Honda scooters have proven popular with a diverse clientele that includes both young urban riders and RVers, who like to take them along on their trips as an auxiliary form of transportation. Honda scooters come in an array of models that serve different functions from the low cost Metropolitan to the full featured Silver Wing. One way to distinguish between them is by engine size. The engine size of late-model Honda scooters ranges from under 50cc to over 550cc. The term "cc" refers to cubic centimeters of engine displacement and can be taken as an indicator of engine power. Small engine Honda scooters, such as the Ruckus and Metropolitan models, may serve as very basic transportation for daily errands--they are legally classified as mopeds in some jurisdictions.
Honda scooters with the largest engine sizes, such as the Silver Wing models, are built to be highway legal and suitable for touring and cruising. Commuters worldwide use Honda's mid-range street-legal models, such as the Reflex and Helix models, for daily use. Honda motor scooters of all engine sizes are also purchased purely for pleasure riding.
Manufacturer's suggested retail prices on new Honda scooters range from less than $3,000 to more than $8,000. Like many other Honda products, Honda scooters tend to be highly rated by consumers for reliability, performance, and comfort. There is also an active market in used Honda motor scooters and in parts and accessories.
Used scooters can be a very cost-effective and fuel-efficient form of transportation suitable for most daily needs. Some hobbyists also buy older Honda scooters with the express purpose of restoring, refurbishing, or upgrading them to modern performance standards. Buyers, whether purchasing new or used, should be aware that although Honda scooters are designed to be easy to drive, they are motorcycles and require the same kind of caution while riding that any motorcycle does.