50cc scooter recommendations
 

My boyfriend is looking to get a 50cc scooter and I'm looking for recommendations. We're both complete scooter newbies. He's been using a bike for commuting until now. His budget is under $2000, and he's looking for something that will last at least a few years - not something cheap like a Tao Tao. He'll be using it to commute around the city, so off-road capability isn't necessary.

What do you recommend? The Kymco Agility 50 and Genuine Venture 50 both look pretty good.

Thanks!

What area are you in? I would look for a used Yamaha Zuma (2 stroke or 4 stroke) or a used Genuine Buddy 50cc (2 stroke). The Ventures are slooooow and cannot be hopped up to a safe speed. The Kymco 50cc's are not much faster. The Honda Ruckus gets a nod, its a liquid cooled 4 stroke.

We're in Boston. Speed's not that much of a concern. He's used to biking speeds (which are pretty slow). Where are used scooters usually posted? Craigslist has total crap and the Scootdawg forum's buy/sell postings are infrequent and not usually 50cc scooters.

Folks think my scooters are pretty neat and ask a lot of questions when they see me on them. I just told a person it costs more to keep a scooter on the street than it does a good used car. I'd add up all the costs and remember it gets cold in a few months. Scooters are not trouble free and they aren't cheap. Also riding a scooter is motorized vehicle and you must follow the traffic laws. That means keeping up with traffic. I don't know if scooters are allowed in bike lanes in Boston but I'd be finding out before I bought one. All that said a scooter may be just the thing for him, depends on a lot of variables. I don't want to discourage anyone but be sure you know what your getting into. Here's a link, https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Gener...ter90/Section1 If he does get a scooter be sure to hold onto that bike!

Forgot to include a new ADLY scooter. Nice, reliable 2 strokes. Can easily be modded if more speed is needed. Finding a good used scoot can be tricky. I use Offer Up and Craigslist. I've been in this scooter scene for a looong time and know most riders, so running across a nice Hyosung Sense (2 stroke model) for $150, or a mint Bug-eye 04 Zuma for $400, super clean 98 Zuma for $400, Honda Ruckus for $600, etc. is pretty easy for me. I was just in New Jersey, I could have put the 04 Zuma in the back of the truck and delivered it! Oh well. Also might have a nice 09 Zuma coming up for sale in the $500 range. Spring/summer is a rough time to shop for a used scooter, but keep looking and you may get lucky. Most of mine end up at the thrift store for the tax break at the end of year, so check local auction sites.

The 50cc scooters from Bintelli, Wolf and Lance have been racking up large mileage reliably. For $2000 the Piaggio Typhoon and Aprilia SR-50 are within reach. All of these will serve you well.

BTW the Tao Tao ATM-50 is a leading seller and has been used in every major Tourist town.

Well, for what it's worth, my 2012 TaoTao 50 has over 6,300 on the odometer now and it's lasted just fine and all I've had to do to it was normal wear and tear and age related maintenance. It's outdoors 24/7 as I don't have a garage, and it's used to commute to work and do shopping, every day.

I only just last month replaced the original battery which is still holding a charge but I decided to replace it anyway due to being 7 years old.
I never replaced any of the bulbs even except the headlight, other than the plastics deteriorating due to the constant exposure to sun and weather, and replacing things like the muffler, the right mirror and brake handle because the wind blew the scooter over, it's been reliable and held up just fine, I have NO regrets whatsoever not spending $2,000 plus for a Honda or Genuine Buddy, in fact, I can get my $700 TaoTao started and ride it to work all winter, in the snow, and down near zero temps when my local NAPA store owner who HAS one of those expensive Honda Metropolitan 50 cc scooters said he can't get his started and if it does start it doesn't run well in the winter, so he stores it away all winter go figure!

In Boston however, you are going to have to contend with things like theft- how do you plan to secure the scooter at night and when you are at work in a city like this where car and bicycle thefts are common, and a scooter can be lifted up by two guys easily and put itn the back of a van in 5 seconds and gone? thieves would definitely go after a $2,000 Honda or other expensive make scooter!

Can't tell you how many bicycles I had stolen in NYC, they cut the chain, break padlocks, or just hold you up at knife point.

Heck, if ya see one maybe one of the Kymco People 50's ...The big wheels smooth out the not so perfect roads some areas have and the motor's a champ for a 2T50