Scooter (motorcycle)

This article is about the type of motorcycle. For other uses, see Scooter.

File:Motorroller 01 KMJ.jpg

Vespa engine is part of rear suspension, drives small wheel directly.

1919 Autoped Ever Ready, an early scooter design

Early Honda Super Cub, the archetypal underbone, with conventional drivetrain and wheels

A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through architecture and either a platform for the operator's feet or footrests integral with the bodywork. Elements of scooter design have been noted in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier. Regional developments were made in Europe and the United States between the World Wars. The global popularity of scooters dates from the post-World War II introductions of the Vespa and the Lambretta. Economic and political factors, including competition from other vehicles, have shaped the evolution of scooters and have caused the development of different variations of scooter.

Underbones are often sold in the the West as scooters. Underbones, based on the 1958 Honda Super Cub, have step-through architecture but feature footpegs similar to those used on conventional motorcycles.

Scooters were originally intended for low-power personal transportation with engines between 50 and 250 cc. It is still very widely used for this application. However, maxi-scooters, with engines from 250 to 800 cc, have been developed for Western markets.

The popularity of scooters as a form of personal motor transport is partly based on their low cost of purchase and operation and their convenience in parking and storage. Licensing, registration, and insurance requirements for scooters have been made easier and less expensive than those for cars in many parts of the world.

Regulatory classification

Scooters worldwide meet highly varied regulatory climates, since the classifications vary from country to country. For example, France, Italy and Spain allow drivers with an automobile driver's licence to operate motorcycles up to 125 cc. In order to ride larger motorcycles in those countries a rider would need an additional motorcycle licence. In most other E.U. countries, as well as in Japan, one can only ride motorcycles up to 50 cc with a automobile drivers license.

Most jurisdictions have no legal definition for scooters, and instead classify scooters with engines smaller than 50 cc as mopeds, and subject them to lower safety restrictions and licensing fees. Scooters above 50 cc are usually legally considered motorcycles, although some jurisdictions have an in-between definition for motorized bike for scooters and motorcycles between 50 and 150 cc. In the E.U. all two-wheeled motor vehicles above 50 cc are classified as motorcycles.

In the United States the term "scooter" is rarely stipulated as a motor vehicle classification — which usually are based on characteristics such as number of wheels, sitting configuration, engine size, power, and maximum speed. In the U.S. and Europe, scooters fall into either motorcycle or moped category depending on their engine characteristics and sitting configuration, and each subject to laws for their respective category.

The United States Department of Transportation defines a scooter as having a platform for the operator's feet or has integrated footrests, and has a step-through architecture.

The term scooter and motor scooter lead to much confusion. For all legal purposes, the NHTSA recommends using the term motorcycle for all of these vehicles. The government itself is also a little confused as they are excluding the term motor scooter from the legal definition but proceed to give detail instructions on how to import a small motor scooter. See the NHTSA article

In Victoria and New South Wales in Australia, scooters are classified as motorcycles and a rider would need the appropriate motorcycle permit in order to ride one.

Description

1956 Allstate Scooter

The classic scooter design features a step-through frame and a flat floorboard for the rider's feet. This design is possible because most scooter engines and drive systems are attached to the rear axle or under the seat. Unlike a conventional motorcycle, in which the engine is mounted on the frame, these front-hinged arrangements allow the engine to swing vertically together with the rear wheel. Most vintage scooters and some newer retro models have axle-mounted engines with a manual transmission and the gear shift and clutch controls built into the left handlebar. Most newer scooters use a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Unlike most motorcycles, scooters usually feature bodywork, including a front leg shield and body that conceals all or most of the mechanicals. There is often some integral storage space, either under the seat, built into the front leg shield, or both. Most scooters have small engines, 50 cc to 400 cc with a single cylinder, although maxi-scooters might have twin cylinder 400 to 800 cc engines.

History

Early scooters

1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller

Scooter-like traits began to develop in motorcycle designs around the 1900s. In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller produced the first motorcycle that was available for purchase. Their motorcycle had a step-through frame, with its fuel tank mounted on the down tube, its parallel two-cylinder engine mounted low on the frame, and its cylinders mounted in line with the frame. It was water-cooled and had a radiator built into the top of the rear fender. It became the first mass-produced and publicly-sold powered two-wheel vehicle, and among the first powered mainly by its engine rather than foot pedals. Maximum speed was 40 km/h (25 mph). The rear wheel was driven directly by rods from the pistons in a manner similar to the drive wheels of steam locomotives. Only a few hundred such bikes were built, and the high price and technical difficulties made the venture a financial failure for both Wolfmüller and his financial backer, Hildebrand.

1906 Auto-Fauteuil

In France, the Auto-Fauteuil was produced since 1902. In United States, the Motoped is believed to be the first scooter to enter production, in 1910.

Since 1914, the Autoped Company of Long Island City, New York produced a compact scooter for short trips. The driver stood on a short platform with 15-inch tires. After riding, the steering column, which contained all operating controls, was folded over the platform to store the scooter in a compact space. The engine was an air-cooled, 4-stroke, 155 cc engine over the front wheel. The bike came with a headlamp and tail lamp, a Klaxon horn, and a toolbox. Developed during wartime and gasoline rationing, it was quite efficient, but did not achieve widespread distribution. The Autoped went out of production in the United States in 1921, but was manufactured by Krupp in Germany from 1919 to 1922.

Scooters between the World Wars

In 1919, British engineer Granville Bradshaw created the Skootamota, which had a seat. Its single-cylinder 123 cc OHV engine, designed by Bradshaw, sat above the rear wheel and drove it by chain. The saddle and spacious footboard provided comfort. The Skootamota is a rare archetype of modern motor scooters.

1921 Kenilworth scooter

The Kenilworth is another classic vintage scooter made in England from 1919 to 1924. Powered by a 142 cc overhead valve engine, it reached 20 mph (32 km/h). Electric lights were a first on this machine, but its brakes worked exactly as on a bicycle.

1948 Salsbury scooter, in the middle

The Salsbury Motor Glide was a tiny motorbike built in 1936 in the back of a plumbing and heating shop in Oakland, California, by E. Foster Salsbury and inventor Austin Elmore. It had an enclosed body and an automatic transmission. It was such a success that in 1938 Salsbury attempted to license the design to several European manufacturers including Piaggio. The Motor Glide was the first depression era scooter, and set the standards for all later models. It inspired production of motor scooters by Powell, Moto-scoot, Cushman, Rock-Ola, and others. Salsbury produced the first automatic scooter with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Cushman three-wheel scooter based on step-through frame

The Cushman Company produced motor scooters from 1936 to 1965. Light, compact, and rugged, they were widely used by the US military in World War II and as an alternative to automobiles in the years before and after the war. Cushmans were easy to ride and had an automatic clutch which allowed the rider to twist the right grip to go and step on the pedal to stop. The step-through design and ease of operation made it popular with men and women alike. Cushman claimed an efficiency of 75 miles per gallon, and a penny-a-mile operating cost. The scooters usually weighted about 250 to 335 pounds (110-152 kg) and some had as much as 9 horsepower (6.7 kW).

Cushman Eagle

The most successful Cushman model, the Eagle, was manufactured from 1949 to the end of Cushman's motorcycle production in 1965. With its exposed engine and top tanks, it resembled a conventional motorcycle, and was technically no longer a scooter. Other Cushman models used a traditional step-through design of most motor scooters. One of the most famous was the “Model 53”, a military model from the World War II era. It was designed to be dropped by parachute with Army Airborne troops, so it became known as the “Cushman Airborne”. It was also used around military bases for messenger service.

Scooters after World War II

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Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon

After World War II (just as happened after WWI eg BMW) many wartime aircraft manufacturers kept highly skilled engineering teams together by producing motorcycles and scooters. In Japan, this created their first two-wheeler boom. The Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon was a scooter largely made of warplane wheels and discarded warplane parts. It eventually shared popularity with the Fuji Rabbit, a motor scooter produced in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries from 1946 to 1968. Production of the initial model, the S-1 began in 1946, some six months before the Vespa and was largely inspired by scooters used by American servicemen during and after World War II. Fuji Rabbit were the first Japanese-made scooters that could exceed 60 mph (97 km/h). Later models were among the most technologically sophisticated of their era, featuring electric starters, automatic transmissions and pneumatic suspension systems. Although the market for scooters shrank in Japan as the economy expanded and Fuji diversified into automobiles in 1958, that was the same year that Honda launched the most popular motorcycle of all time, the Super Cub. The Fuji Rabbit has become a symbol of nostalgia in Japanese pop culture.

In post-World War II Italy the Piaggio Vespa became the standard for scooters, and has remained so for over 60 years. Patented in April 1946, it used aircraft design and materials. D’Ascanio's 98 cc scooter had various radical design concepts, including a sleek, stress-bearing structure. The gear shift lever was moved to the handlebars for easier riding. The engine was placed near the rear wheel, eliminating the belt drive. The typical fork support was replaced by an arm similar to an aircraft carriage for easier tire-changing. The elegantly-styled body protected the driver from wind and road dirt, and bore little resemblance to uncomfortable and noisy motorcycles. The smaller wheels and shorter wheelbase provide improved maneuverability through narrow streets and congested traffic. Combining the best elements of automotive, aeronautical and motorcycle design, the Vespa quickly became an icon of design and economy. The name reportedly originated when Piaggio's president upon seeing the prototype, remarked "Sembra una vespa", "It looks like a wasp".

1952 Lambretta 125 D

Months after the Vespa, in 1947, Innocenti introduced the Lambretta, beginning a rivalry with Vespa. The scooter was designed by Innocenti, his General Director Giuseppe Lauro and engineer Pierluigi Torre. It debuted in 1947 at the Paris Motor Show. The Lambretta 'A' went on sale on December 23rd 1947 and sold 9,000 units in one year. It was efficient, 160-180 mpg (miles per gallon) or 68-76 km/litre, at a time when petrol was severely rationed. It had a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) from a fan-cooled engine of 123 cc. The Lambretta was named after Lambrate, the Milanese neighborhood where the factory stood. The first Lambretta designs had shaft drive and no rear suspension, later designs used various drive and suspension systems until Lambretta settled on a swingarm-mounted engine with chain drive.

After having much Aeronautical Engineering success during World War II, Skirvin Corp & its Engineers introduced the Cycle-Scoot. Manufactured in Indianapolis USA, The scooters featured an exclusive foot throttle and brake design. You would push down with the toe to go, push down with the heel to stop. The majority were red with a few black and army green, other options were either 2.5 or 5 HP, Clinton or Briggs & Stratton Motors. In 1954, it became the official scooter of the Indianapolis 500, where officials and others could use them to navigate the track.

The Maicoletta motor scooter of the 1950s was one of the largest produced in that era. The engine was a single cylinder 247 cc piston-port 2-stroke (277 cc for use with a sidecar), with four foot-operated gears and centrifugal fan cooling. The tubular frame was built on motorcycle principles, with long-travel telescopic forks and 14-inch wheels. The Maicoletta had a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h) which was comparable with most 250 cc motorcycles of the time.

Germany's aviation industry was also dismantled after World War II. Heinkel stayed in business by making bicycles and motorbikes. The Heinkel Tourist was a large and relatively heavy touring scooter produced in the 1960s. It provided good weather protection with a full fairing, and the front wheel turned under a fixed nose extension. It had effective streamlining, perhaps thanks to its aircraft ancestry. Although it had only a 175 cc 4-stroke motor, it could sustain speeds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Heinkel scooters were known for their reliability.

Zündapp Bella R 154 from 1958

The Zündapp Bella was the most popular German scooter in the 1960s. It was in production for about ten years, in three engine sizes, 150 cc, 175 cc and 200 cc. They could perform all day at a steady speed of 60 mph (97 km/h). Extremely reliable and very well made, many of these scooters still exist today.

In Austria, Puch made a scooter with a 125cc (later 150cc) two-stroke engine from the late 1950s.

In Britain, Douglas made the Vespa under licence from 1950. BSA/Triumph made several models of scooter including the 1957 BSA Dandy 70 and the 1962 Triumph Tina; and culminating in 1962 with the luxury Triumph Tigress, a luxury scooter with good performance and handling like a motorcycle, drawing on Triumph's long experience of building fast motorcycles. The Tigress was sold with a 175 cc 2-stroke single engine or a 250 cc 4-stroke twin; both had a four-speed gearbox but it was foot-operated, unlike most continental models. The 250 twin sold well and could reach 70 mph (112 km/h) with efficient suspension and good roadholding despite having only 10-inch wheels. The BSA Sunbeam was a badge engineered version of the Tigress.

Small numbers of the 165 cc Harley-Davidson Topper scooter were produced from 1960 to 1965 using the engine from their line of light motorcycles based on the DKW RT 125. It had a fiberglass body, a continuously-variable transmission, and a pull-cord starting mechanism.

1983 Honda Beat

In the 1980s new versions of scooters began to be released and become popular, especially in Japan and far-east Asia. This style of scooters began to reflect that of larger, sporty, higher-performance motorcycles of the time and the trend has continued till now. With the release of the Honda Ruckus, new trends towards dirt-bike scooters are just beginning. In 1988, Honda introduced a large, touring scooter design, the 250 cc Helix (also called Spazio, Fusion or CN250). Although it was bulky to handle at low speeds and was derisively called a "Barcalounger on wheels", it was designed for riding long distances in comfort. Now nearly all major scooter manufacturers produce such models, called "maxi", "GT" or "touring" scooters. The largest scooter made is now the 840 cc Gilera GP 800, a 75 CV (55 kW; 74 hp) scooter capable of reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds.

A modern Honda Jazz.

The classic styling of the Vespa never lost its popularity, and remains the most-popular and most-imitated scooter design. Almost all manufacturers now carry both a classic/retro model and a sporty/modern model.

Scooter developments

The Piaggio MP3.

Trends around the world have seen new variations on the classic scooter, some with larger engines and tires. High-end scooter models now include comprehensive technological features, including cast aluminum frames, engines with integral counter-balancing, and cross-linked brake systems. Some of these scooters have comfort features such as an alarm, start button, radio, windshield, heated hand grips and full instrumentation (including clock or outside temperature gauge).

Underbone

Main article: Underbone

2007 Yamaha Nouvo 115, a modern underbone

Honda Bravo underbone

An underbone is a small motorcycle built on a frame consisting mostly of one large diameter tubular component. The design is based largely on the Honda Super Cub, which shares some features with scooters but not the basic design. The 1958 Super Cub was mostly a conventional motorcycle with its engine fixed to the frame, a pedal-operated transmission in unit with the engine, footpegs, chain drive from the transmission to the swingarm and wheels of conventional size. It differed from a conventional motorcycle by having step-through architecture, a fuel tank under the seat, an engine mounted horizontally forward instead of vertically, a sheet steel enclosure for the drive chain, and non-integral plastic splash guards.

The Super Cub was introduced with a semi-automatic transmission featuring an automatically operated centrifugal clutch.. This preceded any automatic or semi-automatic transmissions from Vespa or Lambretta, although the Salsbury Moto-Glide featured one in 1936.. Competition between underbones and scooters led to the addition of continuously variable transmissions to modern scooters.

Underbones are popular in Western Europe and are marketed alongside conventional scooters. They are sometimes referred to as scooters, despite the design difference between underbones and conventional scooters.

See also: Honda Super Cub

Maxi-scooter

Honda CN250 Helix

A maxi-scooter or touring scooter is a large scooter, with engines ranging in size from 250 cc (Honda CN250) up to the latest 839 cc machine (the Gilera GP 800), and using larger frames than the normal sized scooters.

The trend toward maxi-scooters began in 1986 when Honda introduced the CN250 Helix / Fusion / Spazio. A few years later, Suzuki launched the Burgman 650 and 400 models. Honda (600 cc), Piaggio, Yamaha, Aprilia, Kymco (700 cc) and others have also introduced scooters with engine displacements ranging from 400 to 850 cc. Honda's PS250 (also known as Big Ruckus) defies common scooter classification because its step-through is high and it features a motorcycle-like exoskeleton instead of bodywork.

The more advanced and expensive maxi-scooters differ have their engines mounted on the frame, as opposed to the swing-arm. This arrangement can improve the handling, by allowing the centre of gravity to be moved forward and by reducing the load on the rear shock absorber(s). A final drive is necessary to connect the clutch assembly to the rear wheel. This trend toward larger, more powerful scooters with fully automatic transmissions is matched by an emerging trend in motorcycle design that foreshadows automatic transmission motorcycles with on-board storage. This is exemplified by the Aprilia NA 850 Mana automatic-transmission motorcycle that provides built-in storage for a full-face helmet.

Electric scooters

Eped Sport electric scooter

Main article: Electric motorcycles and scooters

In 1996, Peugeot launched the Scoot'Elec, the first electric moped. It is powered by a 2.8 kW (4 hp) DC motor fed by an 18 V, 100 A·h battery made of 3 Saft nickel-cadmium "monoblocs". A lot of body panels and suspension parts come from Peugeot's entry-level gas scooter, the Zenith. However, the frame is different, built around a "double cradle", and holding the batteries low between and behind the driver's feet. Under the seat are the electronic controller, onboard charger and a curly charging cable with a standard plug. The fast on-board charger (1,400 watts) uses a 230 V power supply. The batteries charge from empty to 95% full in two hours, with 3 more hours to equalize.

Other electric road scooters, including the Vectrix, e-max, and the eGO, are currently offered for sale.

Fuel injection and four-stroke engines

Aprilia SR50

Piaggio XEvo 250ie, a direct-injection, four-stroke, multi-valve Maxi-scooter

Aprilia released the SR50 Ditech with direct injection in 2001. The SR50 uses one litre of fuel for 50 kilometres of driving (117 mpg) and meets the Euro 3 standard with a two-stroke engine. Later on, more brands, including Derbi and Peugeot, started using direct injection systems for their scooters. Catalytic converters are now common in two-stroke and four-stroke engines sold in the E.U. and the U.S..

Due to new environmental laws, scooters had to change to four-stroke engines because most two-stroke engines do not meet the Euro3 standard. This has met with opposition from many scooter riders who favor the two-stroke engine's superior power-to-weight ratio, especially in smaller size ranges.

Popularity

Motor scooter parking lot

In many parts of the world, such as Asia and Europe, motor scooters are a popular form of urban transportation due to their low cost and easy driving position. In fact, in many nations in Asia, scooter sales growth outpaces automobile sales growth. For many people, a motor scooter is the family vehicle until sufficient funds to purchase an automobile are amassed. In crowded cities, scooters can be preferred over automobiles regardless of cost due to parking, storage, and traffic issues.

In Taiwan, road infrastructure have been built specifically with two wheelers in mind, with separate lanes and intersection turn boxes. In Thailand, scooters are used for street to door taxi services, as well as for navigating through heavy traffic. Motor scooters are popular because of their size, fuel-efficiency, weight, and typically larger storage room than a motorcycle. In many localities, certain road motor scooters are considered by law to be in the same class as mopeds or small motorcycles and therefore they have fewer restrictions than do larger motorcycles.

According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, sales of motor scooters in the United States have more than doubled since 2000. The motorcycle industry as a whole has seen 13 years of consecutive growth. According to council figures, 42,000 scooters were sold in 2000. By 2004, that number increased to 97,000.

See also

• Auto rickshaw
• Cutdown
• List of scooter manufacturers
• List of scooters
• LPG powered scooters
• Mod (subculture)
• Scooter rally
• Scooterboy

External links

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