Scooters 101

Nothing gets around town faster and cheaper than a scooter. Small (usually) engines, automatic transmissions, simple chassis and enough bodywork to keep some of the weather off with some underseat storage for added practicality. Scooters make sense for cheap commuting because not only do you save time and money, but you also arrive at work feeling wide-eyed and more alive than ever.

Good for:

Fuel economy, running costs, nipping in and out of traffic, ease of use. Commuting on a scooter means you arrive at work smiling, not growling. Plus, there’s no congestion charge and free (mostly) parking. Scooters are cheap to buy, easy to ride and offer some weather protection too.

Not so good for:

Long distances (unless you buy the bigger engined ones), fast cornering, lasting into old age (some are built quite cheaply under the shiny bodywork). Also not so good for being there when you get back (scooter theft is rife in London and other big cities). These days most of the best commuters are four stroke engined. The Italians are almost as good and usually more stylish, but not always quite reliable.