Information about scooters?

[LoveThemGirls]

Never thought I'd consider a scooter, but the Globe ran a feature about scooters last week, they get about 60 km/L of gas, that's $5 to go 300 km, which is pretty much almost the range of my car which now costs $50 to fill. I also discovered that parking downtown is free which would make a scooter the ideal commuter vehicle (I hate riding the bus/subway). I know that you need a special license to drive a scooter, does anyone know specifically what I would need to get? Any training courses you know of?

This is one that I'm looking at, it's $3600. http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/products.php?color=BK&model=2361&group=M#contentTop

I'm thinking that sexy yoga chicks would dig it too.

 

[torontochris]

you need a motorcycle license. if you want it limited to scooters, there is a 50cc and under license you can get (they're basically the same, but when you do the test you can do it on a scooter and you only get the scooter license).

humber offers a course, its one weekend with the m1 exit test at the end. you end up with a temporary license that is good for 2 years (as long as you keep your drivers license current).

get your m1 asap as you need to have it for 2 months before you can get your m2. m1 is no night driving, so if you want to be able to use it at all after dark you need that. the m1 test is a simple written test at any ministry (study the drivers handbook, all the stuff about graduated licensing is on this test).

good luck, and have fun.

chris

 

[LoveThemGirls]

Great info, thanks!

 

[pizzaboo]

Unless it has changed recently the M2 license is good for 5 years . You have to wait 18 months after getting your M2 from Humber or another approved course to upgrade to a full M and 24 months if you don't use any formal training . The courses are very good , greatly improve safety , and save insurance more than the course costs in most cases. The only restriction on a M2 is zero alcohol so it may not bother you to wait to get your M , but some companies only give you a cheaper rate on insurance after 3 years full M. I only found that out after waiting the 5 years to upgrade to my full M . A $ 2000 mistake in my case.

Boo

 

[tboy]

Now I will state for the record that scooters do get great fuel economy but really, if you're going to buy anything but a vespa you're going to look SO gay.......but hey, to each his own....

Word of advice tho is since it doesn't cost anything more to get a full M licence or trained for it, get the unrestricted M. You may find that you want something a little bigger later on and you won't have to do anything other than buy the bike/scooter.

It isn't just scooters that get free parking downtown, it is all motorcycles.

This is just my opinion but if I was shopping for a 2 wheel vehicle I'd be leaning more towards an enduro style motorcycle. The fuel economy isn't that much different, you'll have more power if and when you need it and you'll look good on it (and if you have a cottage they are great for cruising the back roads etc).

 

[DATYdude]

forget gas, go electric

http://www.greenwit.com/Motorcycles/MotHT.htm

 

[torontochris]

pizza is correct, my mistake, your m2 is good for up to 5 years, and you can upgrade to your full M anytime between 2yr -5yr.

definitely get your full m2, if you do the course with humber you'll get it.

Alot of the courses are on dual sport bikes, thats what i have as well. the fuel economy is almost as good and they are so much more fun. i ride mine primarily offroad however. the yamaha tw200 can be picked up for around 3k, as well as the ttr225. there are a few bikes that you can offroad with in this class, check out odsc.on.ca for more info, its the ontario dual sport club website, classified ads for used bikes on there as well

chris

 

[YellowDog]

Take the course at Humber, its a lot of fun in addition to being educational. I would suggest, like the other people, getting some kind of motorcycle. Car drivers tend to see scooter riders the same as bicycle riders and often don't want to share the road. A motorcycle is expected to share the road and has more balls to get out of the way if needs be.
Prices on used starter motorcycles are pretty good too.

 

[Miss Maya Blue]

electric bikes

I'm excited about the electric bikes being offered in Toronto. No license needed, no insurance, and cost pennies to operate. They look just like mopeds. Im hoping they will get some retro looking ones soon...most are a little too sporty for me.

the dealership http://www.blueavenue.ca/

an article discussing them http://www.thestar.com/article/229851

 

[DATYdude]

Blue Avenue's bikes are ugly and poorly made. Never buy an electric bike that looks like a scooter, it goes too slow to compete with traffic and is too wide to drive on the right side of the road like a bike. There are electric bikes available that look and ride like bikes.

My link was to an electric motorcycle though, which can reach 80kph (although 50-60 is what they can run at for distances) and the bike is basically maintenance free since there's no infernal combustion. At about the same price as a Vespa I think it's worth a look.

 

[tboy]

I'm excited about the electric bikes being offered in Toronto. No license needed, no insurance, and cost pennies to operate. They look just like mopeds. Im hoping they will get some retro looking ones soon...most are a little too sporty for me.

the dealership http://www.blueavenue.ca/

an article discussing them http://www.thestar.com/article/229851

Not to rain on your parade Maya but anything with wheels and a motor (no matter how small) that doesn't require a licence scares the F outta me. It's bad enough bicyclists drive anywhere they damn please ignoring all rules of the road but imagine if they were motorized? Jesus......

 

[Smash]

I have been riding an Piaggio Typhoon now for 2 years. http://www.piaggiocanada.com/pscooters/Typhoon.cfm
Before that I rode a 98 Suzuki GSXR 750 from 1998-2003 but I had to sell it because whenever I rode it to work downtown I had to pay for parking=$8.00 a day. Motorbikes do not park for free in the city like scooters do. I can park my scooter at bike racks or on the sidewalk without getting a ticket.

Gas for my 50cc is $3.00 @ 93oct that fills my tank to the brim. My tank would be so full after 3.00 that it would take est. 2 days of riding until the gas gaudge starts to move down. I get abouut 100klm to one fill-up.
I think earlier in this post someone said it's 300klm for a 5.00 fill up. It's cheep but not that cheep.

I have a 50cc which is the most gas efficent scooters on the market but there's no way my tank could hold $5. worth of gas.

I did my course down by the beaches. I think the course was called CMA Canadian Motorcyle Association. First you write the test caled M1 then you have something like 90 days to take a course then you get an M2 then you'll have 5 years to do the ministry M test then you're done. I recall now that they have a Low Speed Vehicular licence now just for scooters. Look into it but I'd reccomend jus getting the M2 since with that you can ride a scoter and also a bike.

good luck

 

[goodtime]

Or www.izipusa.com @ $1,500 each.