Vespa scooters are one of the oldest names in the scooter business. They have been manufacturing motor scooters since 1946 and their models are in great demand world wide. There are several popular Vespa motor scooters that range in size from 50cc to 200cc.

The Vespa Granturismo has a 200cc engine which is the biggest, fastest and most powerful Vespa ever made. It has a 4-stroke 4-valve engine that is liquid-cooled. With its powerful engine it has the ability to pull away from almost any kind of traffic you could encounter. Even with its larger and more powerful engine it is still a very quiet motor scooter and emits exceptionally low levels of pollution.

The Granturismo has 12 inch wheels and both front and rear hydraulic disc brakes. Plus it has some good storage space. Two open face helmets can be stored under the seat plus a few extras in the glove compartment.

Other popular Vespa models are the LX, PX 150, PX 150 Limited Edition and some top motor scooters in their Piaggio line.

The LX motor scooter comes in either the classic 50cc or 150cc versions. The LX scooters are made for commuting. They aren’t as powerful as the Granturismo, but they save on gas. It’s amazing how much more fun everyday errands can become when you surround yourself with the style, performance and safety that the LX encompasses.

The PX 150 motor scooter is 150cc of classic Vespa. It comes complete with manual gears and a rear foot break. This is the original, the legendary, the classic PX. It’s available in the United States once again after a 20-plus year hiatus. These scooters are brand new, but maintain the original design. It comes with a 4-speed gear shift, manual 4-speed transmission, rear foot break, 150cc engine and a standard spare wheel.

The PX 150 Limited Edition is limited to just 500 scooters. The first PX motor scooters were made in 1977 and they have become one of the most recognized scooters in the world. Over 2 million have been sold world wide and they have achieved a true cult scooter status. For collectors you can’t go wrong with a PX 150 Limited Edition scooter.

Vespa also makes motor scooters under the Piaggio name. They have several popular models that are very powerful machines. The X9 Evolution has a 39 horsepower engine that will reach a top speed of 98 mph.

The BV200 and BV250 models boast a single cylinder, four-stroke engine with an automatic transmission. No need for constant shifting here. This makes it an ideal motor scooter for stop and go situations, the type of travel you will find in the city. And on the open highway they will reach top speeds of 75 mph.

The BV series boasts large 16 inch wheels and dual shock absorbers for the smoothest ride in scootering. Plus, there is plenty of room for a passenger. They also have lockable storage compartments under the seat for helmets or groceries. These are great gas powered scooters for city driving.

If you need to step up a notch you will find the Piaggio BV500 ideal. It’s great for scootering around the city. With its powerful engine it will take you anywhere you want to go in a hurry. It too has 16 inch wheels, a 4-stroke, 4-valve Piaggio Master engine, and the exclusive Piaggio integral braking system for safe and smooth stops. There are many other features that make this a popular scooter.

Piaggio also has other models such as the FLY150, which is a smaller cheaper model with 12 inch wheels. It’s not quite as powerful as the bigger models, but it maneuvers around town very well and gets better gas mileage.

Honda is a very popular scooter manufacturer and has many wonderful models to choose from. Among the most popular are the Silver Wing, Helix and Elite.

The Silver Wing has a powerful liquid-cooled 582cc engine, automatic transmission and seats two people comfortably. It is a strong scooter that is made for touring.

The Honda Helix also has room for two and has a built-in trunk with plenty of storage room. It has 244cc of pure power, a liquid-cooled four-stroke engine and has been an extremely popular model for many years.

The Honda Elite is the gas-saver. It has a smaller 80cc four-stroke engine and is fully automatic. You can enjoy the ride without worrying about shifting gears all the time. Plus, with the smaller engine you save on gas.

Another lesser known, but quality model, is the Bajaj. Bajaj scooters have the highest mileage rating of any 150cc scooter in the U.S. allowing you to get up to 110 miles per gallon (per EPA City Cycle dyno tests). It has a 4-stroke 4-speed engine and is built by a company with over 40 years of experience building motor scooters and utility vehicles. So if you want reliability and high gas mileage the Bajaj may be what you’re looking for.

There are many scooter manufacturers around the world. There are electric scooters and gas powered scooters. Scooters have become a popular form of travel because of the great savings achieved due to their high gas mileage, cheap prices and low operational expenses. Plus, they are extremely fun out on the open road.

By: Sally Johnson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Sally Johnson is a writer who enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle. She loves gas powered scooters because they are fun and because they help save a little bit of our limited resources. For more information about gas motor scooters please visit her site.

Motor Scooter Safety – aA Guide to the Proper Selection of Helmets

Motor scooter helmets save lives. But, when buying a helmet you must choose wisely. The following are certain Items, that the Department of Transportation states should be checked out for when buying a motorcycle and motor scooter 

America’s source for motor scooter, moped

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Technorati Tags: lx150, manual, rally 200, Used Scooters, vbb, Veloce, Vespa Sprint, vespa vendo

Vespa an italian built scooter manufactured by Piaggio. If you have ever seen any older European movies from the 60’s I guarantee that you have seen when of these creations. Over the years Vespa’s have evolved from single model scooters to a full line of scooters that will satisfy even the most picky consumer.

Vespa’s have been a hit since the first one rolled off the assembly line. But now they are mostly known for the painted, pressed steel unibody that houses the complete engine compartment. The flatboard to keep your feet and a prominent front fairing (mainly used for wind protection).

In the 1940’s the Vespa was used primarily for troops in World War II. The United States enjoyed these scooters because they were helpful in getting around Nazi defense tactics of destroying roads and bridges in the Dolomites (a section of the Alps) and the Austrian border areas.

With todays gas prices it is no wonder why Vespa scooters are so popular after so many years of service. Suburbanites are looking for something different to entertain their weekends and for commuters who are tired of filling their gas guzzling vehicles. Over the years though Vespas started to pass away from american society, but fast forward to this day and time. Outfitted with two new models that are environmentally friendly and fuel efficient the Piaggio built Vespa returned to the United States in the year 2000. The ET2 model replaced the usual mineral oil with synthetic oil which meant they emitted less smoke while driving. This model can reach 40 mph and can get up to 60 miles to the gallon.

The company has also released a version of the Vespa that is a hybrid gas/electric for even for fuel economy. They also introduced a scooter with two wheels in front and one in back which grips the road better. This version of the scooter has taken off and is now being copied by motorcycle makers alike.

By: Kenneth Elliott

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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Portuguese craftsman Carlos Alberto handbuilt this sublime wooden Vespa. I think the classic Vespa is one of the most beautiful designs in history, and this is a truly worthy remake.

Handcrafted Vespa

The folks at Make pointed us to this exquisitely handcrafted wooden Vespa created by Portuguese craftsman Carlos Alberto.

Technorati Tags: buy, italian, rally 200, scooters, sell, vespa 50cc, vespa scooter

So you pull up to the gas pumps and start to fill up your SUV. As the pump’s price displays hits $117.42 you begin to wonder if you should head down to the bank and take out a loan!

With the cost of oil and gas rising so dramatically these days, people are looking for alternative ways to travel and a cheaper way to get to work. And that actually means cheaper alternative ways. Gone are the days of buying large vehicles and SUVs just to impress somebody.

Smaller cars or electric hybrids are becoming a commonplace solution for a large portion of the population looking to downsize and save money at the pumps. But a motor scooter is also a viable option for so many people today! According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, sales of motor scooters have soared this year, up 25% from a year earlier while sales of everyday cars have plummeted! So yes, more and more people are starting to look at a gas scooter or electric motor scooter as a viable solution to the high cost of today’s gas pump prices.

But, of course, there is more to operating a vehicle than simply the gas price. There are obviously other considerations you have to take into account. But, here again, the modern-day motor scooter can shine. Take a look around and you can find motor scooters that can handle everything from servicing, fuel, replacement tires, registration, insurance, riding gear and depreciation for as little as $85 per week. Try doing that with your big gas guzzler!

And you can easily find motor scooters from people like Honda, Suzuki, Vespa or Yamaha that can actually keep up with traffic, climb hills fairly easily, easily carry more than one person, and even, if necessary, use the freeway. And scooters are great in the city where you can avoid traffic jams and easily find a small parking spot and save on parking costs as well. There are definitely a whole lot of good things to consider when you go to the option of buying and riding a motor scooter.

And when you do decide to buy a motor scooter you’ll be surprised at the wind range of options available to you. There are low priced options, like Yamaha’s Vino Classic priced at about $1,950. Or you can go with a long-time favorite like the Vespa, that can run from $3,300 for a 50CC LX, to $6,000 for the faster and bigger Scooter in a 250cc GTS. Larger scooters are also available. Check out the Honda Silver Wing that comes with antilock brakes or try the Suzuki Burgman 650CC. Prices for these can run between $8,000 and $9,000. So, as you can see, there is something for everyone when considering a motor scooter, something for every taste and every pocketbook. Simply determine what your personal budget is, figure out which are already spending for transportation, and you can easily find a price range that is right for you.

So if you’re looking for a great alternative to the pocket busting gas guzzler, take a long hard look at a motor scooter. Millions of people are doing that today and are glad that they did.

By: Lee MacRae

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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Technorati Tags: accessories, Buy a Vespa, italian scooter, motor scooters, rally 200, vespa clubs