The first thing I tell people when they get toTaipei is, "You've gotta get one of those scooters dude. They are awesome." And it's true, the scooter is the transportation revolution of the future. Light, compact, fuel efficient, stylish and cool. The scooter is the thing for you. Before you run off to throw money at the first scooter you see though you should read below to know what your getting into.
Three types of scooters
There is no differentiating between scooters and motorcycles in Taiwan. Motor bikes are measured by their engine size, which is measured in cc's(cubic centimeters). This refers to the hollow space in the center of the engine where the gas/oxygen mixture is ignited. The larger this hollow space the faster and more powerful your bike will be(usually).
50 cc |
50-250 cc |
250+ cc |
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| The 50cc scooter has a green licence plate and is the slowest type maxing out around 60-70 kmph. Not suitable for long trips and. It can carry 2 people but doing it too often will put strain on your engine and cause early breakdown. Good for first time drivers to help get a feel of the road laws and the feel of driving a scooter before upgrading to a 100cc or 150 cc scooter. |
The white licence plate means that the scooter is from 51cc-249cc. Most are around 100cc or 150cc. They are larger than the 50cc models and can be taken on longer trips, and have enough power to travel in the mountains without too much excess strain on the engine. They can also carry an extra person on the back with ease. The white licence is probably the scooter type you want unless your scared of going too fast. |
Every now and then you will witness the glorious yellow licence plate motorcycle. These are bikes with over 249cc. They are fast, powerful and look very cool. You will probably want to get a yellow plate bike but they are of course harder to find, more expensive and you need to have a white plate drivers licence for two years before you can apply for a yellow plate licence. If your really into your bikes then look into it but otherwise stick to the white plate. |
Things to look for
When you buy a used scooter you want to make sure the scooter is in good condition. It can be difficult to get the bike to a mechanic who can explain to you what is wrong. The best thing is to just check it yourself. Following this list will give you a good idea of what to look for.
- Horn works.
- The lights work. Turn on head lights and press brake handles to check the brake lights.
- The less rust the better. There will usually be some rust on the exhaust pipe.
- Starts up without using the kick start. Hold in the right brake handle and press the red button with your thumb.
- Starts up with the kick start. Put the bike on it's stand, pull the kick knob out of the motor and kick the lever down with your foot. You may need to give the bike some gas while you kick the lever.
- No smoke should come from the exhaust when the bike is running.
- Listen to the bike's engine. A new bike will purr quietly. The rougher the sound of the engine, the older and in worse shape the bike is.
- Get on the bike and make sure it drives smoothly.
- Test both the front and rear brakes seperately. The right handle is for the front brake and the left handle is for the rear brake.
If your bike passes these checks it should be fine to purchase and will last you for a while. Below are some pictures to help you out
Get the registration 
When you buy your scooter make sure to get the registration from the buyer. The registration is a blue piece of paper with the owner's name and the scooter's serial number on it. If you don't have the registration then you don't own the bike.
