FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:

Do I need a motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license to operate a scooter?

What is the DMV test like?

I haven't ridden a scooter before. Where can I get training?

What types of laws am I subject to while operating a scooter in the State of Oregon?

How fast do scooters go?

In general, scooters can go anywhere from about 30 mph all the way up to 100+ mph. It mainly depends on the engine size and if it has performance parts installed. The scooters we sell at Ptown Scooters are a mix of new, used & consignment vehicles so top speeds can vary.

Our new CPI Oliver City 50 is a two-stroke 50cc which tops-out around 35 mph. The CPI GTR 50 is also a two-stroke 50cc which breaks 40 mph. Both of these have performance kits available which should allow for a higher top speeds. A de-restricted version of the GTR 50 can reportedly hit 64 mph.

We also carry the CPI GTR 150 which is a 4-stroke 152cc model. I had this model up to 55 mph last weekend, but the engine was still not "broken-in" and we expect to see top speed in the 60-65 mph range.

Our vintage scooters typically go between 35-65 mph. Again, this depends on the size of the engine. A 150cc or 200cc scooter will be faster than a 90cc or 125cc.

A "kitted" or performance-enhanced scooter can obtain higher speeds in excess of 70 mph. You'll typically see upgraded/re-jetted carburetors, new "top-ends" (new cylinder sleeve, piston, piston rings & head), possibly a new crankshaft, new air filter, performance exhaust, new gear-box (transmission) and a host of other additional after-market parts. Keep in mind that higher speeds will require better suspension & braking components, not too mention better tires.

The thing with kitted engines is that while on the one hand you will see a noted improvement in overall performance, the flip-side is that you'll also see a proportional drop in fuel economy; i.e., more power = more gas. In additon, performance engines run at higher rpm's (revolutions per minute) which means that there's more wear and tear on your engine components than in a "stock" engine. So if you want your bike to go faster, by choosing the right components for the engine rebuild you'll help to minimize problems down the road and add to the longevity of your engine.

Also, there are typically more performance options available for a two-stroke engine versus a four-stroke engine. This is mainly due to the fact that it's only relatively recently (last 15 years or so) that more four-stroke engines have been used in scooter frames.

Speeds of 70-100 mph can be expected of the new "maxi-scooters" which are generally 250-600cc's. We do have a 250cc Honda Helix on the floor right now which should hit 80 mph. Typically, we don't carry scooters larger than 250cc's.

If you're thinking about doing any performance upgrades to your scooter, we've got a lot of experience here and can help you make an informed decision on the best modifications for your ride.

Considering a used / restored scooter?

Here at Ptown Scooters we really want our customers to be satisfied with their choice on a scooter. We've been offering "Scooter Guidance Counseling" to our customers since the start. Bring the bike by our shop before you buy if you have doubts about it. Send us the Craigslist.org ad link of the bike you're thinking about. Just get all the information you can before making that purchase. We'll do what we can to help.

A word about overseas restoration scooters

Look too good for the price? Maybe it is.

Steve recently had the opportunity to perform an autopsy of one of the typical "restorations" seen coming from overseas these days. This one happens to be from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. You know these bikes; they show up on E-bay, local bulletin boards like Craigslist.org after the unfortunate buyer realizes their mistake and tries to pass it along on some other poor sucker. Bondo and slick-looking paint jobs tease the eye, but all the pretty chrome accessories just don't look right...

There's really no proper "fix" for these bikes. Sometimes we're told to get them into running order. We do the best we can for their budget and we let them know their engine will usually detonate (i.e., catastrophic failure) after about 1,000 - 1,200 miles. If they're set on keeping the bike, we'll drop in a proper rebuilt engine, or a new engine like LML's 150cc 4-speed, the powerplant for Genuine's recently defunct Stella line.

Last year, we had one customer with 2 of these problem bikes, a nasty result of bidding on more than one scooter at a time... The sidecar unit was pretty to look at, but funny thing happened during shipping. The tube steel holding the sidecar to the scooter body literally folded in on itself sometime during transport we figure. Your average pothole would have probably yielded the same results. Worse still, the sidecar's wheel assembly was the front end of another donor bike and just welded-up to the sidecar's sub-frame. We're glad the new owner decided not to put his kids in that sidecar as he had originally envisioned.

Guarantees, warranties, and long lists of new parts installed by quality mechanics in machine shops thousands of miles away don't seem to console unhappy customers very much. We were asked to perform a safety inspection "plus". That's right - split the cases and see just what's going on inside. Fortunately the owner will be getting his money back, but take heed the warnings seen here.

Shopping for a new scooter? Check out What Scooter? from TAG magazine!
It's chock full of reviews of all the new bikes in the marketplace. That's over 220 scooters to compare!

Portions of the following section is provided courtesy of Solano Cycle

SHOPPING ADVICE

The scooter market is expanding and manufactures are rapidly becoming more completive. In this day of age it can seem that two bikes are exactly the same, except in price. At Solano Cycle, we believe you should have the opportunity to see the difference for yourself. We've defined the terms used by dealers to give you a better understanding of what they're talking about.

MSRP: The MSRP, or manufacture's suggested retail price, is the target price the manufacturer or distributor would like their dealers to ask for their vehicles.

FINAL PRICE: The price of a bike after a dealer adds on fees. For example, many dealers tack on a shipping fees, assembly fees (a.k.a. Pre Delivery Inspection), and documentation fees to the price of a bike. Sales tax is usually excluded from this estimate.

ORIGIN: If we stereotyped bikes from different counties it would go a little like this:

China and India provide inexpensive bikes that are typically on the lower end of the quality chain. They are the least expensive and are usually clones of other well know brands, but with cheaper quality parts.

Taiwan and Korea are large scooter producers. They vary from average to high quality, depending on manufacturer. These bikes tend to be your bread and butter bikes. They run well, are moderately prices, but aren't as performance oriented as higher end Asian and Italian scooters. Companies like CPI, E-Ton, and Hyosung are your good basic scooters. KYMCO and Yamaha of Taiwan are your higher end scooters that compete with the European bikes, kind of like Lexus and Infinity compete with BMW and Mercedes. These bikes tend to give you the most "bang for your buck".

Western Europe such as France and Italy produce high end scooters, but are often very expensive. These include Vespa/Piaggio, Aprilia, Malagutti, Peugeot, Italjet, etc.

There are a few pearls and duds in every category to be aware of. So, you can often find a reasonably well made Chinese bike for a good price, and a really unreliable one from Italy. The stereotype is a good rule of thumb, but you should always research a particular brand before buying. Parts availability and cost of parts is often a big consideration as well. In general, the parts prices are in proportion to the selling prices. So, if you buy an expensive bike, expect to pay a lot for parts and service.

The availability of parts depends on the importer and the stability of their company. A cheap bike can have better parts availability than an expensive one.

You should ask other owners on newsgroups before you buy. If you buy a Chinese or Indian made bike from online auctions, or from someone selling it for less than $1000, beware. You may have a very difficult time getting parts and service. For a dealer to sell it under $1000, they are often times importing the bikes direct from overseas to cut out the middle-man (i.e, the U.S. distributor.) You may save a few hundred dollars, but the seller may not have liability insurance, DOT approval, warranty, and spare parts that a large distributor typically provides. You may also have trouble registering the bike if it is not DOT approved in your state.

ENGINE TYPE:

Two-stroke, air cooled engines are most commonly found in scooters and mopeds. They provide good acceleration, are durable, cheap to maintain and rebuild, and generally cost less than a four-stroke engine. It is lubricated by burning a small amount of oil each time the engine fires. It is your basic weed-eater motor on steroids. 2 strokes dominate the 50cc market because they are fast, affordable, and easy to maintain.

Four-stroke engines tend to vibrate less than two-strokes, get better gas mileage, have lower emission rates, don't burn oil, and last longer. It is a fancy lawn mower engine. A 4-stroke is more expensive to rebuild than a 2-stroke, so even though it lasts longer, the actual cost of ownership probably isn't that different over the life of the engines. 4-strokes are typically found in larger displacement bikes due to tighter emission standards for large engines.

WEIGHT: A lighter bike is easier to control than a heavier one at low speeds. Heavier bikes are more stable at higher speeds, but more difficult to operate at lower speeds.

AVERAGE TOP SPEED: The term "average top speed" can be misleading. Even though two bikes have the same size engines it doesn't mean they will go the same speed. The type of transmission, bike weight, quality of the engine, and the weight of passengers have a large influence on speed. When comparing the top speed of two bikes you should keep in mind potential top speed. See "de-restriction" below.

DE-RESTRICTION: Most 50cc bikes come with a 30mph limiter. When these limiters are removed(aka "de-restricted"), the bike may go from 30mph-50mph, depending on the model. If want to go faster than 30mph, you should consider how difficult it is to remove the limiters before purchasing the bike. Restrictors are most commonly found in the exhaust pipe, on the transmission/front variator, and on the CDI (electronic controller). De-restriction can be as simple as cutting a wire, or removing a washer from your transmission/variator. Before de-restricting a bike, you should check to see if it is legal in your state, if the bike is built well enough to handle the speed, and if it will void the manufacturer's warranty.

PERFORMANCE PARTS: These are also available for many bikes, such as exhaust pipes, cylinders, carbs, etc. You can typically get a good quality 50cc scooter's speed to increase to 55-70mph with performance upgrades. Popular bikes typically have performance parts available. Some popular manufactures of performance parts are Malossi, Technigas, Motorio, Polini, and LeoVince.

COOLING SYSTEM: Most 50cc scooters and mopeds have an air-cooled engine. It is inexpensive and works well on small engines. High performance 50cc scooters and larger displacement scooters tend to have water cooled engines. These are more expensive to build and maintain. They provide more power and longer life. This is because the engine temperature fluctuates less and the manufacturer can make the engine parts more precise since their metal components don't have to be able to expand and contract under heat stresses as much.

DISPLACEMENT: The displacement of a bike will tell you how large the engine cylinder is. For example, a 49cc engine has a piston inside its cylinder that displaces 49 cubic centimeters of fuel and air for every stroke it takes. The larger the displacement, the bigger the engine; the faster and more powerful it is. Most scooters are 49cc (aka 50cc) because the federal government is less restrictive on emissions and other approval requirements, and many states are don't require motorcycle licenses for these smaller engines. Once they exceed 49 or 50cc, most states classify them as motorcycles, which brings many more regulations and the expense to buying one.

TRANSMISSION: Smaller scooters and mopeds might have a single-speed transmission, which means it only has one gear. These bikes are often only capable of going about 30 mph and tend to be the least expensive bikes available. A two speed automatic transmission will let you accelerate a little faster and may give your more top speed potential. The CVT, or Continuously Variable Transmission, continously shifts gears as you speed up or slow down. It is a rubber belt drive and you will not feel it shift gears. This is by far the most common type of scooter transmission. Keep in mind while shopping around that almost every new (post 1985) scooter is automatic, whether it is single speed, two speed, or CVT. Only a handful of new scooters (which often try to look like motorcycles or old fashioned scooters) use a manual transmission.

WHEELS & TIRES:

HEIGHT: Taller tires will give you increased stability at high speeds. Shorter tires will usually offer you better acceleration, cornering and control at lower speeds. Most scooters have 8-12 inch tires. 8 inch is common on small Chinese bikes, 10 inch is average, and 12 inches are often found on better quality or faster bikes. A few scooters are now available with 14-17 inch tires. These are referred to as "high wheel" scooters by some scooter magazines.

WIDTH: Wider tires typically increase your stability at high speeds and have better corning and stopping traction.

RIM: Steel rims are a cheaper alternative to aluminum ones. However, they usually don't last as long or look as good because they are prone to rust and the paint chipping. They are also easier to bend if you hit a pot-hole or when changing tires. Aluminum rims are typically found on better quality bikes. Older/vintage Vespa & Lambretta scooters have rims which are "split". These wheels use tubes (inflated with air-like a bicycle) which fit between the rim & the tire.

BRAKES:

DRUMS: These are most commonly found on mopeds (front & rear). Newer scooters typically have disk brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. This is the standard for almost all scooters, just like cars. Cheaper bikes will have front and rear drums.

DISK: These brakes provide better, more controlled stopping power than drum brakes.More expensive/high performance bikes will have front and rear disk brakes.

WARRANTY: In this category you get what you pay for. In general, lower end bikes come with a three month warranty. A medium to high quality bike will usually give you a six month warranty. Bikes with a superior quality have a one year warranty. If we could give you one piece of advice when picking out a scooter it would be this: judge a bike by its warranty.