2008 Buyers Guide

The May issue of Scoot Magazine, on news stands now, contains a 2008 buyers guide featuring over 120 models. All models are believed to be legal in America. This is a very definitive guide. Go pick one up. I was just at Barnes and Noble, and they had a stack on the shelf in with the motorcycle magazines.

The Buyers Guide also includes some buying tips which I've not seen anywhere else. I won't give them here because I don't want to steal their thunder. But I will give you the list of manufacturers they cover:

Adly Moto

Aprilia

Argo

Cobra

Daelim

Diamo

eGo

Fly

Genuine

Honda

Hyosung

Italjet

Kymco

Lambretta

Lance

Piaggio

QLink

Schwinn

Suzuki

Sym

Tank Sports

TNG

Tomos

Vectrix

Vespa

Yamaha

2008 Hondas

Honda appears to be the most popular, in Lancaster, of what I consider the major brands of scooters. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we have 2 Honda dealers in town: Ephrata Cycle and Sports and Lancaster Honda. Honda makes few changes for America in 2008.

Their base model, and the scooter I see most around town remains the Metropolitan. A 50cc model with some storage and styling reminiscent of a Vespa (but in plastic intead of metal), this is the perfect scooter for getting around town. High mileage and low cost are its strengths. For 2008, Honda offers some new colors, including a Gothic (black and gray) and Monza (red on red).

If you like the low displacement, but plan to get out into the country or just want something more masculine, check out the Ruckus. It almost looks like a mini-bike. There is no lockable storage, but there are some interesting hop-up accessories available.

It appears as if Honda has dropped the Elite 80 (80cc) and the Helix (244cc) for 2008. These scooters sport a look like what designers in the 1980’s thought the year 2000 would look like. Also gone: the Reflex. Maybe you can find a good deal on an older model of one of these bikes.

That leaves a huge gap in engine sizes until you get all the way up to the Silver Wing at 582cc. This is a maxi-scooter. At over $8,000, it’s competition is the Suzuki Burgman and motorcycles. Power and luxury are what you are paying for. This is not a grocery-getter. This thing’s big enough for touring.

The reasons to buy a Honda are their reliability, value, and the convenience of 2 local dealers. For value and “green-ness” the Metropolitan is the stand-out model.

4-Stroke vs. 2-Stroke

If you are looking at a smaller scooter, you may need to choose between a 2-stroke and a 4-stroke engine. But what’s the difference, and which one should you get?

The names refer to how many strokes of a piston it takes to accomplish the 4 processes of a combustion engine: intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. Up and down counts as 2 strokes. The primary difference is that a 4-stroke mixes oil into the engine from a reservoir separate from the gasoline (like your car); while a 2-stroke wants its oil mixed in with the gas (like an old lawn mower). A 4-stroke has to go around again, without firing the spark plug, to draw in the oil and lubricate the cylinder. The 2-stroke, its oil mixed with the fuel, burns that oil. You can smell it and see it in the blue smoke. If you have heard people talk about scooters being bad for the environment… or even the myth that they are worse than SUV’s… those people are talking about 2-strokes. If going green is your thing, get a 4-stroke.

So why a 2-stroke? Well, in a way, it is a more efficient engine. There isn’t that part of the piston’s stroke that is lubricating the cylinder. Therefore, more energy is put directly to drive. A 2-stroke is going to be faster than a 4-stroke of the same size. 2-strokes are simpler and easier to hop-up. If performance is your thing, and you plan to work on it yourself, you are going to get more out of a 2-stroke. But you may need to buy used, as environmental laws have most makers switching to 4-strokes. An exception is the 2008 Zuma by Yamaha.

2008 Vespa

Vespa. The quintessential scooter. But where to get one? There are no Vespa dealers in Lancaster County. The closest one is in Wertzville, near Mechanicsburg. Motor-vation is easy to find, just off Exit 57 of I-81 (check the map on their website).

For 2008, Vespa has made very little change to their 2007 line-up. All models are similar in style, so it's the details you'll want to look at. Those details include: color, seat, storage, instruments, wheel size, brakes and engine.

The LX comes in 50cc and 150cc versions. 50cc is great for around town and if you don't want to get a motorcycle license. The 150 is going to give you the greater range that comes with being able to confidently travel roads posted at higher speeds. Both are going to get over 70mpg and have a four-stroke engine with automatic transmission.

The Granturismo 200 will reach highway speeds, while still getting 64mpg.

The GTS 250 adds fuel injection for slightly better gas mileage.

There are other models available that combine the above models with retro styling.

Overall, a Vespa is going to be among the most expensive to purchase and difficult to service due to the distance to the dealer. But there are some that are going to want a Vespa anyway, because nothing says "scooter" like a Vespa.

2008

It's 2008. Oil prices topped $100 a barrel, and gas jumped up to $3.19/gallon. News stories speculate about $5 gas. Parking cost increases took effect downtown. Traffic is bad, and promising to get worse with new "traffic calming" measures. Maybe you made a resolution to live a more "green" lifestyle. But what can you do?

Get a scooter!

If this is the year you want to add the fun and benefits of a scooter to your life, then you'll want to do the research to find the one that is right for you. Scooter Lancaster wants to help with a 2008 buyers guide. Just click the 2008 in the list of tags on the right side of the screen to see all related articles. I'll be adding them over the next couple months so you'll be ready to make a decision when the weather breaks. You'll also want to check the FAQ.

In the meantime, I recommend looking into getting a motorcycle license. It's cheap and easy, but time-consuming, so it's the perfect winter prep work. It's not required to get a 50cc scooter, but having it will allow you to test other sizes as well. And how will you know if you don't try?

Got any questions? Add a comment or Email Gerry.