TheScooterScoop

Scooters: The perfect second car? – BusinessWeek Online – MSNBC.com: “Smaller and easier to use than their motorcycle cousins, scooters have long been popular in cities in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. But lately, the economics of scootering has helped them gain fans here in the U.S. With a final bill that won’t exceed most credit-card limits, a scooter makes a great substitute for a station car or an ideal spare vehicle for errands. That’s why sales are soaring in urban hot spots such as Miami and New York as well as in the suburbs.

All scooters share a basic ease of operation that makes it easy even for non-motorcyclists to get on and go. Start with the motor, where automatic ‘twist-and-go’ transmissions are the rule. With no clutch to fuss about, you simply twist the throttle to take off. The brakes work just like a bicycle’s, with a lever for each hand. Thanks to the positioning of the engine — directly in front of the rear wheel — scooters share a ‘step-through’ design so you can sit upright, with your feet in front of you.”