The motor scooter world is buzzing; Until recently gas motor scooters were the vehicle of choice for broke college students who just couldn't afford to drive a car. With costs of owning a car skyrocketing in the past few years, many are turning to alternative transportation as a way to save fuel and insurance costs.

You might be asking yourself the question "Why are gas motor scooters so popular anyway?". That's an excellent question and can be summed up in two words; fuel economy. Gas motor scooters are one of the very few road legal vehicles that can get gas mileage of around 90 miles per gallon, depending on engine size. While most cars on the road have no hope of breaking the 40 mile per gallon, driving even a fuel efficient car can even be expensive.

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Gas motor scooters have come a long way since their early days or air cooled two-stroke engines. With tighter emissions controls, many manufacturers of gas motor scooters have begun to produce four stroke models. As more and more people choose a motor scooter for their transportation, the industry has adapted by adding features such as larger tires and engines to make motor scooters more useful in many urban environments. Many scooters were previously unable to achieve speeds fast enough for highway driving, thus were best suited for city driving. As gas motor scooters have increased in popularity in recent years, models with larger engines capable of driving at highway speeds have been built. Many of the larger models now include features previously seen only on motorcycles such as windshields, start buttons and even radios.

Cost

Another attractive aspect to gas motor scooters is their purchase price. Many brands such as Vespa, Honda and Yamaha make models that can be purchased for less than $3000. For the budget conscious consumer, China has entered the gas scooter market with models costing as little as $800. Unfortunately the cheaper models won't come with all the features of the higher end models, but you will certainly get cheap transportation. Shop around online and at local stores to find the best fit for your needs.

Before rushing out to pickup a motor scooter, keep in mind that each state has laws governing the use of gas motor scooters on certain roads and highways. Also be sure to check on licensing and insurance requirements before buying a motor scooter. Lastly, ALWAYS wear a helmet while riding a motor scooter. Depending on where you live, it may be the law to wear a helmet at all times, but even if it's not the law, it just doesn't make sense to drive a motor scooter without one.