Help Me Get a Scooter

[AHarwell]

I've been reading the posts for awhile now and want to make the buy soon for a Buddy; however, my fiancee and my folks aren't too keen on the idea. Specifically, they point to the safety hazards associated with riding on something that isn't designed with safety in mind.

My request is to have you good folks, seeing that each of you already has a scooter, is to come up with some good points that will undoubtedly outweigh the negatives associated with purchasing the fine machine.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

(I decided to post this after looking at the continually rising gas prices)

Thanks!!!

[jfrost2]

Heres a list of stuff

90 mpg
Easier to ride than a motorcycle
less chance of something going wrong than a car
cheap repairs
easy self do-able maintenance
3 or 4 dollar weekly gas fill up
fun to ride


I cant really think of any safety sides since really if you crash or get hit, you pretty much will have some sort of injury, whether small or major.

Take the MSF class too, this will teach you to ride smart and avoid hazards.

[sc00ter]

Do what I did, take the MSF course and sign up your girl at the same time. Its a fairly cheap way to see if you (and/or her) want to commit to two wheels. You will have fun, meet nice people, learn alot, etc. Oh, and you forgot to add lower stress on the list of benefits. Nothing beats a bad day at work that a fun ride home afterwards!

[ERik3tb]

I had to agree to a full face or modular helmet, taking the MSF and get the wife a puppy. Then she told me I could get a scooter.

[EP_scoot]

In addittion to the comments above, also mention the gear you would wear to protect yourself. If you plan in using it to commute, pland non-hwy alternatives that are safer/slower speeds. As already said, DO take the MSF. Get some books such as Proficient Motorcycling to learn the theory behind riding on two wheels and be more aware of the hazards.

You can also start thinking as a motorcyclist even when riding your car. Start pointing to your fiancee the things you are aware of, cars that look like they might change lanes withouth a turn signal, pedestrias coming out in between cars, looking for vehicles turning left, staying out of blind spots and on people's mirrors, etc

And keep in mind that bikes ARE inherently less safe that a car in which you are surrounded by steel. Don't belittle their feeilngs. Let them know you will take it easy to begin with, maybe become a member of a club to ask/see how some techniques are done. And you can always say that if after 6 months of you riding they are still really paranoid, you can always sell the scoot.

Good luck !

[tam]

If you have no experience on two-wheelers, it's not unlikely that you're going to have an accident not too long after you get it. People underestimate the skill involved to safely and properly ride a bicycle/scooter/motorcycle. It's not like a car that if you make a mistake, you might scrape your bumper. Here if you make a mistake, it's gonna hurt. Just read back on how many accidents people have been in (myself included). Not just because of their own fault, but also that of other drivers. It's definitely something to consider. So don't focus on the positive sides, focus on both, and then make a good decision. If you don't know how to ride a bike, you probably want to take it real slow.

Other than the gas-savings, it's a lot of fun to own. Just make sure you suit up, roadrash hurts

[AHarwell]

Thanks for the quick responses! Taking a MSF course [i]before[/i] a purchase a scooter is an excellent idea and I didn't even think about it. Many thanks!!!