Yes, you too can feel like you’re in a cool European movie driving one of these babies, and the colours are smashing, but that smoky tailpipe? Don’t ask.
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Advantages: You can zip across town with style and sass while your hair blows in the wind at speeds of up to 70 km/h. Plus, with a gas tank that only holds 5 to 10 litres (getting about 60 k/litre), you’ll be paying a pittance at the pump.
Disadvantages: It’ll be parked a good six to eight months of the year unless you’re a diehard who milks it for more. You’re also stuck driving wherever cars can go (splitting lanes to get by traffic is illegal – tsk, tsk).
Eco Footprint: If you’ve got a vintage Vespa spewing clouds of sooty smoke, you’re not doing the planet any favours. Same goes for any other two-stroke engine. Luckily, there are fewer of those around now that cleaner four-strokes are winning out. Still, because emissions standards are less stringent in this department, scooters and motorbikes generally release more smog-forming emissions than modern cars. No kidding.
Costs: You can fork out as little as $1,850 or as much as $10,000, but price tags average around $3,500. Totally Scooters also sells previously owned models. But don’t buy anything older than 2006, when tougher pollution laws came in.
Body Boost: None, other than the vitamin D you get from the sun kissing your face.
Retail Tip: Downtown, all you’ll need is a 50cc’er. Commuters will want the power of a 125 or 150cc engine. To avoid two-strokes’ dirty performance, only take home a four-stroke model, and ideally a hybrid.
