Popular Motor Scooters Compared
Vespa scooters are one of the oldest names in the scooter business. They have been manufacturing motor scooters since 1946 and their models are in great demand world wide. There are several popular Vespa motor scooters that range in size from 50cc to 200cc.
The Vespa Granturismo has a 200cc engine which is the biggest, fastest and most powerful Vespa ever made. It has a 4-stroke 4-valve engine that is liquid-cooled. With its powerful engine it has the ability to pull away from almost any kind of traffic you could encounter. Even with its larger and more powerful engine it is still a very quiet motor scooter and emits exceptionally low levels of pollution.
The Granturismo has 12 inch wheels and both front and rear hydraulic disc brakes. Plus it has some good storage space. Two open face helmets can be stored under the seat plus a few extras in the glove compartment.
Other popular Vespa models are the LX, PX 150, PX 150 Limited Edition and some top motor scooters in their Piaggio line.
The LX motor scooter comes in either the classic 50cc or 150cc versions. The LX scooters are made for commuting. They aren’t as powerful as the Granturismo, but they save on gas. It’s amazing how much more fun everyday errands can become when you surround yourself with the style, performance and safety that the LX encompasses.
The PX 150 motor scooter is 150cc of classic Vespa. It comes complete with manual gears and a rear foot break. This is the original, the legendary, the classic PX. It’s available in the United States once again after a 20-plus year hiatus. These scooters are brand new, but maintain the original design. It comes with a 4-speed gear shift, manual 4-speed transmission, rear foot break, 150cc engine and a standard spare wheel.
The PX 150 Limited Edition is limited to just 500 scooters. The first PX motor scooters were made in 1977 and they have become one of the most recognized scooters in the world. Over 2 million have been sold world wide and they have achieved a true cult scooter status. For collectors you can’t go wrong with a PX 150 Limited Edition scooter.
Vespa also makes motor scooters under the Piaggio name. They have several popular models that are very powerful machines. The X9 Evolution has a 39 horsepower engine that will reach a top speed of 98 mph.
The BV200 and BV250 models boast a single cylinder, four-stroke engine with an automatic transmission. No need for constant shifting here. This makes it an ideal motor scooter for stop and go situations, the type of travel you will find in the city. And on the open highway they will reach top speeds of 75 mph.
The BV series boasts large 16 inch wheels and dual shock absorbers for the smoothest ride in scootering. Plus, there is plenty of room for a passenger. They also have lockable storage compartments under the seat for helmets or groceries. These are great gas powered scooters for city driving.
If you need to step up a notch you will find the Piaggio BV500 ideal. It’s great for scootering around the city. With its powerful engine it will take you anywhere you want to go in a hurry. It too has 16 inch wheels, a 4-stroke, 4-valve Piaggio Master engine, and the exclusive Piaggio integral braking system for safe and smooth stops. There are many other features that make this a popular scooter.
Piaggio also has other models such as the FLY150, which is a smaller cheaper model with 12 inch wheels. It’s not quite as powerful as the bigger models, but it maneuvers around town very well and gets better gas mileage.
Honda is a very popular scooter manufacturer and has many wonderful models to choose from. Among the most popular are the Silver Wing, Helix and Elite.
The Silver Wing has a powerful liquid-cooled 582cc engine, automatic transmission and seats two people comfortably. It is a strong scooter that is made for touring.
The Honda Helix also has room for two and has a built-in trunk with plenty of storage room. It has 244cc of pure power, a liquid-cooled four-stroke engine and has been an extremely popular model for many years.
The Honda Elite is the gas-saver. It has a smaller 80cc four-stroke engine and is fully automatic. You can enjoy the ride without worrying about shifting gears all the time. Plus, with the smaller engine you save on gas.
Another lesser known, but quality model, is the Bajaj. Bajaj scooters have the highest mileage rating of any 150cc scooter in the U.S. allowing you to get up to 110 miles per gallon (per EPA City Cycle dyno tests). It has a 4-stroke 4-speed engine and is built by a company with over 40 years of experience building motor scooters and utility vehicles. So if you want reliability and high gas mileage the Bajaj may be what you’re looking for.
There are many scooter manufacturers around the world. There are electric scooters and gas powered scooters. Scooters have become a popular form of travel because of the great savings achieved due to their high gas mileage, cheap prices and low operational expenses. Plus, they are extremely fun out on the open road.
