If you're considering buying a 250cc scooter for the first time, you should know there are tons of great manufacturers to choose from as well as hundreds of different styles, models, and colors. You can't deny that a scooter is a great choice when it comes to alternative transportation options. With their great mileage per gallon and the increasing price of gas, a scooter is a great choice for those on a limited budget. One of the great things about a scooter with a 250cc engine is that they can be as fast as motorcycles with as good or better overall handling capabilities. With an accessory line-up with features including multi-passenger carrying capabilities, liquid-cooled four-stroke engines, front windshields, automatic transmissions, and side mirrors, its hard to not find something you're bound to like about motor scooters.

250cc scooters are the perfect choice for individuals who wish to use them for everyday use. They are very similar to motorcycles at that engine size with speeds of over 80 mph and 90 mpg or more. These scooters can go on interstates and freeways with ease and traverse urban and rural areas alike. If you're worried about fuel efficiency or the environment, a 250cc scooter is a great alternative to a hybrid car.

Popular 250cc Scooters

When shopping for a motor scooter you will want to certainly models to pick the one with the best durability and performance for the price. The good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it, is that there are many scooter manufactures to choose from. The following are some of the top manufactures and their best 250cc scooters.

United Motors

The Expressway 250 is a great deal for those on a limited budget coming in at only $2,500. It features a CF Moto four-stroke liquid cooled engine. Featuring 13" front and rear wheels, which are much larger than most on a 250cc engine, its design is both stylish and bold. This is a great pick for most beginners or anyone on a budget looking for the cheapest scooter that still has power and performance.

Cheetah

Generally accepted as one of the most highly recommended scooters for sale is the Cheetah Touring 250cc. This scooter gets a great 80 mpg and is capable of going over 80 miles per hour which makes this scooter the perfect choice for those on the go who live in big cities. It features a 4 stroke water cooled 250cc engine and ABS dual brakes for great performance but it does lack electronic fuel injection. The Cheetah Touring 250 has tons of storage room and is built to handle two riders easily. This scooter is set to retail for $3200, but you can sometimes find deals as low as $2,600 - a great deal if you ask me.

Vespa

One of the great scooters that Vespa manufactures is the new GTS 250 but expect a sharp increase in price - this baby retails for over $6,000. With 70 mpg, this scooter has great fuel efficiency without sacrificing power or performance. This beauty features a liquid cooled 4 stroke engine with electronic fuel injection for better performance. This sturdy sleek-looking scooter comes standard with a luggage rack and under seat storage.

The GTV 250 shares many qualities of the GTS 250 including its great performance but is strikingly different in design. This scooter goes back to Vespa's roots with a very retro style reminiscent of their old 1950's models. Staying true to the retro design, this scooter features a leather split saddle seat which is quite comfortable for either rider. This scooter is sure to be a classic and will cost you $7,000.

Kymco

A middle of the line 250cc scooter, the Kymco Grandvista 250 is powerful and sleek and feautures a four stroke water cooled engine like most of this scooters on this list. This motor scooter has some great cushioned seats to make riding your favorite scooter even more enjoyable. Sharing many qualities of the Vespa GTS, you can expect to pay a very reasonable price of about $4,400 for this beauty compared to the $6,000 for the GTS. The only difference is that the Kymco Grandvista 250cc scooter lacks fuel injection.

Check out my 2009 motor scooter guide for more information!