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The most economical form of personal transport: 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 discussion there, but when it comes to motorized vehicles, few will argue that scooters make the most economical sense for a personal vehicle. Until they can make a two-seater even cheaper, the scooter is king of the road.

Defining 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-wheelers on the road these days. Searching for unknown brands online can be considered very cheap as they want to enter markets dominated by major automakers and having the lowest tag price may be your best option.

But scooters are a completely different breed. While generally classified as part of the motorcycle or 2-wheeler, scooters have long remained a short-distance racer reserved for children and women who commute within villages on a daily basis. The size of their engine, which does not exceed 250cc, ensures that they will remain the most affordable means of transport. That’s what it means to be cheap.

Fuel efficiency at its finest

Not only are scooters the cheapest personal transportation, but you can also enjoy the best mileage between 60-100 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 since it became commercially available after WWII with Italian Vespa scooters.

The Japanese brands Honda and Yamaha extended that to a wider market around the world starting in the 1960s. They had developed a good following for short-distance commuters and they have never diminished in terms of appeal. . But with the technology that remained, they often use 50cc 4-stroke engines in a lightweight body that accounts for much of their fuel efficiency.

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

It now has Indian, Taiwanese, Korean and Indonesian automakers gaining a share of the scooter markets. You can hardly go wrong getting any brand as long as the right after-sales technical support is available.