We live in a fast-paced world. It seems that everyone has more that needs to be done than they have time to do it, which means they're rushing around trying to keep the seams of their lives together and not miss out on a thing. We love fast cars, fast boats, fast planes, and any other form of transportation that can help us move from here to there quickly.
Unfortunately, most of us are also trying to save money on gas and get the best value for our fuel bucks, and in most cases, those two efforts are not mutually inclusive. There is an exception to this rule, however, and that's an electric scooter. It doesn't use gas at all, and some models can travel a lot faster than you might think for something so small. For more power, though, you'll need to go with a gas engine, but even these will give you great gas mileage and offer very economical operation.
To look at electric scooters, you might think they are toys, and some of them are mainly just that. If you purchase a 50cc scooter, top speeds will only be 30 to 35 mph. While you might get by riding one of these bikes on city residential streets, they aren't going to be very safe for major roads and highways where traffic is congested and going much faster than you'll be able to travel. These are good machines for teens, however, because they give them on the road driving practice at a more controllable, lower rate of speed.
A 150cc model, however, is large enough to reach speeds as high as 55 to 60 mph. Unfortunately, at top speeds on one of these scooters, you may begin to feel a lack of stability. Once again, these aren't for highway travel, but they will be adequate to get most people to work and back. Even at this size, however, scooters are not really intended for high rates of speed. Experts will recommend that if it's speed you want, you need to go with a larger, more powerful scooter or motorcycle.
At 250cc you can purchase a Kawasaki Ninja 250 which is capable of highway driving and will even reach speeds as high as 100 mph if pushed. These bikes will cost you around $4,000, so you can see that you aren't talking toys any longer. This model has received the highest ratings of any Kawasaki bike to date. Even with the speeds it can attain, there are modifications you can make to this bike that will get you as much as 100 mpg which will make it extremely economical to drive as well.
Without a doubt, the larger the scooter is, the faster it will go. The Bergman 650 will actually travel at 80 to 110 mph and will give you an extremely comfortable ride. Of course, for all this luxury you can expect to pay a higher price, as the Bergman 650 will run you about $9000. This compares to the less luxurious but equally powerful Kawasaki Ninja 650R. For $6,500 you will be able to buy this scooter that will take you 138 mph. Is that fast enough for you?
If it's speed you're after, you might want to consider a full-sized motorcycle rather than a scooter. In many cases, it's hard to tell when a scooter is a scooter and when it's a motorcycle, because many models of scooters are being built to resemble motorcycles. However, for most people, a scooter will provide all the speed, economy, and functionality that you could ask for.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
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