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]

This article uses bare URLs, which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot. (June 2022)

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).

Scooter brands in production

Scooter brands and manufacturers no longer in scooter production

• Accumolli (1950), Piaggio powered — Italy[55]
• Achilles (1953—1957) — West Germany[56]
• ACMA (Vespa) (1951—1962), Ateliers de Construction de Motocycles et Accessoires — France[57][58]
• Adonis (1949—1952), Société du Scooters Adonis; 50 and 75cc VAP engines — France[59]
• Aermacchi (1951—1969) — Italy[60]
• Aermoto (1938—1940), Sachs powered — Italy[61]
• Agrati (1958—1965), Merged with Garelli in 1961, scooters branded as Garelli Capri from 1965 — Italy[62]
• Allstate/Sears (1948—1967), Brand of retailer Sears to rebadge scooters manufactured by Cushman, Piaggio and Puch. The Allstate name was replaced with "Sears" for 1966-1967[63] — USA
• American Motor Scooter Corporation (1960—1965), Clinton powered folding "suitcase" scooters; Founded by USA Lambretta parts dealer, taken over by American Lincoln Corporation[64] — USA
• Allwyn (1974—?), the Pushpak model was a Lambretta GP based scooter manufactured by Andhra Pradesh Scooters Limited, who later also made licensed Vespa PL170s (1983-1986) — India
• Arctic Cat (2000s) — USA
• Ardent (1949—1954), Manufacture Française des Scooters Ardents; initially motorcycle scooter hybrids; Le Poulain and VAP engines — France[59]
• Auteco Lambretta / Auteco (1954—1970s), small scale assembly of Lambrettas badged as "Auteco Lambretta";[65] (1990s), Bajaj importers — Colombia
• Autoglider (1919—1922) — United Kingdom[66]
• Autoped (1915–1921) — USA
• (API) Lambretta / API (1955—1990), models called Lamby Polos after SIL obtained use of the Lambretta name in the 1970s — India [67]
• Bernardet (1948—1959) — France[68][59]
• Bianchi (1960s) Orsetto,[69] also made under licence in the UK by Raleigh as the Roma (1961-64)[70] — Italy
• BSA (1958—1965) — United Kingdom[71][72]
• Bitri (1955—1964) — Netherlands[73]
• Bond (1957—1962), Makers of Bond Minicars; Villiers powered — United Kingdom[74]
• Bonvinci Marino (BM) (1959—1964), Models included Minotauro (75cc) and Pokerino (50cc) — Italy[75]
• Brockhouse Corgi (1946—1954), Civilian version of the military Welbike. Built by Brockhouse Engineering Ltd., and sold as brands including Indian Papoose in the USA — United Kingdom[76]
• Brumana Pugliese (1970—1980), Lambretta models plus its own models — Brazil
• Busi (1940—1951) — Italy[77]
• Cagiva — Italy
• Cazenave (1954—1960), Mistral and Ydral engines — France
• Centaur (1960—1965), Clinton powered folding "suitcase scooter" made by Alexander Reynolds Co. Folding Scooters — USA[78]
• Čezeta (CZ), (1957—1964) — Czechoslovak Socialist Republic[79]
• Concord (1950s), See Manurhin below — France
• Cushman (1936—1965) — USA
• Cycle-Scoot (1950s) — USA
• Danmotor Vespa Indonesia (1970s), Licensed Vespa 90cc and 150cc models — Indonesia
• DKR (1957—1967), DKR Company formed by Day & Robinson of Willenhall Radiators, and Cyril Kieft, Villiers engined. — United Kingdom[80]
• DKW (1921—1922, 1954–1957) — Germany / West Germany[81]
• DMW (1957—1967) — United Kingdom
• Doodle Bug (1946—1948), built by the Beam Manufacturing Company, and sold by retailer Gambles store chain under the Hiawatha name — USA
• Douglas (Vespa) (1951—1965), licence built Vespas — United Kingdom[82]
• Ducati — Italy
• Durkopp (1954—1960) — West Germany[83][56]
• FAKA (1952—1957), Took over production of Walba scooters — West Germany[84]
• (Fenwick) Lambretta (1951—1960) — France
• FIAMC (Fabbrica Italiana Auto Moto Cicli) (1950s) — Italy[85]
• Fly / Flyscooters (2006—2010), Florida based distributors of Chinese and Taiwanese built scooters, particularly Znen — USA
• Frambretta (1970s—?), Truck versions of Siambretta's licence built Lambrettas — Argentina [86][65]
• Fuji (1946—1968), In addition to the Rabbit marque of Fuji Heavy Industries (parent company of Subaru), Fuji also made the Go-Devil folding "suitcase scooter" from 1964 to 1967[87] — Japan
• Garelli (1965—1970), post-merger re-branding of the Agrati Capri — Italy[88]
• Generic (2000s), Former brand of Austrian KSR Group used for Asian imports — Austria
• Glas Gogo (1950—1967) — West Germany[89]
• Gitan (1960s), produced by Moto Gitane, models included the 50cc Joligri[90] — Italy
• Guizzo (1955—1964), built by Palmieri & Gulinelli of Bologna — Italy[91][85]
• Harley-Davidson — USA
• Heinkel (1953—1965) — West Germany
• Hercules (1950s—1970s), Absorbed into Sachs in 1963. Models included the E1 electric scooter in the 1970s[92] — West Germany[93]
• Hoffman (Vespa) (1950—1955), licence built Vespas — West Germany[94]
• Indian — USA
• Iso (1948—1957) — Italy[95]
• IWL (1955—1965) — East Germany[96]
• James (1960—1962?), 150cc two-stroke[97] — United Kingdom
• Jawa (1950s—1960s & 1990s), '60s models include the Manet and Tatran — Czechoslovak Socialist Republic / Czech Republic
• Jonghi (1953—1957) — France[98][99][100]
• Kieft (1955—1957), Importer and distributor of the German Hercules Company mopeds and scooters; Succeeded by the DKR Company — United Kingdom[80]
• Kilworth (1920s), designed by Alvis car engineer Captain Smith-Clarke; the forerunner to modern CVT automatic scooters — United Kingdom
• Kinetic (1998—2008) — India
• Kinetic Honda (1984—1998) — India
• Kosty/Kauba (1952 (Kosty), 1953—1956 (Kauba)), Rotax 2 stroke engines, models included the Lux 98 and Lux 125 — Austria
• Kreidler — Germany
• Krupp (1919–1922), licence built Autoped — Germany
• KTM — Austria
• Lacombe (1948—1954), P.P. Roussey two-stroke engines; also known as the Comindus. — France[59]
• Lambretta (Innocenti parent factory) (1947—1972) — Italy
• Lambretta do Brasil (formerly Pasco Lambretta) (1955—1964) — Brazil
• Lamby (1977—1990), brand of API — India
• Laverda (1960—1962), models included Mini 60 and Mini-Scooter.[101] (2000—2004), re-branded Asian sourced scooters — Italy
• LML (formerly Lohia Machines Ltd) (1984—2017), Licensed partner of Piaggio until 1999 building Vespa based scooters, including the Select and Star models. Bankrupt 2017, factory dismantled and plant sold off (but as of 2021 planning to return as LML Electric with electric scooters[102]) — India
• Lohner (1950—1963), Rotax-Sachs and ILO engines;[103] Merged with the Rotax engine company to form Lohner-Rotax in 1959 — Austria
• MAC (1972—1977), brand of API — India
• Maico (1955—1966), models included the Maicoletta — West Germany
• Manet (1960s), models included the S100 and Tatran 125. Taken over by Jawa, production ended 1967 — Czechoslovak Socialist Republic[104]
• Manurhin (1952—1962), Initially a licensed DKW Hobby scooter; sold in the UK as Concord brand — France[105]
• Mercury (1956—1958) (not to be confused with USA Mercury), Models included 50cc Hermes[106] — United Kingdom[107][108]
• Messerschmitt (Vespa) (1955—1964), licence built Vespas — West Germany[94]
• Meteora (1950s), NSU powered — Italy[109]
• M.I.S.A. (Vespa) (1954—1962) Motor Industry Société Anonyme assembled 125 & 150 Vespa models, sold as Vespa[110] — Belgium
• Mitsubishi (1946—1963) — Japan[111]
• Molot (1999—?), See Vyatka below — Russia[112]
• Monark (1957—1969) — Sweden
• Motobi (1963—1968), 50 and 100cc scooters;[113] Relaunched by Austrian partnership in 2010 including a scooter line — Italy
• Motoflash (1950s), 50cc and 75cc two-stroke engines — Italy[85]
• Motobloc / Riva Sport Industries (RSI) (1950s), Initially sold the Swiss AMI scooter as the Ami Motobloc. The Sulky was developed with RSI — France[114]
• Moto Guzzi (1950—1966) — Italy
• Motus (20??—2017), Christchurch based NZ brand that sold Taizhou Zhongneng Motorcycle Co. Ltd. scooters manufactured in China — New Zealand[115]
• Motovespa (1953—2000), licensed Vespas, taken over by Piaggio — Spain
• Moto-Zeta (2000s), Italian company selling imported Chinese scooters of 50-250cc in Europe — Italy[116]
• MV Agusta (1950s) — Italy
• Nibbio (1947—1952), Initially manufactured by Gianca, transferring to San Christopher in 1949 — Italy[117][85]
• NSU (1951—1957), licensed Lambretta 125cc LC; from 1956 their own "Prima" range based on modified Lambretta designs — Germany[118][119]
• N-Zeta (1960s) — New Zealand
• Paloma (1954—1969), Etablissements Michel Humblot; Acquired by Cazenave in 1964 — France[59]
• Parilla (1952—1959) Levriere 125cc and 150cc models[120] — Italy
• (Pasco) Lambretta (1964—1982), Originally Lambretta do Brasil, became Brumana Pugliese S.A. making its own small motorcycle models and a modified Lambretta Series III — Brazil [65]
• Peirspeed, Re-badged TGB — USA
• Piatti (1954—1957) — Belgium / United Kingdom[121]
• Powell Manufacturing Company (1940s) — USA
• Prina (1949—1954) — Italy[85]
• Prior (1950s), Rebadged German Hercules scooters by Industria Ltd of London for the UK and Commonwealth markets, models included the Viscount — United Kingdom/West Germany[122]
• Puch — Austria
• Rabbit, (1946—1968), Brand of Fuji Heavy Industries. The first model, S-1, entered production 6 months before the Vespa — Japan[123]
• Ravat — France[57]
• Renault (2000s), Car manufacturer Renault sold an Italian made roofed scooter (which was a joint venture between Benelli and Adiva SRL), as the Renault Full Time — France
• Reynolds Runabout (1919—1924), Jackson Car Manufacturing Co and later by A. W. Wall — United Kingdom[124]
• Riverside (1960s), Brand of retailer Montgomery Ward manufactured by various imported makes, including the Japanese Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon[125] — USA
• Rock-Ola (1938—1940) — USA[126]
• Royal Enfield India (1962—1970s) Fantabulous model, 175cc 2-stroke Villiers powered — India[127]
• Rumi (1954—1969) Formichino model — Italy
• Salsbury (1936—1950), Californian businessman E. Foster Salsbury introduced the CVT. Models included the Motor Glide (the world's first commercially viable motor scooter). — USA[128]
• Schwinn — USA
• Scootavia (1951—1956) — France[129]
• Scoto (1949—1950), Moped/scooter hybrid built by MGT (Million-Guiet-Tubauto) — France[59]
• Scotta (1952—1953), 125cc Motorcycle/scooter hybrid — France[59]
• Serveta / Lambretta SAL (1954—1989), License built Lambrettas, named "Lambretta SAL" after 1982 — Spain [130]
• Siam-bretta / Siambretta (1948—1970), Licence built Lambrettas — Argentina [65]
• Siamoto (1996—1999), Models included the Scross off-road scooter^{[citation needed]} — Italy
• SICRAF (Paul Vallée Motos) (1949—1954), Societe Industrielle de Construction et de Recherches Automobiles de France; Aubier-Dunne and Ydral engines — France[59]
• SIM (Società Italiana Motoscooters) / SIM-Moretti (1953—1955) — Italy[131]
• Simard (1951—1954), Ydral and AMC engines — France[132]
• Simonetta / San Cristoforo (1952—1954), Later version of the Nibbio built by San Cristoforo under licence from Ravat of France — Italy[85][133]
• Simson (1955—2002) — East Germany / Germany
• Solex (1968—1974), Micron moped with a scooter form-factor — France[134]
• Stewart (1959—1963), acquired by BSA — New Zealand[135]
• Strolch/Progress (1950—1960), Models included Rascal, Vagabond, Little Monkey. Name was changed to Progress in 1954 — West Germany[136]
• Sun / Raleigh (1957—1964), Sun Cycle & Fittings Co Ltd was absorbed by Raleigh Industries in 1958. Models included the Roma, a licence built Bianchi[137] — United Kingdom[138][139]
• Swallow (1946—1951) — United Kingdom[140]
• Tamoto (1949—1951) Motorcycle/scooter hybrids — France[59]
• Tempo (1957—1959), Sachs powered; produced at Progress-Werke-Oberkirch AG in Germany — Norway[141]
• Terrot (1952—1957) — France[142]
• Tomos / Tomos Puch (1950s—?), Moped manufacturer with scooter-like models and a license built Puch scooter. Bankrupt 2019[143] — Slovenia (former Yugoslavia)[144][145]
• TN'G — USA
• Toscane (1947) — Italy[146]
• Triumph (1959—1970), models included the Tina and Tigress — United Kingdom[147][148]
• TWN (Triumph-Werk Nurnberg AG) (1955) — Germany[149]
• "Tula" / TMZ (1955—1989) Initially based on the German Goggo TA200, Tula also made three-wheeled scooters — USSR (Russia)[150][151]^{[circular reference]}
• Valmobile (1955—1961), Victor Bouffort folding "suitcase scooter" design manufactured by Martin-Moulet in France (1955–56), and Hirano Motorcycle Company of Japan (1956–61)[152] — France & Japan
• Velocette (1960—1964) — United Kingdom
• Vento — USA
• Venus (1953—1955) — Germany[153]
• Victa (1960s), Fuji Rabbit scooters assembled and sold by Australasian outdoor garden equipment manufacturer Victa in New Zealand — New Zealand[154]
• Vijai (1975—1997), Lambretta GP/DL made by state-owned Scooters India Ltd (SIL), with plant acquired from the defunct Lambretta. Sold as the Vijai brand in India and as Lambretta for export markets. After 1997 it focused on three-wheelers until its closure in 2021 — India[155][156]
• Vivani (1952) — Italy[157]
• Vyatka (1956—1979; 1999—?) Initially an unlicensed copy of the Vespa 150;[158] In 1999 Vyatskiye Polyany Machine-Building Plant was renamed Molot and started production of the Strizh scooter,[112] but by 2017 was struggling financially[159] — USSR (Russia) / Russia
• Walba (1949—1952), One of the first post-war German scooters, production taken over by FAKA — West Germany[160]
• WFM (Warszawska Fabryka Motocykli) (1959—1965) Manufacturers of the Osa scooter, the Polish People's Republic's only native scooter — Poland[161]
• Yulon (1964—?) Car-maker Yulon Motor Co. Ltd. license built Lambretta models — Taiwan
• Zeta (1948—1954) — Italy[162]
• ZID (2000s) Degtyaryov Plant motorcycle manufacturer sold Lifan based scooters until at least 2018[163][164] — Russia
• Zündapp (1953—1964), models included the Bella and RS50 — West Germany

See also

• List of motorcycle manufacturers

References