Why aren't scooters seen as manly conveyances in the USA?

[Stig / Major Tom]

It does not seem that there is this attitude towards scooter riders in Europe or Asia.

Early on (8 yrs ago when I shopped for my first scooter) I considered scooters to be 'very European'......and thus I would be very European. Which, even in Ohio - I considered not a bad thing ....and my wife and 6 children considered somewhat safer than having me on a motorcycle. (the real reason I was NOT looking at another Honda motorcycle, from 45 yrs before)

Since I commuted year around to work on my scooter my coworkers took note of my choice of transportation.
Then I began to see that old american male bias against scooters - and for the more manly motorcycle.

I never really gave two goat's patoots what people thought when they saw me on one of my 4 scooters - I've nothing left to prove to anyone that matters.

But why don't you Europeans suffer the same stereotyping?
Or, am I mistaken about that?

Stig
youngest son on his R6.....He rode with me a few times - but he's not much of a coffee drinker!

[Ruffus]

@Stig, let me try to state my thoughts in this matter.

Ad priori fuel has been always way more expensive over here. US of A thereout had the chance to use until recently big volume and fuel guzzling motors. Bigger ride ovviousely means bigger....

Insurance, taxes and other payments sum up annually only for my  DINK 200i  (174cc) around €1.000,- without fuel. For my car it's around €2.000, anually.

So, this might have influenced buyers decision on getting an inexpensive transport.
Also, a car or motorcycle is here not such a symbol of status, you have it and you use it.

Therefrom, developement of smaller, urban usable vehicles.
Distances here in Europe are way shorter from state to another, and we Europeans are much more prone to stay in our state of birth a life long.

And finally, lifestyle here (at least here in south) seems to be a little bit more culinaric than motoristic oriented.

[dr.jazz]

Insurance, taxes and other payments sum up annually only for my  DINK 200i  (174cc) around €1.000,- without fuel. For my car it's around €2.000, anually.

Holy sh!t, you pay 1000Eur tax, insurance and registration for 174cc scooter? Where u from? Qatar 

It is insane price compare to mine..

[CROSSBOLT]

The price of fuel in Europe and Great Britain is obscene and, thanks to Ruffus, so are insurance, taxes and so on. Among the middle and little earners there would be no snootiness towards scoot riders. However, you best believe there is a huge snoot among the filthy rich towards everyone not filthy with wealth. Regardless of country!

Here, there was a starting point with American manufacturers trending to higher displacements that wound up with Harley and its sound with imitators trailing like rabid dogs. Harley riders/owners are a mixed bag of reactions towards scooters and riders of same. Ranging from amused tolerance to hostility thence to indifference. The general public sees anyone on two wheels as not "normal" if they actually see them at all. My days on motorcycles of the 60's were filled with very common public responses linked to "Hell's Angels" and envy.

I was always trying to be a good example in the 60's of "put your best wheel forward" philosophy of public relations. There seemed then and now many riders cultivate the attitude that "real riders of real motorcycles" have to fit some kind of TOUGH image that simply does not fit with scooters! Sort of like skydivers who like to bask in the public light of just how special skydivers think how truly unique they are and such gifts to society.

Today, I don't really care what anyone thinks. Just so they don't try to legislate me out of existence.

[eamartin]

Ya gotta have chrome and noise, baby!!

[Togger]

Wouldn't you say most Americans are fools?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Wouldn't you say most Americans are fools?

No I wouldn't.
What nationality are you Togger?
Stig

[klaviator]

Most real riders don't care what you ride.  A bunch of us rode our scooters to Deal's Gap this summer and got a big thumbs up from three Harley riders. 

My buddy rides a Vespa around the North Georgia mountains.  He says he gets a lot of thumbs up from sportbike riders.

Those who look down on you because you ride a scooter are often posers, not real riders. 

[rjs987]

Most real riders don't care what you ride.  A bunch of us rode our scooters to Deal's Gap this summer and got a big thumbs up from three Harley riders. 

My buddy rides a Vespa around the North Georgia mountains.  He says he gets a lot of thumbs up from sportbike riders.

Those who look down on you because you ride a scooter are often posers, not real riders.

Agreed!
It's just that the Americas have so many posers. Or so it seems. Lots of real riders. But lots of posers too.

[Togger]

Agreed!
It's just that the Americas have so many posers. Or so it seems. Lots of real riders. But lots of posers too.
[/quote. Define a poser

[Henry]

You should see in some asian countries the number of scooters on the roads ! Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, South Corea... There are scooters EVERYWHERE in cities, way more than cars.
That is due to the fact that there is not enough space for cars for that much population, most of time public transports are bus, (slow), weather is fine, this is a cheap compared to owning a car.

Here in Europe people commute with scooters for the same reason, too much traffic, people get sick of waisting so much time. In my opinion we (in south Europe) have been influenced by Italians since 60's, Vespa was growing ans spreading all over south Europe, with a cool attitude image.

On the road riders and car drivers don't get on very well, especially in big cities, at least in France and Belgium !

I use the scooter here in Brussels because it's so easy (despite the humid weather) compared to car or poor public transportation. As I work in medical and have to travel from one hospital to the other for emergencies, I have no choice ! I used to ride a big motorbike but switched to scooter for obvious reason, practicality.

[Paco]

I agree with Klaviator and especially Ruffus. When I started riding as a kid in France over 40 years ago, mopeds and 125cc bikes were everywhere. Matter of fact, we considered 125cc bikes to be motorcycles. So they were the standard.
Pretty much like everyone else, I learned on 50cc bikes, and they had to have some built in practicality: saddlebags or luggage rack at a minimum for groceries and odd extra can of gas for further local exploring.
One major difference I noticed between the Europe and America I know, is the distance between food source and the table.
When I grew up over there, most of what we consumed was sourced locally (within 25-30 miles). Whereas here, it comes mostly off semi trucks crossing state lines. These comments from Ruffus especially resonated: "Distances here in Europe are way shorter from state to another [...]And finally, lifestyle here (at least here in south) seems to be a little bit more culinaric than motoristic oriented."

Very true. And speaking for myself, growing older goes together with a need for practicality that a scooter delivers over the majority of motorcycles. And a huge part of that practicality has to do with my physical abilities too.
BTW, I do tend to get a lot of thumbs up from car and truck drivers on the scooter as well.
Back to the original question, there may be this perception in the US that riding scooters means giving something up. Performance, excitement, passion... Youth? Go figure.

[Neil955i]

To answer the original question Tom, I guess that mindset says far more about the prejudice of the opinionated than it does those prepared to try something different?  Each to his own.  Two wheels good...

[Kansas kymco]

I never really gave a darn what others thought.  When I started riding Japanese  motorcycles in the sixties they were met with scorn since they weren't a American bike. I just started riding scooters a few years ago and still didn't care what others thought.

I think because of economics scooters become the norm for economical transportation and didn't carry the same stigma overseas.  In the US distance played a role for small displacement motorcycles and scooters.

[klaviator]

I think another issue is ignorance.  Some people look at scooters and think moped.  They have no idea that people ride across the country on scooters or that some scooters will go 100MPH.  Also, in some states 50cc scooters can be ridden without a license.  North Carolina is one of those states so many of the scooters riders are drunks who lost their license.  They are often referred to as "Liquor Cycles". 

I have had several people tell me they never considered getting a scooter until they saw my ride reports and saw what a scooter could do.  I have gone on "motorcycle" rides with my scooter and people were surprised at me being able to keep up, or in some cases them not being able to keep up with a scooter.  If we want more scooters available in this country then its up to those of us who ride scooter to be ambassadors.