A primer on scooters in Canada, from Aprilia to Zuma

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Across Canada, fuel prices are stabilizing, but they are hardly what you’d call “cheap.” Let’s face it, the days of The Tragically Hip’s “put ten bucks in to just get the tank topped off,” are well and truly over. Although perhaps not. Perhaps the boys were headed to the 100th Meridian on a Honda Ruckus.

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Think the only solution to high gasoline prices is to drop six figures on an electric pickup truck? A 1950s-era fuel shortage solution begs to differ. At best, you usually have to pick two of the “cheap, fun, reliable” trio, but the humble scooter offers all three. They’re zippy, it’s easy to find parking, and a ten-buck fill-up will have enough change left over for a latte after the morning commute. In the same vein, no complaints that scooters might be a bit dorky; sixty million Italians would tend to disagree.

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So which is best? A clattery Vespa to fulfill your Holiday in Rome fantasies? A googly-eyed Honda that’s like Mad Max actually cared about fuel economy? Something bigger displacement, the better to briefly cruise at highways speeds?

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Scooters are everywhere in Europe, but low-speed two-wheeling doesn’t really translate to Canada. However, with the summer season fading and a long fall of back-to-work commuting still on the horizon, here’s a look at how tucking a bit of scoot in the garage can make high fuel prices something you just plain don’t worry about.

Some quick notes on definitions

First, a quick primer on what we’re referring to as “scooters,” as the term has become a sort of catch-all over the years. Electric-assist bicycles, pedal mopeds, and battery-powered stand-up scooters are not covered here. For the former, most of the usual rules, benefits, and drawbacks of cycle-commuting apply. For the latter, spotty regulations have turned things into a real wild west of mobility solutions.

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Instead, what we’re talking here is traditional scooters, or basically a small motorcycle with an automatic transmission. The kind of thing that tourists rent on holidays, most often with a step-through layout, simple, easy to use, and both cheap to run and operate. Generally, scooters are equipped with a continuously variable transmission, so all a rider needs to do is hop on and twist the throttle open.

One of the forgotten maxims of scootering is that it’s pretty much the most fun way to get around. Forget hammering along in a supercar, worrying about speeding tickets and rockchips. Winding out a small scooter to its limit just to try to keep up with city traffic is proper engagement, and it’s the kind of thing that’s open to pretty much anyone — depending, unfortunately, on what part of Canada you live in.

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Provincial, not Provence

The first problem any scooter newbie will run into is that there is little cross-Canada-cohesiveness about what is actually legal. In Ontario, for instance, a scooter is consider a motorcycle regardless of displacement. You might pay more insurance on a Harley-Davidson Road Glide than a Honda Giorno, but as far as Ontario is concerned, them’s both hawgs.

So, if you’re looking to join the Sons Of Efficiency, bad news, you’re going to need a full motorcycle license to ride that scooter. On the plus side, pretty much every operator of any motorized transport will benefit from a proper motorcycle school, even if you don’t intend to ride on two wheels. The lessons learned on the importance of vision, reading and assessing danger on the fly, and simply keeping an eye on basics like tire inflation are all worth the time and money.

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In other provinces, these lessons can be learned early. In both Quebec and Alberta, for instance, scooters can be ridden by 14-year-olds with the sign-off of a guardian and a learner’s license. In Quebec, especially, this provides youngsters with a level of freedom, as well as an ecosystem of scooter-based city life. Some never grow out of the convenience.

The rest of the provinces are a mix of restrictions and permissiveness, but most are similar to the rules in B.C. With mild (if often damp) weather and the highest fuel prices in Canada, B.C. is ideal for scooter ownership. If you’ve already got your regular car driver’s license, you can buy and operate a scooter if the engine displacement is less than 50cc, and the top speed is 70 km/h or less. There’s also a weight restriction of not more than 95 kg without fuel.

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Nifty sub-fifties

The bulk of light-duty scooters are in this engine size class, and they are both cheap to fuel and cheap to insure (outside of Ontario). Honda has a big chunk of the market here with the funky, urban-assault style Ruckus, and is introducing the more Italian-style Giorno for the 2023 model year.

The Ruckus looks cool, all exposed frame and chunky tires. But be aware that it is not great for weather protection without a bunch of accessories. It takes five litres of regular-grade fuel to fill the tank, and will go about 250 km on a tank. No wonder the 49cc class is so popular.

What better way to beat high fuel prices than by enjoying yourself?

The other big name in little scooters is, of course, Vespa. A little more expensive than the Ruckus at $4,545 to start, the Vespa Primavera is a far more stylish and urbane offering. This is the machine to fulfill those dreams of motoring around the Italian Riviera, and it’s the ideal weekend runabout for cafe runs. Even Fiat can’t match this level of la dolce vita motoring.

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Other Italian brands operating in this space include Aprilia and Piaggio. Or, if you just want the Euro-style looks but a broader dealer support network, Honda’s new Giorno scooter arrives this fall, complete with a locking storage are big enough for your riding helmet.

This “hog” gets 132 miles to the gallon

In provinces where licensing requirements and insurance favours the sub 50cc class, those scooters are the most common. However, some of the most interesting and useful scooters offer bigger displacements — and sometimes for less than you’d think.

The big news these days comes from Honda. As the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, Honda tends to dominate the market, but having a widespread dealer network does let the company take some chances.

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With the new Navi, Honda is looking to court the tightwads. Starting at just $2,299 – some $1,400 less than a Ruckus – the Navi offers 109-cc power, a 15L lockable storage compartment, and “real” motorcycle looks. Of course, riders on Harley-Davidsons or big BMW touring bikes won’t be impressed, but in city traffic, they’re missing out. The Navi is nimble as anything, zippy up to 50 km/h, and cheaper than an electric-assist bicycle. It’s the perfect “let’s go for an ice cream” machine, and the fuel economy is ridiculously good.

There are other options up to 125cc from the likes of Yamaha and others, for riders who enjoy the convenience of scooter life, but have outgrown how slow a 50cc machine can be. The Zuma 125 is one such machine, and offers both more pep and quite a bit more weather protection than the likes of a Ruckus.

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The big dogs

While North American audiences tend to see scooters as a gateway to eventually ownership of a “proper” motorcycle, Europeans don’t. Visit any Italian mountain pass, and there’ll be a bunch of riders up there on touring scooters, happily seeing the sights without the need for the big metal panniers and high saddle heights of a traditional touring motorcycle.

Yamaha’s Xmax is one such option, a scooter that does exactly what its name says. The 292-cc engine delivers 27 hp, which is plenty for highway cruising. There’s also more storage than in smaller-displacement scooters, and rider assists like ABS and traction control.

But closing in at the top of the scooter food chain is something from a brand you likely haven’t thought about in a while. The $9,599 Suzuki Burgman 400 isn’t quite as crazy as the 650-cc version that used to be top dog from Suzuki, but it’s plenty fast, with about 10 per cent more power than a Honda CBR300 standard motorcycle. It also has a comfortably low seat height, and enough storage for longer day rides.

Like ever scooter mentioned here, the Burgman is also entirely unpretentious. It’s just a comfortable and surprisingly quick way to get around, and one that’s far more economical than any conventional internal combustion car.

And also, it’s more fun. What better way to beat high fuel prices than by enjoying yourself? Scooters aren’t just a way to keep a little more cash in your wallet, they’re pretty much the best bang for your buck for that two-wheeled freedom.