Scooters Mobility & Accessories

A scooter is a small motorcycle with a platform for the driver's feet and is intended for low power personal transportation. They are relatively cheaper than motorcycles and more convenient in parking and storage. Getting a license for scooters is easier and less expensive than cars.

A scooter has a seat for the passenger, a floorboard, and small or low wheels and has a step-through frame. This is possible because of most scooter engines and drive systems are attached to the axle or under the seat of the driver.
The very first scooter is believed to be the Motoped when it was produced in 1915. It was followed a year later by the Autoped whose engine was engaged by pushing the handlebar forward and pulling the handlebar back to brake. More and more scooters entered production and were eventually released to the public.

Eventually people developed different scooter designs with better capabilities such as:

• Three-wheeled scooters with a large storage bin between the front wheels;
• Maxi-scooter which has a larger frame and engine compared to normal sized scooters;
• Enclosed scooter which has a windscreen and a roof to protect the driver;
• Scooters with four-stroke engines and fuel-injection; and,
• Electric scooters.

There are a number of scooter accessories that are available in the market which can be bought from dealers and auto parts stores in the country. Accessories may include scooter covers, windscreens, scooter apparel, rear cargo containers and baskets, scooter alarms, and scooter helmets.

A mobility scooter, on the other hand, is a scooter configured to assist in mobility much like a wheelchair. It is also called as electric scooters. They come with 3 to 5 wheels and a flat area or foot plates for the feet. It has a handlebar and the seat may swivel to allow access when the front is blocked by handlebars. A mobility scooter has a battery onboard and charged with standard electric power. It was first invented by Allan R. Thieme in 1968 and named Amigo.

Advantages of mobility scooters

• A mobility scooter is useful for person with very low stamina or arm/shoulder flexibility necessary to manually move a wheelchair.
• A mobility scooter is useful for people with systematic or whole-body disabling conditions but can still stand and walk a few steps.
• Mobility scooters are a more affordable alternative to motorized wheelchairs.

Mobility scooters can also be installed with accessories that would make the experience more pleasurable such as scooter rear bags and baskets as well as stick holders for canes and frame holders for walking frames. Other accessories include mirrors and portable garages to protect the scooter from the elements.
The Australian Scooter Federation is a nonprofit organization that represents the interests of scooter enthusiasts and scooter users to all levels of government and within the industry to develop safer and better laws regarding its use. The organization promotes scooters as an eco-friendly, practical, and pleasurable mode of transportation for people.