In need of some guidance on purchasing my first scooter

[MichaelPatrick]

Hey everyone,

I am new to the forum and also pretty new to scooters. I never considered buying a scooter, as my plan in the near future was to buy a bike; likely a Triumph Bonneville. However, I live in NYC and had the opportunity to use the scooter rideshare, Revel and I fell in love (as did my wife who often rode on the back). These things are just so convenient and fun, and they seem to make much more sense over a bike! Here’s the thing, despite being a professional researcher, I am really struggling to find a few suitable scooters that fit my price range, power and design preferences, and I think that has a lot to do with scooter models constantly being phased out (even despite a pretty serious spreadsheet…). It’s for this reason that I am reaching out, hoping that you can provide some assistance with your collective knowledge! Below provides a pretty good sketch of what I’m looking for.

Please note that I am perfectly fine with buying a used scooter. That said, I’d hate to sacrifice modern safety features like ABS and other similar features with an older scooter.

Price range: Ideally, under $2500

Motor: 200-400cc range. I know this is a large range, but it provides flexibility for price. I expect to be riding primarily on city streets and secondary highways, and I expect to often ride 2 up with my wife. I also want the ability to hit highways (and perhaps freeways once I gain more experience).

Wheel size: 16” wheels (or larger, if possible). I know that millions of riders are fine with smaller wheels, but I think there’s a good argument for larger wheels in terms of stability at higher speeds. I also live in NYC and the streets and highways in NY/NJ are often pretty brutal. The Revel scooters have 12” wheels and man, when you hit a sudden pothole it really calls into question whether you’re going to go flying.

Design: I’m drawn to the maxi-styling of scooters like Burgman 400 over the traditional Vespa style. More than aesthetics, it just seems more stable and comfortable (I’m 6’0, 200 lbs.). While I’m cool with the Vespa style around the city and on secondary roads, I have a hard time seeing myself feeling as stable, visible and ultimately safe with that style on a highway/freeway. The typical maxi style also just looks badass and has a nice hybrid feel

Thanks!!!
Mike