I am looking to buy a street legal motor scooter. I need to know what to look for?

Question

What brands are there ? Are the Chinese scooters any good? What type of drive-(belt vs. chain)? What type of cooling-(air vs. liquid)? Any other things to look for?

Answer 1

The number one scooter manufacture is Kymco and they are not made in china. Vespa's are very good scooters but pricey. Kymco has a  many styles to suit what you may need from 50cc to 500cc most are water cooled except for the small ones.   Piaggo ownes Vespa, Genuine, Buddy and they are all good scooters. Hyosung makes scooters also. Then you have your j*p   brands which are no better but charge you more for the name, some of the companies I a have already mentioned use to build the motors  for Honda and the others. Most of them are belt drive I can not think of a chain drive scooter and they are CVT. Twist and go.

Generally speaking the ones  from China may last long enough to get to the side walk. Their quality is almost nil. Dollar for dollar Kymco is about  the best value out there in scooters. Most of the mini rocket bikes and super rocket bikes as well as the mini choppers do not have a MSO so they can not get a title and can not be ridden on the street no matter how many lights are on it.

Answer 2

I had a 45 M.P.H. Motor scooter i got for chritmas their fun as heck. But alot of work. But just warning you i alamost got killed on one i was going thirty. And i got cocky and the next thing i know i was on the ground wit the motor scooter still going. And thank god for my reaction time the motor scooter was ding flips and the wheel was still spining at thirty and almsost went straight into my face so be careful.

Answer 3

I dont know much about scooters, but I DO know it has to have lights on it for it to be legal, and im pretty sure it would have to go over 50MPH (the min speed) if you want to take it on the interstate

Answer 4

most are made in China

needs head lights, signals,tail lights, mirrors, horn, lic. plate and approved to be street legal

I'd suggest a honda ruckus, metro

yamaha vino

or just get yourself a classic vespa

you can't go wrong w/ these

Answer 5

They are all made in china these days except for Tomos, yamaha ,honda... etc. I just purchaced a StradaXR8 and am awaiting delivery next week. Because it is only 50cc (less than 5hp) only a standard drivers license is needed in my state. Personally I prefer a 2cycle engine for their simplicity

IE: less moveing parts, less maintanance, no oil changes, no liquid cooling to leak or boil over,

  and their  "proven technology" and reliability.

I have seen some of those "new 4cycle" scooters drive bye

and after a fiew thousand miles they sound like dog s#%!

Like the "new 4cycle" engine has lost power and become weak. Now I have an old 2005 ex beach rental scooter with

8760mi on it and the 2cycle engine still purrs like a scaulded kitten. There are many choices out there the choice is yours,

larger,faster more expensive (motorcycle endorcement,insurance,helmet requirements)

or smaller less complicated modles.