Motorcycle correspondent Harriet Ridley set out to advise her sister on what scooter to buy… and found that too much choice made it a headache. WHEN it comes to chosing a scooter, there’s a myriad makes, models and cylinder capacities to choose from. And I’ve been burdened with this task ever since thieves nicked the 50cc Piaggio Typhoon I gave my sister two years ago. I read an article recently about a motorcyclist who set out to buy her 16-year-old daughter a scooter. Capacity wasn’t the problem. Her age and inexperience meant it had to be a 50cc - with big fat L plates. The problems were which to go for, and whether to buy new. Mother and daughter trawled websites, dealers and the classifieds in search of the right bike. I admired their process of elimination. They decided to go for a two-stroke in the well-founded belief it’d be pokier: a 50cc will always be short on power, so the more horsepower you free up through an uncomplicated engine the better. A fuel gauge was crucial, and they wanted under-seat storage large enough to take a full-faced helmet, along with the vital handbag hook at the front. Oh, and it had to match the daughter’s pink jacket so red was out. Next were budgets. The mother only wanted to spend £500, which would have meant buying used - a sensible thing since first bikes always get trashed, plus 50cc scooters are easily stolen. But they got carried away and ended up spending just short of two grand on a brand new top-of-the-range machine. If you go down this route make sure the dealer sorts you out with freebies, for instance a top box (I got one thrown in when I bought the Typhoon new in 1997) or helmet, and enquire about 0% finance offers. If the bike’s new at least you can make sure it’s run in and maintained properly, in which case it should last years; looked-after scooters are usually bullet-proof. The downside is depreciation. But once the scooter’s paid for it will save you so much time and money over the years that how much you forked out initially will be laughable. Bear in mind insurance costs. Some manufacturers offer free cover when you buy new, but this usually means third party only. Of course the mother ended up spending almost one thousand pounds on third party fire and theft cover for her teenager, the mere 50ccs notwithstanding! Fully comp was out of the question, so when she drops it (inevitable when you’re learning), she’ll either have to ride around with scuffs or fix it herself. But you’re looking to build no claims bonuses at this stage and any claims will render insurance prohibitively expensive. All this was the reasoning behind giving my sister the 50cc Typhoon as a first bike. It was already scuffed on both sides from being crashed by me, but it still whizzed along happily - despite its ripe old age and having almost 40,000 miles on the clock. She dropped it a couple more times, had it almost stolen within one year and properly within two. Her apprenticeship done, it’s time for an upgrade. I convinced her that a 125cc should be the next step in her two-wheeled ownership. This means she can venture on longer trips involving motorways and pass her test. The million-dollar question is how much to spend. The impressive Suzuki Burgman 125 costs £3,000 new, and that’s cheap compared to Yamaha’s £3,499 X-Max 125. Or even Piaggio’s X-Evo 125 costs £3,069. Chassis-wise, these are like maxi-scooters, protective with a high build quality, but with 125cc engines. They’re incredibly versatile, will carry your wardrobe and are ideal for out-of-town trips. Or she could go cheap. Some Chinese 125s cost little more than, or even just under, £1,000, or Yamaha’s Vity 125 is £1,699. These are basic scooters with 125cc engines fitted to small chassis, so are best for big city commutes. But you can spend a lot on this type of scooter too: Piaggio’s Vespa LX125 Celeste Glamour costs a hefty £3,050! But you’re buying into the image. Finally, I advise my sister to trawl the classifieds for a well-looked after 125cc from the higher end of the market, surely the best of both worlds. I'm awaiting the outcome. | 
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