Survey: Motorcycle or Scooter?
Aug 12th, 2008 by Leo
A recent PowerSports Business article released the results of a survey conducted by Consumer Reports National Research Center indicating that more than one-quarter of U.S. consumers are considering purchasing a motorcycle or scooter. Eighteen percent are thinking of buying a motorcycle while 14 percent are contemplating buying a scooter. – MarketWatch, Aug 11, 08
Someone says, “I’m thinking of getting a motorcycle or a scooter, but I’m not sure which. Which should I get?” My opinion is: Get both! Take the scooter when you go shopping, or when you’re going through Manhattan in heavy traffic, and take the motorcycle on longer trips on twisty roads.
Motorcycle riders who’ve never had scooters probably don’t understand how darn convenient underseat storage can be! Or even cupholders! Scooter riders probably don’t know what it’s like to take a tight corner fast and have the rear back-in, or the beautiful sounds that come out from opening up the throttle on a long straight. So what if you had to choose just one (for now)? For those of you who ride both motorcycles and scooters, which would you choose if you had to choose just one, and why?
By the way, for people who don’t like to choose, check out the Aprilia Mana (pics above). It’s hard to decide if it’s a Scooter with motorcycle qualities, or a motorcycle with scooter-like storage and automatic gearshift…we’ll just call it a bike.
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Well, I guess I’m your target demographic given that I’ve got both a scooter (Vespa GTS) and a motorcycle (Honda 599). If I can take my time on my commute, I take the scooter through the city and neighborhood streets (there’s a couple mountain and canyon moments). If I need to get to work fast, I take the motorcycle on the freeway carpool lane. Either way is fun, uses less fuel compared to driving our car, and generally guarantees that I won’t be sitting in traffic, either on the surface streets or on the freeway.
As for the Mana, if it were 30 lbs. lighter and the seat were half an inch lower, that would be the “one” bike I could own alone and still be satisfied.