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Wikipedia

Scooter (motorcycle)

March 08, 2023

For similar terms, see Scooter (disambiguation).

A scooter (motor scooter) is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, and a platform for the rider's feet, emphasizing comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motor scooters have been made since at least 1914.

The Vespa was the first globally popular scooter
TVS Scooty; The term scooty has become the generic term for scooter in India[1]
1919 Autoped Scooter

The global popularity of motor scooters dates from the post-World War II introductions of the Vespa and Lambretta models in Italy. These scooters were intended to provide economical personal transportation (engines from 50 to 150 cc or 3.1 to 9.2 cu in). The original layout is still widely used in this application. Maxi-scooters, with larger engines from 200 to 850 cc (12 to 52 cu in) have been developed for Western markets.

Scooters are popular for personal transportation partly due to being more affordable, easier to operate, and more convenient to park and store than a car. Licensing requirements for scooters are easier and cheaper than for cars in most parts of the world, and insurance is usually cheaper. The term motor scooter is sometimes used to avoid confusion with kick scooter, but can then be confused with motorized scooter or e-scooter, a kick-scooter with an electric motor.

Description

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines a motor scooter as a motorcycle similar to a kick scooter with a seat, a floorboard, and small or low wheels.[2] The US Department of Transportation defines a scooter as a motorcycle that has a platform for the operator's feet or has integrated footrests and has a step-through architecture.[3]

The classic scooter design features a step-through frame and a flat floorboard for the rider's feet.[4] This design is possible because most scooter engines and drive systems are attached to the rear axle or under the seat. Unlike a conventional motorcycle, in which the engine is mounted on the frame, most modern scooters allow the engine to swing with the rear wheel, while most vintage scooters and some newer retro models have an axle-mounted engine. Modern scooters starting from the late-1980s generally use a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while older ones use a manual transmission with the gearshift and clutch control built into the left handlebar.

Scooters usually feature bodywork, including a front leg shield and body that conceals all or most of the mechanicals. There is often some integral storage space, either under the seat, built into the front leg shield, or both. Scooters have varying engine displacements and configurations ranging from 50 cc (3.1 cu in) single-cylinder to 850 cc (52 cu in) twin-cylinder models.

Traditionally, scooter wheels are smaller than conventional motorcycle wheels and are made of pressed steel or cast aluminum alloy, bolt on easily, and often are interchangeable between front and rear. Some scooters carry a spare wheel. Many recent scooters use conventional front forks with the front axle fastened at both ends.

Regulatory classification

Some jurisdictions do not differentiate between scooters and motorcycles. Though some jurisdictions classify smaller engine scooters (typically 50 cc or 3.1 cu in maximum) as moped class vehicles rather than motorcycles, meaning these scooters often have less stringent regulations (for example, 50 cc scooters can be driven with a normal car drivers license - or by adults aged 18+ years without any license (other than a valid liability insurance) at all as in case of at least Denmark - in many jurisdictions, and might pay less road-tax and be subject to less stringent roadworthiness testing).

United States

For all legal purposes in the United States of America, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends using the term motorcycle for all of these vehicles. However, while NHTSA excludes the term motor scooter from legal definition, it proceeds, in the same document, to give detailed instructions on how to import a small motor scooter.[5]

California

As of 2020 the US state of California has a regulatory system for 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles. It classifies vehicles with fewer than four wheels into the following categories:[6]

  • Motorcycle: a motorcycle is any 2- or 3-wheeled gas operated vehicle weighing under 1,500 lbs. with an engine displacement greater than or equal to 150ccs. Operation requires an M1 class license, and such vehicles must be registered with the state and carry mandatory insurance as well as bear a motorcycle license plate. Motorcycles may travel on any public roadway, including freeways, and may carry a single passenger in addition to the driver. Helmets are mandatory.
  • Motor-driven cycle: a motor-driven cycle is 2-wheeled gas operated vehicle with an engine displacement of 149ccs or less that does not qualify as a moped (see below) and is capable of traveling greater than 30 mph. It has the same licensing, registration, insurance, license plating, and helmet requirements as a motorcycle, though it may not travel on freeways. Such vehicles are commonly referred to as "scooters".
  • Moped: a moped (or "motorized bicycle") is a 2- or 3-wheeled device with an automatic transmission capable of traveling no more than 30 mph, with either a gas engine displacement of less than 50ccs (i.e., 49ccs or less) with built-in pedals like a bicycle for human operation, OR, if powered only by electricity, it must not produce more than four gross brake horsepower (bicycle pedals are optional for electric mopeds). There are no registration or insurance requirements for the device, but the operator themself must have an M1 or M2 class license and must personally carry the minimum state automobile insurance and the moped itself must bear a special moped license plate. A single passenger is permitted if the vehicle is fitted with a specific seat and footrests for same.
  • Motorized tricycle/quadricycle: a motorized tricycle or quadricycle is a 3- or 4-wheeled vehicle propelled by a gas motor not capable of traveling greater than 30 mph and with a gross brake horsepower of 2 or less.
  • Motorized scooter: a motorized scooter is a 2-wheeled vehicle not capable of traveling greater than 15 mph with a floorboard designed to be stood upon while operating. They do not require a license plate or insurance, and may not be driven on a roadway with a posted speed limit greater than 25 mph. A valid class C driver license is required, as is a bicycle helmet. Passengers are prohibited. They may be operated on a bikepath or bikeway but not on a sidewalk. If a given roadway has a bicycle lane, the motorized scooter must travel within it, and can only make a left-hand turn by dismounting and crossing an intersection as a pedestrian.
  • Electric bicycle: California recognizes three classes of electric bicycle. A class 1 electric bicycle is a bicycle with pedals whose electric motor only provides assistance to the rider when using the pedals and stops assisting when the bicycle reaches 20 mph; a class 2 electric bicycle is a bicycle with pedals whose motor can drive the bicycle entirely on its own, but will not assist the rider above 20 mph; a class 3 electric bicycle is identical to a class 1 electric bicycle, but is capable of traveling up 28 mph before the engine stops assisting the rider AND is equipped with a speedometer. No electric bicycle requires insurance, a license, or any form of registration or license plate as it is not considered a "motor vehicle" by the state.

Emissions

See also: Fuel gas-powered scooter

The emissions of mopeds and scooters have been the subject of multiple studies. Studies have found that two-stroke 50 cc mopeds, with and without catalytic converters, emit ten to thirty times more hydrocarbons and particulate emissions than the outdated Euro 3 automobile standards.[7][8] In the same study, four-stroke mopeds, with and without catalytic converters, emitted three to eight times more hydrocarbons and particulate emissions than the Euro 3 automobile standards.[7] Approximate parity with automobiles was achieved with NOx emissions in these studies. Emissions performance was tested on a g/km basis and was unaffected by fuel economy. In 2011 the United States Environmental Protection Agency allowed motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds with engine displacements less than 280 cc to emit ten times the NOx and six times the CO than the median Tier II bin 5 automobile regulations.[9][10] An additional air quality challenge can also arise from the use of moped and scooter transportation over automobiles, as a higher density of two-wheeled vehicles can be supported by existing transportation infrastructure.[11]

In Genoa, 2-stroke engine scooters made before 1999 are banned since 2019.[12]

In some cities, such as Shanghai, petrol scooters/mopeds are banned and only LPG or electric scooters are allowed to be used in the city due to air pollution.[13][14]

History

Predecessors

Scooter-like traits began to develop in motorcycle designs around the 1900s. In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller in Munich, Germany produced the first motorcycle that was available for purchase. Their motorcycle had a step-through frame, with its fuel tank mounted on the down tube, its parallel two-cylinder engine mounted low on the frame, and its cylinders mounted in line with the frame. It was water-cooled and had a radiator built into the top of the rear fender. It became the first mass-produced and publicly sold powered two-wheel vehicle, and among the first powered mainly by its engine rather than foot pedals. Maximum speed was 40 km/h (25 mph). The rear wheel was driven directly by rods from the pistons in a manner similar to the drive wheels of steam locomotives. Only a few hundred such bikes were built, and the high price and technical difficulties made the venture a financial failure for both Wolfmüller and his financial backer, Hildebrand.[15]

In France, the Auto-Fauteuil was introduced in 1902. This was basically a step-through motorcycle with an armchair instead of a traditional saddle. Production continued until 1922.[16]

First generation (1915–1930)

The motoped entered production in 1915, and is believed to be the first motor scooter.[17] They were followed that year by the Autoped, whose engine was engaged by pushing the handlebar column forward and whose brake was engaged by pulling the column back.[18] Autopeds were made in Long Island, New York[19] from 1915 to 1921,[18] and were also made under license by Krupp in Germany from 1919 to 1922, following World War I.[20]

The number of scooter manufacturers and designs increased after World War I. The British - ABC Motors Skootamota, the Kenilworth, and the Reynolds Runabout debuted in 1919, with Gloucestershire Aircraft Company following with its Unibus in 1920.[21] The Skootamota was noted for being practical, popular, and economical,[22] the Kenilworth for its electric lights,[23] and the Reynolds Runabout for its advanced specifications, including front suspension, a two-speed gearbox, leg shields, and a seat sprung with leaf springs and coil springs.[24] The Unibus also had a two-speed gearbox, but it is more notable for its full bodywork, similar to that which would appear of second- and third-generation scooters.[22][25]

The reputation of first-generation scooters was damaged by a glut of unstable machines with flexible frames,[22][26] and more substantial examples like the Reynolds Runabout and the Unibus were too expensive to be competitive.[22][24] The first generation had ended by the mid-1920s.[22]

  • First generation scooters, 1915–1930
  •  

    1919 Autoped Ever Ready

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    ABC Skootamota, designed by Granville Bradshaw

  •  

    1921 Kenilworth scooter

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    1920s Unibus scooter, in grey, at right.

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    DKW Lomos, a cross between a scooter and an auto-fauteuil

Second generation (1936–1968)

E. Foster Salsbury and Austin Elmore developed the Salsbury Motor Glide, which was a division of Northrop Aircraft,[27] a scooter with a seat above an enclosed drivetrain, and began production in 1936 in California. In 1938, Salsbury introduced a more powerful scooter with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This was the first use of a CVT on a scooter.[28] It was such a success that Salsbury attempted to license the design to several European manufacturers including Piaggio. The Motor Glide set the standards for all later models. It inspired production of motor scooters by Powell, Moto-scoot, Cushman, Rock-Ola, and others.[29]

The Cushman Company produced motor scooters from 1936 to 1965.[30] Cushman was an engine manufacturer that started making scooters after Salsbury found their offer to supply engines to be unacceptable. Cushman and Salsbury competed against each other, with both companies advertising the economy of their scooters. Cushman claimed an efficiency of 120 mpg‑US (2.0 L/100 km; 140 mpg‑imp) at 30 mph (48 km/h). Cushman introduced a centrifugal clutch to their scooters in 1940.[28] The Cushman Auto Glide Model 53 was designed to be dropped by parachute with Army Airborne troops, and was eventually called the "Cushman Airborne".[31] Cushman scooters were also used around military bases for messenger service.[32]

Salsbury continued manufacturing scooters until 1948,[33] while Cushman continued until 1965.[34]

Small numbers of the 165 cc (10.1 cu in) Harley-Davidson Topper scooter were produced from 1960 to 1965 using the engine from their line of light motorcycles based on the DKW RT 125. It had a fiberglass body, a continuously variable transmission, and a pull-cord starting mechanism.[35][36]

  • Second generation scooters, United States, 1936–1965
  •  

    Typical Cushman scooter, this one sold by Sears under the Allstate brand

  •  

    1948 Salsbury Model 85 scooter (middle)

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    1948 Moto-Scoot 145 manufactured in Chicago[37]

Early postwar Japan

After World War II, wartime aircraft manufacturers were forbidden from making aircraft, and had to find other products to make in order to stay in business. Fuji Sangyo, a part of the former Nakajima Aircraft Company, began production of the Fuji Rabbit S-1 scooter in June 1946. Inspired by Powell scooters used by American servicemen, the S1 was designed to use surplus military parts, including the tailwheel of a Nakajima bomber, re-purposed as the front wheel of the S1.[38][39] Later that year, Mitsubishi introduced the C10, the first of its line of Silver Pigeon scooters.[40][41] This was inspired by a Salsbury Motor Glide that had been brought to Japan by a Japanese man who had lived in the United States.[41]

Production of the Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon and the Fuji Rabbit continued through several series until the 1960s.[38][42] Some series of the Fuji Rabbit were developed to a high level of technological content; the S-601 Rabbit Superflow had an automatic transmission with a torque converter, an electric starter, and pneumatic suspension.[43][44] Mitsubishi ended scooter production with the C140 Silver Pigeon,[42] while Fuji continued production of the Rabbit until the last of the S-211 series was built in June 1968.[38]

Third generation (1946–1964) and beyond

Italy - Vespa and Lambretta

 
1952 Lambretta 125 D

In post-World War II Italy the Piaggio Vespa became the standard for scooters, and has remained so for over 60 years.[45] Patented in April 1946, it used aircraft design and materials. D'Ascanio's 98 cc (6.0 cu in) scooter had various new design concepts, including a stress-bearing structure. The gear shift lever was moved to the handlebars for easier riding. The engine was placed near the rear wheel, eliminating the belt drive. The typical fork support was replaced by an arm similar to an aircraft carriage for easier tire-changing. The body design protected the driver from wind and road dirt. The smaller wheels and shorter wheelbase provide improved maneuverability through narrow streets and congested traffic. The name originated when Piaggio's president, upon seeing the prototype, remarked "Sembra una vespa", "It looks like a wasp".[citation needed]

Months after the Vespa, in 1947, Innocenti introduced the Lambretta, beginning a rivalry with Vespa. The scooter was designed by Innocenti, his General Director Giuseppe Lauro and engineer Pierluigi Torre. The Lambretta was named after Lambrate, the Milanese neighborhood where the factory stood.[46] It debuted in 1947 at the Paris Motor Show. The Lambretta 'A' went on sale on December 23, 1947, and sold 9,000 units in one year. It was efficient, at a time when fuel was severely rationed. It had a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) from a fan-cooled engine of 123 cc (7.5 cu in). The first Lambretta designs had shaft drive and no rear suspension, later designs used various drive and suspension systems until Lambretta settled on a swingarm-mounted engine with chain drive.[47]

Also other Italian firms manufactured scooters in 1950s and 1960s, like Italjet and Iso.

Germany

Germany's aviation industry was also dismantled after World War II. Heinkel stayed in business by making bicycles and mopeds,[48] while Messerschmitt made sewing machines and automobile parts.[49] Messerschmitt took over the German license to manufacture Vespa scooters from Hoffman in 1954 and built Vespas under from 1954 to 1964.[50] Heinkel designed and built its own scooters. The Heinkel Tourist was a large and relatively heavy touring scooter produced in the 1960s. It provided good weather protection with a full fairing, and the front wheel turned under a fixed nose extension. It had effective streamlining, perhaps thanks to its aircraft ancestry. Although it had only a 175 cc (10.7 cu in) four stroke motor, it could sustain speeds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Heinkel scooters were known for their reliability.[citation needed]

Glas, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery, made the Goggo scooter from 1951 to 1955. Glas discontinued scooter production to concentrate on its Goggomobil microcar.[51]

Several manufacturers in the German motorcycle industry made scooters. NSU made Lambrettas under license from 1950 to 1955, during which they developed their Prima scooter. Production of the Prima began when NSU's license to build Lambrettas ran out. Zündapp made the popular Bella scooter in the 1950s and 1960s. It was in production for about ten years, in three engine sizes, 150 cc (9.2 cu in), 175 cc (10.7 cu in) and 200 cc (12 cu in). They could perform all day at a steady speed of 60 mph (97 km/h). Extremely reliable and very well made, many of these scooters still exist today. Maico built the large Maicoletta scooter in the 1950s. It had a single cylinder piston-port two-stroke engine, with four foot-operated gears and centrifugal fan cooling. The Maicoletta had a choice of engine sizes, approximately 175 cc (10.7 cu in), 250 cc (15 cu in), or 275 cc (16.8 cu in), The tubular frame was built on motorcycle principles, with long-travel telescopic forks and 14-inch (356 mm) wheels. The Maicoletta had a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h) which was comparable with most 250 cc (15 cu in) motorcycles of the time. Other German scooters made by motorcycle manufacturers included the DKW Hobby, the Dürkopp Diana, and the TWN Contessa.[citation needed]

  • Classic German scooters
  •  

    Goggo scooter, made by Glas

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    Heinkel Tourist

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    1957 NSU Prima

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    1958 Zündapp Bella R 154

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    Maicoletta scooter

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    1954 DKW Hobby

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    1955 Dürkopp Diana

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    NSU Quickly 50 cc (3.1 cu in) T/S moped (1953)

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Douglas manufactured the Vespa under license from 1951 to 1961 and assembled them from 1961 to 1965.[52] BSA and Triumph made several models of scooter including the BSA Dandy 70, the Triumph Tina, and the Triumph Tigress. The Tigress was made from 1959 to 1964 and was sold with a 175 cc 2-stroke single engine or a 250 cc 4-stroke twin;[53] both versions used a foot-operated four-speed gearbox.[citation needed] The 250 twin had a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h).[53] The BSA Sunbeam was a badge engineered version of the Tigress.[citation needed] The early 2000's saw the small scale production of the Scomadi scooter, a retro styled UK designed and manufactured scooter. Scomadis were styled after classic Lambrettas. A number of different models at different capacity was produced. Production was later moved to Thailand.

Eastern Bloc

In Eastern Bloc countries scooters also became popular in the second half of 1950s, but their production was a result of planned economy rather than market competition. The Soviet Union started in 1957 with producing reverse engineered copies of 150 cc Vespa and 200 cc Glas Goggo as Vyatka and Tula T-200 respectively.[54] They and their developments were manufactured in big numbers into the 1980s. In East Germany, IWL manufactured several own design 125 cc and 150 cc scooters (most notably SR 59 Berlin) from 1955 to 1964, when the authorities decided to switch the production to trucks.[55] There were also produced small 50 cc Simson scooters, manufactured into the 1990s.[56] From 1959 until 1965 there was produced the only Polish scooter, 150 cc to 175 cc WFM Osa.[57] In Czechoslovakia, there was produced a unique 175 cc scooter Čezeta at the outbreak of 1950s/1960s, then there remained only small 50 cc Jawa scooter-style mopeds.[58]

  • Eastern Bloc scooters
  •  

    Soviet Vyatka-3 Elektron

  •  

    IWL Wiesel

  •  

    IWL TR Troll

  •  

    1978 Simson Schwalbe

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    Polish 1963 WFM Osa

  •  

    Czechoslovak Čezeta

India

Scooters are responsible for about 70 percent of India’s gasoline consumption and the cost of a 100-kilometer ride is approximately 100 rupees ($1.30). Electric scooters are just one percent of all scooters, but this number is expected to increase to 74 percent of all scooters sold in India by 2040. The cost of operating an electric scooter is a sixth of the cost of a gasoline version.[59]

API were the first scooter manufacturers in India, with a Lambretta model in the 1950s. Bajaj Auto manufactured its line of scooters from 1972 to 2009, which included the Chetak, Legend, Super and Priya. The Chetak and Legend were based on the Italian Vespa Sprint. It was discontinued in 2009.

Another Vespa partner in India was LML Motors. Beginning as a joint-venture with Piaggio in 1983, LML, in addition to being a large parts supplier for Piaggio, produced the P-Series scooters for the Indian market. In 1999, after protracted dispute with Piaggio, LML bought back Piaggio's stake in the company and the partnership ceased. LML continues to produce (and also exports) the P-Series variant known as the Stella in the U.S. market and by other names in different markets.

East Asia

Since the 1980s Japan, and latterly China and Taiwan, have become world leaders in the mass production of plastic bodied scooters,[60] most often with "twist-and-go" type transmissions (where gear selection and clutch operation are fully automatic). A popular early model being the Honda Spree/Nifty Fifty. Advertising campaigns in the USA featured popular stars like Michael Jackson (Suzuki), and Grace Jones and Lou Reed (Honda),[61] and sales of Japanese scooters peaked there in the 1980s.[62][63] Both 2-stroke and 4-stroke plastic bodied scooters have been mass-produced in East Asia, with engine and transmission designs being either local designs or license built versions of European engines (eg Minarelli or Morini). A popular 4-stroke engine in Chinese production is the GY6 engine, but electric motor-scooters are constantly increasing in the Chinese home market share.

Australia

Unlike other countries, Australia had no major motorcycle companies, nor scooter manufacturers in the original hey day of scooters in the 1950s and 1960s. Scooters were mostly traditionally imported from Italy, and then in the 1970s and 1980s, from Japan and Asia. Australian scooters have only appeared in the last 20 years or so, and many of them relating to the recent advent and viability of the electric engine.

Australian scooter companies design, market and manage the company from Australia, but manufacturing is largely done in Asia, with some assembly in Australia. The oldest scooter company in Australia is Vmoto, a Perth based company that started off importing and distributing scooters, but then started to manufacture its own electric scooters. Sydney based Hunted Scooters[65] producers smaller numbers of niche petrol scooters, based on the customised Honda Ruckus scooters in Japan.

More recently Sydney based Fonz Moto produce electric scooters and electric motorbikes, assembled in Australia, using overseas and Australian sourced components.[66]

Developments

Trends around the world have seen new developments of the classic scooter, some with larger engines and tires. High-end scooter models now include comprehensive technological features, including cast aluminium frames, engines with integral counterbalancing, and cross-linked brake systems. Some of these scooters have comfort features such as an alarm, start button, radio, windshield, heated hand grips and full instrumentation (including clock or outside temperature gauge).[67][68][69]

Three-wheeled scooter

 
Piaggio MP3

During World War II, Cushman made the Model 39, a three-wheeled utility scooter with a large storage bin between the front wheels. They sold 606 to the US military during the war.[70]

The Piaggio MP3 is a modern tilting three-wheeled scooter. Unlike most motorcycle trikes, it is a reverse trike, with two front wheels which steer, and a single driven rear wheel. The front suspension allows both front wheels to tilt independently, so that all three wheels remain in contact with the ground as it leans when cornering.

Maxi-scooter

A maxi-scooter[71] or touring scooter[72] is a large scooter, with engines ranging in size from 150 to 850 cc (9.2 to 51.9 cu in), and using larger frames than normal scooters with longer wheelbases. Typically, the dash is fixed & is not mounted on the handlebars

The trend toward maxi-scooters began in 1986 when Honda introduced the CN250 Helix / Fusion / Spazio.[citation needed] Many years later, Suzuki launched the Burgman 400 and 650 models.[73] Honda (600 cc or 37 cu in), Aprilia/Gilera (839 cc or 51.2 cu in), Yamaha (530 cc or 32 cu in), Kymco (700 cc or 43 cu in) and others have also introduced scooters with engine displacements ranging from 400 to 850 cc (24 to 52 cu in). Honda's PS250 (also known as Big Ruckus) features a motorcycle-like exoskeleton instead of bodywork.

A new direction in maxi-scooters has the engine fixed to the frame. This arrangement improves handling by allowing bigger wheels and less unsprung weight, also tending to move the centre of gravity forwards. The trend toward larger, more powerful scooters with fully automatic transmissions converges with an emerging trend in motorcycle design that foreshadows automatic transmission motorcycles with on-board storage. Examples include the Aprilia Mana 850 automatic-transmission motorcycle and the Honda NC700D Integra, which is a scooter built on a motorcycle platform.

Enclosed scooter

Main article: Cabin motorcycle

Some scooters, including the BMW C1 and the Honda Gyro Canopy, have a windscreen and a roof. The Piaggio MP3 offered a tall windscreen with roof as an option.[74]

Four-stroke engines and fuel-injection

With increasingly strict environmental laws, including United States emission standards and European emission standards, more scooters are using four-stroke engines again."

  •  

    Piaggio XEvo 250ie, four-stroke Maxi-scooter

  •  

    Aprilia SR50

Electric scooter

Main article: Electric motorcycles and scooters

Scooters may be powered by an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery. Petroleum hybrid-electric scooters are available. Electric scooters are rising in popularity because of higher gasoline prices, and battery technology is gradually improving, making this form of transportation more practical[75]—the battery size is constrained by what the frame will fit, limiting range.

Underbone

Main article: Underbone

An underbone is a motorcycle built on a chassis consisting mostly of a single large diameter tube. An underbone differs from a conventional motorcycle mainly by not having a structural member connecting the head stock to the structure under the front of the seat and by not having a fuel tank or similarly styled appendage in the space between the riders knees. Underbones are commonly referred to as "step-throughs" and appeal to both genders in much the same way as scooters.

Underbones are often mistaken for scooters and are sometimes marketed as such. However, an underbone does not have a footboard, and is therefore not a scooter.

The engine of an underbone is usually fixed to the chassis under the downtube, while a scooter usually has its engine mounted on its swingarm. As a result, underbone engines are usually further forwards than those of scooters. A typical underbone therefore has a more central centre of gravity than a typical scooter. Furthermore, having an engine mounted on the swingarm gives a typical scooter more unsprung mass than a typical underbone. These factors give a typical underbone better handling than a typical scooter.

The engine of an underbone typically drives the rear wheel by a chain of the kind used on a conventional motorcycle. This final drive is often concealed by a chain enclosure to keep the chain clean and reduce wear. The final drive of a scooter with a swingarm-mounted engine runs in a sealed oil bath and is shorter.

An underbone is usually fitted with near full-size motorcycle wheels, which are often spoked. Scooter wheels are usually small, and made from pressed steel. In both cases, more recent examples often have cast alloy wheels. The bigger wheels of an underbone allow more ventilation and better cooling for the brakes than the smaller wheels of a scooter.

While the engine and suspension layouts described here for scooters and underbones are typical, they are not rigid definitions. There have been scooters with fixed engines and chain drive, and there have been underbones with swingarm-mounted engines. A twenty-first century example of variance from the typical scooter layout is the Suzuki Choinori, which had both its engine and its rear axle rigidly bolted to its frame.

  • Some atypical scooters and underbones
  •  

    Kymco Activ underbone. This has a slanted downtube, which defines an underbone, and no foot platform, the presence of which defines a scooter.

  •  

    1956 Heinkel Tourist. This scooter had a frame-mounted engine and a swingarm with an integral chain enclosure.

  •  

    1980 Honda NC50. This underbone had its engine mounted on its swingarm.

  •  

    Suzuki Choinori. Introduced in 2003, this scooter has no rear suspension. Both its engine and its rear axle are bolted to its frame.

Popularity

Motor scooters are very popular in Asia, particularly in countries such as India, Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and Taiwan where there is local manufacturing. They are also popular in the West, mainly in Europe (particularly Italy and the Mediterranean), but not in the US.[76] Parking, storage, and traffic issues in crowded cities, along with the easy driving position make them a popular form of urban transportation. In many nations, scooter (and other small motorcycle) sales exceed those of automobiles, and a motor scooter is often the family transport.[citation needed]

In Taiwan, road infrastructure has been built specifically with two wheelers in mind, with separate lanes and intersection turn boxes. In Thailand, scooters are used for street to door taxi services, as well as for navigating through heavy traffic. The extensive range of cycle tracks in the Netherlands extends into parts of Belgium and Germany and is open to all small powered two-wheelers. Motor scooters are popular because of their size, fuel-efficiency, weight, and typically larger storage room than a motorcycle. In many localities, certain road motor scooters are considered by law to be in the same class as mopeds or small motorcycles and therefore they have fewer restrictions than do larger motorcycles.[citation needed]

According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, sales of motor scooters in the United States have more than doubled since 2000. The motorcycle industry as a whole has seen 13 years of consecutive growth. According to council figures, 42,000 scooters were sold in 2000. By 2004, that number increased to 97,000.[77] Scooter sales in 2008 in the United States were up 41% on 2007,[78] and represented 9% of all powered two-wheeler sales.[79] However, there was a decrease in US scooter sales in 2009 of 59% against2008, compared with a 41% fall for all powered two-wheelers,[80] while the scooter's contribution to total US powered two-wheeler sales in 2009 fell to 6%.[79] After a two-year slump, scooter sales in the US rebounded in the first quarter of 2011.[81]

  •  

    Bangalore couple on LML Vespa

  •  

    Rider looking for a place at parking lot in Trieste, where use of a scooter in city transport is among highest in Italy.[citation needed]

  •  

    Motor scooter parking lot

In popular culture

A common reference for the glamorous image of scooters is Roman Holiday, a 1953 romantic comedy in which Gregory Peck carries Audrey Hepburn around Rome on a Vespa.[82][83][84]

In the 1960s mod subculture, some members of this British youth cult used motorscooters for transportation, usually Vespas or Lambrettas. Scooters had provided inexpensive transportation for decades before the development of the mod subculture, but the mods stood out in the way that they treated the vehicle as a fashion accessory, expressed through clubs such as the Ace of Herts. Italian scooters were preferred for their cleanlined, curving shapes and gleaming chrome. For young mods, Italian scooters were the "embodiment of continental style and a way to escape the working-class row houses of their upbringing".[85] They customized their scooters by painting them in "two-tone and candyflake and overaccessorized [them] with luggage racks, crash bars, and scores of mirrors and fog lights",[85] and they often put their names on the small windscreen. Engine side panels and front bumpers were taken to local electroplating workshops and plated with highly reflective chrome.

Scooters were also a practical and accessible form of transportation for 1960s teens. In the early 1960s, public transport stopped relatively early in the night, and so having scooters allowed mods to stay out all night at dance clubs. To keep their expensive suits clean and keep warm while riding, mods often wore long army parkas. For teens with low-end jobs, scooters were cheaper than cars, and they could be bought on a payment plan through newly available hire purchase plans. After a law was passed requiring at least one mirror be attached to every motorcycle, mods were known to add four, ten, or as many as 30 mirrors to their scooters. The cover of The Who's album Quadrophenia, which includes themes related to mods and rockers, depicts a young man on a Vespa GS with four mirrors attached.[86] The album spawned a 1979 motion picture of the same name.

Scooterboy magazines include the British monthly magazine Scootering[87] and the American quarterly magazine Scoot!.[88]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ . 2011-07-17. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
  2. ^ Various scooter definitions:
    • The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (third ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 1968 [1956]. pp. 1808–09. 3. A child's toy consisting of a narrow flat piece of wood on low wheels, with a steering-handle, propelled by pushing with one foot on the ground; also, a similar machine propelled by a motor
    • Gove, Philip Babcock, ed. (1966). Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged. Springfield, Mass. USA: G & C Merriam. pp. 1476, 2035. ISBN 0-7135-1037-4. a low 2- or 3-wheeled automotive vehicle resembling a child's scooter, having a seat so that the rider does not straddle the engine, sometimes having a parcel compartment, but having smaller wheels and being less powerful than a motorcycle.
    • Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary. Cleveland OH USA: The World Publishing Company. 1970. p. 1625. ISBN 0-529-04852-3. 1. a child's vehicle, consisting of a low, narrow footboard with a wheel at each end, the front one attached to a handlebar for steering: it is moved by a series of pushes made by one foot against the ground. 2. a somewhat similar vehicle equipped with a seat and propelled by a small internal-combustion engine: in full motor scooter
    • The Living Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language. The English Language Institute of America. 1973. p. 624. ISBN 0-8326-0001-6. motor scooter, n A scooter like vehicle usu. having two wheels separated by a low footboard, and equipped with a motor and a seat for the driver
    • Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus (3rd ed.). Glasgow: Harper Collins Publications. 2004. p. 776. ISBN 0-00-718139-6. motor scooter n a light motorcycle with small wheels and an enclosed engine. Often shortened to scooter
    • Chambers Concise Dictionary. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrup Publishers. 2004. p. 1084. ISBN 0-550-10072-5. 2. (in full motor scooter) a small-wheeled motorcycle with a protective front shield curving back to form a support for the feet
    • World Book Dictionary. World Book. 2005. p. 1356. ISBN 0-7166-0105-2. motor scooter: A vehicle like a child's scooter, except that the driver is seated. It is run by a motor.
  3. ^ "DOT Regulation Part 571.123: Standard No. 123; Motorcycle controls and displays". Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Retrieved 2010-06-03.
  4. ^ "60a.docx - A scooter or motor scooter is a low-speed". coursehero.com/. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Importation and Certification FAQ's Directory-Motorcycles and Scooters". Nhtsa.dot.gov. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  6. ^ "California Vehicle Codes". Myron's Mopeds.
  7. ^ a b "Emissions from a Moped Fuelled by Gasoline/Ethanol Mixtures" (PDF). Schramm et al. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
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  9. ^ (PDF). 2016-08-16. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2012. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
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  11. ^ (PDF). IEA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
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  17. ^ Shattuck, Colin; Peterson, Eric (2005). "Chapter 1: The Evolution of a Revolution". Scooters: Red Eyes, Whitewalls and Blue Smoke. Speck Press. p. 13. ISBN 0-9725776-3-7. The American Motoped, first produced in 1915, was a sign of motorscooters to come. The Motoped, unlike the motorcycle-like French Monet-Goyon that actually pre-dated it, was based around the very same concept as kids' push scooters, only a small displacement engine over the front wheel replaced the pushing action of the foot.
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  27. ^ "Salisbury Manual Archive". Salisbury Scooters. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
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  36. ^ "AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum: 1960 Harley-Davidson Topper". Motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
  37. ^ http://nzclassicmotorcycles.webdog.me/collection/1948-motoscoot-145/[dead link]
  38. ^ a b c . fujirabbit.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-11. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  39. ^ "The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum - 1968 Fuji Rabbit". microcarmuseum.com. Madison, GA, USA. 2002. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  40. ^ . mitsubishi-motors.com. 2003. Archived from the original on 2011-11-05. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  41. ^ a b "240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology - Silver Pigeon (Motor Scooter)". jsae.or.jp/autotech. Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  42. ^ a b "Mitsubishi Motors Silver Pigeon C140 - 1964". mitsubishi-motors.com. 2003. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  43. ^ . fujirabbit.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-11. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  44. ^ "Fuji Rabbit Scooters - Tech - Fluids". fujirabbit.com. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  45. ^ "La dolce vita, all over again". nbcnews.com. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  46. ^ Foot, John (2001-10-01). "6: Capital of Design, Capital of Fashion". Milan since the Miracle: City, Culture and Identity. Berg. p. 120. ISBN 1-85973-550-9. Retrieved 2012-10-14. Milan's scooter was the Lambretta, produced in the vast Innocenti complex in Lambrate, to the east of the city (hence the name) using Fordist production techniques (100 scooters a day were being produced by 1948, although the first models were made without a production line).
  47. ^ Johnstone, Gary (1993). Classic Motorcycles. Tiger Books International. p. 79. ISBN 1-85501-731-8.
  48. ^ Heppenheimer, T.A. . centennialofflight.gov. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Archived from the original on 2010-10-06. Retrieved 2010-10-03. After the war, Germany again saw its aviation industry dismantled. Heinkel kept his company in business by building bicycles and motorbikes.
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  51. ^ Wilson, Hugo (1995). "The Directory of Motorcycles". The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 239. ISBN 0-7513-0206-6.
  52. ^ . Veteran Vespa Club. Essex, UK: VVC. Archived from the original on 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2010-08-24.
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  60. ^ "I have owned about 25 Honda and Yamaha scooters over the years".
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  62. ^ "This 50cc Japanese Icon May be About to Go Extinct". Bloomberg.com. 30 July 2017.
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External links

 
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  • Scooter (motorcycle) at Curlie

March 08, 2023
scooter, motorcycle, similar, terms, scooter, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, scoote. For similar terms see Scooter disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Scooter motorcycle news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message A scooter motor scooter is a motorcycle with an underbone or step through frame a seat and a platform for the rider s feet emphasizing comfort and fuel economy Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles and motor scooters have been made since at least 1914 The Vespa was the first globally popular scooter TVS Scooty The term scooty has become the generic term for scooter in India 1 1919 Autoped Scooter The global popularity of motor scooters dates from the post World War II introductions of the Vespa and Lambretta models in Italy These scooters were intended to provide economical personal transportation engines from 50 to 150 cc or 3 1 to 9 2 cu in The original layout is still widely used in this application Maxi scooters with larger engines from 200 to 850 cc 12 to 52 cu in have been developed for Western markets Scooters are popular for personal transportation partly due to being more affordable easier to operate and more convenient to park and store than a car Licensing requirements for scooters are easier and cheaper than for cars in most parts of the world and insurance is usually cheaper The term motor scooter is sometimes used to avoid confusion with kick scooter but can then be confused with motorized scooter or e scooter a kick scooter with an electric motor Contents 1 Description 2 Regulatory classification 2 1 United States 2 1 1 California 3 Emissions 4 History 4 1 Predecessors 4 2 First generation 1915 1930 4 3 Second generation 1936 1968 4 3 1 Early postwar Japan 4 4 Third generation 1946 1964 and beyond 4 4 1 Italy Vespa and Lambretta 4 4 2 Germany 4 4 3 United Kingdom 4 4 4 Eastern Bloc 4 4 5 India 4 4 6 East Asia 4 5 Australia 5 Developments 5 1 Three wheeled scooter 5 2 Maxi scooter 5 3 Enclosed scooter 5 4 Four stroke engines and fuel injection 5 5 Electric scooter 6 Underbone 7 Popularity 7 1 In popular culture 8 See also 9 Notes 10 External linksDescription EditThe Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines a motor scooter as a motorcycle similar to a kick scooter with a seat a floorboard and small or low wheels 2 The US Department of Transportation defines a scooter as a motorcycle that has a platform for the operator s feet or has integrated footrests and has a step through architecture 3 The classic scooter design features a step through frame and a flat floorboard for the rider s feet 4 This design is possible because most scooter engines and drive systems are attached to the rear axle or under the seat Unlike a conventional motorcycle in which the engine is mounted on the frame most modern scooters allow the engine to swing with the rear wheel while most vintage scooters and some newer retro models have an axle mounted engine Modern scooters starting from the late 1980s generally use a continuously variable transmission CVT while older ones use a manual transmission with the gearshift and clutch control built into the left handlebar Scooters usually feature bodywork including a front leg shield and body that conceals all or most of the mechanicals There is often some integral storage space either under the seat built into the front leg shield or both Scooters have varying engine displacements and configurations ranging from 50 cc 3 1 cu in single cylinder to 850 cc 52 cu in twin cylinder models Traditionally scooter wheels are smaller than conventional motorcycle wheels and are made of pressed steel or cast aluminum alloy bolt on easily and often are interchangeable between front and rear Some scooters carry a spare wheel Many recent scooters use conventional front forks with the front axle fastened at both ends Regulatory classification EditSome jurisdictions do not differentiate between scooters and motorcycles Though some jurisdictions classify smaller engine scooters typically 50 cc or 3 1 cu in maximum as moped class vehicles rather than motorcycles meaning these scooters often have less stringent regulations for example 50 cc scooters can be driven with a normal car drivers license or by adults aged 18 years without any license other than a valid liability insurance at all as in case of at least Denmark in many jurisdictions and might pay less road tax and be subject to less stringent roadworthiness testing United States Edit For all legal purposes in the United States of America the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA recommends using the term motorcycle for all of these vehicles However while NHTSA excludes the term motor scooter from legal definition it proceeds in the same document to give detailed instructions on how to import a small motor scooter 5 California Edit As of 2020 update the US state of California has a regulatory system for 2 and 3 wheeled vehicles It classifies vehicles with fewer than four wheels into the following categories 6 Motorcycle a motorcycle is any 2 or 3 wheeled gas operated vehicle weighing under 1 500 lbs with an engine displacement greater than or equal to 150ccs Operation requires an M1 class license and such vehicles must be registered with the state and carry mandatory insurance as well as bear a motorcycle license plate Motorcycles may travel on any public roadway including freeways and may carry a single passenger in addition to the driver Helmets are mandatory Motor driven cycle a motor driven cycle is 2 wheeled gas operated vehicle with an engine displacement of 149ccs or less that does not qualify as a moped see below and is capable of traveling greater than 30 mph It has the same licensing registration insurance license plating and helmet requirements as a motorcycle though it may not travel on freeways Such vehicles are commonly referred to as scooters Moped a moped or motorized bicycle is a 2 or 3 wheeled device with an automatic transmission capable of traveling no more than 30 mph with either a gas engine displacement of less than 50ccs i e 49ccs or less with built in pedals like a bicycle for human operation OR if powered only by electricity it must not produce more than four gross brake horsepower bicycle pedals are optional for electric mopeds There are no registration or insurance requirements for the device but the operator themself must have an M1 or M2 class license and must personally carry the minimum state automobile insurance and the moped itself must bear a special moped license plate A single passenger is permitted if the vehicle is fitted with a specific seat and footrests for same Motorized tricycle quadricycle a motorized tricycle or quadricycle is a 3 or 4 wheeled vehicle propelled by a gas motor not capable of traveling greater than 30 mph and with a gross brake horsepower of 2 or less Motorized scooter a motorized scooter is a 2 wheeled vehicle not capable of traveling greater than 15 mph with a floorboard designed to be stood upon while operating They do not require a license plate or insurance and may not be driven on a roadway with a posted speed limit greater than 25 mph A valid class C driver license is required as is a bicycle helmet Passengers are prohibited They may be operated on a bikepath or bikeway but not on a sidewalk If a given roadway has a bicycle lane the motorized scooter must travel within it and can only make a left hand turn by dismounting and crossing an intersection as a pedestrian Electric bicycle California recognizes three classes of electric bicycle A class 1 electric bicycle is a bicycle with pedals whose electric motor only provides assistance to the rider when using the pedals and stops assisting when the bicycle reaches 20 mph a class 2 electric bicycle is a bicycle with pedals whose motor can drive the bicycle entirely on its own but will not assist the rider above 20 mph a class 3 electric bicycle is identical to a class 1 electric bicycle but is capable of traveling up 28 mph before the engine stops assisting the rider AND is equipped with a speedometer No electric bicycle requires insurance a license or any form of registration or license plate as it is not considered a motor vehicle by the state Emissions EditSee also Fuel gas powered scooter The emissions of mopeds and scooters have been the subject of multiple studies Studies have found that two stroke 50 cc mopeds with and without catalytic converters emit ten to thirty times more hydrocarbons and particulate emissions than the outdated Euro 3 automobile standards 7 8 In the same study four stroke mopeds with and without catalytic converters emitted three to eight times more hydrocarbons and particulate emissions than the Euro 3 automobile standards 7 Approximate parity with automobiles was achieved with NOx emissions in these studies Emissions performance was tested on a g km basis and was unaffected by fuel economy In 2011 update the United States Environmental Protection Agency allowed motorcycles scooters and mopeds with engine displacements less than 280 cc to emit ten times the NOx and six times the CO than the median Tier II bin 5 automobile regulations 9 10 An additional air quality challenge can also arise from the use of moped and scooter transportation over automobiles as a higher density of two wheeled vehicles can be supported by existing transportation infrastructure 11 In Genoa 2 stroke engine scooters made before 1999 are banned since 2019 12 In some cities such as Shanghai petrol scooters mopeds are banned and only LPG or electric scooters are allowed to be used in the city due to air pollution 13 14 History EditPredecessors Edit Scooter like traits began to develop in motorcycle designs around the 1900s In 1894 Hildebrand amp Wolfmuller in Munich Germany produced the first motorcycle that was available for purchase Their motorcycle had a step through frame with its fuel tank mounted on the down tube its parallel two cylinder engine mounted low on the frame and its cylinders mounted in line with the frame It was water cooled and had a radiator built into the top of the rear fender It became the first mass produced and publicly sold powered two wheel vehicle and among the first powered mainly by its engine rather than foot pedals Maximum speed was 40 km h 25 mph The rear wheel was driven directly by rods from the pistons in a manner similar to the drive wheels of steam locomotives Only a few hundred such bikes were built and the high price and technical difficulties made the venture a financial failure for both Wolfmuller and his financial backer Hildebrand 15 In France the Auto Fauteuil was introduced in 1902 This was basically a step through motorcycle with an armchair instead of a traditional saddle Production continued until 1922 16 Predecessors to the scooter 1894 Hildebrand amp Wolfmuller motorcycle 1908 French Auto Fauteuil motorcycleFirst generation 1915 1930 Edit The motoped entered production in 1915 and is believed to be the first motor scooter 17 They were followed that year by the Autoped whose engine was engaged by pushing the handlebar column forward and whose brake was engaged by pulling the column back 18 Autopeds were made in Long Island New York 19 from 1915 to 1921 18 and were also made under license by Krupp in Germany from 1919 to 1922 following World War I 20 The number of scooter manufacturers and designs increased after World War I The British ABC Motors Skootamota the Kenilworth and the Reynolds Runabout debuted in 1919 with Gloucestershire Aircraft Company following with its Unibus in 1920 21 The Skootamota was noted for being practical popular and economical 22 the Kenilworth for its electric lights 23 and the Reynolds Runabout for its advanced specifications including front suspension a two speed gearbox leg shields and a seat sprung with leaf springs and coil springs 24 The Unibus also had a two speed gearbox but it is more notable for its full bodywork similar to that which would appear of second and third generation scooters 22 25 The reputation of first generation scooters was damaged by a glut of unstable machines with flexible frames 22 26 and more substantial examples like the Reynolds Runabout and the Unibus were too expensive to be competitive 22 24 The first generation had ended by the mid 1920s 22 First generation scooters 1915 1930 1919 Autoped Ever Ready ABC Skootamota designed by Granville Bradshaw 1921 Kenilworth scooter 1920s Unibus scooter in grey at right DKW Lomos a cross between a scooter and an auto fauteuilSecond generation 1936 1968 Edit E Foster Salsbury and Austin Elmore developed the Salsbury Motor Glide which was a division of Northrop Aircraft 27 a scooter with a seat above an enclosed drivetrain and began production in 1936 in California In 1938 Salsbury introduced a more powerful scooter with a continuously variable transmission CVT This was the first use of a CVT on a scooter 28 It was such a success that Salsbury attempted to license the design to several European manufacturers including Piaggio The Motor Glide set the standards for all later models It inspired production of motor scooters by Powell Moto scoot Cushman Rock Ola and others 29 The Cushman Company produced motor scooters from 1936 to 1965 30 Cushman was an engine manufacturer that started making scooters after Salsbury found their offer to supply engines to be unacceptable Cushman and Salsbury competed against each other with both companies advertising the economy of their scooters Cushman claimed an efficiency of 120 mpg US 2 0 L 100 km 140 mpg imp at 30 mph 48 km h Cushman introduced a centrifugal clutch to their scooters in 1940 28 The Cushman Auto Glide Model 53 was designed to be dropped by parachute with Army Airborne troops and was eventually called the Cushman Airborne 31 Cushman scooters were also used around military bases for messenger service 32 Salsbury continued manufacturing scooters until 1948 33 while Cushman continued until 1965 34 Small numbers of the 165 cc 10 1 cu in Harley Davidson Topper scooter were produced from 1960 to 1965 using the engine from their line of light motorcycles based on the DKW RT 125 It had a fiberglass body a continuously variable transmission and a pull cord starting mechanism 35 36 Second generation scooters United States 1936 1965 Typical Cushman scooter this one sold by Sears under the Allstate brand 1948 Salsbury Model 85 scooter middle 1948 Moto Scoot 145 manufactured in Chicago 37 Early postwar Japan Edit After World War II wartime aircraft manufacturers were forbidden from making aircraft and had to find other products to make in order to stay in business Fuji Sangyo a part of the former Nakajima Aircraft Company began production of the Fuji Rabbit S 1 scooter in June 1946 Inspired by Powell scooters used by American servicemen the S1 was designed to use surplus military parts including the tailwheel of a Nakajima bomber re purposed as the front wheel of the S1 38 39 Later that year Mitsubishi introduced the C10 the first of its line of Silver Pigeon scooters 40 41 This was inspired by a Salsbury Motor Glide that had been brought to Japan by a Japanese man who had lived in the United States 41 Production of the Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon and the Fuji Rabbit continued through several series until the 1960s 38 42 Some series of the Fuji Rabbit were developed to a high level of technological content the S 601 Rabbit Superflow had an automatic transmission with a torque converter an electric starter and pneumatic suspension 43 44 Mitsubishi ended scooter production with the C140 Silver Pigeon 42 while Fuji continued production of the Rabbit until the last of the S 211 series was built in June 1968 38 Second generation scooters Japan 1946 1968 Fuji Rabbit Touring 150 S 402 Mitsubishi Silver PigeonThird generation 1946 1964 and beyond Edit Italy Vespa and Lambretta Edit 1952 Lambretta 125 D In post World War II Italy the Piaggio Vespa became the standard for scooters and has remained so for over 60 years 45 Patented in April 1946 it used aircraft design and materials D Ascanio s 98 cc 6 0 cu in scooter had various new design concepts including a stress bearing structure The gear shift lever was moved to the handlebars for easier riding The engine was placed near the rear wheel eliminating the belt drive The typical fork support was replaced by an arm similar to an aircraft carriage for easier tire changing The body design protected the driver from wind and road dirt The smaller wheels and shorter wheelbase provide improved maneuverability through narrow streets and congested traffic The name originated when Piaggio s president upon seeing the prototype remarked Sembra una vespa It looks like a wasp citation needed Months after the Vespa in 1947 Innocenti introduced the Lambretta beginning a rivalry with Vespa The scooter was designed by Innocenti his General Director Giuseppe Lauro and engineer Pierluigi Torre The Lambretta was named after Lambrate the Milanese neighborhood where the factory stood 46 It debuted in 1947 at the Paris Motor Show The Lambretta A went on sale on December 23 1947 and sold 9 000 units in one year It was efficient at a time when fuel was severely rationed It had a top speed of 45 mph 72 km h from a fan cooled engine of 123 cc 7 5 cu in The first Lambretta designs had shaft drive and no rear suspension later designs used various drive and suspension systems until Lambretta settled on a swingarm mounted engine with chain drive 47 Also other Italian firms manufactured scooters in 1950s and 1960s like Italjet and Iso Germany Edit Germany s aviation industry was also dismantled after World War II Heinkel stayed in business by making bicycles and mopeds 48 while Messerschmitt made sewing machines and automobile parts 49 Messerschmitt took over the German license to manufacture Vespa scooters from Hoffman in 1954 and built Vespas under from 1954 to 1964 50 Heinkel designed and built its own scooters The Heinkel Tourist was a large and relatively heavy touring scooter produced in the 1960s It provided good weather protection with a full fairing and the front wheel turned under a fixed nose extension It had effective streamlining perhaps thanks to its aircraft ancestry Although it had only a 175 cc 10 7 cu in four stroke motor it could sustain speeds of 70 mph 110 km h Heinkel scooters were known for their reliability citation needed Glas a manufacturer of agricultural machinery made the Goggo scooter from 1951 to 1955 Glas discontinued scooter production to concentrate on its Goggomobil microcar 51 Several manufacturers in the German motorcycle industry made scooters NSU made Lambrettas under license from 1950 to 1955 during which they developed their Prima scooter Production of the Prima began when NSU s license to build Lambrettas ran out Zundapp made the popular Bella scooter in the 1950s and 1960s It was in production for about ten years in three engine sizes 150 cc 9 2 cu in 175 cc 10 7 cu in and 200 cc 12 cu in They could perform all day at a steady speed of 60 mph 97 km h Extremely reliable and very well made many of these scooters still exist today Maico built the large Maicoletta scooter in the 1950s It had a single cylinder piston port two stroke engine with four foot operated gears and centrifugal fan cooling The Maicoletta had a choice of engine sizes approximately 175 cc 10 7 cu in 250 cc 15 cu in or 275 cc 16 8 cu in The tubular frame was built on motorcycle principles with long travel telescopic forks and 14 inch 356 mm wheels The Maicoletta had a top speed of 70 mph 110 km h which was comparable with most 250 cc 15 cu in motorcycles of the time Other German scooters made by motorcycle manufacturers included the DKW Hobby the Durkopp Diana and the TWN Contessa citation needed Classic German scooters Goggo scooter made by Glas Heinkel Tourist 1957 NSU Prima 1958 Zundapp Bella R 154 Maicoletta scooter 1954 DKW Hobby 1955 Durkopp Diana NSU Quickly 50 cc 3 1 cu in T S moped 1953 United Kingdom Edit In the United Kingdom Douglas manufactured the Vespa under license from 1951 to 1961 and assembled them from 1961 to 1965 52 BSA and Triumph made several models of scooter including the BSA Dandy 70 the Triumph Tina and the Triumph Tigress The Tigress was made from 1959 to 1964 and was sold with a 175 cc 2 stroke single engine or a 250 cc 4 stroke twin 53 both versions used a foot operated four speed gearbox citation needed The 250 twin had a top speed of 70 mph 110 km h 53 The BSA Sunbeam was a badge engineered version of the Tigress citation needed The early 2000 s saw the small scale production of the Scomadi scooter a retro styled UK designed and manufactured scooter Scomadis were styled after classic Lambrettas A number of different models at different capacity was produced Production was later moved to Thailand Eastern Bloc Edit In Eastern Bloc countries scooters also became popular in the second half of 1950s but their production was a result of planned economy rather than market competition The Soviet Union started in 1957 with producing reverse engineered copies of 150 cc Vespa and 200 cc Glas Goggo as Vyatka and Tula T 200 respectively 54 They and their developments were manufactured in big numbers into the 1980s In East Germany IWL manufactured several own design 125 cc and 150 cc scooters most notably SR 59 Berlin from 1955 to 1964 when the authorities decided to switch the production to trucks 55 There were also produced small 50 cc Simson scooters manufactured into the 1990s 56 From 1959 until 1965 there was produced the only Polish scooter 150 cc to 175 cc WFM Osa 57 In Czechoslovakia there was produced a unique 175 cc scooter Cezeta at the outbreak of 1950s 1960s then there remained only small 50 cc Jawa scooter style mopeds 58 Eastern Bloc scooters Soviet Vyatka 3 Elektron IWL Wiesel IWL TR Troll 1978 Simson Schwalbe Polish 1963 WFM Osa Czechoslovak CezetaIndia Edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Scooters are responsible for about 70 percent of India s gasoline consumption and the cost of a 100 kilometer ride is approximately 100 rupees 1 30 Electric scooters are just one percent of all scooters but this number is expected to increase to 74 percent of all scooters sold in India by 2040 The cost of operating an electric scooter is a sixth of the cost of a gasoline version 59 API were the first scooter manufacturers in India with a Lambretta model in the 1950s Bajaj Auto manufactured its line of scooters from 1972 to 2009 which included the Chetak Legend Super and Priya The Chetak and Legend were based on the Italian Vespa Sprint It was discontinued in 2009 Another Vespa partner in India was LML Motors Beginning as a joint venture with Piaggio in 1983 LML in addition to being a large parts supplier for Piaggio produced the P Series scooters for the Indian market In 1999 after protracted dispute with Piaggio LML bought back Piaggio s stake in the company and the partnership ceased LML continues to produce and also exports the P Series variant known as the Stella in the U S market and by other names in different markets Indian scooters Bajaj Chetak LML StellaEast Asia Edit Since the 1980s Japan and latterly China and Taiwan have become world leaders in the mass production of plastic bodied scooters 60 most often with twist and go type transmissions where gear selection and clutch operation are fully automatic A popular early model being the Honda Spree Nifty Fifty Advertising campaigns in the USA featured popular stars like Michael Jackson Suzuki and Grace Jones and Lou Reed Honda 61 and sales of Japanese scooters peaked there in the 1980s 62 63 Both 2 stroke and 4 stroke plastic bodied scooters have been mass produced in East Asia with engine and transmission designs being either local designs or license built versions of European engines eg Minarelli or Morini A popular 4 stroke engine in Chinese production is the GY6 engine but electric motor scooters are constantly increasing in the Chinese home market share East Asian plastic bodied scooters Honda Spree Nifty Fifty Japan Honda Lead Japan Suzuki SJ50QT made for Suzuki by the Chinese Jincheng Group 64 Yamaha Jog Japan Flyscooters Il Bello China Kymco Super 9 Taiwan Australia Edit Unlike other countries Australia had no major motorcycle companies nor scooter manufacturers in the original hey day of scooters in the 1950s and 1960s Scooters were mostly traditionally imported from Italy and then in the 1970s and 1980s from Japan and Asia Australian scooters have only appeared in the last 20 years or so and many of them relating to the recent advent and viability of the electric engine Australian scooter companies design market and manage the company from Australia but manufacturing is largely done in Asia with some assembly in Australia The oldest scooter company in Australia is Vmoto a Perth based company that started off importing and distributing scooters but then started to manufacture its own electric scooters Sydney based Hunted Scooters 65 producers smaller numbers of niche petrol scooters based on the customised Honda Ruckus scooters in Japan More recently Sydney based Fonz Moto produce electric scooters and electric motorbikes assembled in Australia using overseas and Australian sourced components 66 Developments EditTrends around the world have seen new developments of the classic scooter some with larger engines and tires High end scooter models now include comprehensive technological features including cast aluminium frames engines with integral counterbalancing and cross linked brake systems Some of these scooters have comfort features such as an alarm start button radio windshield heated hand grips and full instrumentation including clock or outside temperature gauge 67 68 69 Three wheeled scooter Edit Piaggio MP3 During World War II Cushman made the Model 39 a three wheeled utility scooter with a large storage bin between the front wheels They sold 606 to the US military during the war 70 The Piaggio MP3 is a modern tilting three wheeled scooter Unlike most motorcycle trikes it is a reverse trike with two front wheels which steer and a single driven rear wheel The front suspension allows both front wheels to tilt independently so that all three wheels remain in contact with the ground as it leans when cornering Maxi scooter Edit Honda CN250 Helix A maxi scooter 71 or touring scooter 72 is a large scooter with engines ranging in size from 150 to 850 cc 9 2 to 51 9 cu in and using larger frames than normal scooters with longer wheelbases Typically the dash is fixed amp is not mounted on the handlebarsThe trend toward maxi scooters began in 1986 when Honda introduced the CN250 Helix Fusion Spazio citation needed Many years later Suzuki launched the Burgman 400 and 650 models 73 Honda 600 cc or 37 cu in Aprilia Gilera 839 cc or 51 2 cu in Yamaha 530 cc or 32 cu in Kymco 700 cc or 43 cu in and others have also introduced scooters with engine displacements ranging from 400 to 850 cc 24 to 52 cu in Honda s PS250 also known as Big Ruckus features a motorcycle like exoskeleton instead of bodywork A new direction in maxi scooters has the engine fixed to the frame This arrangement improves handling by allowing bigger wheels and less unsprung weight also tending to move the centre of gravity forwards The trend toward larger more powerful scooters with fully automatic transmissions converges with an emerging trend in motorcycle design that foreshadows automatic transmission motorcycles with on board storage Examples include the Aprilia Mana 850 automatic transmission motorcycle and the Honda NC700D Integra which is a scooter built on a motorcycle platform Enclosed scooter Edit Main article Cabin motorcycle Some scooters including the BMW C1 and the Honda Gyro Canopy have a windscreen and a roof The Piaggio MP3 offered a tall windscreen with roof as an option 74 Four stroke engines and fuel injection Edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message With increasingly strict environmental laws including United States emission standards and European emission standards more scooters are using four stroke engines again Piaggio XEvo 250ie four stroke Maxi scooter Aprilia SR50Electric scooter Edit Main article Electric motorcycles and scooters Scooters may be powered by an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery Petroleum hybrid electric scooters are available Electric scooters are rising in popularity because of higher gasoline prices and battery technology is gradually improving making this form of transportation more practical 75 the battery size is constrained by what the frame will fit limiting range Underbone EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Main article Underbone An underbone is a motorcycle built on a chassis consisting mostly of a single large diameter tube An underbone differs from a conventional motorcycle mainly by not having a structural member connecting the head stock to the structure under the front of the seat and by not having a fuel tank or similarly styled appendage in the space between the riders knees Underbones are commonly referred to as step throughs and appeal to both genders in much the same way as scooters Underbones are often mistaken for scooters and are sometimes marketed as such However an underbone does not have a footboard and is therefore not a scooter The engine of an underbone is usually fixed to the chassis under the downtube while a scooter usually has its engine mounted on its swingarm As a result underbone engines are usually further forwards than those of scooters A typical underbone therefore has a more central centre of gravity than a typical scooter Furthermore having an engine mounted on the swingarm gives a typical scooter more unsprung mass than a typical underbone These factors give a typical underbone better handling than a typical scooter The engine of an underbone typically drives the rear wheel by a chain of the kind used on a conventional motorcycle This final drive is often concealed by a chain enclosure to keep the chain clean and reduce wear The final drive of a scooter with a swingarm mounted engine runs in a sealed oil bath and is shorter An underbone is usually fitted with near full size motorcycle wheels which are often spoked Scooter wheels are usually small and made from pressed steel In both cases more recent examples often have cast alloy wheels The bigger wheels of an underbone allow more ventilation and better cooling for the brakes than the smaller wheels of a scooter While the engine and suspension layouts described here for scooters and underbones are typical they are not rigid definitions There have been scooters with fixed engines and chain drive and there have been underbones with swingarm mounted engines A twenty first century example of variance from the typical scooter layout is the Suzuki Choinori which had both its engine and its rear axle rigidly bolted to its frame Some atypical scooters and underbones Kymco Activ underbone This has a slanted downtube which defines an underbone and no foot platform the presence of which defines a scooter 1956 Heinkel Tourist This scooter had a frame mounted engine and a swingarm with an integral chain enclosure 1980 Honda NC50 This underbone had its engine mounted on its swingarm Suzuki Choinori Introduced in 2003 this scooter has no rear suspension Both its engine and its rear axle are bolted to its frame Popularity EditMotor scooters are very popular in Asia particularly in countries such as India Indonesia The Philippines Thailand Vietnam China Japan and Taiwan where there is local manufacturing They are also popular in the West mainly in Europe particularly Italy and the Mediterranean but not in the US 76 Parking storage and traffic issues in crowded cities along with the easy driving position make them a popular form of urban transportation In many nations scooter and other small motorcycle sales exceed those of automobiles and a motor scooter is often the family transport citation needed In Taiwan road infrastructure has been built specifically with two wheelers in mind with separate lanes and intersection turn boxes In Thailand scooters are used for street to door taxi services as well as for navigating through heavy traffic The extensive range of cycle tracks in the Netherlands extends into parts of Belgium and Germany and is open to all small powered two wheelers Motor scooters are popular because of their size fuel efficiency weight and typically larger storage room than a motorcycle In many localities certain road motor scooters are considered by law to be in the same class as mopeds or small motorcycles and therefore they have fewer restrictions than do larger motorcycles citation needed According to the Motorcycle Industry Council sales of motor scooters in the United States have more than doubled since 2000 The motorcycle industry as a whole has seen 13 years of consecutive growth According to council figures 42 000 scooters were sold in 2000 By 2004 that number increased to 97 000 77 Scooter sales in 2008 in the United States were up 41 on 2007 78 and represented 9 of all powered two wheeler sales 79 However there was a decrease in US scooter sales in 2009 of 59 against2008 compared with a 41 fall for all powered two wheelers 80 while the scooter s contribution to total US powered two wheeler sales in 2009 fell to 6 79 After a two year slump scooter sales in the US rebounded in the first quarter of 2011 81 Bangalore couple on LML Vespa Rider looking for a place at parking lot in Trieste where use of a scooter in city transport is among highest in Italy citation needed Motor scooter parking lotIn popular culture Edit A common reference for the glamorous image of scooters is Roman Holiday a 1953 romantic comedy in which Gregory Peck carries Audrey Hepburn around Rome on a Vespa 82 83 84 In the 1960s mod subculture some members of this British youth cult used motorscooters for transportation usually Vespas or Lambrettas Scooters had provided inexpensive transportation for decades before the development of the mod subculture but the mods stood out in the way that they treated the vehicle as a fashion accessory expressed through clubs such as the Ace of Herts Italian scooters were preferred for their cleanlined curving shapes and gleaming chrome For young mods Italian scooters were the embodiment of continental style and a way to escape the working class row houses of their upbringing 85 They customized their scooters by painting them in two tone and candyflake and overaccessorized them with luggage racks crash bars and scores of mirrors and fog lights 85 and they often put their names on the small windscreen Engine side panels and front bumpers were taken to local electroplating workshops and plated with highly reflective chrome Scooters were also a practical and accessible form of transportation for 1960s teens In the early 1960s public transport stopped relatively early in the night and so having scooters allowed mods to stay out all night at dance clubs To keep their expensive suits clean and keep warm while riding mods often wore long army parkas For teens with low end jobs scooters were cheaper than cars and they could be bought on a payment plan through newly available hire purchase plans After a law was passed requiring at least one mirror be attached to every motorcycle mods were known to add four ten or as many as 30 mirrors to their scooters The cover of The Who s album Quadrophenia which includes themes related to mods and rockers depicts a young man on a Vespa GS with four mirrors attached 86 The album spawned a 1979 motion picture of the same name Scooterboy magazines include the British monthly magazine Scootering 87 and the American quarterly magazine Scoot 88 Mods on a scooter Scooter rally at Smallbrook Stadium Isle of WightSee also EditAuto rickshaw Cutdown Fuel conversion kits for scooters List of motor scooter manufacturers and brands List of scooters Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent Mobility scooter Motorized wheelchair Segway PTNotes Edit business outlookindia com Women On Wheels 2011 07 17 Archived from the original on 2011 07 17 Retrieved 2022 05 07 Various scooter definitions The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary third ed Oxford UK Oxford University Press 1968 1956 pp 1808 09 3 A child s toy consisting of a narrow flat piece of wood on low wheels with a steering handle propelled by pushing with one foot on the ground also a similar machine propelled by a motor Gove Philip Babcock ed 1966 Webster s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged Springfield Mass USA G amp C Merriam pp 1476 2035 ISBN 0 7135 1037 4 a low 2 or 3 wheeled automotive vehicle resembling a child s scooter having a seat so that the rider does not straddle the engine sometimes having a parcel compartment but having smaller wheels and being less powerful than a motorcycle Webster s New Twentieth Century Dictionary Cleveland OH USA The World Publishing Company 1970 p 1625 ISBN 0 529 04852 3 1 a child s vehicle consisting of a low narrow footboard with a wheel at each end the front one attached to a handlebar for steering it is moved by a series of pushes made by one foot against the ground 2 a somewhat similar vehicle equipped with a seat and propelled by a small internal combustion engine in full motor scooter The Living Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language The English Language Institute of America 1973 p 624 ISBN 0 8326 0001 6 motor scooter n A scooter like vehicle usu having two wheels separated by a low footboard and equipped with a motor and a seat for the driver Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus 3rd ed Glasgow Harper Collins Publications 2004 p 776 ISBN 0 00 718139 6 motor scooter n a light motorcycle with small wheels and an enclosed engine Often shortened to scooter Chambers Concise Dictionary Edinburgh Chambers Harrup Publishers 2004 p 1084 ISBN 0 550 10072 5 2 in full motor scooter a small wheeled motorcycle with a protective front shield curving back to form a support for the feet World Book Dictionary World Book 2005 p 1356 ISBN 0 7166 0105 2 motor scooter A vehicle like a child s scooter except that the driver is seated It is run by a motor DOT Regulation Part 571 123 Standard No 123 Motorcycle controls and displays Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Retrieved 2010 06 03 60a docx A scooter or motor scooter is a low speed coursehero com Retrieved 22 April 2022 Importation and Certification FAQ s Directory Motorcycles and Scooters Nhtsa dot gov Retrieved 2009 04 27 California Vehicle Codes Myron s Mopeds a b Emissions from a Moped Fuelled by Gasoline Ethanol Mixtures PDF Schramm et al Retrieved 2010 07 18 Adam T Farfaletti A Montero L Martini G Manfredi U Larsen B Santi G De Krasenbrink A Astorga C 2010 Chemical characterization of emissions from modern two stroke mopeds complying with legislative regulation in Europe EURO 2 Environmental Science amp Technology 44 1 505 512 Bibcode 2010EnST 44 505A doi 10 1021 es9021969 PMID 19928903 Highway Motorcycles EPA Regulations and Global Activity Update PDF 2016 08 16 Archived from the original PDF on October 26 2012 Retrieved 2011 06 10 Untangling US Vehicle Emissions Regulations Jason Kavanagh Retrieved 2011 06 10 2 Stroke Scooters International Projects Network PDF IEA Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 20 Retrieved 2010 07 18 Anti Vespa law announced in Italian birthplace of the iconic scooter Associated Press 16 June 2008 Shanghai hikes LPG price aiming to counter shortages The Hindu Shanghai retrieved 2011 04 12 Cao Li 30 November 2004 Shanghai phasing out old mopeds from streets China Daily North American ed New York NY p 3 The World of Motorcycles Vintage Motorcycles Hildebrand amp Wolfmuller theworldofmotorcycles com Kevin Hulsey Illustration Inc Retrieved 2009 05 17 ScooterManiac Auto Fauteuil scootermaniac org Florian JACQUET webmaster Retrieved 2010 08 28 Shattuck Colin Peterson Eric 2005 Chapter 1 The Evolution of a Revolution Scooters Red Eyes Whitewalls and Blue Smoke Speck Press p 13 ISBN 0 9725776 3 7 The American Motoped first produced in 1915 was a sign of motorscooters to come The Motoped unlike the motorcycle like French Monet Goyon that actually pre dated it was based around the very same concept as kids push scooters only a small displacement engine over the front wheel replaced the pushing action of the foot a b Wilson Hugo 1995 The A Z of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 22 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 America On The Move Pope Cleveland Autoped and Simplex americanhistory si edu onthemove Retrieved 2009 05 17 Wilson Hugo 1995 The Directory of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 243 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 Wilson Hugo 1995 The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley pp 170 Skootamota 222 Kenilworth 159 228 Reynolds Runabout 231 Unibus ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 a b c d e Webster Michael 2008 1986 The early years Motor Scooters Shire Album Series volume 181 2 ed Shire Books pp 6 7 ISBN 978 0 7478 0668 4 At 99 15s the Unibus was too expensive and whilst it deserved to succeed it was too far ahead of its time to be appreciated fully The general public had also become extremely wary about scooters as more than a dozen models had been rushed on to the market since 1918 and many of these were crude uncomfortable and difficult to handle Jones Jason 31 October 2015 Evolution of the Electric Motor Scooter Scooter Scouter Scooter Retrieved December 20 2015 a b Wilson Hugo 1995 The A Z of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 159 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 ScooterManiac Gloucester Aircraft Co Unibus scootermaniac org Florian JACQUET webmaster Retrieved 2010 08 28 Gary Johnstone 1995 1993 Scooter Mania Classic Motorcycles Twickenham U K Tiger Books International p 78 ISBN 1 85501 731 8 But the technology of the time could not create a sufficiently strong structure that would resist torsional stress so the machines were difficult to handle Such machines were seen by purists as playthings an adjunct to mainstream motorcycles The bigotry persisted even if the scooters did not Salisbury Manual Archive Salisbury Scooters Retrieved 10 April 2017 a b Shattuck Colin Peterson Eric 2005 Chapter 1 The Evolution of a Revolution Scooters Red Eyes Whitewalls and Blue Smoke Foreword by Michael and Eric Dregni Speck Press pp 14 16 ISBN 0 9725776 3 7 And the CVT s legacy lives on Almost every new scooter built today uses Salsbury s basic design Mary Anne Long 1998 12 17 From Scooter to Scooterist A Cultural History of the Italian Motorscooter PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 17 Retrieved 2010 08 28 Wilson Hugo 1995 The Directory of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 269 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 Olive Drab Cushman Model 53 Airborne Scooter G 683 Olive Drab com LLC Retrieved 2010 02 19 Powell Larry August September 1995 Cushman Military Scooters Gas Engine Magazine Topeka Kansas Ogden Publications p 1 Archived from the original on 2014 02 21 Retrieved 2014 02 20 Wilson Hugo 1995 The A Z of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 165 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 Wilson Hugo 1995 The A Z of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 44 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 How Stuff Works 1963 Harley Davidson Topper HowStuffWorks 2007 09 18 Retrieved 2010 10 14 AMA s Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum 1960 Harley Davidson Topper Motorcyclemuseum org Retrieved 2010 10 14 http nzclassicmotorcycles webdog me collection 1948 motoscoot 145 dead link a b c Fuji Rabbit Scooters History fujirabbit com Archived from the original on 2008 12 11 Retrieved 2010 09 01 The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum 1968 Fuji Rabbit microcarmuseum com Madison GA USA 2002 Retrieved 2010 09 01 Mitsubishi Motors Silver Pigeon C10 1946 mitsubishi motors com 2003 Archived from the original on 2011 11 05 Retrieved 2010 09 01 a b 240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology Silver Pigeon Motor Scooter jsae or jp autotech Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan Inc Retrieved 2010 09 01 a b Mitsubishi Motors Silver Pigeon C140 1964 mitsubishi motors com 2003 Retrieved 2010 09 01 Fuji Rabbit Scooters Introduction fujirabbit com Archived from the original on 2008 12 11 Retrieved 2010 09 01 Fuji Rabbit Scooters Tech Fluids fujirabbit com Retrieved 2010 09 01 La dolce vita all over again nbcnews com Retrieved 22 April 2022 Foot John 2001 10 01 6 Capital of Design Capital of Fashion Milan since the Miracle City Culture and Identity Berg p 120 ISBN 1 85973 550 9 Retrieved 2012 10 14 Milan s scooter was the Lambretta produced in the vast Innocenti complex in Lambrate to the east of the city hence the name using Fordist production techniques 100 scooters a day were being produced by 1948 although the first models were made without a production line Johnstone Gary 1993 Classic Motorcycles Tiger Books International p 79 ISBN 1 85501 731 8 Heppenheimer T A U S Centennial of Flight Commission Heinkel Aircraft Works centennialofflight gov U S Centennial of Flight Commission Archived from the original on 2010 10 06 Retrieved 2010 10 03 After the war Germany again saw its aviation industry dismantled Heinkel kept his company in business by building bicycles and motorbikes Wagner Carl 1973 Vorderman Don ed Ist das nicht ein Kabinenroller Ja das ist ein Kabinenroller Carl Wagner takes off on Messerschmitt Automobile Quarterly New York 11 2 Second Quarter 163 LCCN 62004005 Wilson Hugo 1995 The Directory of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 244 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 Wilson Hugo 1995 The Directory of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 239 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 A History of the Douglas Vespa Veteran Vespa Club Essex UK VVC Archived from the original on 2010 02 28 Retrieved 2010 08 24 a b 1959 250cc Triumph TW2 Tigress Twin The National Motorcycle Museum Solihull UK The National Motorcycle Museum Retrieved 2010 08 26 failed verification Vorontsov A Pevzner Ye Dolnikov D Popov A Sazonov R 2003 Entscyklopediya mototsyklov Moscow Za rulom ISBN 5 85907 340 2 p 130 499 in Russian Vorontsov A Pevzner Ye Dolnikov D Popov A Sazonov R 2003 Entscyklopediya mototsyklov Moscow Za rulom ISBN 5 85907 340 2 p 221 in Russian Vorontsov A Pevzner Ye Dolnikov D Popov A Sazonov R 2003 Entscyklopediya mototsyklov Moscow Za rulom ISBN 5 85907 340 2 p 218 219 in Russian Zakrzewski Adam 2010 Auto moto PRL wladcy drog i poboczy Warsaw Demart p 146 148 ISBN 978 83 7427 484 5 Vorontsov A Pevzner Ye Dolnikov D Popov A Sazonov R 2003 Entscyklopediya mototsyklov Moscow Za rulom ISBN 5 85907 340 2 p 552 562 in Russian Sundria Saket Chakraborty Debjit 2021 11 12 Record Fuel Costs Convince Scooter Loving Indians to Go Electric Bloomberg News Retrieved 2021 11 16 I have owned about 25 Honda and Yamaha scooters over the years Watch Miles Davis Grace Jones Adam Ant amp Devo in 1980s Ads for Honda Scooters Open Culture This 50cc Japanese Icon May be About to Go Extinct Bloomberg com 30 July 2017 Motor Scooter Guide 80 s Japanese Era 11 December 2020 Nanjing Jincheng Suzuki Motorcycle Co Ltd www jincheng com Archived from the original on 4 May 2007 Retrieved 12 January 2022 How this Australian Got his Custom Built Dream Scooter to Market Collective Hub Retrieved 2021 12 18 Fonz Moto Kilburn Will March 21 2008 Easy riders Scooters on road toward mainstream acceptance The two wheel vehicle s image is evolving in the minds of Americans from geek chic to mainstream cool The Christian Science Monitor McCandlish Laura June 11 2008 More than joy rides Scooters gain popularity as an affordable alternative for commuters The Baltimore Sun Holter James October 2007 On the road on big scooters American Motorcyclist pp 41 42 44 46 National Museum of the US Air Force Fact Sheet Cushman Model 39 Delivery Scooter Nationalmuseum af mil US Air Force Retrieved 2010 10 14 PM Zone Test Piaggio X9 Evolution 500 Maxi Scooter Popularmechanics com 2004 12 07 Retrieved 2010 10 14 Bike Specs 2009 Touring Scooter Motorcycles Motorcycle com Retrieved 2010 10 14 Motorcycle USA 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400 First Ride Motorcycle usa com Retrieved 2010 10 14 Enclosed scooters Technology Review Making Electric Vehicles Practical Brinson Bev Ludwig Bryce 2007 The Complete Idiot s Guide to Motor Scooters Penguin pp 153 154 ISBN 978 1 59257 639 5 Retrieved 2010 12 28 Is a motor scooter in your future NBC News 2005 10 07 Retrieved 2010 10 14 Scooters and Dual Purpose Bikes are the Stars in Preliminary 2008 Motorcycle Industry Council Sales Review Motorcycle Industry Council 6 February 2009 Retrieved 28 December 2010 a b 2009 Motorcycle Sales Statistics and Information webBikeWorld Retrieved 28 December 2010 Madson Bart 2010 01 21 Motorcycle Sales Down 40 8 Says MIC Motorcycle USA Retrieved 2011 01 01 Scooters sales which boomed in 2008 during all time highs for gas prices fell 59 from 2008 the most precipitous segment drop Carpenter Susan June 30 2011 Scooter sales surge after two year slump Los Angeles Times retrieved 2011 07 03 Katy Reckdahl 2011 06 17 Hundreds of Vespa scooter enthusiasts putt putt through New Orleans New Orleans Times Picayune Mark Sommer 2001 06 02 Gas prices fuel scooter sales 100 miles per US gallon 120 mpg imp 0 024 L km drives area residents to cheaper alternative Buffalo News Nick Kurczewski New York Times News Service 2011 06 19 Old and new museum highlights scooters and their quirks Bend Bulletin a b Sarti Doug June 3 2004 Vespa Scoots Sexily Back to Vancouver straight com Vancouver Canada Vancouver Free Press Archived from the original on 2011 05 22 Retrieved 2012 05 06 The scooter to them was the embodiment of continental style and a way to escape the working class row houses of their upbringing Townsend Pete 1973 Quadrophenia London Fabulous Music Ltd 1973 p 40 Gillard Andy Brown Gareth Stuart Lanning 1986 Scootering Scootering Whitney April Rogers Josh Zorn Mike Earls Casey Synoground Barry 1995 Scoot Scoot Archived from the original on 2008 05 17 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Motor scooters Scooter motorcycle at Curlie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scooter motorcycle amp oldid 1143356709, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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