Every Tuesday morning, Seth Barnett smacks his alarm clock, grabs anything clean to wear and rushes out the door. Usually forgetting something, he powerwalks to Wilson Hall for his class.

"By the time I get there, I am so exhausted from the hurried morning and the walk to class, I can barely concentrate," the accounting sophomore said.

But last Tuesday, Barnett woke up with time to spare, taking a few minutes to look good, eat breakfast and reread his notes. Barnett rode to class on a Spartan Scooter, which are being test-marketed in East Lansing.

"Spartan Scooters are motorized bicycles that are a quick, convenient, and effortless way of transportation on campus," said MSU alumnus Jason Yourofsky, the founder of Spartantech Inc., the company that makes the scooters.

The scooters, which reach speeds up to 21 mph, come equipped with front and rear turn signals, a horn, headlights and tail lights. The scooters recharge in three hours from a standard plug and travel 20 miles before they need recharging. The cost of the scooter is $299.

Barnett said the scooter cut 15 minutes out of his total transportation time.

"Right now, scooters are huge in any urban city across seas," said Michael Melfi, the company's director of operations.

On Saturday, Spartantech Inc. will visit campus and raffle off a free Spartan Scooter. If students see anyone riding a Spartan Scooter around campus from 1 to 4 p.m. that day, they can fill out a free raffle ticket and enter to win a scooter.

But Barnett warns users to be cautious.

"It is really hard to maneuver around pedestrians," Barnett said.

Police, however, warn users that the scooters cannot be used on sidewalks. In Michigan, all motor vehicles must meet Secretary of State guidelines and be registered. Any motor vehicle that fits the standard requirements, such as turn signals and headlights, can be ridden on a public road.

"Companies have started to make them street-legal because a lot of riders have been getting tickets," said MSU police Sgt. Lance Cook. "Still, many scooters are not."

Barnett also had trouble stopping; after leaving his class, he struck a car.

"It was a fun way to get to class, but it took a bit of getting used to, especially the brakes," Barnett said.

MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said the Spartan Scooter is legal on campus, but only if a rearview mirror is installed, it is registered with MSU and it is only used on roads.

The scooters legally can be parked at any bike rack throughout campus, but because users can't drive it on sidewalks, they must get off the scooter and walk it there.