Some of the most enthusiastic scooter reviews on this site concern a brand I'd never even heard of before they started coming in... the SYM brand of motor scooters.
SYM is a proven leader in the power sports industry elsewhere in the world, but they have just recently established a US presence, via the Carter Brothers Manufacturing corporation in Alabama.
SYM's slogan is "Engine of Life" and they stand behind the quality of their products, which are produced in Taiwan. If I were currently in the market for a scooter, I think I'd have to consider this brand.