Scooters

In a livestream presentation, buried somewhere behind an unnecessary meta-verse introduction, awkward audio issues, and a skatepark-themed setting that made me expect Steve Buscemi to show up and ask “ How do you do, fellow kids?,” BMW introduced a new urban electric motorcycle that actually looks like a fun ride.

Editor Score: 85.5%

I’m accustomed to begging scooters from the Big Four, from the companies I know – Kawasaki excluded since they don’t make a scooter – and hanging onto them as long as I can. You’d be surprised. But Honda may be sore after I crashed that last ADV150 while testing its tires over railroad tracks, even though I offered to buy it (at a discount, since it was crashed). Come to think of it, they may even be still sore about the Metropolitan we crashed in our 2002 Scooter Smackdown. Some of these huge corporations have impressively long memories, but atrocious short-term ones. Yamaha has no scooters in the current test fleet (frightening), and Suzuki has no Burgman 200s. Dunno what’s become of Kymco? There’s no love from Vespa.

Although the word “iconic” is tossed around in marketing materials far too frequently, very few means of motorized transport find themselves deserving of the term. Vespa is one of those marques. Much like Xerox was, at one point, what all means of photocopying were called, there was an era in which all scooters were generically referred to as Vespas. While the market has advanced beyond that point, Vespa has had the foresight to retain its ties to the machines that first turned the world’s eyes. Case-in-point, the 2023 Vespa GTS 300 has a profile that is immediately recognizable as an heir to the Italian name. 

While many riders think of MV Agusta as solely being focused on high performance motorcycles, a quick look through the internet time machine will reveal MV scooters in the 1950s. A closer inspection will reveal a family resemblance to the 2023 MV Agusta Ampelio unveiled today in Milan. Drawing on inspiration from the CGT and Ovunque scooters of the past, MV had Russian designer Maksim Ponomarev interpret the 70 year old models with a modern flair, and once viewed by MV Agusta CEO Timur Sardarov, the project was undertaken. 

Honda is one of several manufacturers showing off shiny e-scooters slated for 2023 release, and the 2023 Honda EM1 e: looks pretty nice. Destined for Europe (at least initially, we hope), the EM1 e: is one of the 10 motorcycle models that the manufacturer has pledged to release by 2025, with the company’s other stated goal of being carbon neutral by 2050 hanging in the balance. The e-scooter’s name is derived from Electric Moped, and it is aimed at younger potential riders looking for stylish, fun urban transportation (which explains the Euro release). Perhaps the most notable design point – other than its modern styling – is the use of the Honda Mobile Power Pack e:. This removable power pack allows for easy charging or away from the scooter. Honda claims that the “Mobile Power Pack (MPP) is designed to withstand different temperatures, humidity levels, impacts and vibrations.”

With its distinctive “faro basso” (low headlight), the Vespa GTV has been turning traditionalist heads since 2006. Today, in Milan, the 2023 Vespa GTV was unveiled. While retaining the profile that put the vintage into the GTV, it has clearly been updated to modern standards.

BMW released initial details on its 2023 model lineup, including new colors and minor updates. BMW also announced the base MSRP for most of its models, though that information is rather moot, as it also announced additional packages which will automatically be added on to all models in the U.S.

Piaggio announced an updated MP3 lineup, giving its three-wheeled scooters a number of technological upgrades, as well as a new range-topping MP3 530 hpe Exclusive model.

Following the initial announcement of its electric mobility strategy, Yamaha has released full specifications for the NEO’s scooter and confirmed proof-of-concept testing of the larger E01 model will commence in July.

With no US publications invited to Barcelona for the BMW CE 04 introduction (that we know of), we enlisted Friend of MO Bertand Gahel to give us his thoughts on BMW’s second generation urban electric scooter. He didn’t disappoint. —Ed.

We saw a bunch of Honda X-ADV scooters on our pass through Rome a few weeks ago, and felt jealousy. When American Honda invited us to ride a new minimoto last week, we hoped against hope… alas, it was the Navi. For the new year, we can be even more covetous, as Honda Europe now has an ADV350 that’s bigger, badder, and cooler.

Jeez, people, have we really gotten this crusty? After I posted a pic of the new Honda Navi on my Facebook a couple days ago (cause that’s how crusty I am) at its SoCal coming-out party, my old pals pounced. “A face, body, and everything only a mother could love”, “another Honda styled by tupperware.” “Ugly. Looks like I picked a good time to retire,” said one recently retired Editor in Chief. “My Trail 90 looks really good today,” said another.

We’ve all been there. You want a new motorcycle, but you’re scared a Grom might be a little too much for you to handle. A man’s got to know his limitations, as Clint Eastwood famously said (but he also meant woman, child, and all other people however they identify).

The Honda Helix came to the US in 1986 and ran `til 2007; MO gave it the old once-over 25 years ago. With its long wheelbase and massive 244 cc performance, the Helix achieved cult status in Japan, and weenie status here in the land of the free. Hey, it was 1996! With a nose that appears to have served as the model for Matt Groening’s Simpsons characters, the Honda Helix still looks every bit as weird today as it did then. You know you want one.

BMW officially launched the production version of its CE 04, a futuristic-looking electric scooter that will arrive in U.S. showrooms in Q1 2022 with pricing starting at $11,795.

Yamaha announced a redesigned Zuma 125 scooter for 2022, offering a new, more rugged appearance and variable valve actuation (VVA) technology. Yamaha has used VVA for a number of models over the last few years, mostly on scooters but also on the R15 sportbike for Asian markets. The 2022 Zuma 125 will be the first model with VVA Yamaha will bring over to America.

A mere 10 days after revealing its E-Pilen Concept, Husqvarna announced a second electric concept, this time an e-scooter it calls the Vektorr.

BMW is inching closer to launching the new CE 04 electric scooter, as the company has filed designs for the production model with the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

A new trademark filing for an “eSR1” logo may suggest an electric Aprilia scooter is on the way. The Aprilia eSR1 will likely share technology with another member of the Piaggio family, the Vespa Elettrica scooter.

Ten years ago, brethren, Honda broughteth forth to the US a scooter it claimed was the best-selling scooter in Italy. It was also designed by Honda Italy, so how bad could this sweet fuel-injected scooter be? By all accounts, the SH150i was a fine scoot, but what renders in Rome doesn’t always fly in the land of the free, and ah, I think this is the first exposure I’ve had to this particular vehicle. It’s difficult to tell in this MO Review, as all three photos of the bike are right front views, but the styling may have been just a bit too Karmann Ghia for the US, and the SH wasn’t around for long. But there is nothing new under the sun, and according to the specs (not that we bothered to publish any), that 57.3mm x 57.9mm liquid-cooled single lives on in the current PCX and ADV150s. Amen on the scooters. A reading from the book of Fonzie.

Has anyone seen a new Kymco lately? The giant Taiwanese manufacturer claimed to be the world’s largest scooter manufacturer once upon a time. Maybe it still is. But it’s crickets from our U.S. importer. Rumors have swirled, involving corporate intrigue, strained international relations – and was the naming of the 2010 sportbike “Quannon 150″ just a coincidence, or that the 2010 introduction took place at the elite Biltmore Estate? We think not. Ten years on, we need answers. And soon!

As motorcycles become more reliable and maintenance intervals get more spread out, one consumable remains on a fairly frequent interval for motorcycles. Tires have made tremendous advances in the last decade, but they are still the most frequent maintenance items for motorcyclists. With the rates for mounting and balancing tires going through the roof (My local shop charges $60 for a pair of tires with the wheels off the bike.), buying a tire changer makes a lot of sense. I’d been eyeing No-Mar Tire Changers for quite a while before pulling the trigger and installing one in my garage. In less than a month and after changing a dozen tires, we’d have already spent about 35% of the cost of the No-Mar Classic HD Motorcycle Tire Changer at our local motorcycle shop, but what’s most important is how convenient it is having a tire changer in my garage available when I need it. I no longer have to load my wheels into my truck, drive to my local shop, wait an hour (or more) for them to be ready, and finally take them home to reinstall on my bike. 

How it happened I know not, but in the excitement of new Indians, Svartpilens, and whatever else I rode this past year, the freshly upgraded 2019 Honda PCX150 escaped my attention. When my mistake hove into view, I immediately alerted the Honda authorities and borrowed one up.

Once again, the 2020 Suzuki Burgman 400 is available from Suzuki in the U.S. market. Price and availability not released at press time.

The Yamaha TMax is getitng a displacement bump up to 560cc, and a new Tech Max variant. Unfortunately, the new TMax does not appear to be coming to the U.S., which isn’t entirely as surprise as it has only made sporadic appearances here since it first debuted in 2001. In Europe, however, the TMax has been immensely popular, with Yamaha selling more than 275,000 units in total.

Today, a reading from the book of scooters. In Biblical terms, brethren, six years is not that long ago – but it’s far enough in the past that yours truly was not involved in this epochal big-scooter shootout. No stone was left unturned in this epic, except the part about the icy pile-up on Highway 33. No MOrons were injured, but quite a bit of plastic was dashed, along with some youthful innocence; the kids have aged a lot in six years. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, the winners of this contest are still for sale. The losers have shuffled off this mortal coil. As it was in the beginning and ever shall be, small wheels spinning without end, amen.

Honda has released a new, smaller version of its X-ADV scooter for the Indonesian market. The new 2020 Honda ADV 150 is styled after the 745cc X-ADV, and while it may not be as capable off-road as its larger sibling, Honda says it’s very able to the diverse terrain and road conditions of Indonesia.

We all know that the world shown in motorcycle advertisements isn’t real. As much as we’d like it, the sun doesn’t always shine, and we aren’t the only vehicle on the road. We can always dream, though. When it comes to bad weather, we all have to deal with it sometime – even those of us who reside in sunny SoCal. When the rain starts to fall, the best thing we can do is have proper rain gear to keep us dry. Touring and adventure touring riders will often make their stand against the elements with waterproof riding suits, which we’ve covered here.  For the rest of us, a rain suit over our regular riding gear gets carried along when the weather looks like it could turn wet. 

The Electric Wasp. We were turned loose, a silent swarm of nocuous moto-journos descending upon the city, sneaking up on the unsuspecting fashion-forward folk of Milan, only to be seen as a flash of silver and blue as we sped by. An exaggeration? Possibly, but nevertheless, we were there to test Vespa’s 2019 Elettrica, and we wouldn’t stop until we had fully exhausted the scooter’s battery and our fellow commuter’s patience.

Yamaha’s new XMAX scooter appeared in the US last year with little fanfare – possibly because Yamaha didn’t want to call attention to the fact that its long-running and updated-for-2017 TMAX maxi-scooter came up missing about the same time.

It’s on rainy, cold nights like this one that I’m glad I have a garage. Looking at your motorcycle parked outside as it’s pelted with rain, sleet, hail, mud and other unpleasantness can make you weep with impotent rage. Cover it? Motorcycle covers are a hassle to put on and remove. First, you have to wait until the bike cools to avoid melting the cover to the exhaust. Plus, they can blow off your bike, get shredded and messy-looking, and trap moisture underneath, which can cause rust and mold. Nasty!

Like me, you probably know Aerostich as the company making funky one-piece motorcycle oversuits that go over your regular clothing. Well, that suit is called the Roadcrafter, there are many derivations of it, and it’s basically the class uniform for veteran moto-journalists. However, many people don’t know Aerostich also makes much, much more. Like this, the Protekt jeans.

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

Last fall at EICMA, BMW announced its first middleweight scooter,  the C400X. But, following a trend in recent years set by the G310R, G310GS, F750GS and F850GS models, we’ve had to wait longer than we would like before seeing the C400X land in North America.

American Honda announced a revamped PCX150 scooter for the 2019 model year with a new chassis, a revised engine and an ABS option. The 2019 Honda PCX150 will be offered for $3,699, a $100 increase over the 2018 model, while the ABS version is priced at $3,999.

Honda has revised its Forza 300 scooter for Europe, introducing traction control, a redesigned chassis and a 26-pound weight reduction. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the 2018 Honda Forza 300 is coming to the U.S., where it was last offered in 2016.

Scooters are often thought of as second-class citizens in the world of motorcycles and take a backseat to their more common, two-wheeled brethren. But in fact, scooters offer certain advantages and conveniences that regular motorcycles for the most part can’t even begin to compete with. Admittedly, I’ve never really paid much attention to scooters, especially not maxi scooters, because I figured if you’re going to get a big-displacement scooter, why not just ride a regular motorcycle? Well, I now know why.

UPDATE: Honda has now released a higher-quality video of the race in its entirety. Check it out below.

BMW Motorrad raised some eyebrows when it introduced a new middleweight scooter at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan on November 7th. The new scoot, the C400X, is designed to stand apart from its competition with interesting features, higher build quality and high-fashion styling.

After first announcing the Vespa Elettrica project at EICMA a year ago, the electric Vespa is now ready for production, with Piaggio confirming it will be available worldwide, with orders being accepted in the spring.

Honda announced new electric and hybrid versions of its PCX scooters at the Tokyo Motor Show. Both are scheduled to go on sale as 2018 models in Asia, including Japan. For now, the only PCX in North America remains the PCX 150.

BMW has brought its C Evolution electric mid-sized scooter to AIMExpo, and although we had information from BMW about the U.S. specifications of the C Evolution at the end of July, BMW tells us the electric scooter is now available for sale at select California dealers as a 2018 model with an MSRP of $13,750. We should see availability around the country in the months to follow.

Yamaha Motor Europe announced announced a model refresh for its X-Max 400 scooter. American scooter aficionados, however, will likely be disappointed as the 2018 Yamaha X-Max 400 is not expected to come to the U.S. , which is a shame, as Yamaha’s American scooter lineup offers no intermediate model between the 530cc TMax and the 155cc SMax.

As I sit here just days following the Mad Bastard Scooter Rally, I’m finding it hard to put my thoughts and experiences down into words. It’s partially because this event was such a whirlwind that I’m still processing the madness of it all, and it’s also because I feel like no words can possibly describe this event or do it any justice. You really have to experience it in person. For those of you who want to know more, I’m going to try to put this event, no wait, this experience, into enough words that will convince you it is something worth experiencing, and hopefully that will be enough for you to let go of your inhibitions, experience the unknown, and live life a little dangerously.

Scooters are big in European and other markets – around here, not so much. “Scooters and soccer,” Kymco PR rep Peter Jones tells us, “they’re just not a part of our culture.” Still, Kymco doggedly sticks to its guns, offering a full line of scooters where many OEMs have reduced or eliminated their scooter offerings.

We were snuggled into a conference room in the upscale Aloft hotel in Asheville, North Carolina, when PR man Peter Jones kicked off Kymco’s 2018 new-product launch by telling us that scooters in the U.S. market are “such a small thing, they’re not even really a thing… scooters and soccer, they’re just not a part of our culture.”

BMW revealed a new electric scooter concept illustrating the concepts of digital connectivity and future urban mobility. Dubbed the BMW Motorrad Concept Link, the concept scooter will be displayed at this weekend’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at northern Italy’s Lake Como.

Scooter fans looking for an alternative to the classic Vespa-style design have another option with the rebirth of a classic Czech brand as a British ex-pat is reviving the torpedo-shaped Čezeta.

Yamaha’s TMAX scooter hit Europe in 2001, and the OG “maxi-scooter” has been hard at work transporting people and their stuff ever since. The beat goes on for 2017, with three models: TMAX, TMAX SX and TMAX DX. The TMAX is described as  a ‘blank canvas,’ for customers who want to add their own parts and accessories.  Sporting special colors and ride modes, TMAX SX is designed for sports-oriented customers. Then there’s the top-line TMAX DX, complete with extensive electronic control technology including D-MODE and Cruise Control – also an adjustable screen and heated grips and seat.

A couple of weeks ago, Yamaha announced several U.S. models returning for 2017 with minor updates (i.e. Bold New Graphics) including several scooter models. While the SMax, Vino Classic and Zuma scooters were confirmed, Yamaha’s range-topping TMax was conspicuously absent from the announcement.

After teasing us with a couple of videos, Honda announced its adventure-styled scooter will enter production bearing the name “X-ADV” ( which we were the first to report). The X-ADV was first previewed by the City Adventure concep t at last year’s EICMA show so it’s no surprise that the production model will make its debut at this year’s show in Milan.

BMW announced an updated version of its C Evolution electric scooter, claiming a 60% increase in range. And more notably for American consumers, BMW confirmed the C Evolution scooter will finally be available in the U.S.A.

I hate to break this to you, regular Motorcycle.com reader, but you might be the wrong audience for the GenZe 2.0 electric scooter. How do I know? Well, if you’re here then you appreciate the speed, the sound, and the power (both mechanical and personal) motorcycling provides. The triple threat is an addictive combination to stir the emotions. The GenZe 2.0 doesn’t have any of that.

To celebrate 70 years of Vespa, for 2016 the company is offering the Primavera, GTS and PX in an exclusive color scheme: the Azzurro 70. This unique paintwork  include a dark brown saddle, finished with contrasting beige piping and a Vespa Settantesimo logo placed on the passenger seat. The three Settantesimo models are also characterized by a dedicated graphic on the side fairings and an identification plate on the door of the front glove compartment. Lastly, the wheels are painted are painted in a non-standard color.

Some states, California for one, require that a scooter be 150cc or more in order to be ridden legally on highways. While some smaller-displacement scooters can reach the minimum speeds required to run with the traffic, these two are equipped to meet the requirements of the law in addition to speed. On the occasion of the release of the Yamaha SMAX and an incremental update of the Honda PCX150, we decided we should test the newest members of the 150cc highway hoppers.

A little bit of everything. That’s the way Honda wants you to think about its Forza scooter. For those not needing the heft and power of the Silver Wing, but still want to scoot about with a little more gusto than the PCX150, the $5,599 Forza is Honda’s answer. Equipped with a 279cc liquid-cooled Single and plenty of storage space, the Forza is the ideal commuter. For a select few, it could even serve as a person’s only motorized vehicle. Let’s dig deeper into what makes it tick.

Yamaha revealed an updated version of the TMax, its top-selling maxi-scooter, as well as a special edition TMax Iron Max at the 2014 EICMA show in Milan. The 2015 TMax receives a redesigned front cowl, new LED lighting and, in a nod to Yamaha’s sportbike tradition, upside-down forks and radial-mount brake calipers.

On sale in Europe since 2006, Suzuki’s Burgman 200 is finally coming to the U.S. in 2014, completing the Burgman trifecta with the existing Burgman 650 and Burgman 400 models. To clear up any confusion, the Burgman 200 tells you its engine displacement right in clear view: the 200 is…a 200, not a 199cc, a 205cc or any other odd number. It’s fuel-injected, liquid-cooled and, according to Suzuki, focused on giving healthy mid-range power. Its traditional CVT delivers the power from the engine to the tires without any shifting necessary from the rider. And yes, it’s freeway legal.

The front end of the Piaggio MP3 looks a bit like an angry Mutant Ninja Turtle or, if you stretch it, like a big scary frog. It’s a quirky scooter but the French seem to love it, having purchased nearly 70,000 of them. So, it was appropriate that Piaggio chose Paris as the city in which to launch the newest version of the MP3.