Opinions on lightweight, portable scooters.

[chuckcorden]

I don't know if this subject has been covered in the past. If it has, I apologize.

I'm thinking of purchasing a lightweight portable scooter (new or refurbished). Why lightweight and portable? I'd like to bring it with me on the plane and use it in airports and then have it available for the parks. I am not confined to a wheelchair or ECV, tho I do find walking some distance painful.

The one I'm looking at has a weight capacity of 280 lbs. (that's OK), a range of 10 miles (I'll buy a 2nd battery pack) and weighs 46 lbs (easy to carry on to a bus or plane, or pack in a car).

Has anyone had any experience with this type of scooter? Are they worth the money? Do they hold up to fairly heavy usage? There is a 2 year warranty but that won't be any good if it breaks down in the middle of the Animal Kingdom.

Thanks for any advice and/or opinions.

Chuck

 

[RNMOM]

Chuck,

I just traveled by plane with my heavy duty (wt. capacity of 450) scooter and they take it at the gate and have it returned as you leave the plane. No problem. Mine also fits easily in the back of my Toyota Camry. There have been a few comments that the smaller scooters don't have the muscle to last all day in the parks. Will it have an onboard charger? Mine does and I can take the power cord and could plug it in if I need to.

Might I suggest you consider a smaller regular scooter? One that has more mileage capacity so you can be sure you have all the muscle you need in the future if your needs increase? JMHO.

 

[Haley Whippet]

I have a Revo, it's smallish and I really like it..

300 lb weight capacity
Easily disassembles into 5 lightweight, easy-to-manage pieces!
Easy-to-use external freewheel lever
Here's a place to read about it
http://www.thescooterstore.com/products/scooter_revo3wheel.aspx

Deb

 

[Schmeck]

I've never seen anyone ride a scooter onto a plane, or bring it into the cabin area - I've only seen them being placed in cargo. Are scooters allowed into the passenger area of a plane?

 

[chuckcorden]

I have a Revo, it's smallish and I really like it..

300 lb weight capacity
Easily disassembles into 5 lightweight, easy-to-manage pieces!
Easy-to-use external freewheel lever
Here's a place to read about it
http://www.thescooterstore.com/products/scooter_revo3wheel.aspx

Deb

Thank you for the link. I appreciate it. I did check it out and they do look interesting. Tho they might be slightly too large for what I want. But who knows?

 

[chuckcorden]

Chuck,

I just traveled by plane with my heavy duty (wt. capacity of 450) scooter and they take it at the gate and have it returned as you leave the plane. No problem. Mine also fits easily in the back of my Toyota Camry. There have been a few comments that the smaller scooters don't have the muscle to last all day in the parks. Will it have an onboard charger? Mine does and I can take the power cord and could plug it in if I need to.

Might I suggest you consider a smaller regular scooter? One that has more mileage capacity so you can be sure you have all the muscle you need in the future if your needs increase? JMHO.

Thanks. By a "smaller regular scooter" I assume you mean a heavier vehicle and not a lightweight portable scooter. I dunno. I just hope that my needs don't increase. One of these days, I intend on having a knee replacement operation. Of course, by that time, I will probably need an operation on my other knee. I guess I played a bit too much football in my youth.

Thanks, again.

Chuck

 

[chuckcorden]

I've never seen anyone ride a scooter onto a plane, or bring it into the cabin area - I've only seen them being placed in cargo. Are scooters allowed into the passenger area of a plane?

I'm just guessing here but I think a disassembled scoother would probably be stowed away in one of the compartments in the front of the plane. At least the scooter would fly first class.

 

[Schmeck]

I thought the battery pack would not be allowed in the cabin though - would they have to detach it and send that part into the cargo area?

 

[Absimilliard]

I've seen scooters, power wheelchairs and standard wheelchairs get gate checked, so it depends on the kind of plane used I believe. Smaller planes load all the luggage by hand in the cargo hold under the plane, while the bigger ones use containers that are loaded in the terminal and then sent to the plane. Only smaller items like a folded stroller or wheelchair will fit through the small cargo door for the gate checked items. Hope my explanation is not too complicated...

 

[RNMOM]

All scooters and power wheelchairs as well as regular wheelchairs, I beleive, go into the cargo hold. They offered to let me ride mine down the walkway to the cabin door then they took it down the elevator and into the hold. They returned it very quickly to me. They did not even disassemble my scooter at all or disconnect the batteries. I had copies of the battery information sent when I got the scooter and they are gel type. I even let them have my key. I had a nylon zip tie with an ID tag on my key with my name and cell phone numbers in case it got lost but no problems at all. None of that stuff can go in the main cabin as the size is not possible and the batteries are not allowed.

If you need a w/c they have special ones that fit down the aisles of the plain. Call your carrier before you fly to alert them to your needs.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm just guessing here but I think a disassembled scoother would probably be stowed away in one of the compartments in the front of the plane. At least the scooter would fly first class.

No.
Some planes have room for one foldable manual wheelchair to fit in a closet in the front of the plane. Not all airplanes (even big ones) have a closet that a wheelchair would fit into.
Power wheelchairs, ECVs and most manual wheelchairs end up in the cargo hold underneath the plane.

 

[clkelley]

Every time we've flown with our ECV, they take it down the elevator and put it fully assembled (sometimes they take the seat off, and fold down the tiller) in the hold.

If we're on a commuter plane without a jetway they return it right there at the plane. If there is a jetway, they bring it up the elevator and return it in the concourse.

 

[Heva2015]

I've just bought a Rio 3 refurbished scooter and will fly with it for the first time tomorrow. I'm flying transatlantic from Manchester-Orlando and Virgin Atlantic have been so helpful with me, they said that you can take any size as long as I can let them know the size and weight of it. The main consideration for me was being able to fit it into my Intermediate size rental car at the other end which should be ok.