Archive for January, 2009
I have an 18 month old mobility scooter in north London, but I am having trouble giving it away. Can anyone suggest a place, a person or an organisation that would appreciate what is an expensive piece of equipment? Thanks for your help.
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My mobility scooter has a 270W motor. It operates with two 12V 12AH batteries. The battery charger works only with 110 current. Voltage converters seem to be rated by watts. What capacity voltage converter would I need to purchase to recharge my batteries in Europe? I don’t want to tote around any more bulk or weight than necessary. Same question for a 450W scooter.
My charger is 2amps.
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I need a mobility scooter which I, as a disabled person, can fold or disassemble, and put in the boot of a car. So I need to find the scooter with the lightest “heaviest piece”, if you see what I mean. Any ideas?
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One of the most enduring scenes in cinema is in the classic film Roman Holiday. The film starred the immortal and ever beautiful Audrey Hepburn (Oh how I love her!) and the talented Gregory Peck. Hepburn played a princess who was visiting Rome for a state visit. Tired of her strictly regimented life, she escaped the confines of her embassy, disguised herself as a commoner and began touring the streets of Rome. There she met Gregory Peck who played an American correspondent in Italy. The movie was basically a sight-seeing tour of the streets and Rome, but it is very memorable because they both toured the scenic spots in a Vespa scooter.
This singular scene catapulted the Vespa as a cultural icon. Though the movie was not really what you call a happy ending for they both did not end up with each other (oops sorry for ruining the plot to those who have not seen it), generations of girls dream of becoming Audrey Hepburn being swept away by their own Gregory Peck driving into the sunset in their very own Vespa.
Vespa scooters have their cult following. Like the Volkswagen or the Mini Cooper, Vespas are liked because of their unique (some consider cute as the more appropriate description) design. Vespa’s design was derived from wasps hence the name. As a matter of fact, wasp if translated into Italian is called vespa. The Vespa was first made after world war two and since then its design saw little deviations. Scooters are perfect for the old narrow and cobbled Roman streets. It reflects the olden times when people are gentler, the days seemed slower and the air was full of romanticism. From those famed cobbled streets Vespa spread throughout the world. Perhaps because this little mode of transportation is perfect for weaving in and out in today’s heavily congested roads or perhaps Italians are really talented designers of vehicles. (I am sure most of you will agree with me on this point. I have yet to meet somebody who finds the highly desirable and exotic Ferrari sports cars as ugly.)
Ever since I had seen a Vespa in Roman Holiday, I always wanted to buy one for myself. There were only two problems that presented themselves to me. First, there is no Vespa being sold in our region and second, even if there are Vespas in our island, I cannot afford one. The closest things that resemble a Vespa in our place are the delivery scooters of Yellow Cab Pizza. I even joked to my cousin that we should steal one, remove the delivery compartment at the back and repaint it with any color not yellow. I would even dream of accessorizing them with parts from scooter, but of course I know that all this will just be a dream to me. Maybe in my mind’s eye, I see myself also driving a Vespa, sweeping my own Audrey Hepburn off her feet and we will both ride off into the sunset.
Vespa an italian built scooter manufactured by Piaggio. If you have ever seen any older European movies from the 60′s I guarantee that you have seen when of these creations. Over the years Vespa’s have evolved from single model scooters to a full line of scooters that will satisfy even the most picky consumer.
Vespa’s have been a hit since the first one rolled off the assembly line. But now they are mostly known for the painted, pressed steel unibody that houses the complete engine compartment. The flatboard to keep your feet and a prominent front fairing (mainly used for wind protection).
In the 1940′s the Vespa was used primarily for troops in World War II. The United States enjoyed these scooters because they were helpful in getting around Nazi defense tactics of destroying roads and bridges in the Dolomites (a section of the Alps) and the Austrian border areas.
With today´s gas prices it is no wonder why Vespa scooters are so popular after so many years of service. Suburbanites are looking for something different to entertain their weekends and for commuters who are tired of filling their gas guzzling vehicles. Over the years though Vespas started to pass away from american society, but fast forward to this day and time. Outfitted with two new models that are environmentally friendly and fuel efficient the Piaggio built Vespa returned to the United States in the year 2000. The ET2 model replaced the usual mineral oil with synthetic oil which meant they emitted less smoke while driving. This model can reach 40 mph and can get up to 60 miles to the gallon.
The company has also released a version of the Vespa that is a hybrid gas/electric for even for fuel economy. They also introduced a scooter with two wheels in front and one in back which grips the road better. This version of the scooter has taken off and is now being copied by motorcycle makers alike.
When gas prices were high around the $3.00 mark a lot of people were considering buying scooters to transport themselves to and from work or just to get around town. I know, to date gas prices have gone down significantly, but a lot of people are still worried that gas prices will go back up. Listening to the new, the Saudis’ are everything that they can to stabilize the prices and make them go back up. So, it may be a good idea to explore the purchase of the gas scooter if just for peace of mind if and when gas prices go back up.
In terms of the best choices when buying an gas scooter, well I have three choices for you. All are very reliable and are made by very respectable dealers.
My first choice would be a Honda scooter. Now, how can you go wrong with a Honda? From cars to motorcycle Honda has worked hard to put out a great product that last. As for scooters Honda has a full line of scooters that range from 49cc scooters to their top of the line 586cc scooters. The cheaper of the scooters will put you back $2000 or more dollars and the most expensive $8900 dollars. But I am sure you will be able to find a used Honda scooter with low cc’s for much cheaper prices if these are out of your price range.
My second choice would be a Bajaj scooter. These scooters are lightweight with chassis that are easy to handle. Thinking about going green? Bajaj scooters produce very low emissions as a very high speed output of a minimum speed of 55 mph depending on the model that you purchase. On the low end these scooters will put you back in the price range of $1600 dollars and on the high end you could spend as much as $7000 dollars.
My last choice would be a Yamaha scooter. Don’t take this as being the worse out of my three picks. Yamaha scooters are on the same line as Honda. Very reliable the will keep you on the road for years to come. Their new veno model which cost around $2000 dollars gets an estimated 110 mpg. Great gas mileage. This is a 49cc liquid air cooled 4 stroke scooter that looks a lot like the vespa scooters seen on most foreign films from Europe. If you want more power and want to blow out your budget then you can go top of the line with the Yamaha Majesty scooter. This scooter cost around $6100 dollars and gets 51 mpg. Not as many mpg as the veno but it has a lot more power.
Any of these are great scooters for the money and you will not make a bad choice with any one of them.
Mobility scooters, there are so many brands and models to chose from that researching and reading reviews can be confusing. An electric scooter can offer you freedom and pride without having to relie on help with others. Mobility scooters come in many capacities, colors or styles such as 3 wheel or 4 wheel. It pays to do your research and review you options before making that purchase.
Most lightweight mobility scooters have a maximum weight of 250lbs. A few lightweight models can be disassembled or folded for easy transport in a vehicle. Most of your high capacity scooters may require a lift. In most cases it may be by insurance but the lift may not. It is best to check with your insurance when deciding on a purchase.
Many lightweight models are of 3 wheel design. These models are usually more maneuverable and are great around the house or in tight areas. 4 wheel models are usually of more rugged design and have a higher capacity and are less prone to tipping. They also are more likely to have a further range but don’t forget that range is dependent on several factors. These factors are, weight capacity, battery capacity, age of battery and temperature.
Also consider range and charging if you have a short range you will be spending more time charging. At some point you may need to replace batteries. Over time a rechargeable battery will lose its ability to take a full charge and your range could decrease.
On three wheel light capacity models you may see a range of about ten miles. On four wheel higher capacity electric mobility scooters you may anticipate a range of around 25 miles. It is dependent on the brand and model.
When considering a mobility scooter you will need to analyze your situation and decide what uses you scooter will best be used for. When considering indoor or outdoor use there are many things to consider. Will you be using it for golfing, long dog walks, many errands downtown or around town. If you are carrying extra weight on the scooter it could reduce your range. Things you need to consider is how will you be using your electric mobility scooter.
Tires are another consideration, pneumatic tires may be prone to punctures but are lighter than solid core tires and have more shock absorbency. The solid core tires are heavier and do not have the shock adsorbing ability of air filled tires and may give a stiffer ride but newer electric mobility scooters may have suspensions that compensate and alleviate the knocks and bumps of uneven surfaces. Pneumatic tires will need to be checked more often for the correct air pressure. Regardless at some point depending on how often you travel or use your scooter you will probably need to change tires and of course this will be determined also on the type of surfaces you travel on.
There are many things to consider when you buy a scooter for mobility. Always check with Medicare or your medical insurance to make sure your purchase is covered. Just make sure you have reviewed all your options and done your research before making that purchase.