50cc Scooter for 16 year old

kwaks

Hi Curv.

I would recommend, purely for future financial reasons that you do put the scooter and insurance in your sons name, as has already been said the NCB can be invaluable when he moves to a car (yes some companies do allow it to be transferred). I see your point about him not being handed everything on a plate (very commendable) however I doubt there will be any reason for him to see the V5 etc.

Riding a scooter will certainly stand him in good stead for the future as he will learn better observation skills than any car driver, as he will have a very healthy respect for his blindspots. For those who say the lack of acceleration is a problem, I assure you the smaller surface area and increased agility will more than compensate in the hands of a competant rider.

The CBT is the minimum requirement to ride as you are aware, however I don't believe the police will admit him onto the bikesafe course as this is usually done on faster roads than a scooter should really be on. I also believe you may have to hold a full licence for this course, but that may vary between forces.

pompeyrich

gaz_jones wrote: »

Nice chioce of emotive words there to emphasise your point :rotfl:

About as emotive as CHILD in your original post. Yes they did both fall off their bikes, twice each, very similar scenarios, reflective white paint in a supermarket car park in the rain got them both once each and drivers failing to give way got them both too. Luckily at very low speeds so ripped jeans was as bad as it got.

gaz_jones

pompeyrich wrote: »

About as emotive as CHILD in your original post.

I don't know what other word I should have used instead. At the moment I don't have children, so I couldn't say son or daughter. Child seems like the best word to me, because that's what they would be, my child.

emmell

I had a scooter many years ago to go to work on, the best tip I was given by a 'proper' biker was don't ride the grates, make sure a car has to go round you rather than squeeze through and avoid wet leaves. I never had an accident but got wet through loads of times, and as I worked in an office it could be chilly round the legs with a skirt on and the helmet did nothing for my hairstyle. But I don't suppose any of these will apply to your son.
ML.

SailorSam

When you come to choose a make or model the cheap Chinese ones on the market get a terrible name for build and reliability, and when the time comes to sell can be worth next to nothing, better to buy second hand one of the Japanese or Italian machines.
I passed my test when i was 16 on a motorbike and i've always said that year on the bike helped me to pass my test in a car.

lorietta

I had a scooter when I was 16/17 to get too and from work on, I never came off, and was always safe, despite riding on some fast-ish roads (apart from one run in with a tractor). I think the most important thing is to have really good geer, (jacket, trousers ect) as well as just a helmet to minimize injury. (Also kept me warm at 7am on winter mornings).

As to the bike, it was in my dad's name, as my parents payed for it, to save them the hassel of driving me too and from work. It's now in the garage at home anyway, and in theory my dad has the use of it. I was named as the main driver on the insurance, I think it was with LV, and I don't believe this caused any problems. So it can be done as you wish as far as I am aware.

As for the CBT, I had about an hours practise, did my CBT and that was it, and maybe I have just been lucky. The advise I would give is to practise a bit after doing the CBT, to build up confidence, and also, cary a mobile with him at all times, just in case something goes wrong. Even if it's just the bike making a funny noise or something!

Scooters are really cheep to run, although this was a few years back now, a fiver's worth of petrol would last me about a month, and during that time I could easily travel 40/50 miles.

axomoxia

Well, being on the log book only impies responsibility for the bike, not ownership (like a lease car - the driver is on the log book, but its still owned by the lease company).

As to riding, don't forget a 50cc moped can only go 30mph - that not a huge amount faster than a push-bike.

A decent waterproof jacket and gloves are a must, and a decent lid that fits. My grandmother used to helpfully suggest I got a decent pair of goggles.....

In terms of road safety, ride assertivly. You are a licensed, tax paying vehicle and have every right to use the roads (well, apart from the ones that begin with 'M'). And most importantly, don't ride like a t**t.

Andy

jaydeeuk1

What about a quadricycle? Mostly made of plastic, but offers more protection in an inevitable crash than a moped, and more visible. Several different ones (noel edmunds co. makes one!) such as the quad bike style, to a car type aixam.

tomstickland

It's not so much the self inflicted falling off, it's the potential for some total numptey to have "not seen you".
The scooters are dangerously slow, though you can derestrict them.