| Motorcycles and Twowheelers: Buying motorcycles - "A Buyers Guide to Motor Scooters" Wednesday, 20 August, 2008 | Home | Suggest a Link |
Formula 1 Fantasy LeagueBefore the 1920s it was an easy decision, a foot-powered push scooter or none at all. But once Gino Tsai from Shanghai, Taiwan developed the Razor scooter it changed everything. His motor scooters became popular so quickly there were people waiting in line for six months before they could get one.
In the 1950s companies like Vespa in the UK started selling the first of their gas motor scooters. It was a big hit at the 1950 Motorcycle Show and quickly became a big hit in the UK as well. Vespa sold over 125,000 in the UK between the years of 1950 to 1958. Piaggio from Vespa and Lambretta from Innocenti started selling their models in Italy and France too, quickly becoming the vehicles that everyone had to own. By the early 1950s the sale of motor scooters topped 1 million a year in France alone. Because of its popularity other countries such as France and Germany decided to get in on the boom by manufacturing their own models.
Today, after more than 50 years since the first gas scooters appeared, there are many different makes and models. We have electric, gas powered, foldable, mobility and utility motor scooters dotting the globe. There are specialized scooters for just about every task. They have become a worldwide phenomenon because they are cheap to own, economical to operate, are very handy and functional, and most of all they are a lot of fun. But with all of the makes and models which one is right for you?
Let's start with the different types. Gas motor scooters are the fastest around. They will take you longer distances and reach higher speeds than any of the other varieties. There are smaller and lighter models that will be perfect for running errands around town while the larger and heavier touring models will take you on longer trips. Plus, the larger the gas tank the farther you can travel before needing to stop at a service station.
Electric varieties are a little more economical to run, but will usually travel only about 10 or 15 miles before needing a recharge. Their battery capacity has improved dramatically over the years, but they cannot be taken for long trips due to the fact that their batteries will need recharging periodically. However, for short trips around the city they are wonderful little vehicles. Plus, most scooters have a large storage capacity under the seat so they are ideal for trips to the grocery store or for other light shopping sprees.
The elderly or handicapped typically use what is referred to as mobility scooters. These are usually electric models and have 3 or 4 wheels for extra stability. These models give the elderly or disabled the ability to get about in their homes or around the neighborhood more easily. Without mobility scooters many of the disability-impaired would be confined to their beds.
Another very popular type is the foldable scooter. These are very small and are made for short trips around town. They are particularly popular among the younger crowd. The beauty of these models is that they are extremely compact and can be folded for storage in small places. If you work just a few miles from your home you can travel to work on your folding scooter and then fold it up and put it underneath your desk at work. Very handy.
There are also utility scooters which can be used for many different purposes. They can be used as golf carts or for hauling things. Many big businesses use these types for getting around their factories. Schools use them for driving through the parking lot, checking for cars that shouldn't be there. Major league sports stadiums use them to drive people from one place to another. These are wonderful vehicles that can be used for a variety of reasons.
Once you've decided which type is right for your needs the next step is to figure out what options, if any, you would like included on your vehicle. Of course you can choose from many different colors and designs, but there are other options available to you. You can choose from the many varieties of covers, locks (for security), cases or side bags for storage, helmets, seats, handgrips, windshields or windscreens, backrests for touring, chrome kits, rear luggage racks and many more options. The list of accessories can go on for quite some time.
As a rule of thumb first choose the type of scooter you want, whether it be electric, gas, foldable or utility. This is the easy part because the type you purchase will depend upon your needs. Once that decision has been made look at several popular models in your area and decide which one looks and feels right to you. Most have accessories that are manufactured for a specific model so accessories cannot be decided upon until you know which motor scooter you are going to buy. Once you've decided which accessories you want for the model you chose it's a simple matter of driving your scooter out of the dealership. And it's nothing but fun from there on out.
Vespa scooters are one of the oldest names in the scooter business. They have been manufacturing motor scooters since 1946 and their models are in great demand world wide. There are several popular Vespa motor scooters that range in size from 50cc to 200cc.
The Vespa Granturismo has a 200cc engine which is the biggest, fastest and most powerful Vespa ever made. It has a 4-stroke 4-valve engine that is liquid-cooled. With its powerful engine it has the ability to pull away from almost any kind of traffic you could encounter. Even with its larger and more powerful engine it
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Whether interest rates are high or low or it's the end of a model year with lots of incentives, motorcycle buyers tend to make the same mistakes when shopping for a motorcycle loan. Here are four common mistakes motorcycle buyers make with motorcycle loans.
Many motorcycle buyers enter the showroom looking for a motorcycle before they determine how much money a motorcycle lender is willing to loan to them for the purchase of a motorcycle. There is no need to shop for a $20,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle, if a lender is only
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It is common knowledge that motorcycle financing companies base high importance on your FICO credit scores when approving motorcycle loans. However, what many people overlook is that their FICO credit score can dramatically impact the term on their motorcycle loan along with the interest rate that is assigned to the motorcycle loan.
In order to gain better
motorcycle loan rates, it is highly important that you think of
your FICO credit score as a picture of how risky you are to the
lender. Your FICO credit score is essentially a benchmark which
motorcycle financing companies use to grade you and assign a
risk to you when applying for a motorcycle
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Have you checked out the price of a new bike lately? It wasn't that long ago when you didn't have to fork out that much dough for a new car. In fact, many bikers will remember when you didn't have to pay much more than that for a modest house. The prices for houses and cars have shot up over the years. And, so have the prices of motorcycles. The point is, the price of a new bike can take a good-sized bite out of any budget. Buying a used motorcycle is one way to
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The usual way new and even many experienced bikers decide on what bike they are going to buy is to look at what their buddies are riding, or what the magazines have been testing recently.
While both these options have some merit they are not without their problems.
Consider:
| a) | your mate may be a different size from you, they may be more or less flexible, they may be more or less experienced, their riding style and needs may be completely different from yours and so ultimately will be their choice of bike. | |
| b) | Magazine tests, the Read this article in full |
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