italy	extreme design
	Habana Retro	£1799	Italy	base model
	SR50	£1874	Italy	sporty twin disc
	Rally LC	£1874	Italy	liquid-cooled Minarelli engine
	Rally	£1799	Italy	flashy road scooter, very good value
	Gulliver	£1799	Italy	top shopper scooter
	Sonic GP	£1674	Italy	water-cooled version
	Sonic	£1574	Italy	cheapest Aprilia scooter, but doesn't look it
Atala	Skeggia	£1299	Italy	sporty scoot sold mailorder
	Byte AT10	£1199	Italy	uses Morini engine, sold mailorder
	Carosello	£1199	Italy	16" wheels, Minarelli engine, front disc, sold mailorder
Benelli	491 Sport Strada	£1999	Italy	looks good & performs well
Benelli	K2 Air	£1750	Italy	air-cooled engine, nice finish
Beta	Eikon 50	£2090	Italy
Derbi	Predator	£1699	Spain
Easy Rider	Message	£1499	Korea	made by Daelim of Korea
Gilera	Runner 50DD	£1799	Italy	rear disc brake
Honda	X8R-S	£1850	Italy	sportster with cast alloy frame
	SJ50 Bali	£1735	Japan
	Joker 50	£1599	Japan
	SFX	£1505	Japan
	SH50	£1450	Japan
	SGX50 Sky	£1250	Japan
Husqvarna	WR/S	£1620	Italy
Hyosung	SF50	£TBA	Taiwan
Italjet	Dragster LC	£2149	Italy	radical design, good performance
	Velocifero V50	£2049	Italy
	Formula 50 LC	£1949	Italy
	Formula 50	£1749	Italy
	Torpedo	£1749	Italy
Kangda	ZS50-FS	£995	China	"cheapest 4-stroke 50cc scooter on the UK market"
Kangda	ZS50-TS	£895	China	"cheapest scooter on the UK market"
Kawata	Hussar	£1792	Taiwan
Kymco	Spacer	£1725	Taiwan	smaller version of popular 125 from Kwang Yang of Taiwan
	Cobra Racer	£1595	Taiwan	sport scooter
	Filly	£1495	Taiwan	4-stroke engine
	Scout 50	£1495	Taiwan
	Fever	£1295	Taiwan
Malaguti	F15 Firefox	£2120	Italy	water-cooled, pretty nippy
	Yesterday	£2120	Italy	retro styling
	Crosser	£1924	Italy	technically innovative, impressive off-road scooter
	F12 Phantom	£1904	Italy	striking styling, easily de-restricted, huge seller in Italy
	F10 Jet Line	£1775	Italy	older model
MBK	Nitro	£1999	France	same as Yamaha Aerox
	Booster	£1799	France	same as Yamaha BW's NG
	Ovetto	£1399	France	same as Yamaha Neos
Moto Roma	Grand Prix 50	£1695	Taiwan
	Roadrunner	£1295	Taiwan
	Go Go	£1195	Taiwan
Peugeot	Speedfight LCD	£1874	France	water-cooled version
	Speedfight M	£1724	France	air-cooled version
	Scoot Electric	£2499	France	electric engine
	Elyseo 50	£1924	France
	Trekker	£1624	France	update of the Squabb
	Trekker Off Road	£1524	France
	Vivacity 50	£1524	France
	Zenith N	£1324	France
PGO	Tornado	£1599	Taiwan
Piaggio	Zip SP	£1720	Italy	good brakes & suspension, fast once de-restricted
	NRG	£1599	Italy	rear disc now available
	Liberty	£1499	Italy	big-wheeled scooter
	Typhoon 50	£1499	Italy	real bargain
	Zip 50	£1299	Italy	exceptional value
SMC	Powerline	£1950	Taiwan
Rovigo	Spoleto	£1549	Italy	no frills BW's clone
Rovigo	Tempesta	£1649	Italy	basically a Spoleto with extra storage
SMC	Partner	£1499	Taiwan	same as Rovigo Spoleto
Suzuki	AY50 Katana LC	£1699	Japan	water-cooled version
	AY50W Katana	£1599	Japan	air-cooled version
	UX50 Zillion	£1649	Japan	same mechanicals as Katana, but better handling
SYM	Fiddle 50	£1524	Taiwan	retro styling with Honda technology
	Jungle 50	£1425	Taiwan
	Jet 50	£1325	Taiwan
	Red Devil	£1325	Taiwan
	City Hopper	£1124	Taiwan
Vespa	ET2	£1649	Italy	fashionable metal-bodied scooter
Yamaha	Aerox	£1999	France	liquid-cooled, discs on both wheels
	CW50 NG BW's	£1799	France	updated styling for this popular model
	Why 50	£1649	Japan	large-wheeled scooter
	Neos	£1499	France	nice for the price, same as Ovetto

[Primarily compiled from "What Bike?" March 2000 issue, published by Emap Active][Last updated 1/01]

SCOOTER CULTURE:

9.1 -- What is "scooter culture"?

While some people may think the term "scooter culture" is a joke, those in the sub-culture take it very seriously. Many young scooterists typically consider themselves either skins or mods or simply "scooterboys". Many older scooterists were once in one of these sub-groups and many still are. Any member of these sub-cultures that is also into scooters typically will be considered part of the scooter culture, which has its own terminology and values. One prominent value is the glorification of classic scooters over all others. Some of the more common terminology is explained elsewhere on this site and the rest is either tied to the specific sub-culture or scooters themselves. To be fair, most scooterists likely do not identify with any of these sub-cultures, but there is a very visible element that does.

9.6 -- What is a "scooter run"?

These are simply organized scooter rides, often sponsored by scooter clubs. These may be held in conjunction with a scooter rally or held as an event on its own. Scooter runs often focus on things like scenic routes, interesting destinations, playing games like poker in conjunction with scheduled stops, etc. Often, news about upcoming scooter runs are posted on the same websites that cover upcoming scooter rallies. Some are annual or monthly events and can be as elaborate as scooter rallies, though scooter runs by definition are always single day events.

9.7 -- Who are "mods" and "skins" and how do they relate to scooters?

These are terms for sub-cultures that have been part of scootering culture for decades now. The "mods" originated in England during the 60s and were closely associated with scooters. The movie "Quadrophenia" is a good primer on mod culture and when released in the early 80s sparked an international scooter boom because of the attractive portrayal of scooter culture in the movie. Many scooterists today trace their interest back to this popular movie featuring the music of The Who, which in turn was a favored mod band in the 60s. Mods typically dress their scooters with lots of chrome accessories, lights and mirrors, leading to what are commonly called "mod" scooters. They also typically tend to favor soul, blues, motown and ska music.

The "skins" (short for "skinheads") later descended from the mod subculture in England and also have always had close associations with scooters. Skins have traditionally been strongly multi-racial, though very small factions of neo-Nazi skins have given the movement a very bad name in recent years. Neo-nazi skins are commonly called "boneheads" by the larger multi-racial movement who actively rejects them. While there are many skin scooter clubs in the US, there are no known "bonehead" scooter clubs, nor would they ever be tolerated. Skins typically wear their hair short, dress in boots and suspenders, have many tattoos (often skin related) and favor ska music. They are usually blue collar types who work hard, drink hard, and ride their scooters hard. Many skins favor cut-downs, choppers and high performance scooters.

9.8 -- What is ska music and what is the connection with scooters?

The music called "ska" originated in the late 50s in working class Jamaica society and typically features upbeats and horns. It is first and foremost dance music and has featured several "waves" of interest, the current called the "Third Wave", which in 1997 became part of mainstream music in the USA. There are literally hundreds of bands in the US alone, along with countless others in nearly every country. The "Second Wave" in the 80s featured "two-tone" bands from England like Madness and the Specials, so-called for their emphasis on racial harmony. The two-tone culture combined with the scooter culture in England and the two have been strongly intertwined ever since. It is not uncommon for fans of ska music to become interested in scooters from this connection and many discovered scooters in this way. Many of popular US ska bands have strong ties with scooter clubs, which tends to continue the close association of the two. This is why it's not uncommon for ska bands to be featured at scooter rallies or for ska music festivals to highlight scooters.

9.9 -- Why is there a rivalry between owners of classic and modern scooters?

Quite simply, there are differing views of what makes a scooter "attractive". As scooters are inherently esthetically-oriented vehicles, this is an important distinction. Those who love classic scooters appreciate the clear historical link of their scooter design to the earliest models that became popular after WWII. Typically, they also loathe the widespread use of plastic for body panels and just commonly dislike the very futuristic designs of modern scooters. There is also a common perception that modern scooters have contributed to the perceived decline of the classic scooter market in the US and Europe, which causes some anger. Modern scooter lovers typically seek to avoid manual shifting, kickstarters and the need to do much mechanical work themselves. They tend to view scooters as twist and go vehicles of convenience, which is why they are less prone to customize their scooters, though this is beginning to change. The newsgroup "alt.scooter" was founded by fans of classic scooters that never dreamed modern scooter lovers would want a forum also, which is why some tension surfaces from time to time, though none serious.

SCOOTER DISCUSSION FORUMS:

10.1 -- What is the history of "alt.scooter"?

The newsgroup alt.scooter was started in January '94 by Mary Scholl of the University of Pennsylvania, "so that people could post stuff like info about upcoming rallies, info about scooters for sale, info about stolen scooters, etc." Basically, it provides a forum which enables scooterists to correspond with each other, to exchange tips, information and stories, to come together and help each other out with the trials and tribulations of scootering, in order to further motorscootering as a mode of transportation, personal expression, and a way of life. When Mary started the group, she assumed it would be solely for classic scooter enthusiasts; she didn't think that owners of more modern scooters would have any interest [see original FAQ by Tom Donohue]. It appears in its earliest days that "alt.scooter" was used almost exclusively for cross-posting messages from other NGs. Significant postings primarily meant for "alt.scooter" itself do not appear largely until early in 1996 and even at the end of 1999, the NG was rated as having only "medium" traffic. [11/99]

10.2 -- Are there other scooter newsgroups?

There are many other newsgroups (NG) besides alt.scooter that discuss motorscooters. The most obvious is alt.scooter.classic, which was begun sometime late in 1995 to discuss only classic scooters, as opposed to the original NG that had opened up to modern scooterists. Because the traffic in "alt.scooter.classic" has never been very high, it has never successfully gained acceptance on many newservers and suffers from excessive cross-posting. As of the end of 1999, it is only rated as having "very low" traffic. In spite of this, someone has started a new NG (in early 1999?) called alt.scooters, though very few newservers carried it as of the end of 1999. There is also a German language scooter NG called de.rec.motorroller, which is much like "alt.scooter", except in German (motorroller = motorscooter). They discuss both classic and modern scooters there. This last NG in 1997 replaced the old NG "de.alt.motorroller", which no longer exists.

On May 29, 1999 two new NGs were formed, alt.scooter.moped and alt.moped, both by Mark Price, apparently to expedite his efforts to purchase old mopeds (all his first postings prominently mentioned this). There is also a go-ped NG called alt.sport.go-ped. In addition to these NGs, scooters are commonly discussed on the various motorcycle NGs that exist for many localities, countries and languages on Usenet. There are also BBSs (precursors to Usenet) for classic scooters, called the International Scooterist BBS, one for Lambrettas maintained by the Lambretta Club of Great Britain and one in Japanese only, called the Vespa BBS. [11/99]

10.3 -- Are there listservs devoted to scooters?

Listservs are discussion lists maintained via email. The first listserv created for scooters is currently called 2StrokeSmoke and was begun as a more serious alternative to "alt.scooter" for the discussion of classic scooters like Vespa and Lambretta. It was originally known as "TwoStrokeSmoke" or TSS. For people specifically into Cushman scooters, there is Cushman Net. Another listserv called the Modern Scooter List discusses all modern scooters, though Honda and Yamaha discussion predominates there and it has identical mirror sites on both eGroups and Topica. Lastly, there is also the Moped List which discusses 50cc and automatic scooters, though the primary focus is on mopeds. [5/00]