| 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. |
