Scooter

From Freepedia

For other uses, see Scooter (disambiguation).

Image:Honda nh80.jpg Image:A modern scooter.jpg A scooter is any of several related types of vehicle, used for transport for recreational or medical purposes.

Contents

Road motor scooter

A road 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 continuously variable transmissions and have wheels smaller in diameter, between 8 and 14 inches (20-35 cm) than other motorcycles. The engine is usually found under the seat near the rear wheel or axle. It is typically smaller than engines on other motorcycles although some makers produce quite powerful scooters up to 500 cc such as the Piaggio X9 500 4V, it has a top speed of over 165 km/h. Most modern motor scooters come 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. High powered electric road scooters are on the horizon now that small electric motorcycles like the Viento and the eGO have been released. Image:BKK Vespa078.jpg Road motor scooters are tremendously popular in Europe (especially Italy), India, China, Japan, Taiwan and in many places in the world, however for some reason not in the United States. In many parts of the world, 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 mopeds or small motorcycles and therefore they have fewer restrictions than that of larger motorcycles. In North America the legal distinctions vary by state but usually refer to motorcycles with an engine displacement of 50 cc (cubic centimeters) or less as being in the moped class. Some states--Maryland, for example--state that motor scooters must have a step-through design to distinguish them from mopeds and 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.

Image:Motorroller 01 KMJ.jpg

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 motorcycles 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.

Image:Osa 1.jpg


In recent years, collecting vintage motor scooters has become a popular hobby. A good example of a collectable scooter is a Cushman. These are large scooters that were built in Lincoln, Nebraska from 1936 until 1965. Some models are seven feet (2.1 m) long and weigh over 300 pounds (136 kg). Most are powered by the Cushman Husky engine, which is a cast iron flathead design. Cushmans usually have 8 horsepower (6 kW) or less, but some Cushman Eagles have an aluminum OMC engine with overhead valves and 9 horsepower (7 kW). [1]

The German word "Kabinenroller" for microcar means enclosed motor scooter.

Assistive and small electric sit-down motor scooters

This type of scooter has become a great boon to people with mobility problems all over the world.

Powerchairs

Powerchairs (or "electric wheelchairs") use electric motors instead of manpower. They are usually powered by deep-cycle batteries similar to those used to power outboard boat engines. The user typically controls speed and direction by operating a "joystick" similar to that found on arcade video game consoles. Many other input devices can be used if the wheelchair user lacks coordination or dexterity of the hands or fingers or cannot use the hands at all.

Scooters

Scooters, "Carts", or "POVS" (Power-Operated-Vehicle), in the context of a device used help disabled individuals gain mobility, are small electric-powered vehicles. They usually incorporate an upholstered seat, a tiller for steering, and thumb-controlled throttle levers to control speed. Different from a powerchair in that the user physically turns the front wheel(s) to maneuver the vehicle, instead of operating some other input device (joystick) that interprets the users commands electrically. Scooters are typically larger than powerchairs and are used more commonly for recreational uses.

The primary differences between road motor scooters and electric road scooters are the use of electric motors and their tendency to not be built for heavy road use. Small electric scooters are becoming popular in North American campgrounds and suburban areas, as well as with youth.

Manufacturers and distributors of these mobility products for the disabled include:

  • Drive Medical
  • Golden Technologies
  • Invacare
  • Merits
  • Pride Mobility
  • Rascal

Motorized one-axle, stand-up scooters

Parallel wheeled variants of electric scooters, stand-up scooters gained much attention in 2002 and 2003 with the release of the much anticipated Segway HT. The company which has been marketing the Segway has attempted with some success to pass legislation to allow this type of scooter on city sidewalks in North America. All other types of scooters are typically confined to the roadway or bike lanes.

Children's/push stand-up scooter

Image:Kick scooter II.JPG

A children's or adult push scooter or kick scooter lacks a motor, and the user generally stands on a platform with a vertical post that controls steering. Although sometimes as simple as a board and post hand-mounted on roller skate wheels, commercial versions (often variants of the skateboard) have met with varying degrees of popularity.

Smaller Kick Stand-up Scooter

In the early 2000s, a sleeker, narrower folding version of the kick scooter became wildly popular in the US, with a wide variety of colors and styles. Popular brands include Razor, Kick, and Xootr [2].

Full Sized Scooters (unmotorized)

Image:Dashboard-Scooter-side.JPG

Full sized scooters that are propelled by pushing off with one foot while the other rests on a footpad. These scooters use full size bike tires (from 16" to 26") along with mountainbike parts like hand brakes and front shocks.

These scooters are used for activities ranging from Urban Transport to Off-road Racing to Dog Scootering, and there are many different types to fit each type of activity.

Urban Transport Scooters 
headtube is more upright, with larger wheels (26") for a smoother roll and will not generally have any shocks
Off Road Racing Scooter 
more angled head tube (to avoid bashing knees), shocks, medium size wheels (16"-20"). Scooter racing is much larger in the UK and Europe at the moment than in the US.
Dog Scooters 
varies per person and location that scootering is done, generally the off-road scooters are used, shocks and smaller wheels preferred for manuverability. If the dog scootering is for long distance, an Urban Transport type scooter may be used. While some scooter companies are starting to market to dog scooterers, they are not building specific models for this activity as of yet.

Full Sized (unmotorized) Scooter Links

External link

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