Scooters are a great way to get to work, and FortNine decided to make a video showcasing the best scooters for folks who don’t have a motorcycle license.
I’ve written about the merits of 50cc scooters before, and I really do think they’re one of the best ways to commute. Even better in many cases than a lot of motorcycles depending on the type of commute you have.
In the video above, the Canadian gents over at FortNine go over three of their picks for the best scooters for car drivers, and below, you’ll find my thoughts on each of them.
Vespa Primavera 50
The Vespa in the video is a slightly older one, but I’m going to focus on the new Vespa Primavera 50. Vespas hold their value better than Porsches and are about 100 times less expensive. They’re also powerful, frugal when it comes to gas, and offer a bit of prestige.
Folks who normally turn their nose up at a scooter will give you a thumbs up if you ride a Vespa. For this reason alone, it’s worth considering, and then you add in all the other nice stuff like the storage and decent performance and you have a real winner, albeit a more expensive one than the other options here.
Check it out at Vespa’s website.
Honda Ruckus
If you like rock-n-roll, industrial design, and consider yourself a badass but can’t bring yourself to actually get a motorcycle license, then the Ruckus is for you. It’s the most badass bike with only 50ccs. It’s also a Honda so it’s practically indestructible.
The Ruckus also has its own customization scene. Riders strip these things down, stretch the wheelbase, and swap engines, among other things. If you want a bike that garners respect in a different kind of way, this could be the right scooter for you.
Check it out at Honda’s website.
Aprilia SR50
When I think Aprilia, I think super-fast sportbikes and the Aprilia SR50 is the scooter equivalent, yet unsatisfying. As Ryan from FortNine says, this bike has a lot of parts that feel like they’re straight off a motorcycle. And as great as that is, this is still decidedly a scooter.
Also, I don’t particularly think it looks very good. Its pointy beak and plastic body don’t do it for me. That said, performance is pretty good and it will get you around no problem for less money than the Vespa.
Check it out at Aprilia’s Website.
What Would I Choose?
Given the three choices above, I would rank them as follows: Vespa, Honda, and Aprilia.
The Vespa would be my first choice. The style, the storage, the eyes you’ll get on one. All good things. The only downside here is price and possibly reliability. If you have a shop close by, that could be less of an issue.
If you’re worried about reliability, always go with a Honda. The Ruckus is bulletproof. It will pretty much always run and there are Honda dealerships all over the place. Even if you don’t want to go to the dealer, pretty much any shop will be able to keep a Ruckus on the road. Lastly, the maintenance is minimal anyway, and you should be able to do it yourself.
The Aprilia is a great scooter, but it’s definitely in third place here. Aprilia dealerships aren’t plentiful (at least where I’m at) and while it is pretty simple It would be harder to get parts for than a Honda. Also, the styling isn’t my cup of tea.
Still, the choice is up to you. Whatever you choose I’ll applaud your choice to get out there on two wheels.
