Dear Acmetack, most likely, I will either buy a used Honda or Yamaha scooter.  Can you tell me what to watch out for, like how to spot any defects? I am looking for a very small scooter suitable for driving in the suburbs or small city.   I want one that goes 60 miles per gallon.   [...]

You don’t need license plates for scooters in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, and Missouri.

Dear Acmetack, what kind of oil should I use in my 125cc scooter?  Would 20W-50 work?
Lots of bikes use 20W 50.  Very few use 10W 30.  20W-50 would be best in warmer weather and 10W40 would be best in cold weather.

It depends on much you ride.  Typically you will see scooter tanks ranging from 1 - 3 gallons in capacity.  Mileage really varies on the engine size (i.e. 50cc mopeds vs. 150cc mopeds), but a ROUGH estimate would be somewhere from 50 to 100 MPG.

Mine fell of and I don’t have a welder.
You probably don’t want to MAKE one yourself.  Even if you consider your ride a cheap scooter, bring it to a muffler shop to do it for you.  Simple welding jobs like these should be a piece of cake for them.  This will be much easier, and [...]

Dear Acmetack, I would like to know what year they started selling their automatic transmission Honda Silverwings?
The first year for the Honda Silverwing was 2001. It is one of the most powerful scooters, and it features a CVT transmission (continuously variable transmission).

Dear Acmetack, I am 16 years old. I want to get a moped or scooter that is 50cc, something like a YAMAHA, Honda, or Aprilia.  I want to pay for it myself.  I have been saving for quite awhile and will be spending most of my money on this.  I think I deserve it.  How [...]

Dear Acmetack, are mopeds and scooters ladylike?
Scooters like Vespas are usually considered gender neutral.  I have both female and male friends that ride Scooters.  They are a great alternative to traditional motorcycles.  They are not necessarily ladylike nor manly.  They just help you get from point A to point B.

Dear Acmetack, I have a 49cc scooter that goes up to 40 miles per hour, but I want it to go faster.  What can I do to soup up my moped?
To boost the power of your moped, you can add a sports exhaust to get the speed up to about 50 miles per hour.  If [...]

Dear Acmetack, can I use a TomTom, Garmin, or Magellan GPS on my moped?  It has a 12-volt cigarette charger on it.
If your scooter has a 12 volt electrical system, then you should be able to charge your GPS on your moped.  Another option is to simply charge it before your trip and use the [...]