If you’re reading this, you probably know something about the advantages of motorized scooters (huge fuel savings and a small environmental footprint, for example). You understand why scooters are selling like crazy. Now you’re looking at the market, and asking some preliminary buyer’s question. In Part 1 of this series, we dealt with three very basic questions. (If you missed it, check my site.) Now, as you continue to think about your actual purchase, here are 3 more important questions to help you choose the right scooter.

First, how much do you weigh? Not to get overly personal, but every motor scooter has a carrying capacity–the maximum amount of weight it can carry. If you weigh 180 lbs. or below, this question shouldn’t affect you–you will be able to ride the full range of scooters on the market and get peak performance. If you weigh over 180 lbs., make sure you educate yourself about the carrying capacities of scooters you look at. Rider weight is one of the factors that influence “optimal performance” issues like acceleration rate, travel range, and hill climbing ability.

Second, where do you want to ride your scooter? On dirt paths or downtown streets? Over flat or hilly terrain? If you live in a city, and will ride primarily on asphalt or concrete, an electric motor scooter may meet your needs. If you want to go off-road now and then, or you frequently deal with hilly, uneven terrain that places higher demands on a motor, a gas powered or hybrid model might be in the running. Relatively flat, even streets are the ideal riding surfaces for motor scooters of all types, leading to maximum speeds and efficiency.

However, gas powered models are the workhorses of the scooter world. If you want a tough utility-type scooter, but still want to go the electric route, look for a scooter with a high watt motor (300 watts or above)–and plan to spend some money. If you weigh over 180 lbs., be sure to buy a scooter with an appropriately higher wattage rating.You might also want to consider a hybrid model that combines the best of both worlds, gas and electric.

Third, where do you want to take your scooter? As in, where do you want to pack it? Here’s where portability becomes an issue. Motor scooters of all types are collapsible these days, and can be stored in a closet or under a desk. But there’s considerable variety when it comes to weight, since scooters can tip the scales at anywhere from 30 to 100 lbs. How much weight do you want to transport? When the scooter is folded, what will its folded dimensions need to be in order to fit in a closet or trunk? Also, ask yourself whether you Will want to take your scooter on trips using public transit like planes, trains, or buses. Electric scooters are allowed in these instances, while gas powered models are usually not.

Are you beginning to get a picture of what you’re looking for? Prioritize your “lists of demands,” then eliminate any models or brands that don’t provide what you want. (If “hot chrome paint job” is high on your list, more power to you!) Ranking your performance and style needs will help you evaluate your finalists. At that point, if you’re starting to get a good idea of what you’re after, all you need is some last minute pre-purchase advice.

Electric Vehicles | Street Legal Electric Vehicles | Street Legal Electric Cars

There have been a lot of street legal cars with a potential to be a winning race car and the Enzo Ferrari is on of them. But owners of Enzos know well on how to protect their investment. That is why you could almost never see a Ferrari on race tracks.

For those who want a street legal racecar, then the newest sports car/racecar to hit the U.S. will in no time be their vehicle of choice. Premiering in Sebring, Florida this week, the Deronda promises to be one of the fastest street legal cars in the market.

The British car will be manufactured and sold in the U.S. by Autosport Development which is based in Trenton, Michigan. The Deronda is a two-seater vehicle which is designed to look and perform like Formula One cars.

Autosport Development will be producing a limited number of these rockets in Trenton. The Deronda will be present in Sebring, although not to race them but to only make the heads of the crowd turn towards the direction of the vehicle. It is designed in the UK and as the President of Autosport Development David Moxlow says: “The Deronda is basically a road ready two-seater formula car. You can drive it to the track, race it to your heart’s content, and then drive it home and park it in the garage.”

While the Deronda comes with a hefty price tag, Chris Trapp, the head of production for Autosport pointed out its pluses: “At $70,000, the Deronda Sports Car is not exactly in the toy category, even for rich people. But the car is solid, low maintenance, and built from available componentry, so we think it will attract a whole range of enthusiastic customers who can only dream about owning the Ferrari.”

The Deronda is truly a sports car with the ability to burn rubber on speed tracks. Its powertrain is designed by Audi Cosworth Technology. It is equipped with a 1.8 liter turbocharged engine with five valves per cylinder. Its gearbox also comes from a renowned car maker. The engine is mated to a Porsche five-speed manual transaxle gearbox. The absence of fenders shows how much the design of the car is based on Formula One cars. Not only has the absence of fenders pointed out to the Formula One heritage of the car though.

Aside from that, the Deronda is equipped with double side-impact protection bars, a steel tube chassis, longitudinally-braced double rollover hoops, and front and rear crash bar structures. All of those safety design features comes straight out of a Formula One racing car.

The aerodynamic design and the precision engineered engine and transmission gives the Deronda great acceleration and to speed. The car can go rocket to 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just under four seconds. This figure makes the Deronda one of the fastest sports cars in the world.

Electric Vehicles | Street Legal Electric Vehicles | Street Legal Electric Cars