Modern Vespa

I saw the thread awhile ago about...A scooter isn't a scooter if it has wheels
that are more than 12" and now I can't find it, I really need a link to the
rules of what makes a scooter a scooter.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks in advance

Dave

Dave you should have been at our ride yesterday as this topic came up when a couple of guys gathered around our scooters up in Woodbridge to ask us about them. I really don't think wheel size should be part of the definition. I think it is more about the architecture of the bike. The ability to step through rather than over. The position of the engine and fuel tank low down that gives the scooter the lower centre of gravity.

Tire size?

I dont agree with tire size being the requirements of being a scooter.

Really I guess I have always thought a Scooter had to have a leg step through. Thats my primary idea of a Scooter.

this is just my opinion but.

the step through design of a scooter defines it for me. anything that you have to lift your leg over is a motorcycle in my book. the lines are blurred now because scooters are getting faster and faster.

suit scoot

You're looking for this thread, I think.

(but there's no hard and fast rules on what makes a scooter a scooter...)

Wished I'd been able to go, But as it is, I'm putting off taking delivery until
my income tax return comes in before I pay the final payment for the "Don't pay til spring" promotion.

I've paid $3000. so far and only owe another $1220., I'm expecting $1300. on my return.
I know...I don't have to pay til spring, But I've been making payments so
that in the spring I'll have less to pay and it'll be paid for...woohoo!!!

Cheers!

Dave

There lies madness - there is no definitive definition. In general, if it has smaller wheels and is step through it is a scooter. Very few machines are step through and have 15" plus wheels and very few machines have 14" or smaller wheels and are not step through although both types of exception exist.

Step-thru frame works for me (that's about all that's left), but even that gets blurred by Genuine's Blur... but I don't like that bike anyway, so it's not a scooter.

There.

THERE IS A DEFINED RULE:

If you live in the USA the definition of 'scooter' was set by the Federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA/DOT) in 2005. A 'scooter' or 'motorscooter' is a sub-set of motorcycle with these defining elements:

[1] A step-through configuration (the area imediately in front of the seat is lower than the seat itself).

[2] Floorboards integrated into the bodywork (rather than pegs as on a motorcycle).

The definition does use engine size, wheel size, or transmission type as a factor. Motorcycles defined as 'scooters' that do not have a left-hand clutch are allowed to have a left-hand brake for the rear wheel and are no longer required to apply for a waiver. Motorcycles that are NOT scooters must have a right-foot break for the rear wheel; the right-foot brake requirement applies to motorcycles without a left-hand clutch such as the FJR1300-AE.

Thus, the Gilera GP800 which is barely a step-through is still a scooter. Honda's DN-01 700cc auto-tranny is a motorcyle as is the Aprilia 850 Mana auto-tranny. The concept bikes E4-01 900cc and GRF-1 750cc are both scooters despite having 17-inch wheels.

I asked this question over at a local motorcycle forum that I frequent
and this link pretty much summed it up for me:

http://www.answers.com/topic/motor-scooter

Special thanks to http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/

Dave