What questions should I ask when buying a scooter?

So I am going to be buying my first scooter here in a few weeks but know nothing about them. What features should I be concerened about? (ex. size of engine, electric start, ect)

What you said. Plus warranty, dealer network/parts, fuel injected or carb, mileage, cost "out the door".

If you will be riding it on major highways, you need to make sure it can keep up with traffic. I own a 250cc Yamaha. The top speed is 80mph. I wouldn't get anything smaller than a 250. The Japanese scooters (Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki) have better fit and finish than the Chinese clones.

You also need to sit on the scooter and be able to touch the ground at a stop. Scooters are much wider than motorcycles, so you need a lower seat height unless you are really tall.

In buying a scooter, you should consider how you intend to use the scooter. If you are only going to ride in a city, you may find a smaller scoot will do fine. If you live in a suburban area, you should consider a larger engine (150cc or more, at minimum). If you intend to go on the freeway, you will need at LEAST a 250cc engine.

50cc = 35 mph Maximum for most riders and only suitable for in-town riding. 150cc can get most up to about 45-50 mph. a 200-250cc scoot will cruise to the 65-85 range, with some going as much as 100. The 400cc+ engines will get you well past 100 and are more stable at higher speeds.

Some other things to consider are small wheel (10-12") versus a larger wheeled scooter (15-16"). The small wheels bikes can be more nimble in an urban area but less stable in a longer, faster commute. The larger wheels generate a gyro effect and can make the ride more stable at speed but they make the scooter longer.

Honda and Yamaha and Suzuki make very reliable scoots. Honda's Silver Wing and the Suzuki Burgmann are considered the gold standards and top end of the market. Both are quite large and very fast. None of the above brands have any seriuos offering in the 200-250 range. H Helix is a sold bike with a relaxed sitting position.

Piaggio, Kymco and Sym are the best non-japanese manufacturers and many consider them to be equal ( nearly so) in reliability. Paiggio is the worlds 4th largest bike maker. They make Vespa (great name, good bikes, higher prices, distinctive style, steel bodied (not a plastic body). P also make Aprilia, Derbi and Piaggio scooters. Most of the P bikes share engines and other parts and are very well made in Italy. The Aprilia line includes the Scarabeo. Kymco and Sym are Taiwanese and very reliable. They are not "china-scoots" quality.

China Scoot is a name given to large variety of brands built in China based on engine designs borrowed from japanese and other large companies. The major brands in this category are Lance, Tank, Eagle. Genuine may or not be in this category. Some of the scooters made by these companies are worth owning, others can be a money pit and very un-reliable. Typically they require a higher level of technical know-how on the owners part and a lot of patience when it comes to parts and service. Internet dealers basically ship you a box with a scooter inside you need to do the final assembley and tune-up before riding and may require replacing the hoses and other parts BEFORE you can ride them reliabley

Overall, I would recommend buying a scooter from a local (brick and mortar) dealer that will stand behind the product and service it when you have an issue. Personally I would buy any of the Honda, Yamaha, Piaggio, Kymco or Sym bikes. I would steer away from the low cost chinascoots.