Pros & Cons Of Motorized Scooters - Before You Buy A Scooter
With the high gas prices these days, you might be considering purchasing a scooter to get to and from work, go to the grocery store, or just run errands close to your home.
Many people are. And why not?... You can get over 100 miles per gallon on a scooter!
While the idea of buying a scooter is a sound one, there are few things you should know before running out and purchasing your first scooter.
Here's what you need to know before you buy a scooter for the first time.
Check out these pros and cons, as well as tips from scooter owners who've previously owned or sold scooters...
Pros:
- Scooters get wonderful gas mileage. Some scooters even get 100+ MPG, which is great when compared to a car. If you're willing to sacrifice the ability to get on the freeway and you decide to purchase one of the smaller scooters, then you can get even better gas mileage.
- Scooters can be inexpensive. A word of warning here though... some of the newer scooters with all the bells and whistles (such as larger wheels, ability to go on the highway, and stylish designs) can be quite expensive -- costing upwards of $5,000. If you are concerned about the environment, you can even get a hybrid scooter or an electric scooter for around $11,000. However, on the low end, you can get a nice new scooter for about $825. So, all in all, scooters aren't that expensive. If you buy a used scooter, you may be able to get one of the more expensive scooters for even less. And since scooters tend to not be used much, it is nearly like getting a new one!
- Scooter insurance is cheaper than motorcycle or car insurance. Scooter insurance costs approximately $120 a year for all the bells and whistles (such as coverage in case someone steals your scooter, which is common). This is way less than car insurance where liability can cost hundreds of dollars, if not more, each year.
Cons:
- In some states (such as New Jersey), scooters are treated the same as motorcycles. That means that there are all kinds of fees that you have to pay before you can take your scooter on the road. So it behooves you to find out what scooter laws are on the books in your state. You may find that buying a scooter is actually not going to save you any money at all.
- Not all scooters are highway worthy. If you're thinking about purchasing a scooter to get to and from work, and you have to travel a highway to get to work, then a scooter may not be the best option. No matter what a scooter manufacturer may say, scooters have small wheels, and at the high speeds that you would need to travel on a highway, your scooter could be difficult to control, making accidents a definite possibility.
- Depending on which city you live in, you could have trouble parking your scooter. Best as I could tell from my research, most cities in the United States are not scooter friendly yet. Many times you can end up paying almost as much (if not the same amount) to park your scooter as you would pay to park your car. Also, in some cities like my own, Seattle, car owners have been known to move scooters out of parking spaces, and even knock them over.
Before You Buy A Scooter
If you've never ridden a scooter or motorcycle before, it is a good idea to take a scooter driving course so you will know how to do so. Many cities have one-day courses to teach you the basics of riding scooters.
Keep in mind, you will need safety gear to ride a scooter, just like you would if you were riding a bike or motorcycle. You'll need a closed-faced helmet, as well as pads that will protect your knees, elbows and other body parts, in the event that you have an accident. Open-faced helmets are not a good idea, because you could do serious damage to your face in the event that you crash -- even if you are riding at low speeds.
RELATED:
10 Things You Should Know About Scooters
Which Motorized Scooter Is Best?
Consumer Reports: Scooters and Motorcycles
Buying Scooters Online: What To Expect
How To Buy A scooter For Your Commute
We used to own two Vespas. I loved them, but found that other drivers were not respectful of a scooter and will nearly kill you if you're not careful! We sold ours when my husband went off a cliff with one of them and was rushed to a hospital. He is okay and the scooter are proudly owned by someone else now.
Be Careful Everyone,
Sharon