OK, Im gonna buy a scooter...

Yea a couple of years ago I was on the "I'm going to get a scooter" kick. Up until a month a go was convinced I was going to get a 250cc cruiser motorcycle and now I own a 500cc Kawasaki. As of right now I'm glad I moved up the chain. Be sure to take a MSF based course. Not only is it fun but what you'll learn will help no matter what you ride.

Yea, I hate saying it but I own one. Hey I live in Switzerland (Zug), there is zero parking in this place. It's adapt or buy a Smart. Well as an owner of a 2008 M5 you can forget that, so I thought that a scooter is more yuppy then retarded here so I jumped and bought a Vespa GTS 250. The thing costs a lot but if your going to drive a scooter it very well should be the best.

8,000 grand CHF after taxes and with the dollar so low yea 8,000 grand U.S.

Anyway my post problably doesn't help you, all I can say it's not as lame to own one then a lot of people say it is. Very Practicle!

Here in the US the Vespas cost too much. For the price of a 250cc Vespa I got a better safer motorcycle.

Yea, tell me about it. I've owned motorcycles for about 20 years. I still have a Norton. However a non Vespa Scooter are still very inexspensives. A Scooter is a great little transport and very economical.

Used to ride motorcycles, until one day I misjudged a curve and off the cliff I almost went.

Landed on my helmet, shattered like a piece of glass.

Swore off bikes.

Now after twenty so years later, I've seen many many accidents and learned a few things.

1: You can't control every environment, it's a unknown.

2: Traffic is increasing everywhere all the time.

2: People in general only think of themselves and fail to communicate their presence or intentions to other drivers.

3: The larger your vehicle is and the less it can accelerate is the more other drivers can see you and figure out what to do about avoiding you.

4: Accidents will happen regardless.

5: The more metal and the higher off the ground you are, the safer you and your passengers will be in a accident.

6: The heavier your vehicle is, the more responsibility you have to protect the lives of other drivers when driving.

7: People equate larger vehicles as being slow and smaller vehicles as being fast.

8: People don't recognize small vehicles well, unless it's making a lot of noise.

9: People lose their reaction time, judgement and eye sight when getting older or under influence of some sort, even emotions.

10: When a accident occurs, those with little protection usually get the worst of it. They usually die or require huge amounts of costly surgery.

11: In a city environment where there are a higher proportion of mopeds, scooters, bicycles etc., than people with cars, local car drivers will usually drive much safer.

12: The zippier a small scooter/moped/motorcycle is, the more chance it will be involved in a accident.

13: The younger a person is, the more likely they will get into a accident, regardless of the vehicle they drive.

14: Hit and runs are more common than people think.

15: Stay out of blind spots period.


I only recommend a bike in a area with a lot of other bikes and a local type population who have learned to watch out for your small vehicle.

A bad place for a bike is a tourist town, so many new people trying to ride a scooter for the first time meet up with tourists with bad car driving skills. Hit and runs are common too as people are driving rentals and don't want to stop and ruin their vacation.

If your going to ride in a city, pick a bike that you can get and keep your legs out of the way. Motorcycles tend to trap your legs on the sides. Do wear a helmet, it helps in a accident, also to demonstrate your a responsible driver.

As soon as you can afford it and it makes practical sense, get a heavier vehicle and/or one that is higher off the ground than most cars. Like a pickup truck for instance.

I would avoid gas sipping light weight cars, one little accident and they get totaled. The tend to wear out prematurely anyway.

A light SUV would be good, if your a responsible driver, or else your the worst killer on the road.

one more thing...

After a accident, insurance companies, even yours, will pick apart the police report to avoid having to pay you or the other driver. Many insurance companies have clauses, like if your commiting a crime during the accident (any crime), your and/or your passengers are not wearing seatbelts/helmets etc.

Also it's smart to keep a camera charged up and ready to take pictures of the accident and record everyone's information, license plates, surrounding area, the cops name and badge number etc.

My rate didn't rise after slightly denting a guys body panel because I was able to email a photo of their damage to my insurance company. People tend to talk up or do further damage later to justify getting a new vehicle.

You should at least consider an electric scooter. There are many makes and models now.

Whatever brand you get...I recommend a 4-stroke, not a 2-stroke. The disadvantages of a 2-stroke are: 1) Spark plug requires frequent change (monthly-ish) 2) The extra pollution you will be forcing us all to breath.

also, Genuine Scooter Company out of Chicago has a well-made product with a good rep.

This of course is complete nonsense. There's no way an ABS plastic or fiberglass shell "shattered like a piece of glass". Unless it wasn't a DOT or Snell helmet.

Although you've learned a lot since crashing your bike you didn't learn that you were the cause of your own crash.

Maybe an electric assist or electric bike too.

FSCK that sh!t. My 500cc bike gets 40-50 MPG at least, 30 MPG on the track. In terms of doing good for the planet any two wheel locomotion is far far better than 4.

Plus it's more fun to ride and will increase the number of trip on two rather than 4 wheels. I can go anywhere on my 500cc bike. Not so on an electric scooter.