Gas prices are fueling scooter sales
Maverick - May 21, 2008
 
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Think safety! Motor scooters weigh less than most motorcycles and they are easier to manage. Step through one, start it, roll on the throttle, and you are moving down the roadway. Lighter weight, no transmission in most scooters, and less cost!
The downside is that scooters operators face the same safety issues as motorcycle operators. Their size makes them difficult for drivers to see, and on smaller-displacement models in particular, their low power makes mixing with fast-moving traffic more challenging.
Increasingly, scooter operators have little or no experience on a two-wheeler other than a bicycle.
It is highly recommended that new scooter riders sign up for a safety course. The MSF is the organization that provides most of the motorcycle-safety-course curricula to the 50 states.
The Basic RiderCourse, administered through ABATE and other sub-contractors, is a 15-hour course is the safety class recommended to beginning motorcyclists and scooter operators. It features five hours of classroom instruction to familiarize riders with the safety issues of operating a two-wheeled, motorized vehicle on the street and 10 hours of riding that teach proper starting, stopping, braking and cornering techniques. The class concludes with a skill test that, if passed, waives the riding test at the DMV. Check local laws regarding the motorcycle endorsement as laws do vary from state to state.
Most of the sites use 250 cc motorcycles, but scooters are welcome. Beginning riders can either bring their own or borrow one from a site that already has a scooter in its regular fleet.
Contact ABATE for motorcycle and scooter safety classes in your area.
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