A Buyers Guide to Motor Scooters
Motor scooters have come a long way over the past 80 years. They
have evolved into a popular and cheap form of travel all over
the world. Would a motor scooter fit your needs?
Motor scooters are vehicles with small wheels and a low-powered
gasoline engine geared to the rear wheel. The first patents for
"foot powered" scooters date back to 1921. Up to that time there
were no motors attached to the scooter. They were propelled by
"foot power."
The old-fashioned foot-powered push scooter was updated to a
Razor motor scooter under the direction of Gino Tsai, whose
father was a mechanical engineer for the J. D. Corporation in
Shanghai, Taiwan. His motor scooter took about 5 years to design.
Gino Tsai claims that the reason he invented the Razor motor
scooter was due to the fact that his father had to walk for
miles every day around the huge bicycle factory that he worked
for because of his short legs. To solve this problem he updated
the old-fashioned push scooter into what we now know as the
modern Razor motor scooter.
When Gino finished the development of his motor scooter he began
to market it to the public. It quickly became a huge success
with customers waiting as long as six months for their orders.
Why was the Razor motor scooter so popular? The Razor scooter
was made from lightweight airplane grade aluminum which can
support over 1000 pounds without bending. It is foldable, which
means it can be stored in very small places. It has small
polyurethane wheels and a low-powered engine. Braking is
activated by stepping down on the rear fender.
Today there are many different brands and models of motor
scooters. We have electric scooters and gas powered motor
scooters. They are very versatile and functional, serving many
different purposes. They are patterned after motorcycles, but
have smaller wheels, lower-powered engines and can be "stepped
through," unlike the motorcycle.
The most commonly seen style of scooter is the "folding," or
"foldable," scooter. These are two-wheeled models that are
typically used for traveling short distances around the
neighborhood. Braking occurs when the back fender is stepped on,
putting pressure on the back wheel and stopping its movement.
This type of motor scooter is made for kids or adults and can
also be used to perform tricks on. It is very compact in size
and can be folded for storage in small places.
A unique feature of freestyle folding motor scooters is the
"kicktail," a portion of the foot deck that extends over the
back wheel. This is what provides the leverage for performing
tricks. Motor scooters with "kicktails" are called freestyle
scooters and usually have hand brakes due to the fact that the
back fender allows for the performance of tricks instead of
braking.
Electric scooters are generally bigger and heavier. Because of
the extra weight they consume more power and can only go shorter
distances when compared with the folding scooters. After about
10 or 15 miles it may be necessary to recharge the battery.
These electric, or battery-powered, motor scooters are often
used to travel short distances around the neighborhood or
perhaps on a school campus or other confined environment. They
are particularly popular among the elderly, handicapped and
disabled. Instead of being confined at home these elderly or
handicapped people can now have some of their former
independence returned to them. Motor scooters of this type are
usually called mobility scooters.
Gas powered motor
scooters are usually more powerful and can attain higher
speeds than the folding scooters or electric scooters. They can
also travel longer distances when a larger fuel tank is
included. Gas scooters may not be permitted in some areas so it
is wise to check out the laws and regulations in your area
before purchasing a motor scooter.