[NiInJa]

Scientifically, bikes have better dynamics than scooters (the ones that sell in India) Shorter wheelbase, smaller wheels, less (or non-existent) suspension travel, weight distribution etc. I don't think there is any debate in that.

If we take above facts out of the discussion, then there are too many parameters that need to be discussed. But it mainly boils down to the rider, if he knows the limits of his vehicle, it can se safe for him either way.

[haria]

Originally Posted by Gansan

A car is anyday safer than a two wheeler. Among two wheelers, a bike is anyday better and safer than a scooter. A scooter is more convenient than a bike.

Good points.. I agree wholeheartedly!

In addition to this, I would like to add:

It is lot safer to ride a bike on rough or potholed roads. Bikes are lot more easy to balance. Handling scooters on bad roads is a bit dicey proposition.


Health wise, scooters are strongly discouraged for regular long travels by many orthopedics as it can aggravate back/hip pain.

But the main advantage of scooter is its convenience factor.

Bikes are pretty much useless for carrying anything other than the rider and the pillion. Carrying vegetables, water cans, provisions etc. are big pain or almost impossible in a bike. Scooters are way ahead in this department. The utility is absolutely great.

But there exists one class of vehicle which is an absolute gem, but is often unsung hero and mocked as a luggage gaadi! the humble TVS-50/100 Class mopeds.

It is almost all advantages here, barring one or two cons

TVS50/100 have a much higher wheel base (size in b/w a regular bike & scooter). Hence much more stable.

it is lighter and highly versatile. Superb balance and one can ride it on any rough road.

It can lug an incredible amount of luggage.
Gas cylinders, no problem
House construction materials no problem
provisions/vegetables/house hold stuff.. yawn.. bring it on.
You can literally carry almost anything on it and the balance is incredible.

Cost wise - it is highly economical. Maintenance ? Cheap and simple. Most of the parts are metal and even if involved in a crash / fall, maximum is few dents - nothing much breaks.

Accelerator cable breaks ? just rs.60
Choke cable ? about rs. 40
Rear-view mirrors ? Rs.50 apiece
center stand ? rs.120
Indicators ? rs. 60 apiece

(these are the only parts which seem to need replacements!). A typical service will rarely exceed rs.1000/-. and most of the mechanics around almost all parts of the country can repair/service it.

with respect to safety ? Hell, yeah! balance is superb, no sudden acceleration possible, max. speed is about 70kmph, and nobody does biking stunts in this vehicle! :-)

An absolute gem of a vehicle - but often looked down upon and not even considered as an alternative.. because of the image of a "luggage gaadi!" (which is probably the only con/disadvantage of this bike)

Disclaimer: I own a TVS-75 (2004 model) and this bike/moped has served/is serving me incredibly well. I do have other bikes/cars... but this little guy is my "go-to" vehicle when I have to go to the market, lug stuff, almost all short runs and nearby locations I don't even consider my other bikes/ car... the convenience, comfort and safety this little guy offers is absolutely the best.

[pedrolourenco]

Scenario 1: You are going from Point A to Point B.
- Like most people have said, a Motorcycle is safer.

Scenario 2: You are going to the grocery store to pick up a packet of milk, a loaf of bread, half dozen eggs and 500g of sugar.
- Can you do it safely and conveniently on a motorcycle?

[Gansan]

^^ Sure. Why not? This is my bike and I buy groceries all the time!

[giri1.8]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

Scooters are the most unstable vehicles on road, worse than a rickshaw or even a cycle.

Absolutely not true, my garage has an Access 125 and KTM Duke 200 with Diablo rosso II tyres, Access in no way feels unstable or dangerous, have done few 100+km on the highway with consistent 80+kmph. Takes corners better than many 100CC commuters, braking performance is excellent too.

P.S: buddy of mine used to do tyre testing, saw him scrap running board on a huble Hero pleasure on MMRT track.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by darkfantasy

IMHO at city speeds, scooters are safer because they are agile, flickable and easy to handle.

Counter steering is a riding technique that can easily grant agility to any motorbike. Not to mention the motorbike will be more poised mid-maneuvering.

Originally Posted by darkfantasy

Availability of CVT means one can 100% concentrate on roads instead of hunting for gears.

If one finds themselves "hunting" for gears it is a classic tell tale sign of a bad driver/rider. Besides a CVT means that one does not have an additional layer of control over weight shift during acceleration/deceleration.

Originally Posted by darkfantasy

Also both legs are free at all times, which means one can easily regain balance at crawling speeds.

Not sure how this makes sense since both legs are tucked in on a scooter whereas they hang on either side of a motorbike. Not to mention the inherent stability a motorbike has that means it will be more stable at all speeds.

Originally Posted by darkfantasy

Scooters are easier to handle for people who are not muscular and are of lower height.

Have you watched MOTOGP? Heard of Dani Pedrosa? He is 5'2" and rides a premier class GP bike. It is all about skill. If one doesn't have it they should simply not ride anything and take a cab/auto instead of blaming strength and height deficiencies.

Originally Posted by darkfantasy

The trick is not to drive scooters as one would drive a motorcycle. Scooters are built for lower speeds and one should always be mindful of thier limitations.

This I agree with; as long as one understands and respects the limitations of a vehicle they have the capability of being safe on it.

[bravo82in]

The original discussion was between Yamaha R15 and Aerox. Isn’t Aerox with its 14 inch wheels, longer suspension safer and more stable than the conventional scooter? Isn’t Aerox a bike designed like a scooter?

[the_joker]

I had a bike (Discover) for about 10 years, and a scooter (Activa) for the past 5. Without a doubt, the bike was safer when compared to a scooter.

1. I never felt that I would lose my balance with the slightest tilt in the bike, while scooter is very wobbly. Even if the passenger bends sideways, I can feel the scooter tilting that way.
2. The front end of the scooter lifts a bit when there is a passenger, and the handling characteristic changes significantly, while on a bike, I rarely noticed it.
3. I could maneuver the bike easily, the scooter feels back heavy. I can easily dodge a pothole on a bike, but can't do that easily on a scooter without feeling that I'm losing balance.
4. My bike had far better brakes than my scooter. I never skidded on the bike, but feel like I skid a bit on the scooter even when there even a little bit of water.
5. My bike had far better throttle response than the scooter.
6. It is not related to safety, but a bike is easier to pull along while walking and easier to put on a center stand.

Of course, the scooter has its own advantages such as luggage space, ease of riding (throttle and go).

[am1m]

I'm surprised this is even such a long discussion. Bigger wheels, better braking, inherently more stable, I think it's obvious that any bike is more stable than any scooter available in the Indian market today. Outlier cases - carrying a gas cylinder on a bike, a squid on a bike vs a calm rider on a scooter, Marc Marquez on an Activa vs me on a Ducati (both equally improbable!), me wearing a saree with heels on a bike vs on a scooter (hopefully equally improbable!) - are precisely those, outliers. Scoots are more convenient, no doubt, but when it comes to just inherent stability- no contest.

[safe_rider]

With Dual-channel ABS, I ride more confident in my R15 v3 than my Dio (not bullying Dio lovers here ). While scooter offers plenty of benefits within the city, it still stands far away in terms of safety standards compared to motorcycles, especially when it comes to stopping the two-wheeler in case of emergency, I always prefer to apply 50% engine breaking, 50% disc brakes in a motorcycle which isn’t possible in scooters.

[kiki_13]

I started riding on a scooter. I have ridden it for over 15 years until I began riding a motorcycle three years ago. I chuckle when I look back, at times when I would ask my better half to go faster than 40km/hr on the scooter. Three years later, to my amazement, I am not comfortable riding the scooter at speeds more than 40km/hr. All the technical aspects like bigger wheels, better braking (engine braking) and hugging the tank for better manoeuvrability was easy to understand after extensive motorcycle riding. So convinced I was that the scooter is no longer with us (to be read as sold), and we have two motorcycles in our garage.

[adisan]

Bigger wheel is the main reason making bikes safer than scooters.

[samejjangir]

I know that this thread is old & unattended for few years. But I would just like to peek in:

Bikes are inherently more stable & comfortable on all types of roads whereas scooters have problems with minor potholes, uneven roads etc and tend to skid more.

However, when it comes to actual crashes, bikes have far more devastating injuries to riders than scooters. This is not due to bikers normally going faster but because bikers are pinned to the bike and tend to get their legs crushed when it falls over. Scooter riders get thrown off their scooters during high speed crashes and only have to endure the impact of their own weight and the scooter's weight doesn't crush their bodies. In low speed, the scooter's empty leg space offers much better protection to the legs and avoids any major injuries.

So, overall, I feel that bikes are easier to ride but also more deadly in injuries during crashes compared to scooters. If one lives in a city and doesn't have to travel far regularly, scooter is the better option as it has one size fits all design. But for villagers or urbanites who need to travel far regularly, bikes are better as they offer much higher mileages, easier to handle different roads and don't cause back-aches or other issues in the long term.