By PETER THOEMING
31 July 2006

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (although today’s young people would probably not have the faintest idea what that was) I’ll say it again: everybody needs a motor scooter.

If you live in or near a major city or even a large country centre you will have noticed a real surge in scooter numbers on the roads recently; sales are booming, and we now have many more scooter brands than motorcycle brands in Australia.

A couple of these are Australian, too, but don’t get excited; we don’t have a scooter manufacturing industry here. They sell scooters made by overseas companies under their own label. Bug, one of the fastest growing brands in Australia, actually imports scooters made by a Taiwanese firm called Kymco. This firm claims to be the largest scooter manufacturer in Taiwan and produces nearly half a million of them a year.

Bug recently launched a new four-stroke 125cc machine here called Agility. In my opinion, this capacity meets two important requirements that make it just right for commuter scooters. It’s not underpowered and can therefore keep up with the traffic, but it’s not over-engined and therefore thirsty, either.

One of the arguments for scooters has always been their outstanding fuel economy. The Bug Agility certainly seems to be cheap to run; while I haven’t had the one I’m currently riding for long enough to judge fuel economy, the distributor tells me that it should give a fuel consumption rate of just 3 litres per hundred kilometres (93 miles per gallon in the old money). Even with the current high fuel prices, it costs all of about $8 to fill the Agility’s tank, and it has a range of more than 220 kilometres.

Considering the very affordable price of just $2999, plus on-road costs, a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests to me that for many commuters, the Agility would recoup its cost in a year or so. That would even include the cost of a crash helmet and some inexpensive but safe riding gear; remember that scooters are cheap to register and insure. After that, the savings really begin to add up.

But scooters are not just about being cheap to buy and run. They’re also very convenient, in several ways. They take up almost no garage space at home, and if you happen to live in an apartment without a parking space you will almost certainly find that there is a little gap somewhere on the grounds that will hold the scooter. And it’s free, as well. The Agility is especially good for these little spaces, because despite its 125 cc engine it feels physically as small as many 50 cc scooters.

Scooters like the Agility are nippy on urban roads, and are almost unstoppable even in the heaviest traffic. Naturally I would not advocate any illegal riding, but there are often ways in which you can proceed which don’t actually break the law. And you’re doing your bit to clear the traffic jam at the same time, quite apart from the fact that you’re keeping a car off the road by riding a scooter, and already reducing traffic density that way.

Once at work it’s once again quite often easy to find a small space to park the vehicle for the day. Unfortunately Melbourne is the only major city where there is a substantial amount of free motorcycle and scooter parking, but other cities and towns do often have a little, even if it can be hard to find. And if you ask the Council, you can frequently encourage them to put some in. It’s worth the effort when you look at the potential savings. Considering that it can cost well over $600 a month to park a car (admittedly that’s in Sydney’s CBD, the most expensive place in the entire country; it’s significantly less in Perth!) those savings add up very quickly too.

The Agility’s engine technology is well proven, so I would expect it to be reliable. Its European styling is attractive and it has all the usual technology: a fully automatic CVT transmission, push-button electric start, a steering lock and a dash-mounted digital clock. It also has a dual-caliper front disc brake, quite noticeably more effective than the drum on the back, adjustable rear suspension and lightweight 12-inch alloy wheels. The seat is comfortable with ample under-seat storage, and there’s an integrated rear rack to carry more luggage. It also has a grab rail for the pillion. A carry-bag hook and two helmet hooks are also useful.

The tyres are among the Agility’s weaknesses – they lack a bit of grip and I would replace them before long, especially for use in the rain.

Peter Lynch, the managing director of Bug Scooters, reckons that "The success of the Bug brand has been built on reliability, affordability and rideability," and I’d find it hard to argue with that – although I’d definitely add low price. You might like to take a look at www.bugscooters.com.au for more information.

Whatever you do, though, keep in mind that the scooter market is the fastest-growing motorised two wheel segment nationally, with more than 10,000 sales in 2005. That figure is telling you something – and come to think of it, it actually is a broken record!

AT A GLANCE
Model: Bug Agility 125
Price: $2999 (plus on-road charges)
Warranty: 12 months, unlimited distance
Engine: Air cooled single cylinder, 4 stroke OHC
Compression ratio: 9.6:1
Displacement: 124.6 cc
Transmission: Fully automatic CVT
Dimensions: Seat height 760 mm, weight 105 kg (dry), fuel capacity 6.8 litres
Suspension: Front, telescopic fork. Rear, monoshock adjustable for preload
Tyres: Front, 120/70 12. Rear, 130/70 12
Starting: Electric and kick
Brakes: Front, dual caliper disc. Rear, drum
Fuel consumption (claimed): 3 litres per 100 km, unleaded
Theoretical range: 226 km
Colours: Blue, black, red and silver