Buying Cheap Gas Scooters

What You Need to Know About Buying Chinese Scooters

Buying cheap gas scooters seems enticing, but you need to know that Chinese scooters can bring some challenges.

Cheap Gas Scooters

On our introductory page on Chinese motor scooters, we talked about some of the things you need to know about these cheap motor scooters. There are both pros and cons. So, if you haven't read that page yet, take a look and then come back here, OK?

OK... now let's look at how to buy a cheap gas scooter the right way...

Getting Ready to Buy a Chinese Scooter

Don't be blinded by price or cute looks. Make sure that scooter you have your eye on is really the best choice for you. There are a number of factors to be considered when you're ready to buy:

• Engine & frame size. Scooters range in size, and if you're very short or very heavy or tall, that might make a difference to you. Make sure the scooter you want is built to accommodate your size. Also, make sure the engine size is right for your needs. A 50cc engine isn't going to do more than putt putt around city/town streets; it won't work on the highway. And even a 125/150cc engine isn't going to feel safe to most of us at freeway speeds of 60 MPH and more. Learn more about scooter engine size and types of scooters

• 4-stroke vs. 2-stroke. If you live in the United States, you may need to be sure you buy a 4-stroke scooter. Traditionally, scooters – even Vespas – were 2-stroke, manual transmission. But today, most modern scooters have a 4-stroke, automatic transmission. This is better for the environment and some states won't license the old 2-stroke scooters. California, especially, is very strict with their emission laws. Don't get burned!

• Design. Some people like the traditional, or retro, look, while others prefer a sporty profile for their scooter. So shop around until you find a scooter that appeals to your sensitivities. There's variation even in cheap Chinese motor scooters.

• Decide whether to buy online or locally. Know the dangers of buying online, but balance that with the pros too. No matter how you decide to buy, do some web research for reviews of the seller first. It's amazing what you can find on the Web these days. We have some online scooter dealer reviews here (scroll to the bottom of the page) and some local scooter dealer reviews here.

Choosing Your Cheap Gas Scooter

The next step is to decide what exact scooter you want, once you know the general size, type and supplier. Again, choose with care. Whenever I make a big buying decision, I always look for reviews of the product I plan to buy. Finding out what went right and wrong for other buyers can be very illuminating.

We have tons of scooter reviews on this site, including reviews of cheap Chinese scooters. You'll find our Chinese scooter reviews here. Be sure you read all of the reviews AND the accompanying comments. I've found them to be quite an eye opener.

Also, you might want to explore Jim Zeiser's page. He's one of my eScooter Club members and he's having the time of his life on his cheap gas scooter made in China, an Eagle Milano. In fact, look for Jim's posts and responses throughout the site... he's a wealth of information about succeeding with Chinese scooters.

Once you've figured out that a cheap gas scooter from China is the way you want to go, and you know what you want and where you'll get it, then next thing you know, you'll be a real life Chinese scooter owner! So then, the real fun begins...

Find out what you need to know about driving and maintaining a cheap scooter