| A scooter is a style of two-wheeled
motor vehicle traditionally defined by characteristics such as a step-through
frame, wheels from 10" to 16" in diameter, and an engine mounted on the
rear swingarm. Though throughout the history of scooters, there have been
models which challenged or defied this definition, incorporating elements
or designs from motorcycles (distinguished by a tank between the rider
and handlebars and an engine located beneath the rider and to the front
of the vehicle) and mopeds (which have pedals), developments over the past
20 years have broadened the "scooter" label to include a wide array of
vehicles and designs featuring many different technologies and capabilities.
Modern scooters cover a broad spectrum of designs: step-through or step-over
frames, small or large wheels, front fairings or floor boards, and manual
or automatic transmissions.
At one end of the current market, the
Vespa LX series reflects the scooters' historical antecedents: small wheels,
floor boards, front fairing, inner fairing storage. At the other end, the
Honda Big Ruckus features no bodywork, floorboards or step-through frame,
but is still classified as a scooter due to its smaller wheels and engine
placement. The Piaggio MP3, with two front wheels (three wheels total)
reflects the fluid nature of the scooter classification. Modern scooters
have a wide range of engine displacements, from under 50 cc to over 799
cc, and some have engine locations in stark contrast to classic scooter
design (e.g. Yamaha T-Max 500, Suzuki Burgman 650, Gilera GP800).
Generally the term "scooter" is not
defined in law, as laws are based on characteristics such as engine size
and power, and maximum speed. The United States Department of Transportation
defines a scooter as having a platform for the operator's feet or has integrated
footrests, and has a step-through architecture. In the U.S. and Europe,
scooters are classified by vehicle codes as either "motorcycles" or, for
those with 50cc or smaller engines, "mopeds." Each are subject to the applicable
laws for their categorization. |
