16 Yr Old - Scooter Or Elec Bicycle ?

[KTMsm]

A friend's 16 yr old son is asking my advice about getting a scooter - whilst I hate them, I can see the appeal as a 16 yr old

He's a lovely lad but he lives in a flat, in a crappy area and I just can't see him hanging on to it for long

Realistically with the hassle of theft, insurance etc wouldn't he be better off with an electric bicycle (which he could store in the flat)

I assume the biggest issue is range

Genuine question as I've never had either

[AB]

One you peddle and it's assisted, one is sit on scooter you need to insure, tax and MOT etc.

I don't think you're comparing like for like.

[lancslad58]

KTMsm said:

A friend's 16 yr old son is asking my advice about getting a scooter - whilst I hate them, I can see the appeal as a 16 yr old

He's a lovely lad but he lives in a flat, in a crappy area and I just can't see him hanging on to it for long

Realistically with the hassle of theft, insurance etc wouldn't he be better off with an electric bicycle (which he could store in the flat)

I assume the biggest issue is range

Genuine question as I've never had either

It's not just overnight storage you have to worry about, any half decent ebike will be knicked of left chained up unattented.

Edited by lancslad58 on Sunday 15th September 18:41

[usn90]

I’d say scooter, I think those electric bikes are dangerous, I was beside one the other day you just cannot hear them

[lancslad58]

What about a Honda Cub, less likely to be knicked as a scooter, some are classed as mopeds so can be ridden b 16 years olds, last for ever.

https://www.c90club.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=43&t...

[KTMsm]

AB said:

One you peddle and it's assisted, one is sit on scooter you need to insure, tax and MOT etc.

I don't think you're comparing like for like.

16 yr old needs cheap transport - these are the two obvious options

[KTMsm]

lancslad58 said:

What about a Honda Cub, less likely to be knicked as a scooter, some are classed as mopeds so can be ridden b 16 years olds, last for ever.

https://www.c90club.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=43&t...

You have to me a member to see that

Do you mean some 90s are mopeds ?

[freakybacon]

Electric bike all day long. They have killed the 50cc market, why would you buy something you have to tax, insure, and need a CBT for when you can bypass it with an electric bike?

[Donbot]

KTMsm said:

lancslad58 said:

What about a Honda Cub, less likely to be knicked as a scooter, some are classed as mopeds so can be ridden b 16 years olds, last for ever.

https://www.c90club.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=43&t...

You have to me a member to see that

Do you mean some 90s are mopeds ?

It would need to be a Honda C50 for a 16 year old. As far as theft risk goes he's probably fked either way. Though that is what insurance is for.

Edit - can't even ride a C50 at 16 legally.

[KTMsm]

freakybacon said:

Electric bike all day long

They have killed the 50cc market, why would you buy something you have to tax, insure, and need a CBT for when you can bypass it with an electric bike?

That was my first thought

He thought he'd get a moped for £200, I've had a quick look and it looks like anything worth having is £700

Google suggests typical insurance is £300

What range would you get on a used £1,000 elec bicycle ?

[Dog Star]

KTMsm said:

That was my first thought

He thought he'd get a moped for £200, I've had a quick look and it looks like anything worth having is £700

Google suggests typical insurance is £300

What range would you get on a used £1,000 elec bicycle ?

If they’re road bikes (ie not an eMtb on soft, fat knobblies) you’ll get anything g from 20 miles on boost to over 50 on eco.

[OverSteery]

Donbot said:

KTMsm said:

lancslad58 said:

What about a Honda Cub, less likely to be knicked as a scooter, some are classed as mopeds so can be ridden b 16 years olds, last for ever.

https://www.c90club.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=43&t...

You have to me a member to see that

Do you mean some 90s are mopeds ?

It would need to be a Honda C50 for a 16 year old. As far as theft risk goes he's probably fked either way. Though that is what insurance is for.

Edit - can't even ride a C50 at 16 legally.

You sure about that? - surely a c50 club is a moped and can be ridden by a 16 year old with a licence and CBT of course

[OverSteery]

freakybacon said:

Electric bike all day long. They have killed the 50cc market, why would you buy something you have to tax, insure, and need a CBT for when you can bypass it with an electric bike?

Because a legal E bike is limited to 15 mph and you have to pedal the whole time. A moped is limited to 28 mph (nearly twice the speed!).
Moped are physically bigger with indicators, lights and brake lights.

Mopeds are fairly horrible. Legal E bikes are fine off road, but are even nastier on than a moped on road...

Both are very likely to get nicked. At least you can bring the E bike inside.

A moped requires a proper motorcycle helmet - an E bike needs nothing. I know which I'd rather for a 16 year old, if they were mine. A male 16 year old is bound to ride like a tt ( I know I did)

Yes a moped needs insurance, but that's not all bad, a cyclist is still personally liable for any damage after all.

Edited by OverSteery on Sunday 15th September 21:30

[Donbot]

OverSteery said:

Donbot said:

KTMsm said:

lancslad58 said:

What about a Honda Cub, less likely to be knicked as a scooter, some are classed as mopeds so can be ridden b 16 years olds, last for ever.

https://www.c90club.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=43&t...

You have to me a member to see that

Do you mean some 90s are mopeds ?

It would need to be a Honda C50 for a 16 year old. As far as theft risk goes he's probably fked either way. Though that is what insurance is for.

Edit - can't even ride a C50 at 16 legally.

You sure about that? - surely a c50 club is a moped and can be ridden by a 16 year old with a licence and CBT of course

The bike can only be designed to do 28mph apparently. So a C50 is too fast

Edit - still looks like you can ride restricted bikes if it was a factory option. So it might be legal if a restricted C50 was sold in the UK.

Edited by Donbot on Sunday 15th September 21:44

[OverSteery]

Donbot said:

The bike can only be designed to do 28mph apparently. So a C50 is too fast

Edit - still looks like you can ride restricted bikes if it was a factory option. So it might be legal if a restricted C50 was sold in the UK.

Edited by Donbot on Sunday 15th September 21:44

I did a quick google and I have no idea as they have made so many versions for such a long time,

I guess it'll depends what's on the v5. Honda stopped importing mopeds into the UK a few years ago..

[KTMsm]

OverSteery said:

Because a legal E bike is limited to 15 mph and you have to pedal the whole time. A moped is limited to 28 mph (nearly twice the speed!).
Moped

Ah but what about an illegal one?

He's a nice lad, but he's a 16 year old lad who lives in a crappy area - I doubt he cares about being legal. I know I didn't at 16

[lancslad58]

KTMsm said:

lancslad58 said:

What about a Honda Cub, less likely to be knicked as a scooter, some are classed as mopeds so can be ridden b 16 years olds, last for ever.

https://www.c90club.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=43&t...

You have to me a member to see that

Do you mean some 90s are mopeds ?

Not C90's only some C50's

It's free to become a member

Anyway here's a cut and paste of the first part of the text.

1. Is a Honda C50 a moped if it says it is on its V5?

Yes, but only if it was registered between 01/09/1977 and 19/01/2013 and it carries a moped restriction ID plate as shown below, stating both "MOPED," and, "30MPH." These C50s are categorised as "moped - category - P (1977-2013)

This definition applies to all C50 LAC (round headlight) or C50 LAG/E (square headlight) models and some C50s with manual 3 speed semi automatic gearboxes. The "L" suffix denotes, "learner," where used with a C50.

C50s registered before 01/09/1977 with 3-speed semi automatic gears were sometimes described as moped on their V5s in error. They did not meet the criteria for mopeds at that time as they were not equipped with functioning pedals.They are not mopeds and fall into the category A1-light motorcycles.


There's another page or so with pictures etc

Edited by lancslad58 on Sunday 15th September 23:41

[Hustle_]

I can’t imagine a Honda Cub is the machine a 16 year old would have in mind

[Master Bean]

E bike is probably better in this scenario. Range is unlimited. It's a bicycle. Keep pedalling and eating and you'll never stop. Cheaper too.

[nismocat]

Electric bikes tend to have small wheels so are less stable and much lighter than a petrol moped so tend to buck around more. Get a second hand Chinese POS petrol bike that will at least give him some experience and no one will want to nick it.

Whilst the CUB idea is great they are expensive to buy, fix and will get nicked.