But one bike genre remains relatively easy to categorize: the scooter. Invented in Italy by Enrico Piaggio in 1946, the first scooter earned its name when Piaggio said, "Sembra una Vespa!" which translates to, "It looks like a wasp!"
With a gearshift moved to the handgrip and the engine moved to the rear, the new creation made it easy to hop on wearing a suit or a flowing skirt without worrying about dirtying your clothes-- perfect for style-conscious Italians. Scooters have ebbed and flowed in popularity over the decades, and they're currently enjoying a global resurgence thanks to escalating fuel prices. In fact, the best selling motorized two-wheeler in the world is the Honda Cub scooter, which has sales approaching 65 million to date.
So, what makes a scooter a scooter? Quite simply, step-through design: a silhouette which enables the rider to climb aboard without straddling over a frame.
Scooters will continue to evolve beyond traditional designs like the Vespa S 150, with modern reinterpretations including larger power scooters like the Yamaha TMAX and Honda Silver Wing, as well as more radical designs like the three-wheeled Piaggio MP3. But scooters will always be characterized by their step-through design that enables them to be ridden more casually than motorcycles.
