Uptown | Scootling rolls into Uptown

Spending a year in Osaka, Japan, as an AFS exchange student in high school helped steer Andreas Vaioleti towards launching scooter business Scootling.

It was where he rode one for the first time, even though technically he wasn't supposed to.

"My host brother bought a brand-new scooter and he didn't know any better, but thought it would be a great idea to let me ride it. We just went around the block a few times and I was hooked," recalls Andreas. "For me, that's what kicked it off. It was just so much fun and I think a lot of big bike riders say that as well. No matter what power they're used to, when you ride a scooter, even a 50cc, it puts a smile on your face." Five years later, in 2003, Andreas started up a side hustle - a scooter hire business in Auckland - alongside studying mechanical engineering at Auckland University.

The business comprised just two Japanese scooters - a Suzuki and a Yamaha - which were the only two 50cc scooters on the market that he could find at the time. He was targeting long-term renters for his bikes and chose 50cc models that you can ride on a car licence.

Six months later, he was able to invest in a third scooter, then a fourth. "I'd get it up to a hireable standard and rent it out on a long-term basis, and that would fund the purchase of the next one."

When the business began gaining momentum, he had to make the decision between taking calls for business or doing lectures. He decided to take a wee break from university and never went back.

"The business model was, I didn't really want to go back to a standard university job, so that was it, really. It was on a whim. Started small, grew organically with lots of help from family and friends and a bit of faith from our market and anyone who wanted to do business with us. It wasn't a great plan in the beginning," he laughs.

The fact that he could speak, read and write Japanese also proved useful when he needed to expand and level up his business and find suppliers in Japan.

Andreas sold his car so that he could travel to Japan to meet with suppliers and began importing scooters.

"It just naturally progressed into a dealership where people who rented scooters fell in love with them and wanted to buy them, or they heard about the hiring business and assumed that we must have our own mechanics and workshops. We kind of did but didn't, and we added on services as demand grew," says Andreas.

Fast forward to 2026, and Scootling has grown from a small scooter hire business into a multifaceted and customer-oriented trusted scooter dealership with a rich history of brand partnerships and technical expertise.

Andreas continues to import scooters from Japan as well as China (Niu, the cloud connected electric scooters) and Taiwan (Hartford). Scootling is also the appointed dealer for the Italian brand Italjet, as well as the big Taiwanese makes PGO and Kymco. You'll see some iconic second-hand bikes - including Vespas - in the shop, too. Styles range from classic to sporty, and from 50cc runabouts to open-road 350cc scooters.

"Taiwan has been making scooters since the '60s," says Andreas. "A lot of the Taiwanese manufacturers were originally contracted by Japanese brands to produce parts for Honda and Suzuki. They're really experienced manufacturers, and they make great bikes."

Scootling's single top-selling model is the smart electric Niu designed by Kiwi industrial designer Joe Nelson.

Andreas test-drove Niu for a year before becoming a Niu dealer in 2017. It's also what he personally owns and rides to get around town. "I started riding them in 2016 when we were evaluating them, and I just never went back. It's so consistent."

Niu models have a SIM card and connection to the GSM network, so no matter where you or your bike are in the world, you can locate it, tell your battery level, or if it's been bumped or tipped over.

"It's extremely secure, and that appeals to people who want to be in touch with their vehicle," says Andreas. "The battery lives under the floor so it keeps the under-seat storage space intact, and the controls are the same as what a petrol scooter rider would be used to. The throttle, brakes and indicators are all in the normal place."

Charging Niu scooters is also easy. You just need a three-prong wall plug to charge it and the removable battery means it can be charged at work, public library or at home.

Scootling were on the corner of Bond St and Great North Road for 17 years before moving to 37 Mount Eden Road in April 2025. The building owner wanted to do some major renovations. It was time to move and the hunt was on.

Andreas and the team love the new location right beside music venue Powerstation. "We're surrounded by real icons like Powerstation, and Galbraith's across the road. It's an amazing location. We've been embraced by our new community and really thankful for our clientele who've kept coming as well. Anecdotally, we've been told by a lot of customers that we're now closer to where they live or work."

As the city continues to grow, and with the talk of possible future congestion charges, Andreas believes the demand for scooters is higher than ever.

They're free to park, more environmentally friendly, help reduce traffic congestion and incredibly economical to run.

Petrol doesn't cost you very much anyway but you can get it to almost zero with an electric," says Andreas. "You might be paying between 50c and a dollar in terms of power costs to run it per week, which is negligible."

That's significantly cheaper than a stand-up Lime scooter and offers more presence on the road, better brakes, bigger tyres for grip, safety and stability, a proper horn and vehicles made to a high standard.

Andreas believes the secret to Scootling's growth and longevity is down to trying to do everything well and to do right by the customer. For him, that's having a technical understanding of the bikes and their parts. And putting in the hours - "I don't think there are any shortcuts".

Scootling was an early adopter of an online shop in 2005 and also started an online forum / bulletin board for scooter riders to connect, share photos, knowledge, ask for advice and upcoming events. "We wanted to build a community and a repository of both information and a gathering point," says Andreas.

In addition to scooters, Scootling also carries specialist apparel from brands such as Oxford and Dririder which have a long history of development, design and manufacture.

Scootling have also been producing their own parts and accessories for nearly 20 years, including their own line of riding gloves.

"Stuff designed for the job that's not only going to be more weatherproof when you're riding but also has some protection if you need it."

"We're very careful about ensuring that we can stand behind the product when it comes to fit and performance," says Andreas. "Any customer of ours can expect that we've tried the stuff ourselves, which I think is a big thing for scooter parts and accessories."

Today, Scootling is a one-stop hub for scooter riders - selling new and used scooters, gear and parts, offering expert advice and servicing. Rentals remain - but only as a small reminder of where it all began.

Scootling

37 Mount Eden Road

Phone: (09) 360 0717

Web: scootling.co.nz

Instagram: @scootlingakld

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