Note there is no single fixed definition of a scooter (also known by the full name motor-scooter), but generally a smaller motorcycle with a step-through frame is considered a scooter, especially if it has a floor for the rider's feet (as opposed to straddling the vehicle like a conventional motorcycle). Other common traits of scooters can include: bodywork (so the mechanicals are not exposed like a conventional motorcycle), motors combined with the suspension or wheel (rather than attached to the frame like a conventional motorcycle), leg shields, smaller wheels than a conventional motorcycle, and an alternative to a chain drive.[1]
Scooters share traits with mopeds (some models could even be considered both a moped and a scooter). Adding to the confusion between them, in many jurisdictions smaller engined scooters (e.g. 50cc) are road registered in the same legal category as mopeds (often named "Moped" class), leading to scooters being casually referred to as "mopeds" in such areas.[2] Underbones also share traits with scooters (e.g. small and step-through design), but they are generally not strictly considered scooters in the purest sense as they do not have a floor, but they are often casually referred to as scooters (especially ones with leg shields).
Manufacturer / brand | Nationality | Group / notes |
---|---|---|
Adiva | Italy/Taiwan | ADIVA S.r.l. - Maxiscooters (200-400) with a foldable roof; initial scoters in 2000 were collaborations with Benelli.[3] Largely Taiwanese built range. |
Adly | Taiwan | Her Chee Industrial Co Ltd; previously US market brands included AMS, Jui Li, and Grycner (using German supplied Sachs 505 engines). Currently Taiwanese built range. |
Aeon | Taiwan | Aeon Motor |
AJS | United Kingdom | Manufactured in China (from 2002)[4][5] |
Aprilia | Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA. |
Askoll | Italy | Askoll Group; all electric range[6] |
Avangan | Iran | Manufacturer of electric scooters |
Bajaj | India | Bajaj Auto Ltd; Licensed manufacturer of Vespa scooters (sold as Vespa 150) in the 1960s. Production continued after the license expired in the 1970s (sold as Bajaj); models included the Chetak (until 2006), and the Priya (subcontracted to Maharashtra Scooters Ltd to manufacture[7]). From 2019 electric models also named Chetak, but as its own marque[8] |
Baotian | China | Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd, or Jiangmen Sino-HongKong Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd. |
Benelli (1995 relaunch) | Italy | Qianjiang Motorcycle (Geely Holding Group) |
Beta | Italy | |
BMW | Germany | BMW Motorrad |
Čezeta (2018 relaunch) | Czech Republic | Project by DEVS that was operated in the now liquidated company Čezeta Motors s.r.o. |
CFMoto | China | Partners with KTM |
Chetak | India | Electric models built by Bajaj[8] |
Chicago Scooter Company | United States | Genuine Scooter Company; US brand of Chinese manufactured scooters |
Dafra | Brazil | Itavema Group; assembler of various Asian manufactured scooters |
Daelim / DNA Motors | South Korea | Formerly named Daelim Motor Company and Daelim Motorcycle, renamed DNA Motors in 2021; however the Daelim brand name is still used in some markets (e.g. UK). |
Derbi | Spain | Piaggio & C. SpA. |
Di Blasi Industriale | Italy | Range of folding mopeds[9] |
Garelli (relaunched) | Italy | All electric; produced by Baotian[10] |
Geely / Jiming | China | Geely Motorcycle/Jiming, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group |
Genuine | United States | Genuine Scooter Company; US brand selling Asian manufactured scooters. Initially with Indian LML Vespa style metal bodied scooters (as the Genuine Stella), moving on to Taiwanese PGO Scooters; includes the Buddy model range. |
GOVECS | Germany/Poland | All electric range; based in Germany, manufactured in Poland |
Gilera | Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA. |
Gogoro | Taiwan | Gogoro Inc. |
Hero | India | Hero MotoCorp (formerly Hero Honda). Models include Hero Pleasure and Hero Maestro |
Honda | Japan | Honda Motor Co., Ltd.; manufactured in various plants including in Japan and Thailand |
Italjet | Italy | Italjet Dragster (1998—2003). A rebooted Dragster was put in production in 2022. |
Junak | Poland | |
Kawasaki | Japan | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
KR Motors (Hyosung) | South Korea | KR Motors Co. Ltd, formerly a division of the Hyosung Group and manufactured products sold as Hyosung brand, part of LVMC Holdings (2014). |
Kymco | Taiwan | Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd |
Lambretta (2018 relaunch) | Switzerland | Lambretta GmbH (joint venture of the Swiss Lambretta Consortium/Innocenti SA. and the Austrian KSR Group); V models designed by Austrian firm Kiska, and produced in Asia based on SYM mechanicals. Later models include the G350, a monocoque steel chassis design.[11] |
Lifan | China | Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd.; production facilities in various countries |
Loncin | China | Manufactured by Longxin Motorcycle Industry Co., Ltd a subsidiary of Loncin Holdings; uses brand names Italika (Mexico), AKT (Colombia), Viper (Ukraine), Minsk (Russia & Belarus), and Zanella (Argentina) |
Mahindra | India | Mahindra Two Wheelers, a division of Mahindra & Mahindra |
Malaguti | Italy | KSR Group GmbH (Austria); relaunched 2018 after a 2011 bankruptcy[12] |
MBK (formerly Motobécane) | France | Yamaha |
Modenas | Malaysia | Began production in 1996. Kawasaki has a 30% ownership, but Modenas also has commercial relationships with many other Asian brands.[13] |
MZ | Germany | |
NIU | China | All electric[14] range by Niu Technologies. Early adopters of lithium-ion batteries. |
Peugeot | France | Joint venture between Mahindra and Mahindra and PSA |
PGO Scooters | Taiwan | Motive Power Industry; originally in collaboration with Piaggio until 1982. Models include Bubu, G-Max, and PMX. Manufacturers of Genuine Scooters's Buddy and Roughhouse models. |
Piaggio | Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA.; Production facilities in Italy and China |
Rex | Germany/China | German brand of Asian sourced scooters made by Baotian and Jinan Qingqi[15] |
QJMotor | China | Made by Qianjiang Motorcycle, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group |
Rieju | Spain | |
Qianjiang | China | Qianjiang Motorcycle |
Qingqi | China | Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd |
SFM (formerly Sachs) | Germany | |
Scarabeo | Italy | Produced by Aprilia. Initially an Aprilia model introduced in 1993, Scarabeo is now brand in its own right within the Piaggio group. Range has included 50 to 500cc models. |
Scomadi | United Kingdom | Scomadi Worldwide Ltd; UK designed, assembled in Thailand with Asian components[16] |
SEAT | Spain | All electric range.[17] SEAT MO 125, white-label product for Silence S01 |
Singer | Bangladesh | Singer Corporation. Chinese made scooters for the Bangladeshi market, from 2012 |
Super Soco | China | Vmoto Soco group, all electric range. |
Sinnis | China | Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd |
Solifer | Finland | Solifer Oy; once a manufacturer (1950s-1980s), scooters are now all Chinese imports |
SYM | Taiwan | |
Suzuki | Japan | Suzuki Motor Corporation; manufactured in various plants including in Japan, China (including Jincheng Group), and India[18] |
Tell | Switzerland | Brand of supermarket chain Landi; scooters are Chinese sourced |
Taiwan Golden Bee (TGB) | Taiwan | Originally produced Vespa components, TGB now also manufactures CVTs for Piaggio, Rotax, Peugeot Motocycles, Minarelli, Morini, Polaris and SYM. |
TVS | India | Sundaram - Clayton Limited; models include the TVS Scooty |
Unu | Germany | All electric range |
Vectrix | USA/Poland | USA made electric scooters (2006—2013). Relocated to Poland and back in production in 2015 under GOVECS ownership. |
Vespa | Italy | Piaggio & C. SpA.; engine plant in Italy;[19] bodies built in various locations including Italy and Vietnam |
Viar | Indonesia | |
Yamaha | Japan | Yamaha Motor Corporation; Originally made in Japan, but various models are also made or assembled in Yamaha plants in other countries like Indonesia, Singapore or Vietnam, Taiwan, and Philippines. |
Zongshen | China | Chongqing Zongshen Power Machinery Company; has a relationship with Piaggio through Zongshen Piaggio Foshan Motorcycle Co., Ltd[20] |
Znen / Zhongneng | China | Zhongneng Vehicle Group Co., Ltd.; petrol and electric scooters. Sold under numerous brands including Qianxifeng,[21] Jinlun (worldwide), Lexmoto (UK), Tamoretti (UK, Netherlands), Dorton (Spain), Mondial (Turkey), and in the USA Paparazzi's, Flyscooters, Lance, and BMS. Owners of Moto Morini. |
Z Electric Vehicle | USA | All electric range |
Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of motor scooter manufacturers and brands.
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