In the 50s and 60s, the motorscooter enjoyed a great deal of popularity in the UK was adopted as a symbol by the Mod Subculture, but a recent resurgance is currently taking place in response to ecological and other concerns. The London commute is a notorious irritant to all who have experienced it. Efforts to reduce congestion include imposing a congestion charge upon commuters using certain routes at certain times. Two-wheeled vehicles less than one meter in width and less than two meters in length are exempt from the congestion charge and of course this includes motorscooters (See congestion charge exemptions).
Commuting into London or other congested metropolitan areas by scooter instead of a car can easily reduce travel time by half or more due to the scooter's ability to bypass and slip through congested areas that can keep cars blocked for hours. The fuel economy of Scooters make the cost of scooter commuting less than that of taking busses and trains. Scooter road tax is only £15 and parking is often free.
Modern scooters common in the UK use the modern four-stroke, twist-and-go paradigm have largely replaced the old two-stroke manual models (See Motorscooter engines and transmissions). They commonly come in either 50cc or 125cc flavours, are easer to drive than bicycles (See Driving a Scooter), and are extremely fuel efficient and ecofriendly.
British made machines are very affordable ranging from £599 to £799 ($1200-$1600) from Scooters.co.uk, which manufactures them and ships and sells directly to the public within the UK without a middleman. One significant advantage of this all-in-one service is that they assume responsibility for the entire process including delivery to you door. Shipping charges are extra though, and vary by location. A 12 month parts warranty is included.
Roadrunner Motorscooters, (manufactured in China by Roadrunner USA) do ship worldwide and are thus an option in Britain. Registration and licensing vary from country to country though.
Petrol prices in the UK have always been far above gas prices in the US. Recently, of course, both have gone soaring. There is such a significant savings differential between petrol consuption in a scooter and a motorcar that savings become obvious on the clock (See Motorscooter Economy). Note that the 100+ mpg rating that the 125cc scooters are given is based upon imperial gallons however, and is therefore probably about equivalent to the 85-90mpg ratings of scooters in the US. 50cc Scooters are no doubt in the 100+ range.
Weather concerns are frequently a deterrant to scooter choice for the Brit, but scootering in inclement weather, very common in some parts of the world (See All-weather scootering) is possible though tricky.
Rounding Hyde Park corner or touring on the motorway, a scooter ride is both a thrill and a time and money savings.
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