The cheapest form of personal transportation: the scooter

Actually, the cheapest personal transportation gadget is the pedal bike. You could even say that’s not correct, the skateboard is. Granted, there’s no arguing there, but when it comes to motorized vehicles, few will argue that scooters make the most economical sense for a personal vehicle. They can even make a two-seater because even cheaper, the scooter is the king of the road.

Definition of what cheap means

In the world of motorized driving, going cheap can have different meanings. Compact cars have gotten cheap in the sense that they are the most affordable 4-wheeler on the road these days. Searching for unknown brands online can be considered very cheap as they want to enter the markets dominated by the major car manufacturers and having the lowest sticker price may be their best option.

But scooters are a different breed entirely. While generally classified as part of the motorcycle or two-wheeled motorbike, scooters have long remained a short-distance rider reserved for children and women traveling within villages. The size of their engine, which does not exceed 250 cc, guarantees that they will continue to be the most affordable means of transport. That’s what it means to be cheap.

Fuel efficiency at its finest

Scooters are not only the cheapest personal transportation, but you can also enjoy the best mileage anywhere between 60 and 100 miles per gallon, depending on the model. The raw money savings are too dramatic to ignore. People have known that the scooter is a sensible way to get to their destination ever since they became commercially available after World War II with the Italian Vespa scooters.

The Japanese brands Honda and Yamaha extended that to a broader market around the world starting in the 1960s. They had developed a good following for people who commute short distances and have never waned in terms of appeal. But the technology stuck as they often use 50cc 4-stroke engines in a lightweight body which accounts for much of their fuel efficiency.

Now, with pump prices reaching all-time highs with the threat of dwindling fossil fuel sources, the scooter has made a most welcome return. As early as 2005, scooter sales soared to record levels. Even earlier, countries like India and China have done so with millions of people traveling their main highways every day.

There are now Indian, Taiwanese, Korean and Indonesian automakers getting a piece of the scooter markets. You can hardly go wrong if you get any brand, as long as you have the right after-sales technical support.