Scooter Answers

I’m thinking about purchasing a scooter. I am interested in a 150cc but my biggest concern is purchasing one I am able to handle, able to touch ground without a problem. I am only 5′ tall with short legs. Inseam is 28″. I cannot find anything online to help me make this determination. I’ve looked into a Velocity, but not sure if it’s too big. There are few scooter shops around here. Can you recommend a reliable and manageable scooter that would not be much of a problem for me? Thx! -Mrs. Alkens

Mrs. Alkens,

Seat height was a concern for me as well, though I am a few inches taller than you are. The scooters I know of which have a good brand reputation and a low seat height are the Genuine Buddy, Yamaha Vino, TNG Low Boy, and Yamaha Morphous. The Buddy comes in 50cc, 125cc, and 150cc and sits at 29″. The Vino comes in 50cc and 125cc and sits at 29.8″ above the ground. The Low Boy is a 28.5″ 150cc. The Morphous sits the lowest, at 25.8″, and comes in a 250cc. It looks like they have discontinued it for 2009, but you could still buy an ‘08 or a used one.

I am not familiar with the Velocity, but based on its much lower price I would tend to question its reliability. Make sure you can test ride whatever you buy so you’ll know how it rides. You’ll want a local dealer who can service the scooter for oil changes and such. Sometimes motorcycle shops can do this for scooter brands they don’t sell, but it’s best to call around before you buy the scooter to make sure.

If you can’t find a scooter that fits just right, look into having the seat lowered. Usually you can find someone locally at a place like a motorcycle dealership - ask them who does seat mods in your area. There are also people online who will do them. I would stick with someone local if possible, since they’ll be able to judge what you need and make adjustments without shipping the seat back and forth.

Failing that, you could always consider a smaller moped, like the Honda Metropolitan. But you won’t get as big of an engine.

Hope this helps!
-ScooterGirl