As much as I enjoy the notion of a scooter nation, I do not see the revolution coming anytime soon. I'm a scooter man from way back. I ride a motorcycle now, a Ninja of all things, albeit the smallest model on the market. The Ninja handles like a dream, like no scooter ever will. A scooter has storage space. Very important for a commuter or someone who runs a lot of errands.

The scooter looks good. I dislocated a shoulder and tipped my Vespa over at least once a month. That didn't look so good. I don't wreck on the Ninja. I drove Honda Metropolitans for seven years. It was nice to be the littlest thing in traffic. Even bicycles go faster downhill than a Metro topping out at 37mph.

A scooter has style. It isn't very practical in the New England winter, but you get a reputation for being tough when you ride through a blizzard. It's hard for a scooter man to have a reputation for being tough. He is usually thought of as eccentric.

Scooters are certainly an alternative to cars. They are an alternative to bicycles or shoe leather also. They are a rural and a suburban alternative. Like most things, people will choose what fits them best. I like my Ninja. I will probably buy another Metro. Sometimes, you just don't need as much power as you need style.

Learn more about this author, Whalehead King.
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