Scooters can be a great way to get around town without spending a ton on gas. 50cc scooters are popular because they are not only fuel efficient but also the largest scooters that you can drive without a special license in most areas. In fact sales are almost ten times higher than just 10 years ago. I'm sure you're thinking, "Well that's great and all but what about speed? Aren't scooters really slow?" Well some can be but there are many fast 50cc scooters available as well.

Factory bone stock scooters can only go about 45-50 miles an hour max without any modifications. So you won't be able to drive down highways or interstates and it can be difficult to keep up with the faster traffic. The good news though is that with some slight modifications (variator derestriction, cdi box, and roller weights) you can increase your scooters speed to around 60-65 miles per hour. The fastest 50cc scooter that you can reasonably modify with some additional parts like a pipe and some other inexpensive materials would bring it close to 66-70 miles per hour. The world record for the fastest 50cc scooter in existence is 102.5 mph but it was with heavy modifications that a normal rider wouldn't have access to or even want.

How To Mod Your 50cc Scooter To Go Faster

Any scooter on the market can be modified to go faster - how much faster depends on a few different factors. The first thing you need to find out is if your scooter is two stroke or four stroke. Most new scooters are four stroke. Two stroke engines are slightly easier to modify for greater power and speed but a four stroke can be modified as well, it's just a bit more complicated. Basically what you have to do is to improve the air and exhaust flow as well as the flow of gasoline.

Many 50cc scooters are restricted, or limited, on how fast they can go by a restrictor in the carburetor or exhaust. By removing this restrictor (usually a washer or restrictor pipe in the exhaust neck) you should see noticeable increases in speed and power. Be forewarned though, any modifications of your motor scooter will void all your warranties. In some cases it may be illegal to ride these de-restricted motor scooters so check out your local laws before following through with anything.

Common performance kits will also void warranty for you as well as cause some other problems if you take your modifications too far. Your engine may be less trustworthy and your brakes and/or suspension systems might not be enough to support the newly modded 50cc scooter. 50cc scooters were not built for such high speeds so making sure you have a quality brand scooter like a Vespa will help.

If your not handy with modding your scooter you can always go to a garage and see if they will help. Some may even de-restrict it for you if it is legal where you live.

The Benefits Of Owning a 50cc Scooter

The price of a 50cc scooter is one of its biggest advantages. Most are in the price range of a $1,000 to $5,000 which is vastly cheaper than even the cheapest car you can find. Of course scooters can't carry multiple passengers like other vehicles and offer little storage room. Most scooters can only hold in the range of 240-260 pounds but that is generally enough for most individuals. Consumer Reports recently tested several different scooters, and according to them the Vespa LX 50cc is the best bang for your buck at only $3,500.

Another great advantage is that scooters are great on gas mileage. A typical 50cc scooter gets anywhere from 70 miles per gallon (MPG) to over 120 mpg. This makes scooters the perfect vehicles for short to medium distances especially with the increasingly higher gas prices. People in Europe and most other eastern countries already realize that scooters and more specifically 50cc scooters, are a highly economical way of getting around, especially in the town or city.

In addition to all the amazing advantages that a 50cc moped scooter posses, they also don't cost much to maintain. If you consider how much would spend on average repairing another vehicle over its lifetime, you would be surprised by the amount. This is a great selling point since most people don't have a lot of extra money to throw away.

If you want to learn more about how scooters work and how to choose a scooter that works for you and your situation, read my 2009 guide on motor scooters and mopeds.