Brouhaha's Profile
If you're new to the world of scootering, you'll soon discover that buying a scooter is a personal decision. Nobody can tell you what scooter is right for you. Some of the factors to be considered include cost, how you intend to use your scooter (short trips around town, daily commuting, long weekend trips), your size and weight, that of any regular passengers, whether you are comfortable doing your own maintenance and service or you'll require a nearby dealer for parts and mechanical assistance. Are you just looking for a cheap form of local transport, or a piece of scootering history that will turn more heads? Or maybe something in between?
CLASSIC/VINTAGE SCOOTERS
Without a doubt, many older scooters make wonderful starter bikes. But if you don't know anything about scooters, it's very difficult (if not impossible) to evaluate the condition and/or value of the scooter you're looking at on your own. Read this other FAQ on the subject. Find a friend who knows about vintage scooters to check it out for you. Better still, buy from a well respected local dealer, like Scooters Originali or Scooter Bottega. Restored scooters from Vietnam have a particularly sketchy reputation, and you need to know how to identify them and to avoid them unless you know what you're doing. Feel free to post questions about a potential purchase as well in the "Open Discussion" section of this Forum (include as many details and pictures as possible). For simplicity's sake, this particular FAQ will focus instead on the various makes and models of new scooters available today.
RECOMMENDED NEW SCOOTERS
These manufacturers and scooters have a good reputation among members of the New York Scooter Club. All prices listed are MSRP. Some cost more than others, part of which may be attributable to quality and part of which may simply be attributable to looks, brand or cache. This list is not, nor is it intended to be, comprehensive. It's just a list of the new scooters we believe you ought to consider in making your purchase decision. If a make or model is not on this list, it doesn't necessarily mean its a bad scooter. There are decent scooters other than those listed below, but normally you should have little need to stray from these well respected brands and models. If you have sticker shock, consider buying one of the below models (or similar models, like a Vespa ET4) used, rather than settling for a no-name "bargain" scooter. If you do choose to buy a cheaper Chinese-made scooter, please do NOT buy it over the internet. Instead visit a local dealer like Zoom Scooters who will stand behind the warranty and be able to service it.
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VESPA - locally sold by Vespa Brooklyn, Vespa Potamkin/Manhattan, Vespa Jersey City, Vespa Queens, Vespa Soho.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.vespausa.com/
Photo: Vespa S
S50 - $3199 (49cc, sport-styled, 4-stroke, automatic)
LX50 - $3299 (49cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
S - $4199 (150cc, sport-styled, 4-stroke, automatic)
LX - $4399 (150cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
LXV - $5199 (150cc, retro-styled 4-stroke, automatic)
GTS - $5999 (244cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic)
GTV - $6899 (244cc, retro-styled, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic)
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PIAGGIO (Italian) - locally sold by Vespa Brooklyn, Vespa Potamkin/Manhattan, Vespa Jersey City, Vespa Queens, Vespa Soho.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.piaggiousa.com/
Photo: Fly
Fly 50 - $1849 (50cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Fly 150 - $2899 (150cc, 4-stroke, automatic, same engine as LX150)
BV Tourer 250 - $4899 (244cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic, aka "Beverly," same engine as Vespa GTS)
BV Tourer 500 - $6299 (460cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic, aka "Beverly")
MP3 250 - $7199 (3-wheels, 244cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic, same engine as Vespa GTS)
MP3 400 - $8699 (3-wheels, 400cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic)
MP3 500 - $8899 (3-wheels, 483cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, liquid cooled, automatic, aka Gilera Fuoco 500)
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APRILIA (Italian) - locally sold by Vespa Brooklyn.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.apriliausa.com/
Photo: Scarabeo 200
SportCity 50 - $2099 (50cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Scarabeo 100 - $2699 (100cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
SportCity 125 - $2899 (125cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
SR 50 R Factory - $3099 (50cc, 2-stroke, automatic)
Scarabeo 200 - $3499 (200cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, automatic)
SportCity 250 - $4699 (250cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, automatic)
Scarabeo 500ie - $6299 (500cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, automatic)
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KYMCO(Taiwanese) - locally sold by McCarren Motors, Vespa Soho.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.kymcousa.com/showroom/index.html
Photo: People S200
Agility 50 - $1599 (49cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Sento 50 - $1899 (49cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
People 50 - $1999 (49cc, 2-stroke, automatic)
Agility 125 - $1999 (125cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Super 8 150 - $2299 (150cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
People 150 - $2799 (150cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
People S 200 - $3299 (163cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Grandvista - $4399 (249cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, automatic)
Xciting 500Ri - $6299 (500cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, fuel injection, automatic)
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SYM (Taiwanese) - locally sold by Zoom Scooters.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.sym-usa.com/
Photo: HD200
Symba - $2598 (100cc, 4-stroke, automatic, Honda Cub clone)
HD200 - $3798 (171cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, automatic)
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GENUINE SCOOTER COMPANY (US company importing scoots made in Taiwan and India) - locally sold by Brooklyn Harley Davidson.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.genuinescooters.com/
Photo: Buddy International ("Series Italia")
Buddy 50 - $1999 (50cc, 2-stroke, automatic)
Buddy Little International - $2199 (50cc, 2-stroke, automatic)
Buddy 125 - $2699 (125cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Buddy International - $3199 (150cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Stella - $3599 (150cc, 2-stroke, manual, the last of its kind in the USA!)
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YAMAHA (Japanese) - locally sold by (see dealer locator).
Manufacturer's website: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modeloverview/cat/2009/60/model_overview.aspx
Photo: Vino 125
Vino "Classic" - $2049 (49cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
C3 - $2099 (49cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, automatic)
Zuma - $2199 (49cc, 2-stroke, automatic)
Vino 125 - $2899 (124cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Zuma 125 - $2999 (125cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Majesty - $6099 (395cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, fuel injection, automatic)
TMAX - $7999 (499cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, fuel injection, automatic)
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HONDA (Japanese) - locally sold by (see dealer locator on web site)
Manufacturer's website: http://powersports.honda.com/street/scooters.aspx
Photo: Ruckus
Metropolitan - $2099 (49cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
Ruckus - $2149 (49cc, 4-stroke, automatic)
SH150i - $4499 (150cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, fuel injection, automatic) NEW - Available starting 6/09.
Silverwing - $8199 (582cc, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, automatic)
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SUZUKI (Japanese) - locally sold by (see dealer locator on web site)
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Categories/Scooters.aspx?year=Newest&view=gallery
Photo: Burgman 400
Burgman 400 - $6599 (400cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, automatic)
Burgman 650 - $8699+ (650cc, 4-stroke, fuel injection, automatic)
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Last updated APRIL 27, 2009. Please PM me with any corrections or suggested changes.
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