Top Ten Scooters Part One: Gasoline

khallgeisler — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Two weeks ago, a carless friend of mine sent me an instant message. She was tired of relying on public transportation every day; could I help her find a good scooter? Two days ago, another friend of mine who owns two cars sent me an instant message. He was sick of paying so much for gas; could I help him find a good scooter? But of course.

I figured if a public-transportation lover and an editor at a sports car magazine were interested in scooters, a lot of people likely were in the same boat. Here, then, are my top five picks for gas-saving scooters. I'll list the five ultimate gas savers, electric scooters, in Part Two.

Note: Mileage and prices are guidelines for shopping, not written in stone.

Vespa (old-school): The scooter that started it all is still going strong. If you're a fan of "Quadrophenia" or "Roman Holiday," this is the scooter you love. It's a good choice for tinkerers, collectors, and people who love wrenching. It is not a good choice for first-timers or people who want the reliability of a Camry. Mileage and price vary wildly, depending on state of repair.

Vespa (new-school): Still solid, still quality, but no longer so fussy, brand-spanking-new Vespas have automatic transmissions and style to spare. They're also spendier than most other scooters, so you're paying as much for the badge are you are the build. 72 mpg; starts at $4,199.

Piaggio MP3: This new scooter from Vespa's parent company is a departure from the norm: it has three wheels, two of which are in front. The wheels are close together and designed to tilt with the rider for exceptional stability. The radical design has won over most testers, though it has far more power than scooter newbies would require. Starts at $7,199.

Kymco People: Full disclosure -- I've been riding a Kymco People 50 scooter since 2002, and I love it. The tires are larger than most scooters, which lends a feeling of stability. It's made in Taiwan, so the gauges are in metric, but there's a gas guage and clock, which are nice. 88 mpg; starts at $2,599.

Honda Metropolitan: By far the cutest scooter on the market, with lots of colors and even patterns to choose from. It's small, but it has a four-stroke engine, making it cleaner than the two-stroke scooters out there. Great for city streets. Owners report getting 100+ mpg; starts at $1,899.

Image courtesy of Piaggio.

Vespa

Top Ten Scooters Part One: Gasoline