The Costs of Owning a Scooter
Looking to downsize from your passenger vehicle, or complement it with an eco-friendly means of transportation? A scooter might be just the ticket, especially given how scooters have proliferated the world over the past half-century, seeing frequent use in crowded urban areas across Europe and Asia.
While scooters aren’t as popular here in the United States, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a scooter part of your daily routine. Here’s a breakdown of the costs of scooter ownership so you can decide if this dream is within your budget.
Purchase Price
Of course, the first cost everyone thinks of is the sticker price, and this will invariably be thousands of dollars less than any new car could cost. Scooters are also cheaper than their more powerful cousin, the motorcycle, because they’re simpler and have lower engine capacities. You can anticipate paying anywhere from $1000 to near $10,000 on a new scooter, depending on the brand you choose, the engine capacity you want, and the features that the scooter comes with.
Riding Gear
While it’s not required that you outfit yourself to ride your scooter like you might a motorcycle, you do still need some pieces of riding gear to keep yourself safe. Also, you’ll probably be shopping for motorcycle gear, since it’s DOT-rated and durable. A helmet is the most crucial piece of your gear and will cost you between $150 and $200, for an average helmet. This is not something you want to skimp on!
You may also wish ot purchase riding boots and gloves to help you maintain your grip and get good traction when stopped at a light. Boots will likely cost you $100 to $200 and gloves will cost around $50.
Insurance
You’ll need to insure your scooter to operate it on the roads in most jurisdictions, just like you have to insure a car, truck, or motorcycle. However, due to the small size and lower cost of your scooter, it’s going to cost a lot less to insure than your car does. Rates vary widely, but you can likely find a basic insurance policy for your scooter that’s under $100 a month.
Fuel
Scooters get excellent gas mileage, so this cost will be the least of your worries, particularly as rates at the pump keep climbing! A 50cc scooter can get at least 100 miles per gallon, while a more powerful 150cc scooter will likely get around 70 miles per gallon. The higher the engine capacity, the lower the mileage, but the top speed of the scooter will be higher and even a 250cc scooter can get over 50 miles per gallon! Bear in mind, though, that the tank probably holds only one or two gallons of fuel at a time.
Maintenance
Some scooter maintenance tasks you can perform on your own at home for a few dollars, like topping off oil, testing lights, checking the tire pressure, and inspecting the battery. Every month, you’ll want to perform these tasks; oil will only cost you a few dollars, since a scooter doesn’t need nearly as much as a car.
Of course, it’s important to bring your scooter to a professional service bay for a thorough servicing at least once a year or every thousand miles; get in touch with the Revel 42 of Wilmington service department to learn more.
Looking to buy a scooter? Come on down to our location near Wilmington, NC, today to take a look at our current stock of new and used scooters for sale. Talk to one of our sales team members about our financing options. Revel 42 of Wilmington serves our North Carolina customers in Carolina Beach and Leland.