Which scooter should you buy in Miami?
Updated October 2026.
If you're buying your first scooter in Miami, buy a new 50cc unless you'll cross a causeway every day. A 50cc rides on your regular driver license, tops out around 30 to 35 mph, gets 90 to 117 MPG and costs $1,449 to $2,999 at Miami Beach Scooter. If your commute crosses Biscayne Bay, or you'll carry a passenger most days, buy a 150cc or bigger (from $1,999 here) and get your motorcycle endorsement first.
We've sold scooters on Bay Road in Miami Beach since 1998. We're an authorized dealer for KYMCO, Wolf, Lance, SYM, Genuine and ScootStar, and every price on this page is our listed price as of October 2026.
The short version
- A 50cc needs only a regular driver license, does about 30 to 35 mph and costs $1,449 to $2,999 new. It's built for Miami Beach and other surface streets.
- A 125 to 200cc needs a motorcycle endorsement, does 55 to 65+ mph and costs $1,999 to $4,999 new. It's the size for a daily ride over the bay.
- A 300cc and up needs the endorsement too and gives you highway speed (83 mph on the SYM Citycom S 300i) from $5,899. It's for riders who'll use I-95 and other highways.
- Used scooters start at $499.
- We do the plate, title and registration at our counter, so you skip the DMV.
Find your scooter in 3 questions
50cc or 150cc: the license decides more than the engine
Florida law treats a scooter by its engine size. At 50cc or less, a valid driver license is all you need. Over 50cc, you need a motorcycle endorsement, and first-time applicants have to pass a motorcycle safety course before they get one. That course is the real cost of going bigger: the class, its fee and the time, before you've bought anything.
So the honest question isn't "how much power do I want?" It's "will I get the endorsement?" If the answer is no, your choice is a 50cc, and our Florida 50cc buyer's guide covers that side in depth.
| 50cc | 125 to 200cc | 300cc and up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| License in Florida | Regular driver license | Motorcycle endorsement | Motorcycle endorsement |
| Top speed | About 30 to 35 mph | 55 to 65+ mph | 83 mph (SYM Citycom S 300i) |
| Fuel economy | 90 to 117 MPG | 75 to 98 MPG | About 84 MPG (Citycom) |
| New, at our shop | $1,449 to $2,999 ($4,449+ for a Vespa) | $1,999 to $4,999 ($5,799+ for a Vespa) | $5,899 to $12,199 |
Visiting or just moved here? Florida lets visitors 16 and older drive on a valid license from their home state or country. The same 50cc line applies.
Where you'll ride decides the size
Picture the trip you'll make most often, not the one you'll make twice a year. If you live and work in Miami Beach, a 50cc is plenty. Alton Road, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue are surface streets, and finding a spot for a scooter there is far easier than for a car.
If you cross to Brickell, Downtown or Wynwood every day, look at 150cc and up. The Julia Tuttle is I-195, a limited-access road where we tell every 50cc owner not to ride. The MacArthur isn't an interstate, but a 50cc would be the slowest thing on it, and we don't recommend it. Our own rental terms keep 50cc rentals off causeways and highways.
If you'll ride two-up most days, go bigger too. A 50cc can carry a passenger, but it's slow off the line with two people on it.
What a new scooter costs in Miami
Under $2,000. The Wolf RX-50 is our lowest-priced new scooter at $1,449 on sale (regular $1,599). The Wolf Islander 50 is $1,599, the Lucky 50 $1,799 and the Rugby 50 $1,899. At $1,999, Wolf also makes four 150cc models: the EX-150, Rugby 150, Lucky 150 and Blaze 150. The EX-150 reaches about 55 mph.
$2,000 to $3,500. This is where most of the 50cc choice sits: the Lance Cabo 50 ($2,499), Cali Classic 50 and Havana Classic 50 ($2,599 each), and the Kymco Super 8 50X ($2,749). Our best 50cc scooters page compares them. Bigger engines start here too: the Kymco Like 150i ABS is $2,999 on sale (regular $3,299) with fuel injection and ABS, and the Lance Havana Classic 200i is $3,299 and does 65+ mph.
$3,500 and up. The Kymco People S 150i ABS ($3,799), the SYM Jet 14 200i ($4,299), the Vespa Primavera 50 ($4,449), the SYM Citycom S 300i ($5,899) and the Kymco Downtown GT 350i ($6,599). At the top end, the Kymco AK 550i ABS is $10,399 and the AK 550 Premium $12,199.
Used. Used scooters start at $499, and there are usually more than 30 in the store. Used makes sense when the budget is tight and you're buying a 50cc for short trips; we service every brand, so you can bring it back to us either way.
If paying in full isn't the plan, we work with several lenders, including options for lower credit scores and for buyers with no credit history. Approval depends on the lender. You can apply online before you come in.
How the brands we sell compare
| Brand | New from (our price) | Sizes | Warranty, per our listings | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf | $1,449 | 50cc and 150cc | 2-year limited (parts) | You want the lowest price on a new scooter |
| Lance | $2,499 | 50 to 200cc | 24 months, unlimited miles | You like retro styling and want a 200cc that does 65+ mph for $3,299 |
| Kymco | $2,199 | 50cc to 550cc | 2-year factory | You want a brand you can move up within, all the way to the AK 550 |
| SYM | $3,799 | 200 to 300cc | 2 years, unlimited miles | You'll ride highways; the Citycom S 300i does 83 mph |
| Genuine | $2,499 | 50cc | 3 years, unlimited miles | You want the longest warranty we list on a 50cc |
| Vespa | $4,449 | 50 to 310cc | Ask us | You want a steel-bodied Italian scooter and the price works for you |
Kymco's $2,199 is the K-Pipe 125 on sale, a small motorcycle with four gears and no hand clutch. Its cheapest 50cc is the Super 8 50X at $2,749. We sell new Vespas and service them in our garage.
Stock moves every week, and we keep over 100 new scooters in the store, so send us the model you like and we'll tell you what's on the floor.
Buying a scooter for delivery work
For DoorDash or Uber Eats work across Miami, our advice is 150cc. A 50cc is too slow for a full shift of mainland runs, and the money is in how many orders you finish. The Wolf EX-150 ($1,999) is the low-cost start; the Kymco Like 150i ABS ($2,999 on sale) adds fuel injection and ABS.
If you deliver only inside Miami Beach and don't have the endorsement, a 50cc does the job. The Lance Cabo 50 gets 117 MPG. Our delivery scooter guide and the delivery rider package go into the details.
How buying works at our shop
We price-match, and a price match comes with a free helmet. We handle the plate, title and registration at the counter, and about 99% of local buyers let us do it. You can trade in your old scooter, any brand, for store credit or a cash offer. Someone at the counter always speaks Spanish.
We're at 1745 Bay Road, Miami Beach, open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm. Send us a WhatsApp at (786) 498-7208 with the model you're looking at.
Common questions
Do you need a motorcycle license for a 50cc scooter in Florida?
No. A 50cc scooter rides on a regular driver license in Florida. You need a motorcycle endorsement only above 50cc. Our Florida scooter laws guide covers helmets, registration and where you can ride.
How fast does a 50cc scooter go?
About 30 to 35 mph. The Lance 50s are restricted to about 30 mph, and the Wolf 50s top out near 35 mph. That's fine for Miami Beach streets and too slow for a causeway.
Can you ride a 50cc scooter over the causeway?
Not on the Julia Tuttle (I-195) or I-395, and we don't recommend it on the others. If your daily trip crosses the bay, buy a 150cc or bigger. Our causeway scooter guide lists the models.
How much is a new scooter in Miami?
From $1,449 for a new 50cc and $1,999 for a 150cc at our shop; used scooters start at $499. The $1,449 scooter is the Wolf RX-50 on sale (regular $1,599), and it gets 100+ MPG. See our cheapest scooters in Miami page for the full list.
Do you need insurance to buy a scooter in Florida?
No insurance is needed to register a scooter in Florida. After certain crashes, though, the state's financial responsibility law can require liability coverage of $10,000/$20,000/$10,000. Read do you need insurance for a moped in Florida before you decide.
Can you finance a scooter with bad credit?
Often, yes. We work with several lenders, including ones for lower credit scores and for no credit history, but approval depends on the lender. See scooter financing.
Do you handle the registration?
Yes. We do the plate, title and registration in the store, so you don't have to go to the DMV. About 99% of local buyers let us handle it.