First Scooters

For anyone looking to get their first scooters, you can sure find some great options at Direct Bikes. We’re a proven team of experts when it comes to helping you find that ideal first moped. Whether this is your first ride, or you are helping someone else buy, we’ll make the whole process super simple. However, we know that buying a moped/scooter can often seem more confusing than it has to be.

That’s why we recommend that if you do intend on getting those first mopeds that you read on. We’ll make sure you can complete a simple, easy purchase in a few short steps!

When can I ride my first scooters?

Great question! From the age of sixteen is the short answer. However, as nice as it would be, you can’t just start riding a moped at age sixteen. You need some kind of official training. This comes in the form of your Compulsory Basic Training (CBT).

Your CBT is not only very useful for your education, but it’s more or less essential. Any kind of driving license above your CBT – such as an AM or A1 license – would need you to pass your CBT first and foremost.

With a CBT, you would then need to apply for a provisional driving license. You can do this from the age of 16, and it should arrive relatively quickly. This would then mean that, so long as you get your moped taxed and insured (more on that below), you can start riding.

What does my CBT stop me doing?

Please note that if you only have your provisional and your CBT, you cannot drive your scooter in full. You are limited to certain features. Some of the things that you cannot do if you choose to drive with your CBT and provisional include:

• You are not allowed to ride beyond a top speed of 28 miles per hour.
• You are not permitted to ride your moped with a pillion passenger (yet).
• You cannot drive on the motorway with a 50cc moped (ever) or 125cc moped (yet).
• Also, you cannot take off your L plates: these stay until you get a full license.

If you keep this in mind, it should be very easy indeed to get riding with your new scooter. Since your CBT and provisional allow you to really try out riding, though, it’s a very satisfying experience you can enjoy. if you wish to change any of the above, though, you need a full riding license.

What kind of scooters can I ride at 16?

From age 16, you would be permitted to ride a scooter with a maximum engine size of 50cc. This is the only size of engine that you are allowed to operate at 16, though. While you can go lower, the only other road legal scooters you can buy at 16 are 49cc scooters. Broadly similar to a 50cc in almost every way, though, there is not a huge difference here.

If you wished to step it up and ride something more powerful, like a 125cc scooter, you need to reach age 17. However, your provisional license paired with your CBT would mean that you could start riding a 125cc from our store.

Should you wish to break some of the limitations put on you by holding a CBT only, though, you need to get an advanced license.

What licenses do I need to drive my first scooters without limit?

If you want to drive without having to adhere to the CBT limits, you need to get your AM or A1 license. Your AM license is available from age 16. It allows you to drive your moped without any issue. You would be allowed to drive at your 50cc at top speed, it would allow you to drive with a passenger, and it would let you take off those old L plates. The only thing you cannot do with your AM, really, is exceed a 50cc engine and drive on the motorway.

No matter what license you hold, you are not allowed to drive a 50cc moped on the motorway. Given that these are often your first mopeds, that is often a good thing. The motorway can seem daunting to a new driver, so gaining confidence elsewhere is beneficial.

Do I need to get an MOT on my first scooters?

While you normally would, at Direct Bikes you do not. All of our scooters that we sell, regardless of engine size, are brand new. Brand new scooters mean that it has never been registered before. Due to this, you can enjoy riding for a whole three years before you need to go and submit an MOT.

That’s very important to note, as many people don’t realise that. Once you pass the 3-year mark, though, you need to an annual MOT.

What about tax and insurance on my first scooter?

If this is your first or one of your first scooters, tax and insurance can seem confusing. First things first: you need both tax and insurance to drive on the UK roads. If you choose to get your vehicle insured, you can find useful information on the Direct Bikes site. We have a dedicated page to insurance, that means you can easily hunt down and work out what insurance packages are best looked into for your own needs.

Once you get a good insurance package, you can then go and get moped tax. This can be done online or through your local post office. We recommend that you do it online. So long as you have insurance, your vehicle should be easy to find on the register. You can then simply pay the tax fee, which is £19.

You can pay this in one fee, or you can pay it over the year via Direct Debit. We recommend that you get your moped tax and moped insurance sorted while you wait for your vehicle to arrive. With a moped from Direct Bikes arriving in one to three working days, you won’t be waiting long to get on the roads.

Need a hand with any aspect of buying your first scooter? Then contact us today. We can go through every aspect of the process so that you 100% understand what is involved here. The end result should be a scooter that you can enjoy driving with complete confidence. That’s all for a great price starting at just £999!

Sound like your kind of deal? Then check out Direct Bikes today. We can make sure you get the best introduction to owning a scooter possible.