Well, here it is, January of 2009, and the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports arrived in the mail yesterday. I was surprised and delighted to find that they had a section on scooters and small displacement motorbikes.
They reviewed three 50cc scooters (Vespa LX 50, Honda Ruckus, and Motorino Allegro 50), three 125/150 class scooters (Vespa LX 150, Yamaha Vino 125, and the Kymco People 150), and two 250cc motorbikes (Kawasaki Ninja and Honda Rebel).
The Vespas scored very well on their tests (of course), simply because of the superior quality of the scooters. The Motorino Allegro is a Chinese scoot, which I'm glad they threw in for flavor, and their take on the quality of the Chinascoot was unsurprizing (and abysmal). Their take on the Ruckus was a bit lower than I expected, but then, I've never ridden one, so I can't make an educated opinion of my own. They gave the Vino 125 relatively low marks, which I also found surprizing. I've ridden a Vino 125 and found it to be similar in feel to my old Vino Classic (Duh!).
What surprized me the most was their assessment on the Kymco People 150. It scored better than the Vespa LX150. That's a great testament for a little scooter company from Taiwan!
What bothers me about their scooter coverage is that it comes so late in the game. The scooter boom of last summer fizzled out when the gas prices sunk below $3.00 a gallon. Perhaps they are gambling that gas prices will rise again and that there will be a resurgence of interest in scooters come spring. I'm guessing that this is what will happen, since our economy is not getting any better and most people will be looking for economical transportation.
The one thing I don't understand is how they got their city mileage. I've never seen mileage that poor from a 50cc scooter, well, at least not one of the better brands. My 150 also gets much better than 33mpg city, it's really around 50mpg for city and 80 for rural scootin'.
All in all though, I was glad that Consumer Reports finally got on the ball. I do wish they would have been more up front to warn their readers away from "deals" on "cheap" scooters.
Dogs and Scooters
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Thanks for the information. I will have to get to the library and check it out. I did a bit of research before I bought my Kymco and would like to see what they have to say.
Here is an excerpt from the magazine.
Scooters (125cc-150cc)
Vespa LX 150, Kymco People 150, and Yamaha Vino 125
The 150cc Kymco People and Vespa LX 150 were the best overall scooters. They are easy-riding, well-rounded models with decent acceleration. The Kymco has an edge in fuel economy, but both require premium fuel.
The Vespa LX 150 is essentially a more powerful version of the Vespa LX 50, with the same virtues and drawbacks but with lower fuel economy. The Yamaha Vino 125 gets gas mileage similar to the Kymco's and runs on regular gas, but it's slower than the others and has a harsh ride and more vibration.
Scooters in the 125cc-to-150cc range provide more power, which makes them better choices than 50cc models for keeping up with traffic and for all-around use. Even so, they should not be ridden on freeways and interstates.
The riding experience
All three have responsive handling and were easy to maneuver. The Kymco, with its 16-inch wheels, felt more stable. But the kickstand tends to scrape during left turns. The Vespa is very maneuverable in tight spaces, has a controlled ride, and soaks up bumps well. Both have smooth, relatively quiet engines, with little vibration and adequate acceleration. The Kymco felt particularly quick off the line.
The Yamaha has a harsh ride and a sluggish engine. Brakes were adequate on all three and were easy to modulate.
The Vespa is roomy and has the most comfortable riding position. Leg and foot room are adequate, but smaller riders had trouble reaching the ground. The Kymco's seat is reasonably comfortable, but knee room is tight. The Vino sits the lowest of the group, and some riders felt cramped.
Mirrors on the Kymco and Vespa provide a good view to the rear. But the Yamaha's mirrors are mounted low and are awkward to adjust.
All three scooters have a fuel gauge and a speedometer, but the Kymco's odometer displays distance only in kilometers. All have lockable underseat storage, but the Kymco's can't fit a full-face helmet.
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