Well… it could have huge effect on the market and people’s opinions of scooters. More demand, means more scooters which of course we all love. We would warmly welcome new models but the change would also signal important social change. Our perception of the bike for example has changed significantly in recent years. These are now seen as a fun and environmentally friendly way to get to work. Could the same happen to mopeds. Just maybe.

While mopeds are extremely fun they are also extremely practical and one innovative council has turned to this form of transport to help young people who live in rural areas to get to work. Youngsters can loan a moped from as little as £45 a month and will allow them to get to college or work related commitments more easily. It’s a scheme that signals real change and it is said that it could help to stimulate economic growth in the area. It is certainly nice to see a council try new things and look at outside of the box solutions.

If this is a success it may spurn other initiatives such as share schemes. It may not take off but it would theoretically be easy enough for an owner to offer a work colleague or friend a lift to work on the back of their scooter. I think this could work well for city dwellers but only time will tell. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

The main problem in the UK appears to be with young drivers. You only have to be 16 to obtain a learner license and buying a moped is relatively cheap. In Europe the age ranges tend to differ and different attitudes towards these vehicles are held. In Europe mopeds are seen as a practical mode of transport amongst youngsters while in the UK they are often seen as status symbols. Young people are often seen hanging out in parks with such vehicles which in turn links them to anti social behaviour. This is often unfairly the case but it is clear from recent stories there is a problem with awareness and education amongst these riders. Schools are simply not doing enough and all to often youngsters are not aware of the dangers.

This however is not to say that there aren’t similar problems in Europe. Holidays resorts in Europe are particularly targeted with drink riding and the ease at which people can hire mopeds. Cars are often damaged and in experienced riders often injure themselves. Despite all the recent negativity riders do a lot of positive things in which the press is not very good at highlighting. For example the up and coming charity ride for Acorns.

What do you thinK? Share your thoughts below.

Who won the 2011 Moto GP Championship?

What You Can Win

- Motorcycle Gift Card / Voucher – £10
- Spark plug maintenance set
- 28 piece under seat tool kit
- Bike It Basic Metal Tax Disc Holders

Competition Rules

- Entries must be in by the 14th of February
- You can only enter once
- UK applicants only

Competition Sponsor – Our competition is being bought to you by Motorcycle Direct, who specialise in bike insurance. Don’t forget to check out their great website and say check out their great insurance deals.

* When entering this competition you are opting in to Moped 50cc’s email newsletter. This authorises us to send the occassional email to you and your data with third parties.

The benefits of the electric scooter are more than apparent but with current supply chains and problems with recharging traditional manufacturers have been slow with the uptake of electric scooters. It is believed a number of new models are on the way from manufacturers such as as Piaggio. But, if like us, you want to get your hands on something now what are the best options?

Well, the team was out in force last month testing various mopeds. The first we tested was one of Zippe’s models. These are again fairly new and not easy to come buy. You can buy these direct however you won’t find many second hand models. As you would expect these look like any other scooter. They require a 6 to 8 hour charge, which at times can be frustrating and feel a little less powerful than your average petrol scooter. They are however quiet and offer a comfortable ride.

We also tested the Viva City 3 from Peugeot. Again, fairly straight forward and simple styling. Not exactly a great looker but it is practical and sturdy. It, like the Zippe offers a smooth and quiet riding experience and has some reasonable acceleration. It’s never going to turn heads but the fact that its developed by an established manufacture will provide peace and mind for many buyers.

There are, as with the car equivalent, still many problems to be ironed out. The perception of recharge times and awareness has not helped matter. There is also a lack of marketing around the advantages of electric engines in general. Dispelling the myths could play a large part in the success of electric scooters. So far manufacturers seem a little reluctant but at Mopeds 50cc we hope to see more electric scooters released this year.

At Mopeds 50cc we see endless concept models but these really have raised the bar. As you would expect many of them are from going into production however a couple of models shown looked close to completion. No official word was given but it was another clear signal that electric is the future of two wheel transport.

The Motor Compo and E-Canopy
A slightly different approach has been taken with these two. The Motor Compo is designed to fit into your car and the aim is for owners to use these for short and congested journeys, suitable for the city. The E-Canopy is more robust but won’t set the world alight with its relatively low speeds.

Yamaha EC-Miu
Wow, what more can we say. Yamaha’s EC-Miu (potentially a new European name coming if released) is designed to glide effortlessly through the streets in a clean and environmentally responsible way. The EC-Miu is incredibly easy to ride and has been given a minimalist design. Perhaps more suited to the Japanese market and it is questionable as to whether it could withstand strong winds.

Suzuki e-Let’s
Out of the concepts displayed this is possibly the one most primed for production. It is not only efficient but also extremely practical with battery performance being optimised for short city trips. The storage space is excellent and its certainly pushing the boundaries in terms of design.

Kymco EV
There is no confirmation on the name as yet and details were fairly sketchy but the Kymco EV looks ready to be put into production. Its your classic Kymco design and may be at the forefront of this new wave of scooters. Again we will have to wait and see on this one.

Excited by what you have seen? Have your say and make a comment below. We love to hear from you guys.

Buy A Used One
Probably the most obvious starting point for any buyer but where should you be looking. Most people will go to the internet and look at sites such as Auto Trader. However Ebay typically has much better listings in terms of range and options. You can pickup one from here for as little as £300. If you are going to do this though make sure you visit the buyer first and read the description carefully. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

If you exhaust this avenue you may also want to try your local newspapers. The classified section often has listings for cheap vespa scooters. You could also try GumTree. Remember, you can always haggle when buying second hand and look at listing prices first. This will give you an idea of what you should be paying. If its too good to be true then pass.

Look A Likes
If a Vespa really is stretching the budget then you may want to look at clones or look a likes. There are many well known manufacturers doing this and they are often a fraction of the price. Sure, it isn’t quite a Vespa but you get almost the same look and feel. You may also get better after sales care from these. You will often find imitation models come from the far east so do your home work first.

Restore A Classic
You could pick up an old and rusting Vespa for relatively cheap and restore it to its former glory. Again these types of things can be found on Ebay and choices are ever expanding. Of course this is not an option for everyone. You will need extensive mechanical knowledge and the time to waste countless weekends. It is a lot of fun though and the end result is extremely rewarding.

Accident Damaged
Similar to the option above this would involve buying an insurance write off. These are scooters that have been involved in accidents and require extensive repair work. These have been written off because the cost of the repairs outweighs the value of the bike. However they don’t take into account several factors when making this decision. It can therefore be a viable option for some.

It’s not hard to see why so many people want to own a Vespa. They are by far some of the coolest scooters on the road and never fail to impress. So why not start your search for a cheap Vespa Scooter. Any tips? Share them with us.

MCN Ride Logger
Track Your Scooters Performance with the MCN Ride Logger. This records everything from your location to your speed and breaking points throughout a journey. It also provides a live view of your current speed and all the data is plotted on graphs and maps. Its a great looking app and the data makes for an interesting read. This is currently available for the iPhone.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/iphone-app/

Skobbler (GPS Software)
We all need a GPS these days, right? Well if like us you love freebies then Skobbler could be for you. Its quick, easy to use and works across all major networks.
http://www.skobbler.us/

Weather Buy
This provides a quick and easy way to check the weather and is surprisingly useful. We find ourselves using it almost daily and it can be invaluable during winter months. You can also tap into road conditions using further search options on your mobile.
http://weather.weatherbug.co.uk/

Whatgas Petrol Prices
Luckily for us scooters are still cheap to run however fuel prices are still rising. This handy little app lets you know what the current price of fuel is along with the nearest petrol stations. You can also get it to compare petrol prices. We would highly recommend this one though it can be clunky at times.
http://www.whatgas.com/mobi/android.html

Finding Parts
Several manufacturers have released apps for their part catalogues. These are mainly companies who focus on performance parts but you can easily spend hours looking for new bits for your scooter. To date we have found the Polini and LeoVince apps to be the best.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/leovince/id453725315?mt=8
https://market.android.com/details?id=it.polini.android&feature=search_result&hl=en

More interestingly is some of the recent figures being reported. Only 1.4% of riders tested for alcohol after a major collision test positively. This is considerably lower than that of car drivers and it is said that riders are half as likely to take risks than that of car riders. These are telling statistics however the organisation is keen to point out that riders should not become complacent. One drink can easily turn into a few and riders are much more vulnerable on the roads.

Young riders are said to be particularly vulnerable during the christmas. A combination of alcohol and a relatively short amount of riding experience can lead to devastating consequences. In other reports research shows that people aged between 20 and 24 are most at risk with around 5% of them testing positive during this period.

MCI Points out the following in its campaign:

• Don’t let your friends or associates drink and ride
• Don’t buy drinks for anyone you know who is riding that night
• Don’t drink late at night if you have an early morning ride planned
• Don’t drink any amount of alcohol if you are riding

While we agree with all of these points there are ways to take this further. All in all we hope everyone rides safely over the christmas period. What do you think of the campaign?

The Vespa Forty is a tribute to its founder, the MP6 prototype that gave rise to one of the icons in the world of Made in Italy. The Vespa Style Centre in Pontedera projects in a possible future where quotations and projections, tradition and innovation blend seamlessly. The heart of the Vespa Forty-six engine is a modern development that reveals the lines of engines in the near future, characterized by reduced consumption and reduction of exhaust emissions and noise.

Well we can’t go any further without talking about the seat design. The company which has famed itself on doing things differently has done it again. The self balancing style seat makes a real statement and insiders have stated while it looks great it also delivers a great ride experience. Details are still few and far between but we will keep you updated.