HandlebarTurning it turns the front fork and wheel. A grip and a brake lever are on each end.
Rear brake leverSqueezing it works the rear brake. The lever on the other end of the handlebar works the front brake.
Rearview mirrorIt shows the rider the road behind. There is one on each side.
HeadlightIt lights the road ahead.
Turn signalIt flashes to show which way the rider is about to turn. There are turn signals at the back too.
Leg shieldIt runs from under the handlebar down to the floorboard. Some scooters have a small storage space built into it.
Front fenderIt stops the tire throwing water and dirt up at the rider. It is also called a mudguard.
Front forkIt runs from the wheel's axle up to the handlebar. So the wheel turns when the handlebar does. It also holds the front suspension.
FloorboardThe rider's feet rest on it. It is what makes a scooter a scooter: you step through, not over.
Passenger footrestIt folds out for a passenger's foot. There is one on each side.
EngineOn most scooters it sits low, under the seat. It swings up and down with the rear wheel.
Transmission caseThe drive to the rear wheel is inside it. On most modern scooters it changes gear by itself, so the rider has no clutch or gear lever to work.
Air filterIt cleans the air before it goes into the engine. Two of the manuals call it the air cleaner.
Kick starterPushing it down by foot turns the engine over to start it. It is for when the battery is too low for the starter button.
Rear shock absorberIt lets the rear wheel move up and down over bumps.
Center standIt holds the parked scooter upright. The manuals say to put the scooter on it to start the engine or check the oil. One maker calls it the main stand.
Side standIt swings down to prop the parked scooter. It has to be folded up again before riding off.
The right side, seat raised 7
SeatIt carries the rider at the front and a passenger behind. It unlocks and lifts to reach the storage space.
Under-seat storageA compartment under the seat holds small loads.
Grab rail (grab bar)A passenger holds it. It is also the handhold for lifting the scooter onto its stand.
Tail lightIt shows to traffic behind. It is the brake light as well.
MufflerThe engine's exhaust leaves through it. One maker calls it the silencer.
Throttle gripTurning it one way makes the scooter go faster. Turning it back slows it.
Front brake leverSqueezing it works the front brake.
How this list was compiled: Part names checked on 2026-09-30; a name is kept only when two independent sources use it. (1) A 2020 scooter owner's manual, https://archive.org/details/2020-yamaha-zuma-125-owners-manual-yw-125l-bc-9-f-8199-14-02-2019 (left view, right view and controls pages: headlight, front turn signal light, sidestand, centerstand, passenger footrest, air filter, V-belt case and transmission case, tail/brake light, muffler, seat, storage compartment under the seat, rear brake lever, throttle grip, front brake lever, front fork, front fender, handlebar, shock absorber, rear view mirrors, grab bar). (2) A second maker's 150 cc scooter owner's manual, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5812349 (handlebar, headlight, turn signal, floorboard, seat, under-seat storage box, tail light, muffler, center stand, side stand, kick starter, rear brake lever, throttle grip, air filter, transmission case, rear shocks). (3) A third maker's 50 cc scooter owner's manual, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5778599 (parts location pages: side stand, center stand and main stand, kickstarter pedal, air cleaner, rear brake lever, throttle grip, front brake lever, headlight, turn signal light, taillight, muffler, footboard, rear shock absorber, seat). (4) A fourth maker's 50 cc scooter use and maintenance book, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7351973 (handlebar, rear-view mirror, headlight, centre stand, side stand, kick starter, rear brake lever, front brake lever, throttle grip, rear shock absorber, air cleaner, passenger footrests, grab rail, footboard, front shield). (5) Wikipedia, Scooter (motorcycle), text only (step-through frame, a platform for the rider's feet, floorboard and footboard, leg shields, engine under the seat that swings with the rear wheel, a transmission the rider does not shift). (6) The Scooter Bible, https://archive.org/details/scooterbiblefrom0000dreg, searched in full text (leg shield, floorboard). (7) Wiktionary, scooty: in India, a scooter or moped. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30 from plain geometry; no maker's scooter, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
The parts of a motor scooter, which many riders in India call a scooty, are drawn in two views. Most of them are on the left side. The muffler and the storage under the seat are on the right.
Read the full guide
Left side: front to back
At the front are the handlebar, headlight, leg shield, fender and fork. The floorboard is the flat step in the middle. Behind it the engine drives the rear wheel through the long transmission case, with the air filter on top and the kick starter along its side. The center stand is down; the side stand is folded.
Right side: seat up
The seat lifts on a hinge at its front, and the storage space is under it. The muffler runs beside the rear wheel. The throttle grip and the front brake lever are on this end of the handlebar.
The two brake levers do different jobs: the left one works the rear brake and the right one the front brake.
A kick scooter, the kind you push with one foot, has its own page.
Questions and answers
What are the main parts of a motor scooter?
A handlebar with two brake levers and a throttle grip, a leg shield, a floorboard for the feet, a seat with storage under it, an engine and transmission case beside the rear wheel, a muffler, and two stands.
What is a scooty?
In India, scooty is an everyday word for a small motor scooter like the one drawn here: step-through, with a floorboard and no gears for the rider to change. The parts have the same names.
What is the flat part of a scooter where your feet go?
The floorboard, also called the footboard. It joins the leg shield at the front to the body under the seat. A flat floorboard and a step-through frame are what set a scooter apart from other motorcycles.
Why does a scooter have two stands?
The side stand swings down from one side for a quick stop. The center stand holds the scooter upright, and the manuals say to use it when starting the engine or checking the oil.