You too can get 95 miles per gallon!

If you end up in one of my economics classes, you are bound to hear me talk about my scooter. That's 'cause I just love this little beauty for a gazillion reasons. A handful of those are:

It's Super Fun!!! to drive.
It's easy to handle.
It maxes out over 60mph.
I can carry gear under the seat, in the top case, strapped to the rear rack, or in my saddlebags.
It is one of my favorite colors: olive green.
I drive it to work, for errands, for evening get-togethers, and (in summer 2008) I'm spending $10-20 per month on gasoline. And I use 89 or 91 octane.

My scooter is a 2007 Genuine Buddy Italia 125cc. Genuine is a Chicago-based company that imports scooters made by PGO in Taiwan. PGO has been around since the mid-60s, and for 10 years they made scooters for Piaggio/Vespa, before they just did business on their own. Taiwan is not China. Some jerk at Sportland (yeah, I said jerk—I am not afraid) called my scooter a piece of junk and compared it to a Chinese scooter. Sportland will never get my business or my recommendation. Please note: My comments are only about scooters manufactured in China (which are well-known to be low-quality); these comments do not reflect my general opinions about the entire country of China or Chinese people.

Scooters are a fabulous investment in environmentally-friendly transport. But, caveat emptor! A scooter selling for less than $1500 is probably a piece of junk. The trustworthy scooter brands I'm familiar with are Genuine, Vespa/Piaggio, Lambretta, Bajaj, Kymco, Yamaha, and Honda. My Genuine Buddy scooter starts at close to $3k, and it's worth every penny.

I understand that Illinois does not have a helmet law, but I just can't understand why some people don't wear them. See, my brain is the most valuable part of my body. I've got a lot of knowledge in there, and I don't want to lose it! I would also never wear flip-flops on a motorcycle or scooter. If I find out you don't wear a helmet, or you ride with flip-flops, or you do wheelies in town, I will wag my finger at you in a very derisive manner. Be safe, kids!

Oh, one more thing. A scooter is not a moped. The word moped relates to motor-pedal. While scooters have motors, they do not have pedals. Don't call my scooter a moped. Just don't do it.

Update, November 2009
I have had the pleasure of a couple long distance trips on my scooter, and I want to take more. I've taken her up route 66 to Chicago, and all was well, except for parking in the loop. The hotel doorman and valet were awful, and multiple garages refused me. I had to beg one lot to let me park there. It was absolutely ridiculous. I also drove my scooter from Bloomington IL to Bloomington IN, following minor highways and backroads. It was a great trip, with only one hitch. In rural southern Indiana, I came across a detour that went onto the Interstate. I wasn't about to do that, so I tried to find my way on my own. Of course I got lost, and I nearly ran out of gas.

My scooter has been my sole mode of personal transport during my sabbatical here in Ithaca NY. No, I didn't ride it out here, but I sure wanted to! I let my loved ones talk me out of it. It's been going well, and I've gotten accustomed to riding in the rain and in cold temperatures. I'm determined to stay on the road through mid-December, unless a big snowfall prevents it.

• ISU MSF course • Genuine Scooters • Modern Buddy • About Helmets • 2strokebuzz • scoot.net •