Choosing a Gas Scooter: Save Money and Go Green

Are you looking for more ways to save money?  Who isn’t, right?  One cost that is hurting just about everyone these days is the price of gasoline.  Sure, hybrid and alternative fuel cars may be the future, but the ones on the market right now will set you back a lot of cash, and you are trying to save … remember?

What about a vehicle that can get you to work and back just as fast as your car, while getting as much as 100 miles per gallon?  Sound good?  Then a gas scooter might be the right choice for you.  Smaller and cheaper than motorcycles, scooters are an affordable, efficient way to get around town, or even for a weekend getaway.

Here are a few pointers for selecting the best gas scooter for your needs.

Since the whole idea is to use your gas scooter in place of a gas-guzzling car or other vehicle, you will be using it on public streets.  Laws and licensing pertaining to gas scooters vary significantly depending on where you live.  In some cases, the smallest scooters may not require licensing at all.  At the other extreme, you may have to not only license the vehicle, but also obtain a special drivers license for yourself. 

Before investing in a scooter, then, be sure to check with your state motor vehicle department if you live in the United States, or the appropriate government body that handles licensing if you are from another country.  Make sure you understand the laws before you spend your money.

The first thing you should consider when deciding on a gas powered scooter is the size of the engine. Most models typically come with 50cc, 125cc or 250cc motors, although there are some variations. In simple terms, the larger the engine, the faster the scooter will go, and the more weight it will carry.

As a rule, 50cc models work well for cruising around city streets, but will not be capable of highway speeds. The 125cc scooters are able to reach speeds of up to 60 mph, but are probably not suitable for expressways. The big, 250cc models can go as fast as 80 mph, more than enough for any normal driving need.

Just as with automobiles, however, a larger engine translates into poorer gas mileage. Still, the biggest gas scooters will get around 60 mph, which is probably at least double what you are getting with your four-wheeled vehicle. If you can manage with a 50cc model, you may get as high as 100 mph.

In choosing between the different engine sizes, how much weight you expect to carry will be an important factor.  Even a 250cc motor is nowhere near as powerful as what you have under the hood of your car, so every additional pound will make it a little tougher for the scooter to climb hills and still maintain speed.

Unless you are very petite, the biggest thing your new scooter will be carrying is you.  If you weigh 200 pounds or more, a 50cc machine is probably not going to work very well for you.  That dazzling mileage number and the lower prices may still be tempting, but gravity is against you on this one.  Bite the bullet, and start checking out the 125cc and 250cc models.

If you are environmentally conscious, the idea of getting an electric scooter instead of one that burns fossil fuel is probably very appealing. Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to this option.

Most electric scooters simply don’t have the same kind of muscle as their gas counterparts. With a typical electric machine, your maximum speed is unlikely to be more than 25 mph. This drastically limits their range, along with the fact that a full charge won’t last for more than a couple of hours of riding. And the gas station on the corner probably cannot help when your battery dies.

Finally, electric scooters tend to be much more expensive than gas models, which will cut into those savings you are after. In the end, you may have to be satisfied with the great fuel efficiency you get from gas powered scooters as your contribution to a greener planet.

Before you hit the pavement to shop for a scooter, you can save a lot of time by researching your potential choices on the web.  All of the major brands have excellent sites where you can check out the different models, features and accessories without having to do a lot of running around.  If you are thinking of a used scooter, Craigslist, Ebay, and other such sites are a good starting point.

Once you arrive at the dealership, you should once again proceed as if buying a car or truck.  Examine the scooter thoroughly, and make sure you take it for a test drive before you pay.

Gas scooter prices can vary considerably.  While you can certainly find scooters for a few hundred dollars used, you would be taking a chance on how good a deal it really is.  In most cases, you would be unlikely to find a good, well-maintained scooter priced below $1,000, and new 125cc Yamahas and Hondas list in the $2,500 to $3,000 range.  Of course, if you want to go all out, you can spend upwards of $10,000.

Armed with this information, you should be prepared to make a good decision when shopping for a gas scooter.  As with all major purchases, take your time, ask questions, and consider sleeping on it if you have any doubts.  Then, only when you feel sure of your choice, go buy that scooter, and start making plans for what to do with all those dollars that didn’t end up in the gas tank.