What do Americans think about scooter?

[superk]

Hey there,

I am Kelvin and pretty new here. WT100 showed my that forum and my question was "how do Americans think about scooter"? I'm asking because on my holidays in LA, New York or in Florida, I never saw many scooters.
As far as I know the American mentality tend more to motorcycles like choppers and so on. More cc = more American. Do Americans think scooters are just made for pussies or low income households, or even just made for asians

For me, as an European, it's out of all reasons why you don't drive scooters. For example rushhour in LA,Downtown. I was once stuck in it. 8 Lanes, 2 of them were car pool lanes ... using a scooter to work would be the smartest idea, so why are scooter not that popular like in Germany, Italy, France or whole asia? Can u tell me that...

Sorry for my English mistakes doin' my best.

[Enviromoto]

From what I can tell its mostly a macho thing. But as more and more scooterists make it out on the road and gas prices go up people are slowing starting to change their minds. Around here the main reason people ride scooters is because they lost their license drinking and driving. So its seen as a bad thing to have to ride a scooter, punishment if you will.

The states has a few racing organizations that are starting to take off, NASRA being one of the fastest growing right now. I think in about 5 - 10 more years you will start to see things getting up to speed to whats being done over seas. It just takes time, money, and patience. I can tell you that watching the races over seas and seeing what can be done has been a big inspiration to us aspiring scooter racers and it wont take long before we fly over and dominate

[lshigham]

I think the main reason that there are few scoots in the states is the price of fuel. It's 2-3 times more expensive for us Europeans.

[superk]

Oh i never heard of that alcohol and scooter situation. So it's like a open secret

What about having problems in traffic, like the F250 do not respect your presence on the road and cutting your lane.

How do you drive? Do you stay in lane on a road with more than one lane for one direction, like the law says or do you drive more south european/asian?


Scooter vs. German Police

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxku2NFjtZQ (Smart!)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qe15v3Zvzk (Starts at 3:30, Police stopped because of a bikeway pile)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8No2UIvtpQ (max. Speed of 90km/h, pretty risky and busted)

[shakerdriver]

I think there are a number of reasons that we americans are so stuck on having cars and motorcycles. mostly like enviromoto said, is a status or macho thing, lower fuel prices, and the long commutes to work. and then theres the punish factor for the alcoholics here in the states, not alot of people want to put themselves in the same "boat" with the alcoholics. again macho or status issues. but with time and rising fuel prices we americans will come around and relise how much fun and inexpensive they are. a select few of us have already come to relise it and get out there and have fun.

[superk]

Ok I think the alcoholic situation is a real issue for all scooter-lovers. But I think if you once drink and drive you should not be allowed to drive anything because also a scooter is vehicle which is able to cause serious accidents. If you compare the gas prices to Germany(Premium 2,05$/Liter), your gas price is quite low.

What about your driving style and how do other react to scooters in allday traffic?

[shakerdriver]

well luckily i've got my motorcycle endorsement so i piss off other drivers by riding my scooter with traffic. but before i got the endorsment and a scooter fast enough to keep up with traffic you'd have to get to the side or get run over almost.

[90GTVert]

How we ride with traffic depends largely on where we reside and what type of scooter it is. It's pretty much standard that below 50cc is classifed as a scooter or moped and not a motorcycle in any region of the US, so you don't need a motorcycle endorsement to operate one. In some states you need a driver's license and in some you don't. That's why drunk drivers get away with riding a scooter in some areas, no license required.

I live in Maryland and I am required to have a driver's license. I don't need a motorcycle license unless the scooter is over 49cc. That means it's manufactured as that. I tried to register a 49cc with a 70cc kit on it to ride as a motorcycle and I couldn't, so I ride 70s and 90s as 49ccs and have had no trouble there so far. I am not allowed to exceed 30MPH. I have to ride on the shoulder if the speed limit is greater than 30MPH. If the road has a speed limit of 55MPH or above I am not even allowed to ride on the shoulder. If I am on a road with no shoulder I am supposed to yield to other traffic. It can be a pain at times. Even going at above the speed limit, people here often seem to think you are going slower than you are just because it's a scooter so they tailgate you or drive more aggressively around you than if you were on something larger.

I agree with a lot of the other statements by others as well. Scooters aren't considered macho at all by most. In reality, I don't know that motorcycles should be considered macho either. Anyone with money can buy either one. I don't think being macho has anything to do with what you are riding... although you probably won't see me riding too many pink and lavender scoots around. lol Scoots are looked at as the lowest on the food chain by many here in the states. A lot of folks just think scooters are in their way. They think you'd only ride one because it's cheap or you are a drunk. I think most Americans would be driving a huge high dollar SUV if they could afford it. Just anything to look important or wealthy or whatever boosts their ego. I could care less if you think I'm broke or rich or whatever, as long as I'm enjoying myself. ;D

Rest assured, as you see here, there are plenty of us that do truly enjoy scooters. Some of us just like to ride, some of us can't keep our hands off the engines, and some are a combination of both. I think they are great little machines and can be an affordable mode of transportation or a real joy to learn about, modify, race, or whatever you desire.

[shakerdriver]

I agree with Brent 100%. Whether you have to or just want to, enjoy it for what it is and ABOVE all else have safe FUN.

[WT100]

I'm a fan of 2 wheels. Scoot, MC big or small, i find something interesting in most of them.

One big difference i see between the US and Europe or Asia is that the pricing in inverted. IE in most cases i can buy a lot more MC for the money than scoot. That combined with the fact that we are way more spread out and so want (need) more CCs to get us down the long highways is some of what keeps the balance toward MCs for now.

As fuel goes higher city dwellers will look too 2 wheels for an alternative and will go for scooters for the better milage and automatic transmission.

[Enviromoto]

If your on two wheels most other vehicles dont see you period. Much less if your on a scooter thats only 2 ft off the ground.

[Thebatman]

+1 @ enviromoto. agree with brent, great post.. :thumb:

[famous]

:welcome: i agree with the whole macho factor, im new to scooters also and mine is a 49cc, before owning mine me and my buddy would joke and laugh at the though of the scooters as GTA4 would call them "faggios" but since owning mine we have rode on it together lol and had a blast and i have a really fun time riding solo so our perspective has changed alot we are all about the 49cc's and up. now everytime i see a scoot on the road i notice myself staring at it likes its a fine ass girl lol

[90GTVert]

That's true for me as well famous. I used to think of scooters as kind of a joke and laughed at times when I saw one around when I was younger. 2-5HP seemed like a joke. In reality, it's harder to be a good rider and keep form getting hurt on a 5HP scooter than it is to drive my 400RWHP car. Now I too get excited when I realise that's a scoot I see in the distance and can't wait to see what it is. lol

[famous]

yeah and when i see a vintage one my head turns with it im like sweeeeeeeeet