review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motor Scooters
Published by Crystal September 8th, 2007 in books & online resources, reviews.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motor Scooters
by Bev Brinson and Bryce Ludwig isn’t new to the shelves, but I only just got a chance to sit down and read it. Geared to readers that are new to scooters or thinking about buying one, the Guide is a quick read that most can probably go through in a day, with a ‘current model’ chapter and glossary that is a good reference to have on hand.
Let me get a couple biases out of the way. I was a little saddened that my scooter seat covers didn’t make the accessories chapter since Bev gave them a glowing review in ScooterWorld. girlbike.com also wasn’t mentioned - but then, only a handful of sites were mentioned, so there were a lot of big gaps in this section, especially sites that cater to newcomers, like urbanscootin, or regular reads like 2strokebuzz or The Scooter Scoop. Listed were Modern Vespa, Modern Buddy, Stellaspeed.com, scoot.net and the granddaddy of all scooter forums, scooterbbs.com - which can be daunting for me, much less someone who has never had any experience in the scooter community. There was also a reference to a Yamaha Vino Yahoo! group with a “thriving group of women,” but it didn’t specify the Yahoo group Vino 125 Girls, a great group I belong to even though I don’t own a Vino 125.
That said, there’s no claim anywhere that this is the “complete” guide to motor scooters, so it serves its purpose as a brief overview of many topics scooter-related. Each chapter has end-notes that list The Least You Need to Know of all the information in that chapter, which was a list of five or so conscise lines of what was in that chapter.
A few absolutes mentioned in the book caught my attention. In chapter two, which does a good job of going through scooter definitions and features, the book declares that “If it’s a 50cc, a two-stroke is preferable.” I found this an interesting view to give to newbies, since it really depends on the budget, use, and preferences of each rider. A two-stroke might be preferable if you want a 50cc that is peppy off the line, is more receptive to performance upgrades, and is easier for the mechanically inclined to work on. They are also often less expensive than 4-stroke models. But a lot of folks prefer 4-stroke 50cc scooters because they tend to run smoother and produce fewer emissions, and generally get more miles per gallon than their 2-stroke cousins. In my opinion, a 4-stroke like the Honda Metropolitan is a great first scooter because it is smooth off the line, there are no surprises in acceleration speed, and get a solid 100 or so MPG.
I only felt truly critical about one point made in the book. In Chapter 4, How to Ride, various weather conditions were discussed. In the part about riding in the rain, the authors wrote “Even though riding in the center of a lane is usually recommended, riding in the tire tracks of the other cars on the road is often recommended in rainy conditions.” The second part of the statement is accurate, but I was surprised about the ‘riding in the center of the lane is usually recommended’ part. I’ve never heard riding in the center of the lane as the recommended riding position. Read any motorcycle handbook, listen to a MSF instructor (at least the ones I’ve had), read Proficient Motorcycling (recommended reading in this book’s appendix): All will state that even in dry weather, the 2-foot strip down the center of the lane is where the majority of oils and other slippery automobile lubricants accumulate (especially at stop signs/lights). While they don’t say “never ride there,” no one I know recommends it. I tend to avoid it (why risk it?) unless it happens to be the part of the lane where I’m the most visible and can see the best, and if it’s where I can keep a safe space cushion around myself. I find that I mostly ride in the third of the road to the left of the center of the lane on two-lane roads.
So, the bottom line is that The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motor Scooters is a good basic guide that may be a nice gift for that person you’ve been trying to convince to start riding along with you. If you are new to scooting, you’ll get an overview of accessories, safety gear, and tips for riding.
But, darn it, there’s no mention of me. ::: sigh ::: 
8 Responses to “review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motor Scooters”
- 1 Pingback on Sep 9th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
It’s a bit surprising that the authors would recommend any 2-stroke engine, since the inability of 2-strokes to meet ever more stringent emissions standards worldwide means scooter manufacturers will be phasing them out. Then there’s the matter of 2-stroke oil, either mixing it or making sure you check to see you have enough.
Well they didn’t mention our website either, http://www.scooterdiva.com But I don’t know if I really expect that. Obviously they can’t list all forums/websites/blogs. I think this book is offered simply as a general guide to newbies, which in itself is significant. With more and more new people riding scooters, there is a definite need for basic guidelines for beginning riders.
I think Bryce Ludwig is a member of the Modern Vespa forum, isn’t he? Shame on them for not mentioning you, and skipping seat covers as an accessory. Thanks for your review. I agree with you about not riding in the middle of the lane that looks slick.
I asked Bryce for a promo copy and never heard back, and I’ve dropped cash on too many general-newbie scooter books already (most of which *do* mention 2strokebuzz), so I felt bad about not picking it up, but now I don’t, ha.
Maybe Scooter World is just afraid of us. : )
Most of these other books are so general it hurts, any chapter could be a book in itself.
“…there’s no claim anywhere that this is the “complete” guide to motor scooters…”
Actually, it kind of says that right on the cover (the COMPLETE Idiot’s Guide).
I think that “complete” is modifying “idiot” not “guide,” i.e. It’s a guide for complete idiots, not a complete guide for idiots. But it *is* confusing, they should reword it.
The issue of where to ride in or after rain gets rather complex: I think that’s why there are so many different opinions.
I took my MC safety course in Portland, Oregon, and the cops leading it did recommend following in the car tracks - their reasoning was that the previous drivers’ warm tires helped dry the pavement. They also mention, however, using the crown in the road since these would dry out first.
Here in eastern Oregon, where roads aren’t quite as “new” as other places, the two strips worn by car tires are lower and provide a basin for rain water to catch. Even when dry, the depression remains full of junk washed there by rain. I never ride in these for two reasons:
1) When I can I ride just to the right of the centerlane for visibility and to ensure that passing cars don’t shortcut or cut me off. This is my typical lane position, and
2) While slightly smoother (worn), these areas are always full of oil and gas and general road gunk. Nearly any liquid that hits the road ends up here and the small tires of a scooter simply need all the traction they can get. I trust the rougher areas of the lane more.
In a light rain or just after a rain, there are generally three “crowns” in a lane - that’s where I ride. The far right crown (between the right tire groove and the right side of the road) is simply a really bad idea. I never ride there. I like the crown in the middle of the road, at the far left of the lane, the best for visibility. It also seems to be the driest around here. However, as a second choice, the “crown” between the two tire grooves is also good. While it may well be where oil and petrol land, I have found that this stuff is washed down into the tire grooves quickly and so this area is generally drier and cleaner after a rain than the tire grooves. While I hope to never test the theory, it also seems to provide the most room for correction is anything goes awry without going into the lane going the other way.