Top 10 Scooter Myths

We love scooters, mopeds, motorcycles, trikes, and basically anything that allows you to experience the open road with as many smiles as possible.  Unfortunately, not all folks feel the same and there are a lot of myths about Scooters and scooter culture that leave us a little baffled.  This is our attempt to address the top 10 myths.  If you see something here you disagree with or you think something else should be added, feel free to message us through the Contact Us page!

Most scooters do have smaller engines than typical motorcycles, with the smallest being the 50cc engine that tops out at 30-40 mph depending on the engine. But, like all motorcycles, scooters come in different shapes and sizes with many being able to comfortably cruise at state highway speeds, and some able to cruise at interstate speeds.

Some states do allow riding 50cc scooters without a valid driver’s license; however, most states require a valid license with Motorcycle Endorsement for any scooter or motorcycle bigger than 50cc or exceeding a certain horsepower (usually equates with 50cc). In Pennsylvania, a valid Class C license is required to ride a 50cc scooter, and a class M license is required for anything bigger.

The quickest way to offend a scooterist is to call their scooter a moped. Mopeds are motorized bikes with peddles, whereas scooters are typically smaller displacement motorcycles that are characterized by a step through frame and, except for vintage scooters, automatic CVT transmissions. You’ll often see mopeds at scooter events; however, they’re certainly not the same vehicle.

Scooters are motorcycles, just with a different body style. In most of the world, the scooter is the vehicle of preference and the “cool” choice. In the U.S. – that vision has lent itself to extensive motorcycle ad campaigns and the mantra of “bigger is better,” but, for any scooter-curious individuals, we urge you to try a scooter and try a motorcycle – see where you land and what you think is most fun and better for your lifestyle.

Scooters come in many shapes and sizes. Take a look at our Guide to Motor Scooters and you’ll see that, just like standard motorcycles, there are tons of different styles and designs that serve a variety of purposes, just like standard motorcycles. While Vespas are certainly the classic scooter design, there’s arguably a scooter style out there for everyone.

Crashing a scooter going 35 mph can be just as devastating as crashing a motorcycle going 70 mph. Like lots of activities (e.g. football, rock climbing, kayaking, etc), riding a scooter or motorcycle is an inherently risky activity. Though, like the examples above, that risk can be mitigated. Some risk mitigations that we all can take include wearing full protective gear, taking a motorcycle safety course, working on increasing awareness on the road, and even just knowing what kind of driver you are. Motorcycling takes some serious attention to the road and the zen-like state of being present and in the moment is often cited as a big reason why people love motorcycling to begin with. If this is not something you can do, this may not be the right activity for you.
Yes, you can buy scooters from Amazon and other places online that cost roughly $1,000 – $1,500 for a 150cc scooter. These scooters are often made in China under names like TaoTao and Icebear. For all intents and purposes, these scoots will run and operate as a scooter. Unfortunately, they’re also notorious for having electrical issues, unstable body work, difficulties with registration and inspection, poor parts availability, and a whole slew of other problems. It’s also better to see a scooter in person, see how it feels sitting on it, and maybe even test ride it before purchasing it. If you want a reliable machine, go for a name brand – this is the way. If you want something to do a full custom job on –the Chinese scoot may be perfectly acceptable.
We saw Big Bang and Revenge of the Nerds too, but lest we forget, Deadpool also rides a scooter! The scooter community has members that come from all walks of life – punks, mods, hippies, lawyers, doctors, teachers, bus drivers, LGBTQ+, Liberal, Conservative, neurodivergent – all races, religions, creeds, beliefs are accounted for and welcome. We come together over a mutual love of scooters and welcome everyone as they are.
Scooters do make for great commuter vehicles, but that’s not the full picture. Scooters can and are able to do whatever kind of riding the rider wants to do. The Taps and Twisties rides often average ~60 miles to each destination and most people log 100-140 miles for the day. Several people also ride to scooter events in the surrounding states, do longer scooter tours, and tent camp with their scooters. If that doesn’t sound like fun, there are periodic shorter rides, and other groups in the area, like Three Mile Island, do more leisurely Wednesday night rides.
Like most vehicles, scooters are as inexpensive or expensive as the time and energy put into them. You can purchase a brand-name scooter from $2000 to $12,000 depending on the size and brand. Also, when budgeting, a lot of people don’t think about protective gear. Good protective gear is not cheap and most individual pieces start around $100. Maintenance is also not cheap. Most people only put a few thousand miles on their scooter each year which keeps costs down. Insurance and gas costs are also cheaper than other modes of transportation. But, if planning 10,000 miles or so a year on a scooter, there are some maintenance implications that come with that.