A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame, a footboard and protective leg shield. Scooter has smaller wheels amongst the various categories of motorcycles. Scooters are sub categorized as gas scooters, electric scooters, mobility scooters, motorized scooters, and kick scooters.
The most common scooters in the market and on the road are the gas scooters. Their engines are powerful and range from 50cc to as much as 250cc. There is the classic step-through frame as well as the sportier looking scooters. Some are meant for city driving while others are designed for highway driving. Scooters have a better mileage than other vehicles with up to even 75 miles per gallon. They are easily maneuverable and need little space for parking. Mobility scooters are designed to enable the handicapped and the elderly to move around in the neighborhood safely and slowly. They have a speed ranging from 5 to 10 miles per hour. Scooters specially designed for the teenagers are the motorized scooters. Their engines are smaller of 50cc or lesser. These are called mopeds, segways, standup or gas scooters and seated scooters. These scooters have a lower traveling range of 5 to 20 miles and speed ranging from 8 to 20 miles per hour. But these are trendy. These are less expensive and have a better gas mileage. Kick scooters or Push Scooters are meant for kids. These have no engines and are the most eco-friendly. They have a push and glide motion where the legs are used for pushing. These can be taken to school and easily transported. They are also very cheap.
Electric scooters are another type of scooters. Its uniqueness is that instead of gasoline it runs on battery motor. No longer is there any need to be concerned about the constant hike in gasoline price. There are a variety of models in electric scooters such as Eped Sport/City, ZAP Zapino, Vectrix VX-1, Yo Speed, E-Solex, E300S Razor scooter, Peugeot Scoot'Elec, EVT-4000e, Ezip Electric Scooters and Io-scooter.
Electric scooters are eco-friendly with low emissions and noiseless. But its speed is lower and need to be recharged every now and then as it runs a shorter distance after each recharge. The battery has to be plugged in to recharge. Though costlier than gas scooters, some models are cheaper.