Why Buy a Scooter?
Since returning to Vancouver in January, I’ve noticed a change in the types of vehicles on the road. The automobile landscape in Vancouver has expanded to include two new vehicles: Smart cars, and scooters.
Before I left Silicon Valley, I was commuting to work on a Yamaha Vino 125 motor scooter. With oil exceeding $90 a barrel already in those days, it was a good decision. And apparently more people are agreeing with me – even before I left California I started noticing more and more scooters on the road in the final months. I even had people pull up beside me at stop lights and ask me about buying one. Although I sold my scooter upon my departure from California, I thought I’d do a quick run-down on the pros and cons for people considering making the jump to a scooter.
The Good
- It’s easy: Although California requires you to get a motorcycle license to drive a scooter, obtaining a license is simple, especially if you already have a driver’s license. You take a simple written test to get your learner’s license, and then take a weekend safety course that exempts you from the DMV road test. Note that if you already have a driver’s license, you will also need to renew your existing license when you take the motorcycle license written test. In BC, you can ride scooters under 50cc using only your regular driver’s license (although these are pretty wimpy)
- It’s cheap: While a Vespa will run you between $5K and $6K USD, Honda and Yamaha make some sporty alternatives that cost a little over $3K with tax and dealer fees. Insurance will run you about $250 for the year.
- It’s fuel-efficient: I racked up 2,588 miles in a year and a half, sipping a meager 35 gallons or so of gas along the way. That’s about 70 to 80 miles per gallon (34 km/litre)!
- It’s environmentally friendly: Not only are scooters more fuel efficient, but four-stroke engines in larger scooters have lower overall carbon dioxide emissions versus cars. Not only will you be saving money, but you’ll be dumping about 75% less CO2 into the air.
The Bad
- No freeway for you: Unless you go with one of high-end scooters with a larger engine, your state’s laws probably doesn’t won’t allow you to drive your scooter on the freeway. Which is OK, because…
- Car drivers are insane: Nothing proves this quite like a 5-ton minivan moving into your lane without a shoulder check. Hello?? Hellooo? I’m right here!
- It’s distance limited: A scooter’s ideal for commuting about 10 miles or so. Any further, and the inability to get on freeway becomes an impediment to timely travel. For me, that was perfect – I drove 10 miles a day. Who wants to spend life commuting?
- Your friends are jerks: In our macho North American culture, nothing emasculates quite as quickly as driving a 236-pound scooter to work instead of a 5-ton SUV.
- Rain sucks: Climate is a major consideration. While California only gets a couple showers during the year, those times can be deadly on a scooter. Low visibility, reduced traction, and even crazier drivers.
The Awesome
- Traffic? What traffic? Nothing wipes the superior smile off a car driver’s face like watching a cute little girly scooter pull into the space between traffic and disappear into the distance. It’s a good feeling. Unfortunately, lane-splitting is illegal in BC, so this doesn’t apply to Vancouverites. However, there are always situations where a little extra maneuverability comes in handy.
- Did I mention it’s cheap? When you’re getting 80 miles per gallon, your gas costs go through the floor. On average, I spent about $3 a week on gas. Total cost for the scooter for the first year, gas and insurance included, was less than $4K. Cost to run after you’ve paid off the scooter? Less than $35 a month.
Happy scooting!
Brendon,
Came here through… not sure, maybe Twitter, maybe a DemoCamp thingie. Anyways – loved the “nothing emasculates you more than…” comment. This is a brilliant post.
Glad to see another scooter enthusiast in the mix. I’ve had a scooter (Whimpy 49cc Honda Jazz) for 3-4 years now and I’ve wrapped the dials twice. That’s over 20k of riding – in Victoria even… 😛
I ride rain or shine, except ice and snow. I’ve been telling people for years it’s better in the long run than the bus. When people driving those SUV’s mock me on my scooter, I tell them to shut up when they start complaining about the price of gas. The best question I’m asked: How often do you fill up? My answer: I dunno, I can’t remember the last time.. maybe couple weeks ago? Keep in mind I drive it every day. 🙂
That said not everyone can *only* have a scooter, you do need a large vehicle at times especially when you’ve got family, carrying building materials, buying large items, shopping trips to costco etc.
The scooters in our house are primary transport. We have 1 vehicle and 2 scooters (one for me, one for the wife) and the vehicle usually just sits in the garage during the week.
I want one, and I know I’m going to get one eventually, as the gas prices will not come down. Used to ride back in ’88-91, I loved it. I also rode in the rain, monsoon, winter, heat, whatever, as I didn’t have a car back then. I’ll keep my car, but if it stays parked like I think it will after getting the scooter, I might just carry liability insurance and drop the collision coverage. We’re required to have liability insurance but not collision (owner’s car coverage) once the car is paid for.
Just bought a C3 Yamaha moped. I am 300+ #’s. 250 miles on it, and it is sweeter than sweet !!!!!!
I want to get a scooter. I looked at a honda jazz. Can somebody recommend a good place to buy one?
You should just be able to look up a Honda dealer or reseller on the Honda web site.
hi,
I am researching on buying a scooter ether honda or other name brands from real dealerships. What is the best scooters to research and then buy. 80cc / 125cc / 150cc
thanks
I looked at Honda, Yamaha, and Vespas. For my taste, I wanted something that was a bit stylish, but had enough power to keep me safe when moving through traffic.
Vespas are nice, but overpriced in my opinion – running between 1.5 and 2 times the cost of similar Honda and Yamaha models. Honda models that came in the Vespa-esque styles (such as the Metropolitan and Metropolitan II) are underpowered, coming in at 50cc or so.
The Yamahas were perfect, providing 124cc (powerful enough for my purposes) in a stylish package. In the US, you could score once of these new for $3.5K or less – better yet, buy one used and you’ll probably get it for around $2K.
The only thing to remember is to check the law in your state or province. The local laws will govern what kind of license you need to obtain to drive the scooter legally, as well as where the scooter can be taken (i.e. what is the minimum size of engine allowed on the freeway, among other restrictions).