Owning a Scooter

Owning a scooter has a wide range of advantages and more and more people are choosing scooters over cars for both economic and environmental reasons.

Scooters have become a great favourite for commuting to and from work. They are much more economical than a car, costing less to buy, tax, insure, service and – the real big advantage – fill with fuel!

They are also extremely useful for cutting through all the heavy commuter queues – so if you have heavy traffic on your way to work you will almost definitely get to work quicker on a scooter.
When you get to work – or anywhere in town – you will find your scooter easier and cheaper to park than a car.

If environmental issues are high on your list of priorities you can rest assured that your scooter is going to emit far less CO2 than any car that you may choose to drive.

Scooter Insurance

Before you are able to drive your scooter on the road you will need to ensure that it is fully insured.
Insuring your scooter can be extremely good value and you will find choosing a scooter over a car is a much more affordable option if you are under 25 or a newly qualified driver.

At Philip Youles we recommend you visit MCE to insure your scooter. MCE are independent insurance brokers specialising in scooter and motorcycle insurance.

 

 

 

 

Scooter Driving Licences

There are a number of different routes to obtaining a licence to ride a scooter depending on how old you are and what driving licences you already hold.

16 years old
At 16 you are able to ride a moped (a 50cc scooter which is restricted to 30mph).
You will then need to apply for a provisional moped licence and complete a Compulsory Basic Training Course (CBT).
When you have completed your CBT you will receive a DL196 certificate. This will entitle you to drive a moped with L plates.
You will not be able to remove the L plates until you have completed your theory and practical tests.

17 year plus or 21plus with no car license
You can apply for a provisional moped license for up to 50cc or a provisional motorcycle license which will allow you, to ride scooters up to 125cc.
Once you have received your licence you will need to complete a Compulsory Basic Training Course (CBT).
When you have completed your CBT you will receive a DL196 certificate. This will entitle you to drive on the roads with L plates.
You will not be able to remove the L plates until you have completed your theory and practical tests.

21 year plus with a car license

• If you full car license was issued before 1st February 2001 you can ride a 50cc scooter restricted to 30mph without L plates and without any further training.
• A car license also acts as a provisional license for larger cc scooters – but you will need L plates..
• Once you have completed your Compulsory Basic Training Course (CBT) you will be able to ride a scooter of 125 cc with L plates for the life of the CBT.
• If your full car licence was issued after 1st February 2001 you must complete the CBT to validate the full moped entitlement on your driving licence before driving on the road.

Compulsory Basic Training - CBT

Before riding any scooter or motorcycle on the road learners must complete their CBT basic training
The CBT is generally a full day’s course held at an off-road training venue.
The Compulsory Basic Training Course
The course itself is split into 5 separate elements and these cover -

• motorcycling theory
• basic handling skills, to ensure you are safe on the road
• the correct attitude towards motorcycling

When you complete the CBT course you will receive a DL196 certificate. The certificate is only valid for 2 years and must be re-taken if allowed to expire before the full licence has been obtained.

DSA Driving Standards Agency Test

Once you have completed your CBT Training and passed your Theory Test you can move on to obtain a full licence by completing the practical motorcycle test [module 1 and 2] at a DSA test centre. There are a number of DSA test categories available and the DSA test you choose to take will depend on your age and the bike that you intend to ride.
If you are under 21 you will only be permitted to take a Moped [category P] or 125cc test [category A1 or A2]
If you are over 21 you are also entitled to take a Direct Access Test (category A - via DAS)
Preparation for the Test
Before applying to take the practical motorcycle test, you will need to have the following:-

• A valid licence [with provisional entitlement]
• CBT [DL196 certificate]
• Theory test [which includes hazard perception]
• A learner specification bike, which meets the legal requirements.
• Further training.

Whilst training, you can practice unaccompanied if you wish, on a 125cc scooter which does not exceed 14.6 bhp.

Scooter Training in Blackburn	Moto-Technique Motorcycle Training in Manchester	MSM Motorcycle Training in Manchester

In Manchester we recommend two training providers, Moto-Technique, 0161 833 4136,
and
MSM Motorcycle Training, 0161 223 9233 www.msmmotorcycletraining.co.uk

In Blackburn and for all scooter training Philip Youles recommend West Penine Motorcycle Training.