I could have made do with a smaller scooter, less comfortable but also less expensive. If I lived in a big city like Montreal, for example, that's what I would've done. I wouldn't have needed anything faster than 60 km/h. But I live in the suburbs, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, so I needed a scooter that could zip along at 100 km/h with my wife sitting behind me.
No real savings
I use my scooter to run small errands (I can stash three grocery bags under the seat), go to the barber's and the movies, visit friends and go for rides on the weekend.
Since I've been using this machine, which averages 3.8 litres per 100 km, I've been saving 4.6 litres per 100 km. And since I plan on travelling between 1,000 and 1,500 km per month with my scooter, I'll have racked up between 6,000 and 9,000 km by the end of the season. So, with all that mileage, I'll save around $600 on fuel this summer, even more if prices keep rising.
True, I have to shell out $280 to register it and $250 for insurance. So I'm not really saving much. However, that's $600 I'm not giving to the oil companies and 6,000 to 9,000 km I'm not putting on my car. If I add those $600 to the $1,714 that I'm saving with my Nissan, I get a grand total of $2,314. That's almost $200 per month. Not to mention the fact that I now have a second vehicle that costs next to nothing, that I pollute twice as little between April and October, that my summer is more interesting and that I'm having a fantastic time.
I think that if the price of fuel keeps rising, many consumers will turn to the scooter in hopes of increasing their fuel efficiency. And there's a whole bunch of them on the market right now. If you're interested in purchasing a scooter, take a look at our moto123.com counterpart, where you'll find all the information you need to make the right choice. That is what I wish for you. May your next summer be a merry one.
photo:Matthieu Lambert, Yamaha
No real savings
I use my scooter to run small errands (I can stash three grocery bags under the seat), go to the barber's and the movies, visit friends and go for rides on the weekend.
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| 2009 Yamaha TMAX |
Since I've been using this machine, which averages 3.8 litres per 100 km, I've been saving 4.6 litres per 100 km. And since I plan on travelling between 1,000 and 1,500 km per month with my scooter, I'll have racked up between 6,000 and 9,000 km by the end of the season. So, with all that mileage, I'll save around $600 on fuel this summer, even more if prices keep rising.
True, I have to shell out $280 to register it and $250 for insurance. So I'm not really saving much. However, that's $600 I'm not giving to the oil companies and 6,000 to 9,000 km I'm not putting on my car. If I add those $600 to the $1,714 that I'm saving with my Nissan, I get a grand total of $2,314. That's almost $200 per month. Not to mention the fact that I now have a second vehicle that costs next to nothing, that I pollute twice as little between April and October, that my summer is more interesting and that I'm having a fantastic time.
I think that if the price of fuel keeps rising, many consumers will turn to the scooter in hopes of increasing their fuel efficiency. And there's a whole bunch of them on the market right now. If you're interested in purchasing a scooter, take a look at our moto123.com counterpart, where you'll find all the information you need to make the right choice. That is what I wish for you. May your next summer be a merry one.
photo:Matthieu Lambert, Yamaha