Which Mobility Scooter Is Right For You?

Specifications for Travel Scooters, Full-Sized Scooters and Heavy Duty Scooters

(click tab at bottom of chart to change type of scooters)


* Anti-Tippers may cause lower ground clearance, than written. Battery range may vary, depending on many factors (weight of load, temperature, terrain, speed, etc).

NOTE: We did our best to give accurate specifications, but errors are possible. Please CHECK before purachasing to confirm specifications of your scooter.

TRAVEL SCOOTERS: Built for Covenience and Multi-Purpose Use

3 Wheel Travel Scooters: Easy to disassemble travel scooters break-down into several relatively lightweight pieces which can be transported in most cars. Travel scooters are generally smaller than full-sized scooters. As these are the smallest scooters and 3 wheeler, they will be the most manueverable with the smallest turning radius.  If you are often traveling with your scooter and using it indoors and outdoors, this is the scooter for you. If you prefer comfort and stability, go for a full-sized scooter. Travel scooters are not recommended for very tall or heavy drivers. This is the best choice for someone who wants a scooter for all possible uses (travel, indoor and outdoor use). These are also the least expensive scooters.

4 Wheel Travel Scooters: Similar to 3 wheelers, 4 wheel travel scooters can be broken down into several relatively lightweight pieces for ease of picking up and placing in cars. These are a step up in size and stability and are less manueverable than 3 wheelers, so they are used mostly outdoors. Are you traveling frequently and using your scooter outdoors, but want a bit more comfort and stability than a 3 wheeler? Start here.

Folding Scooter: As the name describes, this scooter type does not dissassemble into small parts, rather it folds and unfolds making it easier than travel scooters to assemble and dissassemble. It tends to be a bit more stable too. However, as it does not come apart into so many smaller pieces, it will not be as easy to lift into a car as the several smaller components of travel scooter.

FULL SIZED SCOOTERS: Built for Comfort and Stability

3 Wheel Scooters: 3 wheelers have a smaller turning radius than 4 wheeled scooters. 3 Wheelers are maneuverable and the choice for you if you will be using them indoors and outdoors. Full-sized three wheelers can usually accomodate 300 and some up to 350 pound passengers. Full-sized scooters generally offer more legroom than travel scooters and 3 Wheel Scooters generally offer more legroom than 4 wheel scooters since you can usually put your feet on either side of the single front wheel, rather than behind the wheels on a 4 wheel scooter. If you are extra tall or have stiff legs, this might be a very important factor for you. Using your scooter mostly at home, with the occasional trip to a nearby market? Are you extra-tall?  A 3 Wheel full sized scooter is possibly the best choice for you.

4 Wheel Scooters: The next step up in comfort and stability, 4 wheelers are generally designed for comfort and stability. These generally offer more features than 3 wheelers and often have higher ground clearance and go faster than 3 wheelers. If you are generally using your scooter out of doors, you will probably prefer the comfort and stability of a 4 wheel full-sized scooter.

HEAVY DUTY SCOOTERS: Built for Extra Large Users

3 Wheel Heavy Duty Scooters:  These are designed for extra-large drivers,  for weights of 325lbs and some up to 500lbs. The 3 wheel heavy duty scooters are for indoor and outdoor use.

4 Wheel Heavy Duty Scooters: These are the largest, most stable and most comfortable scooters for larger drivers. If you prefer the comfort and security of driving an SUV, you may prefer the comfort and stability of a 4 Wheel Heavy Duty Scooter. Because of its larger size and large turning radius, they will be challenging to use indoors.

Other Considerations

Ground Clearance: Will you be traveling over curb-cuts, bumps or large driveway lips? If your scooter must go over curb cuts or driveways with sharp drop-offs, you will need wheel clearance.  Travel scooters are notorious for scraping the pavement. From the chart below, it is easy to see why. Most travel scooters have ground clearance of 2 inches or less, not including anti-tippers. Travel scooters are perhaps the best selling scooters today, mostly due to the low-price and the flexibility. But there are also many dissatisfied owners of travel scooters. If you buy a travel scooter, make sure you are buying it for the right reasons. 

Weight Capacity: Don't consider only the weight of the driver. Think about the weight of the freight you will be carrying with you. For some lighter people, 250 lbs is sufficient.  But when you get near the maximum weight, the scooter may not have much power left for ramps and other inclines. And if you exceed the maximum weight, you can damage your scooter and the manufacturer will not repair it under the warrenty.

Battery Range: Battery Range is usually estimated at 190-200 lbs. If you are going to use your scooter at 250 lbs and above, your battery range will be lower than the estimates shown in the specifications. Also, lower temperatures, rough terraine and high speed will lower the range.

Tire Size: Generally speaking if you will be using your scooter mostly outdoors, go for larger tire size. Why? Larger tires can handle rough terrain better. Makes sense doesn't it? A small narrow tire is more likely to fall into cracks, sink into wet earth, slip on grass. Larger tire size will give a safer, more comfortable ride outdoors. If you will be using your scooter mostly indoors, smaller wheels may be better because they will be more maneuverable.

Turning Radius: As mentioned above, turning radius impacts the maneuverability of the scooter. The lower the turning radius, the easier it will be to drive indoors. The higher the turning radius, the more difficult it will be to drive indoors unless you live in a large spacious home.

Heaviest Part: Listed in the specifications above and on the specifications for all travel scooters is the heaviest part. This will give you an idea of how much weight you will have to lift, after you have broken your scooter down to its 4 or 5 components, in order to put the components parts into your car. If you or someone in your family can not lift the weight of the heaviest component, you will not be able to put the scooter in your car.

These are not the only issues to consider of course. Other issues include the warrenty coverage, the reputation of the manufacturer, the cost, etc.