Sometimes it is about the style. Probably the most popular scooter we carry is the Fly Scooter il Bello. With it’s classic retro look and affordable price tag and sharp color combos it’s the scooter that people thinks says “Italian scooter” more than even the Italian scooters. Of course, that’s what the company aimed for- Italian style at a made in China price.

If you visit the Fly Scooter website, you’ll find that it’s a marketing driven organization looking to make a mark on college campuses and in urban areas. They also have their why a Fly Scooter page:

If you are like most consumers, you have choices, and eventually you have to make one. So why buy a Flyscooter? Here are some of the reasons our current family of Flyscooters riders gave us. Of course, you can add your reasons to this list.

• A great product for the price.
• Superb fit and finish and quality components.
• Love the colors
• Specially sourced parts from America, Japan, and Taiwan.
• Cool matching accessories.
• Real dealers, real support.
• What a great looking logo!
• Do Flyscooters really emit 2/3 less pollutants than cars?
• Because your significant other has one already.
• Because I can’t afford to drive my car anymore, and I am too lazy to ride a bicycle.
• Because campus parking costs $300 a semester.
• Because Flyscooters cares about what it puts out on the street.
• Because it’s a Flyscooter, of course. Why else?

via Why Flyscooters? | flyscooters.com.

The Il Bello Scooter from Fly Scooters

Of course, we hope you aren’t too lazy to ride a bike- and hope we sold your significant other a scooter, but if you get the tone of their site- you understand that they plan on being in business as Fly Scooters for a bit longer than some of the other “re-badger” brands. We’ve seen the “il Bello” with other branding- but, their are subtle differences in the quality of the parts and the choice of componentry. We believe that Fly Scooters is one of the best importers and that they stand behind the scooters we sell- which is why we carry them in Dayton Ohio.

The other models that we stock- the La Vie is the more modern Italian design- and the Cadenza is the big wheel tourer that gives you the motorcycle feel- without the price tag.

In the search to bring the best value to Dayton Ohio in scooters, we did a lot of research on which brand is what. Yep- just like a Pontiac Vibe was the same as a Toyota Matrix- scooters are made by a few- but sold under a ton of different names.

Of the Chinese scooter manufacturers, Jiangsu Linhai Power Machinery Corporation (Linhai China) is one of the oldest small engine manufacturer  established in 1956. And although we know Japanese motorcycles, Italian motorcycles, American and even German motorcycle manufacturers- China is the world’s largest producer of motorcycles. They produce about 1.5 million engines and 750K motorcycles each year.

Those other 750K engines end up in other companies motorcycles- and if you search the web- you’ll often find the Yamaha brand linked to Linhai.

Before quality control was on the front burner in China- Linhai earned the I.S.O. 9002 certification in 1999. This enables them to sell to manufacturers you’ve definitely heard of.

The US importer is a company called Sunright in GA. They are the ones who came up with the brand name Aeolus for the scooters- with the CC size being the product differentiator.  Aeolus was the god of the winds in Greek Mythology- but the choice of typeface makes it look more like a bad makeup brand.

Linhai Aeolus 300T Mainstreet

2010 Yamaha Majesty Scooter

The larger 260 and 300 CC Linhai’s are very similar to the Yamaha Majesty with a smaller engine displacement and a much lower cost. You can compare the specs of the Linhai here, vs the Yamaha here. Just looking at the pictures should tell you a lot. Remember that the Yamaha is a 400 cc, much more expensive- and has some nicer trim- but, when you are going 65 down the highway and getting 50mpg and having a blast- do people really care what your muffler looks like?

We’ve sold quite a few of the 150s and have found them to be reliable, affordable transportation.

We’ve had a lot of fun with scooter wraps- just like you see on box trucks and delivery vehicles, you can give your scooter your own distinct personality. We can also do custom decals to help you make your scooter- your scooter.

We’ve teamed with a local vinyl company and produced a Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol scoots- and ones for specific businesses:

Custom vinyl for a Dublin Pub scoot

Cost is really reasonable and as a branding/advertising vehicle- you can’t beat it. Fun to ride- fun to be seen on- and even parked it sends a message about your company. Give us a call about customizing your scooter- or even if you want to sponsor some of our customers scooters- we’ll work somethings out.

There are people who hop on a scooter and ride wearing flip-flops and sunglasses and not much else. I have a friend who didn’t do much more than that when he was young and dumb- it pretty much ruined a vacation for him.

He’d gone to Bonaire, one of the most beautiful diving islands in the world. He also rented a Honda Elite 80 scooter. Luckily, it came with a helmet- and he was smart enough to wear it. In a rush to get to a souvenir shop before the dive boat left, he, along with a passenger on the back, rounded a corner a little too fast- hit gravel and wiped out low side slide.

Both people put their hands out to break the fall- my friend, was a former paratrooper and made fists and tucked- the other hands splayed out palms down.

While being debrided of the asphalt by the Dutch nurse, in the open air hospital, it became apparent that gloves are a very good thing to wear when riding a motorized 2 wheeler of any sort. My friend lost about 10% of his skin- took one more very painful dive in the salt water to clean everything out (an island remedy) and then spent the rest of his vacation in the shade to avoid painful sun on new skin. The helmets both had big flat spots- proving that helmets are also a good thing. They were three quarter helmets and prevented the accident from becoming serious.

Now my friend always rides with at minimum, helmet, jeans, gloves- and most of the time- a motorcycle jacket. He has several for different weather and types of trips. While leather looks cool- it’s not cool to wear in the heat of summer. He has a Joe Rocket Phoenix model jacket that’s made of mesh with slip in armor. The armor protects shoulders, elbows and back. He knows that replacing a jacket is better than waiting for skin to heal.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends boots that cover the ankles. And, yes, my friend wears waterproof motorcycle boots when taking longer trips- but generally a pair of thick soled Dock Martins works too. The motorcycle boots, with a little shoe polish can pass for dress shoes at most workplaces these days- they look that good.

Granted, it’s almost always a problem to store the jacket in summer. He has a expanding cable that he can snake through the arms and hook onto a helmet latch under a seat- but, the funny thing is- so few scooters or motorcycles still include this feature. He has a locking top box that he uses to store the helmet and gloves.

Helmets can get stinky- especially full face ones after a few sneezes. The better helmets have removable liner covers that can be washed, but a great solution is the self-wicking skull cap- like the ones made by Under Armor and Nike etc. Slip one of these over your head before sliding the bucket on- and you have a great way to keep your head cool, while taming “helmet hair.” They are also really easy to wash and even help keep ears in place for glasses.

Carrying a rainsuit is also a great idea if you use the scooter for a daily commute. While their are incredibly expensive ones out there- I’ve made do with a $40 one that’s bright yellow- and does a great job of keeping me dry. Yes, it’s a bit like a plastic bag- and I do sweat a bit on hot days- but compared to getting clothes soaked with rain water off the road, it’s great. It stays rolled up in the top box. Some people swear by totes pull on booties too- but, they are getting harder to find.

Sunscreen can also come in handy- since you won’t have a roof over your head.

Depending on where you scoot- a lock and chain might be a good idea too. They don’t have to be that long- but, don’t lock to a parking meter pole that doesn’t have a loop- thieves can and will lift a scooter over a meter and throw it in a truck. Yes, this is a post on scooter riding comfort- but, there is nothing less comfortable than coming out to a missing scooter.

In cold weather- layers are the secret. Yes, you can ride when it’s cold out. And as long as there isn’t ice on the road- it’s not too bad. In Europe they have “lap blankets” that go over your lap- and sleeves that go around the hand controls that you stick your arms into- sort of like a snuggie blanket- for riding.

Hope these tips help. Happy Scootering.

Stylin a scoot Father Knows Best way

You can find all kinds of things online like this episode of “Father Knows Best” -  called “The Motor Scooter” from Season 1, Episode 3 on Hulu. The theme of the show is Jim should by Bud a motor scooter.

It’s a second hand scoot that Dad brings home to replace that “broken down bike” that’s hurting young Bud’s ability to make money delivering papers.

Yep, they used to have paper boys- and yep, you used to be able to ride a scooter without a license, helmet and in a skirt…

The part about 1 little spark plug is classic.

Margaret used to ride on the handle bars of Jim’s bike before they were married too.

The article’s a little dated, but I found it fun to find out that even before gas prices skyrocketed, five Red’s players bought scooters:

In 1999, Beechmont Motorsports sold 27 Honda and Yamaha scooters. Last year, the store sold 77 – including five at one time to Reds players Barry Larkin, Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns, Aaron Boone and Ryan Dempster. Each bought a Honda 250 Reflex, Fricke said.

via Scooter sales accelerating.

We’ve had a number of used Honda 250’s in stock, and while it’s a great touring scooter, it’s a bit long for running around town. Also, some of the bigger wheel alternatives are a smoother ride.

We’ve got some great deals on 250 cc scooters from a few different manufacturers. Call or come by to check them out.

This is the hardest question for most beginning scooter buyers- with the number of choices available decisions have to be made. Ask another scooter rider and you’ll probably get a biased answer based on the decision they made for themselves.
The main points of differentiation of scooters are:
Engine size-

• 50 cc “metro scooters” for short trips with maximum fuel efficiency (90 mpg+) and limited passenger carry capability.
• 125-200 cc- standard scooters- these come in a plethora of styles and build qualities. They can safely carry two people, and still get 80+ mpg. You can achieve near highways speeds, but unless you are an experienced rider on anything less than a 200cc – highways should be avoided.
• 200 cc+ Maxi scooters- or touring scooters. These come all the way up to a 650cc scooter- and are essentially motorcycles that you don’t have to straddle to get on. The gas mileage can go between 40 and 75 mpg. These are built for highway travel, and often have luggage compartments as well as intercom options etc.

Wheel size-

Classic scooter design, Il Bello from Fly Scooters

Scooters traditionally had fat 8 or 9″ tires. The classic Vespa design depends on these fat squat tires. You’ll feel every bump in the road, and you won’t be leaning into turns like a motorcycle on most fat tired bikes.

Kymco People scooter with 16" wheels

The newer “Commuter style” scooter- like the Aprilia Scarabeo models, the Piaggio Tourer models, and the Taiwanese Kymco People scooter design (it was top rated by a leading consumer products evaluation magazine) give motorcycle like handling and a much smoother ride. They don’t look like the traditional scooter – and they handle like a dream.

Country of Origin

When the Japanese first introduced the Honda car in the US- that’s all the ads had to say- “Introducing the Honda car”- because previously- the only thing Honda was known for was motorcycles. In the scooter market- there is the Italian Vespa brand that is well known, but not widely distributed. Many people call all scooters a Vespa- just as they call all facial tissue “Kleenex” or copies “Xerox’s.’

The reality is the biggest markets for scooters are in Asia- and that’s where most are made. The Japanese motorcycle companies all make scooters of some sort, however most motorcycle dealers aren’t very scooter friendly- probably because of the lower price and margins on scooters. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki all have scooters, and they are priced less than Vespa/Piaggio but more than the scooters made in other parts of Asia.

Taiwanese scooters have a reputation for high quality builds- and the manufacturers there are contracted by other brands to build products that are sold under different labels.

Scooters made in China are typically made by one of four major producers. The same scooter may show up under as many as 30 different badges- each with a slightly different look- but, essentially the same scooter. Quality control of Chinese scooters has notoriously been lacking, but as globalization takes place and information circulates so easily, it’s becoming harder to produce substandard product and continue in business.

Branding

There is a lot of image marketing going on in the scooter marketplace. There are people who will pay top dollar for a specific brand with certain style cues, while others are much more practical and buy scooters on a much more utilitarian basis.

The key to branding these days is the warranty and parts and service availability. For the longest time, Vespa didn’t change it’s designs- and in fact licensed out the manufacturing process and tooling to other countries- creating a glut of interchangeable parts and a huge cadre of qualified repair people. That changed in the mid-nineties, when new models with fuel injection, 4 stroke engines and innovations like liquid cooled engines, ABS brakes and other tricks of the auto industry started to show up on two wheels.

Even color schemes go in and out of fashion from year to year these days. The key to evaluating a brand is how big it is- and what kind of warranty they have. Also- your dealer should be comfortable servicing what they sell.

Even though a scooter may look almost identical- and may in fact be built in the same factory- the difference in something as small as a brake cable or the quality of the locking fuel tank lid- can be the way the price differs.

The ultimate decision

Our advice is often based on what kind of rider you are planning on being. Do you plan on doing serious commuting- or is this just a fun alternative form of transportation? How far will your typical ride be? How mechanically inclined are you? Have you had other scooters or are you coming from a motorcycle background? Will you be carrying someone else or hauling a bunch of stuff?

Our preferred choice is almost always a 150cc scooter with the larger wheels. Sure we like the classic scooter looks- but, when you are sitting on the seat- you don’t see much of the styling- you just feel the ride.

However we understand the allure of the classic scoot too, so the decision is ultimately back to you.

Give us a call or stop in and we’ll see if we can find the right scooter for you.

We’re a CF Moto dealer. Of the Chinese manufacturers of scooters, we believe them to be one of the best. This is the PR text that another site featured about them (since their own site isn’t really helpful)

CFMoto USA or the ChunFeng Holding Group Co., Ltd. was established in 1989 and is headquartered in mainland Hangzhou China. CFMOTO is known for producing high quality engines and drive trains, which all feature liquid-cooled, single cylinder technology, as well as fully automatic motorcycles. CFMOTO Powersports is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota and is the exclusive distributor of all CFMOTO products in the US. Consumers can purchase CFMOTO products through the 200+ dealer network in the US.

via CFMoto.

The 150cc Jewel From CF Moto

We’re big fans of big wheel scooters- and the Jewel 150 is one of the smothest riding scooters out there- especially at the prices we’re able to sell them to you for. While the classic models with the small fat wheels make a fashion statement, they don’t compare to the motorcycle like handling of a 14″ wheel- nor the ability to really make it on the highway.

The fit and finish of the CF Moto product rivals that of the Taiwanese scooters- and will give a euro scooter a run for the money. Come in and take one out for a spin – we think you’ll agree.

Motoscooto is the only authorized dealer for Genuine Scooters in Dayton Ohio. Genuine makes the Blur, Stella, Rattler, Roughhouse and the Buddy. Billed as the smallest scooter company in the United States, Genuine is well known for quality. Their first product, the Stella, was a virtually identical Vespa PX 150 made off the same molds in India by a Vespa partner, LML Scooter aficionados have differing opinions on the value of one or the other, and even have a comparison chart posted.

The 4 stroke Stella from Genuine Scooter

The main difference is you can buy a Stella for a lot less- and with a great warranty (1-Year / 5000 Mile). Originally, the 2 stroke Stella wasn’t emissions legal in CA, but the new 4 stroke model is.

While Genuine doesn’t actually manufacture their scooters, they do have a reputation for standing behind their product. We consider the Genuine Scoots to be the premium model that we sell and well worth the extra investment.