SUV: Scooter Utility Vehicle

Ahh, yes. The SUV. Normally, this acronym brings to mind gas guzzling multi-passenger vehicles which take up two lanes and are generally piloted by a soccer mom on a cell phone. These vehicles, though highly popular for several years, suddenly fell out of favor last summer when gas prices made a vehicle that gets ten gallons to the mile completely unpractical.

The scooter; however, can be a great utility vehicle, within reason. In some countries, they are loaded up with people, goods, and even hitched to trailers which haul people and/or goods from place to place. Of course, the "scooter" that is primarily used for this purpose is the Honda Cub (known most recently in the US as the Honda Passport during the 1980's). The Cub is technically not a scooter since it does not have the pure scooter step through styling with a floorboard, though it comes close enough that the line between the Cub and scooters is somewhat blurred.

I cannot say that I have ever carried live chickens in cages, or huge bails or whatnot, or my entire family on my scooter; however, for basic errands, a scooter is very appropriate and functional.

Take the following scenario. This morning, my wife asked if I could pick up a prescription at the local pharmacy. I have choice A; take one of my cars, use about a half gallon of gas and struggle to find a parking space, or, choice B; take my scooter, use a fraction of the gas, enjoy the fresh air, take my son for a ride, and easily find a parking space next to the bike rack at the pharmacy. Obviously, I chose B. The prescription fit easily under the scooter's seat with tons of room to spare. A larger vehicle for such a small task would have been overkill.

Here's scenario 2. You want to have a family movie night and you don't want to cook. So, you order Chinese food and you go to pick it up. Again, you could use the cage, but you opt for the scooter instead. The bag fits easily in the top case with room to spare for a 2 liter of soda. The only downside of this is that some Chinese take-out restaurants use flimsy containers, which may spill into your top case if they are not bagged properly.

These are simple examples of times when a car or SUV are just too much vehicle for the job. Even bigger articles can be carried on a scooter. I'd hesitate to carry delicate electronics equipment, but I wouldn't think twice about rigging a contraption for carrying lumber or other building materials.

Let's also consider such menial tasks as grocery shopping, clothes shopping, running to the bank, running to the firing range, etc.

Depending on the type of scooter that an individual may own, there is a wide range of options for improving carrying capacity. Most scooters have an under-the-seat "trunk" which is usually big enough to hold at least a half helmet. Some scooters, like the Yamaha C3 and most maxi scooters, have a huge storage compartment under the seat. Others, like the now discontinued Honda Helix, have a trunk that is accessed from the rear, with a huge cargo capacity.

If the built in storage is not enough, a top case can be added. Most scooters come with a luggage rack, onto which a trunk or top case may be afixxed. Some folks do as I did, and simply bungee a milk crate to the back rack. It may not look pretty, but it's functional. Top cases look much better than milk crates, though they do limit one's ability to put extra large items in them, due to their nature as a closed container. Luckily, they come in many sizes, some of which are gigantic.

Saddlebags may also be an option, though I have not tried them yet myself. I would like to get some eventually, especially with my upcoming trip in April, but I am not yet ready to make that purchase.

So, just what purpose does the SUV serve?

For a family shopping trip, a scooter probably won't cut it. My scooter pretty much tops out at two or three bags of groceries and a gallon of milk (though I used to be able to carry four gallons when I was using a milk crate on my Yamaha Vino). On the other hand, if all I need is that gallon of milk and a half gallon of icecream or some other small items, my scooter is perfectly suited to the task. My wife's Toyota RAV4 is just too big,

For small items, such as prescriptions or clothing, a scooter is again, well suited (no pun intended). Going to the bank may be a little more complicated. I don't recomend using a drive through while riding a scooter. I've done it once or twice and I have to say, I feel a little too exposed. I feel much more comfortable when I simply go inside the bank.

A larger vehicle has its place. Large items are difficult to carry safely on a scooter. Heavy items can seriously affect one's balance. Small items and short errands though, are definitely scooter territory!