Bias, humiliation and stigma of scooter riders.

[katt]

Dunno if this is because i am in Los Angeles where everyone thinks "if you have no car your a bum", or its like this everywhere, but people who learn i ride scooter always put me down.

Like if i carry helmet in my hand people ask me "Ooo what you riding?" i say "scooter" and every time conversation ends there, like they expect if you wear helmet it better be 1800cc Harley or a 800cc sports bike otherwise you just loser to them.

I have felt plenty other times when people look down on me like when i went to get insurance for it agent was nice but he made a joke calling it "Kick scooter" because it has only 50cc.

My church pastor called made a joke about it.

Other numerous people made a joke about it, guy in tire shop said "we don't work with bicycles".

People i know who drive crappy cars look down at me a because i ride scooter, people on motorcycles do same.

I use scooter to commute not show off i drive ahead of 80% of cars on the road and other 20% still sucks my nuts in the traffic situation when i swing between lines and go ahead. What difference it make to them what i use to own them even if its a 1960's moped.

I feel everyone using their transportation as status thing so my status is low in their eyes since i ride scooter.

Are they jealous that i don't play their little "status game" or just stupid and don't realize how rude they are?

[scooterpimp]

Katt its not the scooter they are messing with..its you man! Lol. Relax man relax....

[aeroxbud]

It's the same everywhere. I live in the U.K. It's the same here.
I don't have a car, but I also own a motorcycle. It's still the same, "why do you ride a scooter, when you have a motorcycle?" People just don't get it. To be honest I did not get it till I rode the BWS I brought for my wife
Just smile and humour these poor deluded people. 😀

[90GTVert]

There can certainly be a lot of disrespect or disinterest for scoots. You just have to not care what anyone thinks about it.

To each their own. I'm kinda like you and don't get the desire to own fancy cars and such. In my head it's silly to buy a $100,000 SUV. Not because you should never spend $100,000 on a vehicle... but because for that money it needs to be seriously fast and should be used IMO. I see so many people that have Porsche SUVs or I've seen Callaway Tahoes and things like that and I'd bet money they never romp on them. My dentist drives a 600HP Callaway Corvette. He admits he's never gotten into the throttle because it's too risky. What if there's a deer or it skids or.... So then to me, what is the point of 600HP if you are only willing to use 1/3 of it? Drives me nuts, cause day one I'd find out what my 600HP 'vette could do. In reality, it's smart not to drive like an idiot. In reality, most people don't give a damn about how fast their vehicle actually is. I have to remember that I'm the weird one because I don't care if a vehicle impresses anyone as long as it's fun or functional for me.

Another example. My father works at a hardware store with a bunch of guys that drive trucks. When he used to drive the Mazda B3000 to work, he got crap about getting a real truck because it's not full size like an F-150 or Silverado and so on. Why would they even care? The reality is, that truck has been used more like a truck than their 4 door luxury trucks ever will. Some of their trucks don't have a single scratch in the bed area. Again, different opinions. To me, the small truck that's easier to drive and park and actually does haul stuff is a better idea than the huge truck that you don't want to get dirty or scratch doing real truck stuff. People have their own ways of thinking, and unfortunately a lot of people like to force them on you, especially if it's the popular opinion. Once again, you just have to not care or they'll drive you nuts.

It is like this with all types of transportation (or pretty much anything else). Someone or many will not like or respect what you drive/ride and will make it known. Either do your thing and don't worry about anyone else, or start saving up for a Harley, Mercedes, etc...

[oldgeek]

I feel sorry for the cagers, they may never know the feeling of riding a scooter. You should see the looks I get riding my Naked Kymco, with its wiring harness flapping in the breeze.

[scooterpimp]

Have Harley & Scoots & I can Honestly say I like to ride the scoots more.

[pinkscoot]

When I first started riding the Pink Scoot to work people thought I had a DUI. I really don't care what anyone thinks.

[Harry Harris]

Well this is my second post on this forum so here it goes: I saw it as a way to pay cash for cheap transportation in a city that we just moved to. I have another vehicle but wanted to try something new and I ended up liking it. My daily commute is only about 7 miles round trip. I have never ridden any other type of scooter or motorcycle before this. I have a 50cc thunder and it suits most of my needs. Yes it can be slow....I have only had a few people act weird when I tell them I ride a scooter but it doesn't bother me because I use that time to tell them why they need a scooter lol. I will have a scooter club in my area if its the last thing I do! What surprises me is when I pull up to a fast food restaurant or business I often have people walk outside to ask me about my scooter and where I got it. They also have asked to buy it off my hands on 2 separate occasions. I have only been riding a month now. My take is I just don't care what others think. I have let a lot of folks ride my scoot and every time they come back smiling. I am definitely a fan. I am 6ft tall, 240lbs, and have a beard that hangs below my full face helmet about 4 inches. I do see folks possibly laughing at that but hey I laugh at that too.

[gsx600racer]

I never had any of those issues for the most part. I usually complements and most motorcyclist are impressed that I can keep up with them.

Plus there is nothing like rolling to the front of the line at a stop light in the side lane(cycle/pedestrian)and when the light turns green you leave them all behind in a cloud of blue smoke and take the lane.

If it bothers you that much maybe you should just walk or ride a bicycle and stick it to em all.

[chino]

Dude,there jealous..! It takes a Real Man..! To ride a scooter..😎 I have big bikes,little bikes,old moped,no car! A wanna be rat rod 1974 chevy tow truck/wrecker I would call my daily driver if I didn't ride my bikes/scoots pretty much every day..😀 Everything has some kind of status attached to it.cannot get away from it,But do what I do and have fun with the haters..😈 One of my favorite responses to assholes is this,I'll act like Iam deft and dumb while pointing to my ears and mouth,then I'll do some made up signs with my hands,then when they say they don't understand.? I'll say in a calm voice, can you understand this ? and flip em the double birds..lol😂 But only if you can fight..😀

[jackrides]

Tell them 'Something that can carry 3 bag of groceries". Smile and walk away.

[lordhater]

I get mixed reactions,,half of them laugh and say "where'd you leave the rest of the bike?" Others love it as much as I do,,,it's a crap shoot,,,much less derogatory remarks since I got rid of the Vespa et4,,,and got a Stella (looks like a px200),,,now it's waves and lots of questions at the coffee shop when I park and have a cup

[fugaziiv]

If you like your scooter, then own it, and if any one else has a problem with it... too bad for them.

The bias against scooters is strong in the US Powersports industry. Before getting involved with my current gig, even before I was a buyer of sportbike product for Parts Unlimited, I used to manage parts counters for dealerships around my hometown. I could barely get any of my dealer principals to stock any scooters. At one of my shops, (wayyy back in the day) we had the opportunity to secure the area's exclusive KYMCO dealership rights, and my dealership's owners just laughed at the idea. I was 22 at the time, so I had no way to take that on my own unfortunately.

Later when I was a buyer at Parts Unlimited, and I dealt with and supported the idea of scooter product as best I could, one of my managers laughed at the idea on the regular. He was a Harley guy, and as far as he was concerned I should be as well and that scooters were not "worthwhile". Luckily that guy is no longer a part of the powersports industry.

I still get asked by industry friends even now (usually when I visit an Expo, such as the one that just happened) about when I'm going to leave scooters behind and come back to the real powersports industry.

Joke's on them. Ain't gonna happen.


Matt

[SMALL CC TEK]

Dude I have owned 5 sport bikes have two left and 7 scooters at any time . The scooters give you a different experience
when your riding a scooter you notice things you don't on you bike .. If you go with a group the experience is so cool you can talk with no head gear and enjoy the ride... So people who talk about you have no idea of how fun it is .

I have sold scooters to guys who are hard core Harley guys for there wife or girlfriends and two weeks later, That same dude is back with a Big ASS smile on his face .They all say the same thing , Dude i had no idea how fun that little thing was to ride i ride it more than my Harley ! lol Every time lol I have owned a motorcycles since 1974 or so never been without one and scooters since 1982 so i am hooked .. Forgive them for being ignorant to the fact that the world is using scooters as a viable form of transportation and they have no idea ! Plus all the fun they miss out on !

[Senna1Rossi]

katt, just ride with confidence. Make the happiness we feel riding scoots into the confidence inspiring thoughts. Easy. Matters not what others think.