What makes a scooter a scooter?

[Steve_D]

As above, what differentiates a scooter from a motorbike?

Off the top of my head I say just two things - step through design and twist 'n' go transmission although about 35 years ago I had a proper scooter (about 250 cc) with a clutch, gears and a footbrake!

What do you think?

Edit:

Hmm. I've a puch Maxi too and that has the above two qualities so I'd add no pedals, some kind of wind/weather protection and a bit of underseat storage. I'm arguing with myself now!

[Deleted User 796]

This is going to end in another argument

For me it's the stepthrough design and underseat storage.

For many "bikers" it's the lack of gears (also making it "not a proper bike" )

The improtant thing to remember is it doesn't matter what is/isn't a scooter, whether it's plastic or metal or has gears or a CVT. Just enjoy what you ride

Although I'm enjoying riding less now the "biking season" brigade have come out with sports bikes, tshirts and trainers and no idea of defensive riding that make even the worst car drivers seem reasonable (there seems to be a lot of these where I am)....

[GTscootz]

Well, all classic Vespa and Lambretas are certainly 100% scooters but they don't have CVT nor under seat storage!!!

[barryG]

Who cares, we all get wet and cold on them... dress stupidly to ride them.... pay extortionate prices for them and run the risk of being driven into by other blind road users.

[mightbesane]

Most bikers that I know think that we're all on two wheels, so we're all brothers. Are there idiot bikers? Yeah. Are there idiot scoot riders? You bet.

[Bluebottle]

Scooters are defined by the step through frame as far as officialdom/government/DVLA are concerned. That earns them the "body type" category of scooter; as it is a body type the transmission and engine type the engine type and transmission are irellevant. Conversational and official terms don't always tally though.

A bike is just a less comfortable, less practicle scooter with a fuel tank in the wrong place
(sometimes a dummy tank)

[Deleted User 796]

I agree with all the above comments (for a change!)

[MrGrumpy]

I think that there just isn't a simple definition that makes sense in all cases! Its certainly not having an auto box as there are manual scoots and auto bikes.

I was thinking that it must be down to having a proper fairing in front of you that continues round to have a proper footwells - but that rules out naked scoots like the Zoomer!

I guess it just has to be existence of a step through design...though that leaves some scoots like the Gilera Runner on the margins, the old Gilera DNA as a bike, and hybrids like the CPI GTR in no-man's land! I think that almost all bikes aren't step through, ie they have high things to swing your leg over - usually a fuel tank, or a dummy fuel tank - can anyone think of a bike that doesn't fit this???

[melpotter]

Dumb question from a none biker. Why would you have/want/need a dummy fuel tank?

[andyscooter]

somwere to put stuff

isnt the t max a scooter

because you cant step through it