List of motor scooter manufacturers and brands explained

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).

Scooter brands in production

Manufacturer / brand Nationality Group / notes
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.
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.
Taiwan Aeon Motor
United Kingdom Manufactured in China (from 2002)[4] [5]
ItalyPiaggio & C. SpA.
ItalyAskoll Group; all electric range[6]
AvanganIranManufacturer of electric scooters
IndiaBajaj 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]
China Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd, or Jiangmen Sino-HongKong Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd.
Italy Qianjiang Motorcycle (Geely Holding Group)
Italy
Germany BMW Motorrad
Czech Republic Project by DEVS that was operated in the now liquidated company Čezeta Motors s.r.o.
China Partners with KTM
India
United States Genuine Scooter Company
US brand of Chinese manufactured scooters
BrazilItavema Group; assembler of various Asian manufactured scooters
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).
Spain Piaggio & C. SpA.
Italy Range of folding mopeds[9]
Italy All electric; produced by Baotian[10]
China Geely Motorcycle/Jiming, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group
United StatesGenuine 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.
Germany/Poland All electric range; based in Germany, manufactured in Poland
Italy Piaggio & C. SpA.
Taiwan Gogoro Inc.
IndiaHero MotoCorp (formerly Hero Honda). Models include Hero Pleasure and Hero Maestro
Japan Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
manufactured in various plants including in Japan and Thailand
Italy Italjet Dragster (1998—2003). A rebooted Dragster was put in production in 2022.
Poland
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).
Taiwan Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd
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]
China Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd.; production facilities in various countries
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)
India Mahindra Two Wheelers, a division of Mahindra & Mahindra
Italy KSR Group GmbH (Austria); relaunched 2018 after a 2011 bankruptcy[12]
MBK (formerly Motobécane) France
Malaysia Began production in 1996. Kawasaki has a 30% ownership, but Modenas also has commercial relationships with many other Asian brands.[13]
Germany
China All electric[14] range by Niu Technologies. Early adopters of lithium-ion batteries.
France
TaiwanMotive 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.
Italy Piaggio & C. SpA.
Production facilities in Italy and China
Germany/China German brand of Asian sourced scooters made by Baotian and Jinan Qingqi[15]
China Made by Qianjiang Motorcycle, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group
Spain
China Qianjiang Motorcycle
China Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd
SFM (formerly Sachs) Germany
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.
United Kingdom Scomadi Worldwide Ltd; UK designed, assembled in Thailand with Asian components[16]
Spain All electric range.[17] SEAT MO 125, white-label product for Silence S01
Bangladesh Singer Corporation. Chinese made scooters for the Bangladeshi market, from 2012
China Vmoto Soco group, all electric range.
China Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd
Finland Solifer Oy; once a manufacturer (1950s-1980s), scooters are now all Chinese imports
Taiwan
Japan Suzuki Motor Corporation
manufactured in various plants including in Japan, China (including Jincheng Group), and India[18]
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.
India Sundaram - Clayton Limited
Germany All electric range
USA/Poland USA made electric scooters (2006—2013). Relocated to Poland and back in production in 2015 under GOVECS ownership.
Italy Piaggio & C. SpA.
engine plant in Italy;[19] bodies built in various locations including Italy and Vietnam
Indonesia
JapanYamaha Motor Company
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.
China Chongqing Zongshen Power Machinery Company
has a relationship with Piaggio through Zongshen Piaggio Foshan Motorcycle Co., Ltd[20]
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.
USA All electric range

Scooter brands and manufacturers no longer in scooter production

See also

Notes and References

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  98. Web site: Prior Viscount Scooter.
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