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A motor scooter is a Motorcycle with a step-through frame in which the rider sits without straddling any part of the engine. Most modern motor scooters have smaller wheels than motorcyles, between 8 and 14 inches (20-35 cm) in diameter. The scooter engine is usually found under the seat with a Continuously Variable Transmission transferring power to the rear wheel, often in an front-hinged arrangment that allows the rear of the engine to swing vertically in conjunction with the motion of the rear wheel. In contrast to most motorcyles, scooters generally feature bodywork, including a front fairing and body that conceals all or most of the mechanicals. The classic scooter design features a flat floorboard for the rider's feet, and often includes some integral storage space, either under the seat, built into the front fairing, or both. Most scooters have smaller engines than motorcycles (between 30cc and 125cc with a single cylinder). 50cc scooters are classified in most countries as a Moped and are subject to reduced safety restrictions and licensing fees. Until recently, most modern motor scooters came with air cooled Two-stroke Cycle engines with automatic 2-stroke oil injection although some of the higher spec small ones and large ones are water cooled such as the Honda FC50 or the 2002 Yamaha YQ50s. Scooters increasingly have four stroke engines to meet stricter emissions controls. Trends world-wide have seen new variations on the classic scooter. A common variation, the 'big-wheel' or commuter-style scooter features wheels as large as a motorcycle. Popular models of the commuter-style bike include the Aprilia Scarabeo models, the Piaggio Liberty/ LT models, and the Taiwanese Kymco People models. Another trend sees larger scooters, called Supescooters or Mega Scooters with engines ranging in size from 250cc up to 650cc. This trend began in 1986 when Honda introduced the Fusion / Helix / CN250, and continued with the 1999 introduction of the Suzuki Burgman 400. Piaggio, Yamaha, Aprilia, Kymco and others have since introduced scooters with engine displacements ranging from 400 to 650cc. Honda's PS250 or Big Ruckus defies commons scooter classification in that it's "step-through" is high and the bike features no bodywork but rather a motorcyle-like exo-skeleton. High-end scooter models now include comprehensive technological features including cast aluminum frames, engines with integral counter-balancing, and cross-linked brake systems -- along with comfort features such as windshields, heated hand grips and full instrumentation (including clock or outside temperature guage.) This trend toward larger, more powerful scooters with fully automatic transmissions is matched by an emerging trend in motorcyle design that foreshadows automatic transmission motorcycles with on-board storage. High-powered electric road scooters are on the horizon now that small electric motorcycles like the Viento and the EGO have been released. HISTORY The Vespa originally manufactured by Piaggio in post World War II Italy with aircraft materials and styling became the first of the road motor scooters and defined the vehicle type for three and a half decades. In the 1980s new versions of scooters began to be released and become popular, especially in Japan and Far-East Asia. This styling of scooters began to reflect that of larger, sporty, higher-performance Motorcycle s of the time and the trend has continued to the current day. With the release of the Honda Ruckus , there may be a new trend towards dirt-bike scooters just beginning. The classic styling of the Vespa has never lost its popularity, however 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. POPULARITY In many parts of the world such as Europe and Asia, motor scooters are a popular form of urban transportation due to 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 Moped s or small Motorcycle s and therefore they have fewer restrictions than that of larger motorcycles. In the UK from the 1960s, Mods and Skinheads rode customized Vespas and Lambrettas, adorned with many extra mirrors and chrome parts. The scene is still alive in the UK, and has spread to other countries as far away as Australia and the United States. All around the world people continue to gather their vintage scooters at rallys nearby, far and in between. Joe Pancho, an American entusiast, threw Hawaii's first ever scooter rally in October of 2005. COLLECTING In recent years, collecting vintage motor scooters has become a popular hobby. A good example of a collectible scooter is a Cushman . SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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