If you absolutely can’t wait until you’re 17-years-old then you can start riding a 50cc moped on your 16th birthday, once you’ve passed your CBT.
For many it’s the first step along the journey of motorcycle ownership, and while there’s a good chance you’ll want to move up to more powerful bikes as soon as you can, there’s no reason why you can’t have a good time on a smaller capacity machine.
Whether you’re a teenager trying to choose their first vehicle, or the parent of one, or if you’re just looking for something that can get you from A to B without much fuss or much money, Bikesure is here to guide you through the current possibilities that await you.
Lexmoto
Lexmoto have a nice range of mid-price 50cc scooters, from the £1099 Echo which is also available with slightly more horsepower as the Echo+, for an extra £100. Adding an extra hundred to your budget will allow you to get the slimmed down Nano, which is the bike Lexmoto pitches specifically as an urban runabout. Rounding out Lexmoto’s 50cc range is the £1399 Diablo, which is their sports model. The only one specifically advertising itself as suitable for learners is the Echo+, so bear that in mind while choosing.
Kymco
Kymco also have four 50cc scooters, with the least expensive Agility 50 being the designated beginner model. At £1999 it’s still more expensive than the Lexmoto.
The other 50ccs in Kymco’s range include the sport-themed Super 8 R version. All two are just under £2500.
Sinnis
Known as Qingqi in its native China, they supply equipment to manufacturers like Suzuki and Peugeot.
The first up is the Jet 2, which you can tell straight away is not the most highly spec’ed bike, but it’ll get you where you need to go. This applies to the Street, with the Encanto an equally great choice for your first bike.
Sym
The cheapest option in Sym’s line-up is the Mask, which is still one of the more expensive options mentioned so far, at around £1600. It’s a self-described urban runabout, so anyone needing something that’ll be happier with longer trips should probably look at the Jet 4, the main aesthetic difference from the Mask being it has stickers.
Piaggio
Diving into the world of better known brands, Piaggio’s Zip 50 costs just under £2000 new. It may not be the most exciting bike, but the reason to go for an established brand is to take advantage of the many quality details they’re able to bring together with their products. It’s possibly a bit sensible for most teenagers, so if you’re considering something a little sportier, the Typhoon adds in speedier elements to its design.
Yamaha
We are now deep within the pricey scooter zone, with Yamaha’s Aerox 4 getting close to the £3k mark. You do get a really nice looking bike for that money, with a cool front fairing design and the kind of cumulative small details that only a large, well established company can bring to their basic products. This also applies to their more sensible city scooter which has been called Neo’s 4.
Peugeot
Peugeot are better known as a car manufacturer, but they also go big on scooters, with one of the largest if not the largest ranges of 50cc scooters on the market. The general consensus is that the Kisbee is the pick of the bunch, and with the other models more expensive, by nearly £1000, you can see why. Still, being able to get a great range of looks for the main bike is a good idea, especially when it includes more sporty repaints like the 4T R. If you need to spend over £2k on a scooter then the Speedfight range is their racer variant.
On the other hand, if you want to ponder endlessly on why they thought it would make a good name for a scooter you can get the Tweet, which is their sub-2k large wheel citybike. Even their retro offering, the Django, manages to combine the looks of both past and present in a way that many seemingly can’t.
Aprilia
Another name better known for its racing, Aprilia’s 50cc has the kind of ‘super-sport’ styling that’s like catnip for some. Considering its brand name it’s at the cheaper end of the expensive brand scooters, and it’s certainly a decent choice if you can spare the cash.
Bullit
Bullit is one of the cluster of smaller manufacturers that started releasing new bikes that hark after old-school looks. They also have a scooter, and it’s a bit special. Like all these kind of bikes it does lack a few of the modern conveniences but just look at it.
The Heritage has an appealingly primitive look, with its unusual frame shape giving it a silhouette unlike any of the other bikes in this article, and at around £1500, it’s also pretty competitively priced. If you’re looking to stand out then this has got to be in contention.
Neco
Behind both Bullit and Neco are the same company, with Neco being their scooter-centric brand. The usual split between modern and retro designs, with our pick from the retro side being the Borsalino Due, which has attractive silver detailing, a stylish leather seat and rear mounted storage box. The modern versions are slightly less appealing, but the GPX looks like you wouldn’t be massively embarrassed to be seen riding it, which is nice.
No matter which 50cc scooter you choose to buy, Bikesure can offer a wide variety of specialist scooter insurance schemes that are tailored to your exact needs.
Have we missed anything? What are your tips for first scooter? Tell us in the comments.
https://www.bikesure.co.uk/bikesureblog/2019/12/8-of-the-best-50cc-motorbikes.html
https://www.bikesure.co.uk/bikesureblog/2020/04/how-fast-50cc-125cc-scooters.html
