Consumer Reports tests motorcycles, scooters for first time since 1981Filed under: MotorcyclesAs gas prices shot for the moon last summer, the tide of scooters and small-bore motorcycles began rising right alongside as commuters did all they could to save a buck or two on fuel bills. The folks at Consumer Reports took it upon themselves to reintroduce motorcycle testing to the popular magazine for the first time since 1981 in order to help their readership make informed purchasing decisions.Safety is of paramount concern when riders first take up the switch from four to two wheels, and this fact is hammered home by the rag's editors who designed a new 5.2-mile course that tests each motorcycle's handling characteristics, acceleration and braking capabilities. So, uh, how'd it go?The big winner was Vespa who's LX scooter managed to take top honors in the smallest 50cc class and also performed well against the slightly larger 150cc competitors where it tied with the Kymco People for the win. CR's first series of tests stopped at the 250cc class, where the Kawasaki Ninja handily dispatched the Honda Rebel to earn the recommendation. Full results are now available online to subscribers, who will also get to read the results in the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports.[Source: Consumer Reports]Continue reading Consumer Reports tests motorcycles, scooters for first time since 1981Consumer Reports tests motorcycles, scooters for first time since 1981 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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