I have been seeing a number of motor scooter stores popping up all over the greater Portland area. Coincidentally, I have been thinking about buying one. The main goal, of course, is to save money on gasoline. A secondary goal is to extend the life of my car by avoiding short distance trips where I am hauling little or no cargo.

If anybody has had experience with motor scooters, I have some questions:

1) Do you have any brand recommendations?
2) Are there stores that have a good reputation for providing repair?
3) What gas mileage do you get on your scooter?
4) How much did your scooter cost?

Since I know very little about the different brands and models of scooters that are available, I am worried that some scooter manufacturers might be dumping cheap junk on the market, trying to entice penny-pinchers like me.

My uncle who works at a University hospital told me that they refer to motorcycles as "donorcycles" because they are a good source or organ donations.

Great sales slogan, "extend the life of your car, while decreasing your own, ride a scooter"

My scooter has a little trailer!

http://www.bikersfoundation.org/image.php?id=142

What about an electric bike that does not require a driver's license, or insurance? Only requirement being that you are 16 years or older and wear a bicycle helmet?

What if I said this product gets 35 miles to the charge and goes upto 35 mph?

What if I said the price range is between $2000-$2500 depending on which model you want?

What if I said that you could be the first person on your block let alone the first person in your city to own one of these bikes?

Would you be interested?

Unfortunately the closest place you can take a test drive and see one of these bikes up close and personal at this point is in the Bay Area.

If you can wait until late August to make a buying decision you can see models up close and personal in Salem at the Oregon State Fair.

One statistic that I heard quoted by a would-be motorcycle rider is that the average speed for a fatal crash on a motorcycle is 35 MPH. That sounds pretty scary, but I am sure that the fatal accident statistics for bicycle riding are probably scarier. This hasn't stopped me from riding bicycles.

As a driver, motor scooters are even harder to see on the road than motorcycles. Plus, with a scooter, you are part of traffic at all times, which is not the case if you're on a bike. I'd stick with the car...

You should e-mail Bob Miller of KPAM about his experiences with a scooter. He ended up in the hospital around Christmas 2007. Was banged up pretty badly.

I agree with Shyguy about electric scooters. You can see some at Ecomotion on 16th and NE Sandy.

While you're there they do have some nifty electric cars my wife and I test drove.

Golden Gate Veloteq is Coming to Oregon!
See all models at this Years Oregon State Fair.
Can't wait till then.. Check out the website...

http://veloteq.com/veloteqgallery.com/default.html

I have mixed feelings about scooters. Even tiny two cycle engines are pollutive in a big way, but the classic Vespa is cute as hell. Unfortunately, it is balanced a bit like a bicycle with a basket full of newspapers on one side. It can be a challenge to take any corner without getting wobbly and wet gravel is your sworn enemy. It is a bit dryer on your legs than a traditional bike or motorcycle, but as much as it rains in Portland, you would think they would be less popular too.

I almost bought a faded red '62 Allstate for $50 when I was a teenager. It was a Vespa smallframe badge engineered for Sears. The whole 'mod chic' thing has made many of them far too expensive for the most basic mode of city transport. On the other hand, good bargains, new parts and quality service are locally available. You can get a chair, roof and doors for that kind of money. Still, with the timeless design, a very solid resale market and 100+ mpg, it is hard to beat a used Vespa for value.

There were other options, but some are not really classic. The 60s & 70s imported mopeds often put the fuel in the hollow stem under your butt. I wonder how many folks thought about that stuck in traffic puffing a cigarette or trying to skirt a row of flares with their tiptoes on a hot day after the beast spent all afternoon in the sun. A progressive idea, but largely a failure for safety reasons.

Another 'new wave' of imported scooters swept through in the 80s and early 90s in bright fashion colors. By and large, they were poorly designed and disposable. Many were belt driven and those simply wore out or rotted with time. I remember a whole lot of kids getting hurt within weeks of Mommy or Daddy springing for a Spree. It was a good time for the helmet and splint industry.

When it comes to brief and perilous encounters with traffic, I would still rather ride a bicycle. Of all the schemes I have seen, I like the concept of the Whizzer the best. Not the first two wheeled commuter contraptions, but since it debuted in 1939 and the Vespa was introduced in 1946, it is one of the oldest. I also have a soft spot for the grandaddy of them all, the Cushmans.

I understand that 2 stroke engines are going to be (or already are) illegal for transportation use in the USA.