Scooter Talk Forum
Vespa or Honda? Genuine Scooter Company or Yamaha? With so many different brands of scooters out there it's hard to know which one to choose. And even after you select a company to purchase your scooter from, choosing which model can be another ordeal all in its own! This section is designed for general discussion about scooters, so it's a great place to start if you have no idea where to begin. Talk with each other about personal preferences, likes and dislikes, and past experiences with certain scooters.
Go ahead and talk scooters... if you have any questions or comments I will be sure to reply! If you prefer to e-mail me you can at rfunnell0221 [at] gmail.com
June 10th, 2008 - 21:57
I am looking to purchase my first scooter, and I am overwhelmed by the choices. I just want something to drive locally, but enough power to get up and go! Good resell is important, as well as quality, because as a single girl, I like for things to work. Do you have any recommendations?
June 10th, 2008 - 22:12
Do you have a price range that you have in mind? You will want to look into a Japanese scooter because you’ll want to be able to get parts for them if something happens. With Chinese scooters it is almost impossible to get parts so if something happens… your scooter is shot.
I drive a Yamaha Vino, which runs around 1,700 or so. It is lightweight and easy to drive. It also has a classic look which I love. My husband drives a Yamaha Zuma which is a more modern looking scooter that allows 2 people to ride on it. His gets around 70 mpg and mine gets around 100.
I recommend checking out Yamaha, Honda, People, Vespa (the best, but pricey!) … if you have any other questions let us know! Hope this helps!
June 22nd, 2008 - 06:46
Hello,
I am considering buying a scooter and heard that the KTM TTR50 can do up to 65 MPH. The trick is that you buy the scooter mostly assembled (some assembly required) and put the remaining parts together yourself. This way, the dealer can sell the system tuned for higher speed and still meet regulations. Have you heard of this before?
I’ve looked on the internet for information about this scooter but didn’t find much. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Jim
June 22nd, 2008 - 10:17
I have never heard of this before, and quick google search reveals nothing on that scooter. I checked the KTM website and it seems that they do not make a scooter. I even looked up a TTR50 and it was apparently a model number for a mini 50 cc motocross bike. My guess is that it is a Chinese knock-off. 65 MPH would be a hard speed to make without some MAJOR tuning (like a big bore kit.) I would also beware of a company selling a scooter half put together. I hope this helps
-Ryan
June 24th, 2008 - 12:03
I disagree that you cannot find parts for chinese scooters. I have had a chinese made scooter for 2 years and have never had a problem finding a part. Most parts are fairly generic and can be adapted. Don’t be fooled into buying a higher priced scooter from a dealer.
June 24th, 2008 - 13:38
What kind of Chinese scooter do you have? I have heard that with the Schwinn scooters you can find parts. However, I still think that Japanese scooters are better made and last longer without having to buy parts.
July 5th, 2008 - 22:13
I am in the market for my first scooter which I plan to use for my 30 mile round trip work commute. I have read a lot of good things about the Genuine Scooter Company’s Buddy 150cc model. They are a bit higher priced than some other models at appx $3100 but come with a two year warranty and a one year roadside assistance warranty. Does anyone have any experiences, good or bad, that they could share about this particular scooter or company?
Thanks!
Nicole
July 6th, 2008 - 21:24
I’m looking to purchase my first scooter and I am also torn between a few models. I went to a local dealer and looked at an Andretti Benelli. I originally wanted to see the Sym Mio, but he didn’t have any in stock. I’ve also been looking at the Honda Metropolitan and the Yamaha Vino. Any thoughts on the four of these?
July 9th, 2008 - 16:50
All right, NOW I’m leaning more towards the Genuine Buddy.
July 11th, 2008 - 12:30
I have had my Jackel Scooter 150S now for 8 months. This is my first scooter purchase ever and the price. It is made in China but the distributer informed me that it is upgraded with Japanese carb and various other parts for better quality. I ride it inside the loop in Houston, TX and love it. Have not had any problems and can get up to 60 mph with great fuel economy. Believe it is a 150cc engine. The best part is that I only paid $2K for it… I saved nearly $3K from what the “name” products were running. I felt more comftorable spending $2K for my first scooter as I was not sure how well I would like it. Parts have not been a problem but I have heard that some Chinese products sold do not stock parts. Buyer beware I guess.
July 21st, 2008 - 06:25
I want to purchase a scooter but confused on which one to buy. I owned several dirt bikes in the past and Honda makes a good product but not sure which one to pick….can anyone help?
July 21st, 2008 - 10:51
I have the chance to buy a 2006 Dado 150 with very few miles on it for around $1200. The person selling it states that he has had no problems with the scooter and is selling it for family reasons. I cannot find any reviews of the quality of this brand of scooter. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
July 27th, 2008 - 02:47
Nice post, you got some good points there – thank you.
July 31st, 2008 - 19:33
Has anyone had experience with Lance Scooters? I am interested in the Vintage 150cc. I found two different sites that are selling them online. I would also like any information on the Vintage and any information would be great. It can be scary buying something this big over the internet and any local stores and price comparison would be very helpful.
Great site by the way!
August 10th, 2008 - 23:35
I would check out the Cheetah Metro (from Cheetah Motorsports). My niece has one and she loves it. Its a 50cc scooter. She paid around $1,200 for it and got a 2 year warranty. I think she said they threw in 24 hour roadside assistance but don’t quote me on that?
I put 5 bucks in it once and drove for like a week! If I had to pick one I would go with the Cheetah 50cc. That’s my 2 cents
here’s a link: http://www.cheetahmotorsports.com
BTW: Anyone know where I can find scooter laws for Chicago?
Thanks, Mike.
August 11th, 2008 - 08:27
Hey! I have a Cheetah Metro (but they said it was 49.5cc, whatever) It is a great scooter. I get around 95-100mpg (my fat brother gets around 90mpg on it,he-he). Robin I feel your pain. I searched long and hard before settling on the Metro.
BTW: Mike, you are correct they do give 24hr roadside assistance.
~ Kelly Belly ~
August 11th, 2008 - 10:06
I too am looking at a lance, the Duke Touring 250. I see posts on different sites and some people hate them and some people love them. Most people that hate thenm bought online and not from a dealer. I would also appreciate any other information anyone has in regards to the Lance scooters. The dealer that I have been speaking to about the 250 says they have no problem getting parts, of course, they can tell me anything. It is made by a company in Chica, ZNEN, and from what I can tell they have been around since about 1999. It’s a great looking scooter with some really good features. I just want to feel comfortable about my purchase froma local dealer or I want to fell certain that I shouldn’t buy the Lance brand. Thanks
August 13th, 2008 - 22:36
Hey Mike,
Here is a link to scooter laws for Illinois: http://moped2.org/mstates.htm#Illinois
If you go to google and search for “State Moped laws” you can pretty much find any info that you need. For some reason the government considers scooters “mopeds.” But I hope that helps!
August 15th, 2008 - 23:06
Hey.
i’m looking at a motobravo paparazzi 50 model. but i cant find much. It is made in china so that’s the only thing that worries me a little, considering i’m poor and dont wanna take the chance of getting ripped. anyone know anything about it?
August 17th, 2008 - 05:01
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
August 22nd, 2008 - 23:22
Hi, I stumbled upon this site because I’ve recently been thinking about getting rid of my truck for a scooter of some type, I checked out the cheetah scooters, as I saw them mentioned earlier, but I also stumbled upon this site called County Motorsports and was checking out this scooter (http://www.countyimports.com/inc/sdetail/10454), but I don’t know much about them. I’m a pretty big guy 6′4” I just want something that my knees won’t be in my face, does about 45mph and is around the $1200 range, thanks for any help.
August 25th, 2008 - 14:40
Cool blog
Thanks, webmaster.
October 7th, 2008 - 23:58
does anyone know about a cf moto scooter. I’m about to buy a 2006 150cc model that is in kilometers rather than mph. It came from puerto rico, the guy selling it moved it to the states, he just had a child and needs cash, it has 2400 miles. I don’t know the model it looks like a typical scooter, it also is water cooled which is a plus for me. Bike starts right up and is quiet, looks good to me but I know nothing about schooters. Does anyone know about these scooters?? I know that it was made in china, and the seller has changed the fuel lines and some other small stuff.whats a good price?
October 31st, 2008 - 11:35
looking forward for more information about this. thanks for sharing. Eugene
November 11th, 2008 - 18:11
Research the Kymco line of scooters. They are rated right up there with Honda, Suzuki & Yamaha, but sell for a good bit less.
They actually supply some of the engines for Honda & BMW.
I especially recommend the model People S 250. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, it’s hard to beat.
November 12th, 2008 - 07:50
There is actually a Local Kymco Dealer in my town, and I agree they are good scooters. The People scooters sell like hotcakes here, and the Super 9 is one awesome scooter. I will have to look into them supplying engines for Honda and BMW, I have not heard of that.
Thanks
Ryan
November 22nd, 2008 - 00:37
This moped has been discontinued by suppliers. There is still some around to buy. Any bike used like this is worth about 800-900 dollars as you can buy brand new for about 1200 delivered. The question is where to get your parts. There are a few good sellers out there that do more than just sell i.e. provide parts and service. http://www.countyimports.com does provide these things and you DO NOT HAVE TO BE A CUSTOMER of thiers to take advantage of thier parts supply. To see thier parts department it’s pretty impressive, check out http://www.chinesepartsusa.com AKA http://www.countyimportparts.com
NOTE: simply, your too tall for that scooter. You need the classic 150cc VINTAGE style by Lance.. There are other makes that have the same model but a little better price. Same MFG. If you need help or tech tips give county a call 559-255-7823
November 26th, 2008 - 14:54
I enjoyed your writing style and I’ve added this blog to my RSS reader. Keep up the good work. Pitcher.
December 9th, 2008 - 04:28
What are some brands of scooters that I should AVOID buying?
December 17th, 2008 - 19:40
Travis, I would recommend staying away from non name brands- Honda, Yamaha, Vespa, Kymco, and Genuine are some good name brands to stick with. The Chinese scooters are usually not a good idea unless you know how to work on motors and are really mechanical. They are typically not assembled and checked over well at the “dealers” they come from so they may not hold up well over time. Thanks for the comment and If you need more help, just let us know!
-Ryan
January 20th, 2009 - 08:56
DO NOT BUY FROM CHEETAH MOTORSPORTS!!! I bought the 250 touring. with 1500 miles it broke down on Jan 12. They won’t return my calls or e-mail. I just want to know where to buy parts.
It’s been a bad experiance from the start. From the ordering to delivery and titling. It had a gas leak before I started it for the first time. And now this. Buyer beware!!
January 25th, 2009 - 15:20
I want to buy a scooter im currently looking at a used zsm or a peugot . What do u think about those brands? Which is better?
February 15th, 2009 - 01:15
I recomend any Piaggio/Vespa, (peugot), size depends on your needs and they do cover the whole range 50cc – 800cc. Yes, a bit pricy but the good thing is that you will only pay once. My 2006 X9 250 has 26000 km on the clock and the only expenses I’ve had so far were the services and I droped it once, which cost me about 100 euros to replace the belly pan and the right foot rest.
March 1st, 2009 - 20:18
I purchased a 150 cc scooter from cheetah motorsports & have been unable to contact them about warranty problem.check with bbb before purchasing anything from them.don c.
March 27th, 2009 - 23:12
I purchased an inexpensive Chinese scooter as well. I did speculate the dealer as being rather shady; but, being new and unsure, I proceeded with the transaction. What a mistake!
Chinese scooters are not to be completely ruled out! Jen is correct, that you must know how to work on motors. Other information is available on ‘Scoot Dawg’…the members on that site are knowledgeable and will assist you as much as they can.
This summer and with local assistance, I will be looking forward to the challenge.
March 29th, 2009 - 16:38
Interesting article, i have bookmarked your site for future referrence
April 3rd, 2009 - 00:49
I am looking at purchasing a 152cc scooter the GTR150 made by CPI anybody now the quality of CPI ? I like the fact its aircooled! And the styling is unique. Any links or insights would be appreciated. This will be my second scoot! John
April 17th, 2009 - 10:32
My experience: Have owned a 50cc Yamaha Vino for ~1yr, 900 miles now. No issues whatsoever, just fuel (100 mpg) and oil change. Enough umph for around town, I’m 185 lbs and get 35 mph average. Love the retro style and reliability. I also like that it is small enough to park at the bike rack at work. A bigger scooter/motorcycle would look weird.
Looked at the Vespas (Piaggio) as well but way too $ and the metal body may be an issue in places where corrosion is a problem. Parts are also VERY expensive. Between Japanese (Yamaha, Honda and such) and Italians, I think the latter are not better quality (certainly not engine or electrical-wise) but more beautifully designed and a bit of a fashion statement.
June 23rd, 2009 - 22:01
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that I have really liked browsing your blog posts. Any way
I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!