List of motor scooter manufacturers and brands — BrandWiki
List of motor scooter manufacturers and brands
A scooter (also known by the full name motor-scooter), is a subset of motorcycles with a step-through frame, a seat, and a platform for the rider's feet (as opposed to straddling the vehicle like a conventional motorcycle).Other common (but non-defining) traits of scooters can include: bodywork (so the mechanicals are not exposed like a conventional motorcycle), motors combined with the suspension or wheel (rather than attached to the frame like a conventional motorcycle), leg shields, smaller wheels than a conventional motorcycle, shiftless transmissions, and an alternative to a chain drive.[1]
Scooters can share some traits with mopeds (some models could even be considered both a moped and a scooter).Adding to the confusion between them, in many jurisdictions smaller engined scooters (e.g. 50cc) are road registered in the same legal category as conventional mopeds (often named "Moped" class), leading to scooters being casually referred to as "mopeds" in such areas.[2]Underbones also can share traits with scooters (e.g. small and step-through design), but they are generally not strictly considered scooters in the purest sense as they do not have a platform for the rider's feet, but they are often casually referred to as scooters (especially ones with leg shields).
Scooter brands in production
Scooter brands and manufacturers no longer in scooter production
Agrati (1958–1965), Merged with Garelli in 1961, scooters branded as Garelli Capri from 1965 — Italy[29]
Allstate/Sears (1948–1967), Brand of retailer Sears to rebadge scooters manufactured by Cushman, Piaggio and Puch. The Allstate name was replaced with "Sears" for 1966-1967[30] — USA
American Motor Scooter Corporation (1960–1965), Clinton powered folding "suitcase" scooters; Founded by USA Lambretta parts dealer, taken over by American Lincoln Corporation[31] — USA
Allwyn (1974—?), the Pushpak model was a Lambretta GP based scooter manufactured by Andhra Pradesh Scooters Limited, who later also made licensed Vespa PL170s (1983–1986) — India
Bond (1957–1962), Makers of Bond Minicars; Villiers powered — United Kingdom[41]
Bonvinci Marino (BM) (1959–1964), Models included Minotauro (75cc) and Pokerino (50cc) — Italy[42]
Brockhouse Corgi (1946–1954), Civilian version of the military Welbike. Built by Brockhouse Engineering Ltd., and sold as brands including Indian Papoose in the USA — United Kingdom[43]
Brumana Pugliese (1970–1980), Lambretta models plus its own models — Brazil
Coaster (1950s), Jet 200cc model, made by Sanko Kogyo (a spin-off from Nakajima Aircraft Company), then briefly by Sankar Manufacturing Inc, and finally by Nippon Motor Co. — Japan[47]
CubStar (1950—?), Scooter with moped style bicycle pedals, probably 50cc Honda powered. Made by Ruby Nikken Industry Co., Ltd. — Japan[48]
Dayton (1954–1960), models included Albatross (powered by 224cc Villiers 1H engine) and Flamenco[49] — United Kingdom
DKR (1957–1967), DKR Company formed by Day & Robinson of Willenhall Radiators, and Cyril Kieft. Models included the Dove, Pegasus, and Capella,[50] powered by various Villiers engines. — United Kingdom[51]
DKW (1921–1922, 1954–1957) — Germany / West Germany[52]
DMW (1957–1967) — United Kingdom
Doodle Bug (1946–1948), built by the Beam Manufacturing Company, and sold by retailer Gambles store chain under the Hiawatha name — USA
Douglas (Vespa) (1951–1965), licence built Vespas — United Kingdom[53]
FIAMC (Fabbrica Italiana Auto Moto Cicli) (1950s) — Italy[56]
Fly / Flyscooters (2006–2010), Florida based distributors of Chinese and Taiwanese built scooters, particularly Znen — USA
Frambretta (1970s—?), Truck versions of Siambretta's licence built Lambrettas — Argentina [57][32]
Fuji (1946–1968), In addition to the Rabbit marque of Fuji Heavy Industries (parent company of Subaru), Fuji also made the Go-Devil folding "suitcase scooter" from 1964 to 1967[58] — Japan
Garelli (1965–1970), post-merger re-branding of the Agrati Capri — Italy[59]
Generic (2000s), Former brand of Austrian KSR Group used for Asian imports — Austria
Lambretta do Brasil (formerly Pasco Lambretta) (1955–1964) — Brazil
Lamby (1977–1990), brand of API — India
Laverda (1960–1962), models included Mini 60 and Mini-Scooter.[73] (2000–2004), re-branded Asian sourced scooters — Italy
LML (formerly Lohia Machines Ltd) (1984–2017), Licensed partner of Piaggio until 1999 building Vespa based scooters, including the Select and Star models. Bankrupt 2017, factory dismantled and plant sold off (but as of 2021 planning to return as LML Electric with electric scooters[74]) — India
Lohner (1950–1963), Rotax-Sachs and ILO engines;[75] Merged with the Rotax engine company to form Lohner-Rotax in 1959 — Austria
MAC (1972–1977), brand of API — India
Maico (1955–1966), models included the Maicoletta — West Germany
Manet (1960s), models included the S100 and Tatran 125. Taken over by Jawa, production ended 1967 — Czechoslovak Socialist Republic[76]
Manurhin (1952–1962), Initially a licensed DKW Hobby scooter; sold in the UK as Concord brand — France[77]
Mercury (1956–1958) (not to be confused with USA Mercury), Models included 50cc Hermes[78] — United Kingdom[79][80]
Messerschmitt (Vespa) (1955–1964), licence built Vespas — West Germany[65]
Motobi (1963–1968), 50 and 100cc scooters;[85] Relaunched by Austrian partnership in 2010 including a scooter line — Italy
Motoflash (1950s), 50cc and 75cc two-stroke engines — Italy[56]
Motobloc / Riva Sport Industries (RSI) (1950s), Initially sold the Swiss AMI scooter as the Ami Motobloc. The Sulky was developed with RSI — France[86]
Motoblic (1960s), Models included a 75cc model,[87] and Stela 100cc model[88] — Spain
Nibbio (1947–1952), Initially manufactured by Gianca, transferring to San Christopher in 1949 — Italy[91][56]
NSU (1951–1957), licensed Lambretta 125cc LC; from 1956 their own "Prima" range based on modified Lambretta designs — Germany[92][93]
N-Zeta (1960s) — New Zealand
Orix (1950–1954) 125cc and 175cc models, including the JLO-powered Orix-Prina — Italy[94]
Paloma (1954–1969), Etablissements Michel Humblot; Acquired by Cazenave in 1964 — France[26]
Parilla (1952–1959) Levriere 125cc and 150cc models[95] — Italy
(Pasco) Lambretta (1964–1982), Originally Lambretta do Brasil, became Brumana Pugliese S.A. making its own small motorcycle models and a modified Lambretta Series III — Brazil [32]
Prina (1949–1954) 125cc two-stroke scooter, in 1952 the 175cc JLO-powered Orix-Prina in conjunction with Orix — Italy[56][97]
Prior (1950s), Rebadged German Hercules scooters by Industria Ltd of London for the UK and Commonwealth markets, models included the Viscount — United Kingdom/West Germany[98]
Renault (2000s), Car manufacturer Renault sold an Italian made roofed scooter (which was a joint venture between Benelli and Adiva SRL), as the Renault Full Time — France
Reynolds Runabout (1919–1924), Jackson Car Manufacturing Co and later by A. W. Wall — United Kingdom[100]
Riverside (1960s), Brand of retailer Montgomery Ward manufactured by various imported makes, including the Japanese Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon[101] — USA
Royal Enfield India (1962—1970s) Fantabulous model, 175cc 2-stroke Villiers powered — India[103]
Rumi (1954–1969) Formichino model — Italy
Salsbury (1936–1950), Californian businessman E. Foster Salsbury introduced the CVT. Models included the Motor Glide (the world's first commercially viable motor scooter). — USA[104]
Siam-bretta / Siambretta (1948–1970), Licence built Lambrettas — Argentina [32]
Siamoto (1996–1999), Models included the Scross off-road scooter — Italy
SICRAF (Paul Vallée Motos) (1949–1954), Societe Industrielle de Construction et de Recherches Automobiles de France; Aubier-Dunne and Ydral engines — France[26]
SIM (Società Italiana Motoscooters) / SIM-Moretti (1953–1955) — Italy[107]
Simard (1951–1954), Ydral and AMC engines — France[108]
Simonetta / San Cristoforo (1952–1954), Later version of the Nibbio built by San Cristoforo under licence from Ravat of France — Italy[56][109]
Solex (1968–1974), Micron moped with a scooter form-factor — France[110]
Stewart (1959–1963), acquired by BSA — New Zealand[111]
Strolch/Progress (1950–1960), Models included Rascal, Vagabond, Little Monkey. Name was changed to Progress in 1954 — West Germany[112]
Sun / Raleigh (1957–1964), Sun Cycle & Fittings Co Ltd was absorbed by Raleigh Industries in 1958. Models included the Roma, a licence built Bianchi[37] — United Kingdom[113][114]
"Tula" / TMZ (1955–1989) Initially based on the German Goggo TA200, Tula also made three-wheeled scooters — USSR (Russia)[126][127]
Unibus (1920–1922), manufactured by Gloucestershire Aircraft Company, like the later Vespa it was designed by an aircraft engineer (also trying to diversify production after a post-war loss of war time contracts), and is one of the first scooters to have a modern-styled enclosed body. Powered by a 269cc two-stroke motor — United Kingdom[128][129]
Valmobile (1955–1961), Victor Bouffort folding "suitcase scooter" design manufactured by Martin-Moulet in France (1955–56), and Hirano Motorcycle Company of Japan (1956–61)[130] — France & Japan
Victa (1960s), Fuji Rabbit scooters assembled and sold by Australasian outdoor garden equipment manufacturer Victa in New Zealand — New Zealand[132]
Vijai (1975–1997), Lambretta GP/DL made by state-owned Scooters India Ltd (SIL), with plant acquired from the defunct Lambretta. Sold as the Vijai brand in India and as Lambretta for export markets. After 1997 it focused on three-wheelers until its closure in 2021 — India[133][134]
Vyatka (1956–1979; 1999—?) Initially an unlicensed copy of the Vespa 150;[136] In 1999 Vyatskiye Polyany Machine-Building Plant was renamed Molot and started production of the Strizh scooter,[84] but by 2017 was struggling financially[137] — USSR (Russia) / Russia
Walba (1949–1952), One of the first post-war German scooters, production taken over by FAKA — West Germany[138]
