Various Scooter Brands
Table of Contents:
Vespa Scooters
Piaggio Scooters
Lambretta Scooters
Sears Scooters
Yamaha Scooters
Honda Scooters
Boreem Electric Scooters
Currie Electric Scooters
GoPED Electric Scooters
LashOut Electric Scooters
Mongoose Electric Scooters
Schwinn Electric Scooters
Rad2Go Electric Scooters
Other Scooter Manufacturers
Cheap Electric Scooters to Avoid
How To Avoid Cheap Electric
Scooters
The Flawed Four
Where To Buy Electric Scooters
Tips For
Buying From an Online Electric Scooter Dealer
VeSPA Scooters
Since its first appearance 50 yeas ago, over 15 million Vespas
have been sold. They continue to sell well today all over the world. The name
Vespa means “wasp" in Italian and refers to the original body shape of the
well-known scooter line. Though the Vespa is not the first scooter, it is
certainly the best known all over the world.
Vespa is a prodigy of the
Piaggio Company in Genoa, Italy – the company that designs and manufactures
these unique vehicles. Other names may appear on Vespa scooters as well since
licensing agreements all over the world have allowed this. The Piaggio scooters
are produced by the name company; however, these scooters incorporate a newer,
modern design.
The first Vespa was produced in 1946 and became an instant success. This early
body design is still largely produced; Vespa’s timeless design is what has made
it such a popularity around the world. Many model variations have been produced
with small but noticeable differences. Engine sizes have ranged from 50-200cc.
Ever since its introduction to the market, the Vespa body has been made of
steel. The body is a pressed steel monocoque chassis that has always set the
Vespa apart from other mass-produced scooter. This manufacturing tradition not
only makes the line stand out, but it provides structural rigidity and
performance. Today, Vespa’s steel frame tradition continues in its Pontedera
facility in Italy. This is perpetuated with the most advanced and innovative
manufacturing methods. Vespas are designed and manufactured to perform and last
for years to come!
About the Piaggio Company - Makers of Vespa
The Piaggio Company has been around much longer than their
famous Vespa scooter line. The company was a distinguished innovator in the
field of transportation. Piaggio was founded in Genoa, Italy in 1884 by
20-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio. He started his business first with luxury ship
fitting. By the end of the century, Piaggio’s company was producing rail
carriages, luxury coaches, truck bodies, engines and trains.
During the World War I, the company forged new grounds by entering into the
production of airplanes and seaplanes. In 1917, Piaggio decided to buy a new
plant in Pisa. Four years later, the company continued to take over a small
plant in Pontedera in the Tuscany region. The new plant in Pontedera became the
Piaggio’s center for aeronautical production, rolling out propellers, engines
and complete aircraft parts.
During the onset of World War II, Piaggio’s Pontedera plant built the
state-of-the-art P-108 four-engine aircraft. This was available in both the
passenger and bomber version. However, the plant was later completely destroyed
by Allied bombers due to the plant’s military importance.
New Direction for Piaggio
Rinaldo’s son, Enrico Piaggio, had taken over the company
after his father. He was concerned about the disastrous state of the war-ravaged
roads and the Italian economy. As a result, he turned the company’s focus toward
meeting the personal mobility needs of the Italian people.
Piaggio’s ingenious aeronautical engineer, Corradino D’Ascanio, at the time
designed, constructed and flew the first modern helicopter. With Piaggio’s new
focus, he set out to design a simple, sturdy and economical vehicle that was
both comfortable and elegant. D’Ascanio couldn’t stand motorcycles and
subsequently came up with a revolutionary new vehicle. Using the influence of
the latest aeronautical technology at the time, he envisioned a vehicle that
could be built on a monocoque (this is French for “single shell”) or a steel
body frame, which becomes a Vespa tradition.
The result: The Vespa - an aircraft-inspired design that continues to be forward
thinking and unique among two-wheeled vehicles.
When Enrico Piaggio saw the vehicle for the very first time, he remarked “Sembra
una Vespa!”, thus the name Vespa. The innovation was a real two-wheeled utility
vehicle without the discomfort and noise of a motorcycle. The shape of the steel
frame provided the rider protection from the dirt and debris on the road. It was
an invention of class and elegance at first glance!
By the end of 1949, the Piaggio company had produced 35,000 Vespas. Also, Italy
was getting over its war wounds and heads were turning toward Vespas. In ten
years, one million were produced. By the mid-1950s, Vespa was being produced in
in other countries as well - Germany, Great Britain, France, Belgium and Spain.
Piaggio Today
The history of Vespa continues today with the new generation
of Vespa models (such as the Vespa ET2 and ET4). Vespa is not just a scooter but
it is also one of the great icons of Italian ingenuity, style and elegance. With
more than 16 million Vespas produced, it unquestionably well known around the
world. The company continues to produce and market their popular Vespa scooter
line throughout the world. There are almost a hundred different models of Vespas.
The Vespa look has also become marketed under different names, such as Bajaj in
India and PGO in Taiwan, due to licensing programs. In the USA, the Cushman
Motor Works Company sold Cushman-Vespa scooters in affiliation with Piaggio.
However, the companies do not have any official connection with Piaggio. In the
late eighties, the company began production of scooters with a modern design
under the “Piaggio” nameplate. However, it still continues to produce the older
and classic scooters under the Vespa name. Piaggio also has a subsidiary called
Gilera that also produces scooters.
For more than five decades, the Piaggio company has fascinated millions of
people with the Vespa and intends to continue doing so, even to this very day!
Lambretta Scooters
Early on, companies began to compete against the Piaggio
Company and its Vespa scooter line. One of the earliest and most effective
competitors against Vespa was another Italian company – Innocenti. Innocenti
developed their own scooter line called the Lambrettas. At the time, Vespas were
already dominant among the public who rode scooter in Italy. As a result,
Innocenti focused their attention and focus marketing to those who wanted
something that had both more style and more performance than the Vespa line.
Because of these two factors, the love for Lambretta scooters have endured
despite the manufacturer’s struggle in the market.
The First Lambretta
The first was introduced to the public in 1947 – one year after the first Vespa.
The rivalry between the two models had led the two manufacturers to come up with
better and increasingly innovative models. However, Innocenti ran into a number
of financial difficulties and eventually had to stop production of the Lambretta
line in 1970.
Fall of Innocenti - the company of Lambretta
The original Lambretta plant was later sold off to Scooters India, Limited (SIL).
The plant moved to India, where it still exists. While the plant equipment and
overhead were being transported and reassembled in India, the Serveta Company of
Eibar, Spain picked up a license from Innocenti to produce a line of Lambretta
scooters that had slight variations from the standard Innocenti designs. In
1979, SIL began manufacturing the older Innocenti designs. However, it struggled
as a government owned operation. The last handful of Lambretta GP200 scooters
was produced in 1997; there are rumors that the plan is in the process of
relocation to Turkey. Manufacture may resume there during the new millennium
under new ownership. Despite the company’s problems, the love for the Lambretta
scooter continues to live on around the world.
Sears Scooters
What are Allstate or Sears scooters? For many
years, U.S.A. retailer Sears, Roebuck & Company sold scooters in both their
catalogs and retail stores. However, these scooters were always re-badged
scooters produced by various specialized scooter manufacturers. For example,
Sears sold either Cushman or Vespa scooters under the “Allstate” label. The
Allstate label was also used for mopeds and small motorcycles produced by
manufacturer Puch. For a few years, scooters were also sold under the “Sears”
label as well.
Most of the Allstate scooters that Sears sold were very basic Vespa models that
were different mainly in their cosmetic and aesthetic details. Plus, they lacked
the front dampeners of Vespas. Put aside the differentiations, they were Vespas
in every respect eventhough collectors often perceive them as having less value,
mainly because of the large number that was sold over the years and the lack of
the well-known Vespa aesthetic details. Cushman also sold step-thru scooters to
Sears for their mail-order sales during the years of 1951 to 1961. With only
minor changes from the normal production runs, the scooters were sold under the
Allstate name.
Yamaha Scooters
Did you know that Yamaha marketed a classic scooter back in 1960 in Japan? However, it was not much of a success sine Fuji and Mitsubishi was largely dominating the Japanese market. As a result, in the mid-60s, Yamaha gave up. Like Honda, Yamaha re-entered the scooter market in 1980. It brought with it updated versions of their earlier designs. This time, they were successful not only in Asia, but also in Europe and in the United States. Yamaha has also entered into various licensing agreements with other companies around the world. The company produces a popular scooter line in France through their subsidiary MBK, which sells quite well throughout the European regions, including Italy.
Honda Scooters
Honda had been producing classic scooters since the 50s and
60s in Japan. However, because its competitors (Fuji and Mitsubishi) were both
far better at it, Honda decided to give up in the mid-60s. It redirected its
attention on their Cub moped line instead. The irony however was that the wild
success of Honda’s Cub actually ended up driving Fuji and Mitsubishi out of the
two-wheeled market forever.
It wasn’t until 1980 that Honda decided to re-enter the Japanese scooter market.
It later began exporting their new modern scooters to the United States, Europe
and Asia, which turned out to be very successful. These scooters have been
licensed to other companies and Honda has grown to the same position of Vespa’s
Piaggio Company. Honda continues its quest to increase market share. It has set
up plants around the world to produce scooters. This includes production in
Italy, where Honda scooters sell quite well.
Boreem Electric Scooters
Established in 1997, Boreem initially focused on wheel based
products such as kick board scooters, mini bikes, roller shoes, gas and electric
scooters, and sports bikes. Since their inception, Boreem has been providing
superior quality products at highly competitive prices. Boreem's commitment to
excellence has afforded them major growth and they are now one of the largest
distributors of scooters and motor sports bikes in the United States.
With four professional scooter and bike designers Nationwide, Boreem constantly
produces innovative designs. Boreem's guiding principle is to provide
high-quality, high-value scooters and bikes at highly competitive price backed
by outstanding after service.
Currie Electric Scooters
Currie Technologies, Inc. is a developer, manufacturer and
distributor or quality, high-performance Electric Powered Personal
Transportation products. Currie Technologies was founded in 1998 by Richard
Mayer and Dr. Malcolm R. Currie, the former chairman and CEO of Hughes Aircraft
and Delco Electronics, on the conviction that electrically driven vehicles will
become increasingly important for fundamental environmental and economic
reasons, and that new and large international markets will emerge. Currie
Technologies hold technology patents on the “Electro-Drive Propulsion System”, a
unique drive system that provides superior performance and durability at a
reasonable price.
Currie's objectives are to build products that offer cost effective, emissions
free alternatives to other forms of transportation for Sport and Recreation.
Currie builds Schwinn™, Mongoose™ and GT™ brand of Electric Scooters, under
license from Pacific Cycle, LLC. Currie also builds Electric Bicycles under the
Currie brand and offers a complete line of electric powered products ranging
from entry-level models to high-end, high-performance units and related
accessories.
Why Currie Electric Scooters?
VALUE: Dollar for dollar, Currie scooters
and bicycles offer great value for the consumer. Quality construction, top-rated
performance and a wide variety of products to choose from make Currie electric
scooters and bikes a great overall value.
PERFORMANCE: Out of the box, Currie electric
scooters and bicycles out-perform the competition! Superior acceleration, torque
and handling characterizes are inherent in the design of all Currie scooters and
bikes when compared to other electric powered vehicles at a comparable price.
BUILT-TO-LAST: Every Currie electric scooter
and bike is produced to rigorous standards with rugged Hi-Ten Steel frame
construction and Oil-Light bearing pivots on the full-suspension models. An all
steel battery box is standard on every Currie scooter. Currie products are real
vehicles, intended to provide years of service.
GoPED Electric Scooters
Beginning in 1985 with a prototype for a new motorized
personal transport device Steve Patmont launched Patmont Motor Werks, creators
of the Go-Ped, the original motorized scooter, in his garage. He began by
building Go-Peds only for friends and family that just had to have one, and it
blossomed from there.
In the 20 years since their inception, Patmont Motor Werks, the Manufacturer of
the Genuine California Go-Ped7® brand scooters, has earned a unique leadership
position in the scooter industry and racing arena. With two decades of
successful R&D, Engineering and Production, PMW possesses the best knowledge,
understanding and tools to bring to customers products which exceed their
highest expectations. PMW has been constantly at the forefront by continually
perfecting and engineering the most high-end and refined scooting machines in
the World.
Well known for its excellence and expertise in gasoline powered Go-Peds®, PMW
Engineering "Skunk Werks" have in fact also actively developed ingenious
electric powered transportation alternatives. In 1995, it introduced the first
electric powered Go-Ped® Prototype. Based on the design of the Original and Best
Selling Sport Go-Ped®, the spindle drive electric Stealth™ Go-Ped® was
introduced in 1996. Later, the Stealth II and Hoverboard7® Go-Ped® were launched
for customers looking for the most silent and classy electric scooters. After
nearly two years of careful and painstaking development using all lessons
learned, not only from its own electric scooter development, but from the many
lessons taught by others, PMW has reached electric perfection and is proud to
present the long awaited Go-Ped® "Electric Speed Racer" ESR750.
LashOut Electric Scooters
The good folks at LashOut are obsessed with being the best and it has paid off. LashOut designs some of the most high-end electric scooters on the market today. All components used are top of the line, the attention to detail is extraordinary and the fit-n-finish of LashOut electric scooters are second to none. LashOut electric scooters look similar to the Currie built Schwinn, Mongoose Pro and GT full suspension electric scooters, but when you put them side to side the LashOut stands out as the clear winner. It's like comparing a Chevy to a Cadillac!
Mongoose Electric Scooters
Mongoose scooters are manufactured by Currie Technologies under license from Pacific Cycle, LLC. Mongoose electric scooters include top selling models like the Mongoose Cosmic scooter, the Mongoose Hornet scooter and the Mongoose Fusion scooter.
Why Mongoose Electric Scooters?
VALUE: Dollar for dollar,
Mongoose scooters offer great value for the consumer. Quality construction,
top-rated performance and a wide variety of products to choose from make
Mongoose electric scooters a great overall value.
PERFORMANCE: Out of the box, Mongoose
electric scooters out-perform the competition! Superior acceleration, torque and
handling characterizes are inherent in the design of all Mongoose scooters when
compared to other electric powered vehicles at a comparable price.
BUILT-TO-LAST: Every Mongoose electric
scooter is produced to rigorous standards with rugged Hi-Ten Steel frame
construction and Oil-Light bearing pivots on the full-suspension models. An all
steel battery box is standard on every Mongoose electric scooter. Mongoose
scooters are real vehicles, intended to provide years of service.
Schwinn Electric Scooters
Schwinn scooters are manufactured by Currie Technologies under license from Pacific Cycle, LLC. Schwinn electric scooters include top selling models like the Schwinn New Frontier scooter, the Schwinn F-18 scooter and the Schwinn X-Cel scooter.
Why Schwinn Electric Scooters?
VALUE: Dollar for dollar,
Schwinn scooters offer great value for the consumer. Quality construction,
top-rated performance and a wide variety of products to choose from make Schwinn
electric scooters a great overall value.
PERFORMANCE: Out of the box, Schwinn
electric scooters out-perform the competition! Superior acceleration, torque and
handling characterizes are inherent in the design of all Schwinn scooters when
compared to other electric powered vehicles at a comparable price.
BUILT-TO-LAST: Every Schwinn electric
scooter is produced to rigorous standards with rugged Hi-Ten Steel frame
construction and Oil-Light bearing pivots on the full-suspension models. An all
steel battery box is standard on every Schwinn electric scooter. Schwinn
scooters are real vehicles, intended to provide years of service.
Rad2Go Electric Scooters
Rad2Go is a California based company that got its start during
the 1980's manufacturing roller skates, inline skates and push scooters. They
have been offering a quality line of Rad2Go electric scooters and vehicles since
the beginning of the electric scooter craze in the late 1990's. To date they
have sold over 100,000 Rad2Go scooters and vehicles and sales continue to grow
year after year.
Rad2Go scooter models include top selling fast electric scooters and vehicles
like the Rad2Go ZZ Cruiser, the Rad2Go Leopard Shark, the Rad2Go Tiger Shark,
the Rad2Go Great White, the Rad2Go Q Electric Chariot and the Rad2Go Sunbird.
Other Scooter Manufacturers
What are some other popular makes of scooters?
Most companies that have made or currently make motorcycles have also made scooters. For example, Harley Davidson manufactured scooters for a period of time. There are many scooter manufacturers around the world that produce models that are either licensed from a well-known company or based on their own designs.
The biggest players in the scooter world market today are still:
- Honda
- Yamaha
- Piaggio
Other major companies that currently produce scooters also include:
- Aprilia
- Atala
- Bajaj
- Benelli
- Beta
- BMW
- Cagiva
- Peugeot
- Eternal Royal
Cheap Electric Scooters To Avoid
It makes good sense to observe the Latin phrase 'caveat
emptor' (let the buyer beware) when buying an electric scooter.
There are hundreds of overseas factories flooding the market with poor quality
off brand scooters, no-name brand scooters and clones. Sadly, there are also
plenty of unethical dealers right here in the USA willing to sell these cheap
electric scooters. These cheap scooters are poorly constructed, break down
frequently and tend to lack support from the manufacturer or dealer (i.e.
replacement parts, warranty and/or service). It's extremely frustrating, very
expensive and can be quite dangerous to own a cheap electric scooter. What makes
things even worse is that these cheap electric scooters are everywhere. You'll
even find cheap scooters sold through 'reputable dealers'.
Fortunately, most of these are mass-produced in only a few body styles. That
makes them easy to spot. We've put together a list of the worst offenders we
like to call 'The Flawed Four'.
How To Avoid Cheap Electric Scooters
Here are a few general tips to help you avoid buying a cheap
scooter:
• Purchase from a reputable dealer.
• Stick with brand name electric scooters (avoid off-brand, no brand and
clones).
• Avoid dealers who sell off-brand scooters, no brand scooters and clones.
• If the price sounds too good to be true… it is!
• Buy electric scooters that offer at least a 90 day warranty.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE: There are always
exceptions to the rule. There are a few manufacturers producing quality electric
scooters that mimic these body styles. We'll make mention of the good
manufacturers we're aware of below. There are also cheap scooters out there in
other body styles, so we'll offer some advice on how to spot them as well.
Exception to the rule: Rad2Go, Boreem, Freedom and Bravo manufacture quality
electric scooters with a 30 day manufacturer's warranty.
Cheap Electric Scooters To Avoid (The Flawed Four)
 |
This basic body style is the #1 offender on the
market! These cheap electric scooters are mass produced under hundred's
of different names. There are so many of these cheap scooters out there
it's painful. Exception to the rule: Boreem and Freedom manufacture high quality electric scooters in this body style. |
 |
Often referred to as “mini electric scooters”,
they're cheap in every sense of the word. You'll typically find them for
under $100 and if they last you that many days consider yourself lucky.
Replacement parts for these cheap electric scooters are extremely rare
at best. Exception to the rule: Bravo manufactures quality electric scooters in this body style. |
 |
This basic body style often comes with a removable
seat. We recommend avoiding cheap scooters built in this body style. Exception to the rule: Rad2Go manufacturer's a high quality electric scooter in a similar body style. |
 |
This body style typically comes with a diamond plated
aluminum deck and a “high watt” motor. What the dealer won't tell you is
it's a cheap scooter that will self destruct shortly after purchase. Exception to the rule: Rad2Go manufacturer's high quality electric scooters in this body style. |
Where to Buy Electric Scooters
You'll find electric scooters sold by a large number of
companies in a variety of places. Electric scooters are sold by companies who
are online and local, small and large, reputable and not so reputable. Where's
the best place to buy an electric scooter? Good question! Keep reading and we'll
do our best to help you find a great place to buy an electric scooter.
Specialty Electric Scooter Dealers - Whether you buy an electric scooter online
or in your home town, it's always best to purchase from a reputable electric
scooter dealer that specializes in the sale of quality electric scooters. If you
have questions before, during or after you buy, the knowledgeable staff at a
specialty electric scooter store will have the answers you're looking for. When
you buy from an electric scooter dealer who doesn't know squat about electric
scooters… you're on your own.
Avoid Questionable Electric Scooter Dealers
Dealers selling their products under questionable circumstances or locations
should be avoided. If you have a problem or question after the sale, you'll want
to make sure the dealer will be there for you. Also avoid electric scooter
dealers who sell off-brand scooters, no brand scooters and clones. Electric
scooter dealers willing to sell you junk shouldn't be trusted with your
business.
Electric Scooter Sales, Discounts, and Buying a Quality
Electric Scooter for Cheap
It pays to shop around when buying an electric scooter. There's always a
discount, electric scooter sale or low price electric scooter offer to be found.
Many online shops offer free shipping! However, it also pays to be careful when
looking for an electric scooter sale. Before you buy, make sure the electric
scooter dealer is reputable and you're not sacrificing quality or service for
the low price discount.
Tips For Buying From An Online Electric Scooter Dealer
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, over $300
billion in business will be conducted over the Internet during the first decade
of the new millennium. Chances are good that you'll be one of those people
making a purchase online soon, if you haven't already. Here are some tips to
help ensure that your online shopping experience is a safe and satisfying one:
Location, Location, Location
Ask the company for its physical location (address and phone
number) so that you can check on its reliability with outside organizations like
the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and consumer agencies.
Check For Reliability
Check a company out with the Better Business Bureau. Also look
for a reliability seal from a reputable online consumer protection program such
as BBBOnLine (www.bbbonline.org).
Customer Service Policies
Check out the company's return and refund policies before you
place your order. If an online company can't offer a concrete commitment on how
they will handle potential problems, reconsider doing business with them.
Protect Your Passwords - Never give out your Internet password. When creating a
password, avoid using common numbers, like your birth date, house number,
telephone or Social Security numbers. If a website asks you to create a password
protected account, never use the same password you use to access other accounts
or websites.
Guard Your Personal Information
Only give credit card information or your Social Security
number online in a secure environment. Look for the prefix “https://” in the URL
(Uniform Resource Locator box) which lists the company's web address to be
certain a website is secure. Also, look for the padlock in the bottom right-hand
corner of your browser status bar at the time of purchase. This means that
information being sent between your Web Browser and the Web Server you are
connected to on the Internet is safe from being tampered with. A third item to
look for is a certification symbol from a reputable secure website certification
authority like Thawte. These certification symbols are secure images that appear
on a website that allow visitors to tell at a glance that their information will
be securely transmitted.
Keep a Paper Trail
Print out the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the company
website you are on. The URL will indicate you are buying from the right company.
It's also a good idea to print a copy of your confirmation number and order
receipt for your records.
Protect Your Privacy
Review the company's privacy policy. You leave cyber
“footprints” where ever you go online. This allows sophisticated merchants to
collect data about your interests and buying habits. Choose company's who are
approved to participate in the BBBOnLine Privacy Program or a program by a
similar reputable privacy advocacy group. These companies must post online
privacy policies that meet rigorous privacy standards. They open themselves up
to review and monitoring and agree to participate in consumer dispute
resolution.
Leave Nothing to Chance
Make sure you understand everything involved before placing an order. Be clear about the price and any shipping charges. Understand the terms of all product and service guarantees. Find out how long it will take to receive your order.
