How to Ride a Scooter

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Last Updated: June 8, 2024 Fact Checked

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Riding a scooter is a great form of transportation. Scooters are generally much more efficient than cars and can get you to your destination much faster than walking. There are different kinds of scooters, like a kick scooter, a stand-up electric scooter, and a motor scooter. Each type of scooter is operated differently and has different rules and regulations. Be sure to check your scooter’s manual for instructions for your specific scooter.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Riding a Kick Scooter

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Make sure to put on a bike helmet. Even though you may feel you don't need one, a helmet will keep you safe, especially when learning. It is also advisable to wear knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards to protect you if you fall.
Find a long stretch of a flat road, with as few cracks and ruts as possible. This ensures a smooth ride and is easier to learn. It will require less effort to move yourself forward too.

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3
Use a proper stance. Place your weak leg on the middle of the scooter’s deck. It should be facing straight ahead. Your knee should be bent. Lean forward slightly and grip the handlebars with both hands. Keep your other foot on the ground.
- Keep the front tube (the front part of the scooter that supports the handlebars) straight at all times while riding unless you're doing a trick that requires otherwise. That's the key to balancing on a scooter.
4
Push off the ground with your strong leg. While your planted leg is securely in place on the deck and bent at the knee, use your strong leg to push off of the ground. This will propel you forward. As you kick, straighten your planted leg to generate more momentum, then bend it back for your next kick. To kick, use long, powerful strides as opposed to small, quick ones. Make contact with the ground on the ball of your foot and push back almost like you would while running.
- To glide, keep your kicking foot up, maybe a few inches off the ground, so that you can stabilize yourself in case you start to tip.
Once you have your balance and have picked up speed, move your kicking foot onto the scooter, behind your other foot. Turn your feet at a ninety-degree angle, similar to riding a skateboard. This will help you to travel at speed more aerodynamically.
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Brake smoothly when needed. To stop, hit your brake with your back (kicking) foot. Keep your foot there for a few seconds until you come to a complete stop. Press down on the brake gradually so that you don’t stop too quickly. If you only tap the break, you'll stop for a second and keep going.
- To use handbrakes, simply squeeze on the brakes gradually with your fingers. They will be on your handlebar.
- To control your speed, don’t rely on brakes alone. Be sure you aren’t kicking too quickly. You can also drag your kicking foot lightly on the ground to slow down. Make sure you are wearing solid shoes when doing this.
Take a curve by slowly rotating the handlebar in the direction you wish to turn. If you make a sudden swerve, you may fall.
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Exercise safety precautions. Ride at a safe speed. Be aware of pedestrians, especially in urban areas. Make sure you are always in control of your scooter and able to stop when needed.
- Don’t go at top speed down a hill, you will likely lose control. When going downhill, keep one foot on the brake and press it lightly as you go down. This will keep you from going too fast or losing control.
- Always yield to cars; pull over to the side of the road when you hear a car behind you.
- Make sure to obey stop signs and other traffic laws.
- If you're going to crash into something, just jump off your scooter. To do this, jump and land so that the scooter's deck is between your feet. Then let go of the handlebars. It's a surefire way to not get hurt in a scooter crash.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Riding a Stand-Up Electric Scooter

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A stand-up electric scooter will cost at least $1,000. The Uscooter costs $1,000, EcoReco’s M5 costs $1,250, and Go-Ped’s costs about $1,500. Scooters can be bought on Amazon or on each company's respective website.^{[1]
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2
Charge your scooter. Make sure your scooter is fully charged ahead of time. By plugging it in once a week for a few hours, you should be good to go.^{[2]
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- Using the foot brake also recharges the UScooter. It has a regenerative braking system.
- Be aware of your scooter’s limitations. The UScooter has a 21-mile range.
Falling at this speed can cause serious injuries and even fractures. You could even lose your teeth or break your jaw without a helmet. Protecting your head from these injuries is essential. To prevent high winds, grit and insects from impairing your vision, you need to shield your eyes. It is unsafe to ride an electric scooter with your eyes closed if you have teary eyes.^{[3]
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4
Place both feet on the deck. Your feet should both be planted on the deck and should not need to leave the deck unless you need to get off of the scooter. Place your feet next to each other, facing straight forward in the middle of the deck.^{[4]
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- When going at speed, you can angle your feet to the same side for a more aerodynamic stance.
Press the throttle button with your ride thumb to speed up. Continue to press the throttle to go as fast as you desire.^{[5]
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Press the brakes with your left thumb to gradually slow down. Use the foot brake at the back of your scooter as another way of slowing down. Simply press down on the brake by moving one foot towards the back of the scooter and keeping the other one planted in the front.^{[6]
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Be sure to make gradual turns or you will fall! Slowly rotate your handlebars to the right or left, depending on which direction you wish to turn.^{[7]
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Fold up the scooter when it is not in use. Press your scooter's release button with your foot and fold the scooter in half until it clicks in place. Fold in the handlebars as well. Folding your scooter allows you to easily transport it and store it when you can’t ride it.^{[8]
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- The UScooter has a red release button near its deck.
9
Obey traffic laws. Make sure to stop at stop signs. Always yield to cars and pedestrians. Don’t go at full speed on crowded sidewalks.
- Make sure it is legal to ride the scooter in your area. Laws are still being made about where you can and can’t ride an electric scooter. To find out the laws for your area, check with your local DMV.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Preparing to Ride a Motor Scooter

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1
Take a safety or training course. This will help you to learn the basics and get prepared to go out on the road. It will also train you on how to avoid problems and what to do in special or dangerous situations. You can find one at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation or your local DMV.
- You could even get a discount on insurance by taking a safety course.
2
Get a license. License requirements vary in each state. In general, if your scooter is over 50cc (which most scooters are), you will need a license. It generally entails getting a “motorcycle endorsement” on your regular driver’s license. Go to your local DMV to get this taken care of.^{[10]
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- To get your license, you will need to take a written test. Your DMV can provide a motorcycle manual for you to study and prepare.
- If you don’t have a driver’s license, it can be more difficult to get a motorcycle license. But some states will allow you to get a license strictly for motorcycles. Check with your local DMV.
Many states require you to register your motor scooter, especially if it is above 50cc. This can also be done at your DVM. You will pay a small fee (around $30) and they will give you your paper registration and license plate.^{[11]
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Get insurance. You will likely need basic liability insurance to legally operate your scooter. You can check with your DMV for your state’s laws and requirements regarding insurance. You can get scooter insurance at most major insurance agencies, such as Esurance.
- Get a free scooter insurance quote at esurance.com/insurance/scooter.
Besides licensing, registration, and insurance, depending on the size of your scooter, there are some places where it will be allowed, and other places where it might not be allowed (such as taking a small scooter on a highway). It is important to know the laws in your area. Since laws vary across each state, make sure to find out your local laws at the DMV.^{[12]
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Wear protective gear. Always wear a full-coverage helmet anytime you go on a motor scooter. This is the most important safety precaution you can take. Be sure that it has a visor to protect your eyes. If it doesn’t, use goggles. Your eyes need to be protected when traveling at high speeds.^{[13]
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- Protect yourself by fully covering your body. Wear a thick jacket, such as one made of leather, and thick riding pants, which can be leather or a tough synthetic material.
- Always wear gloves, even if it is hot out. They will protect your hands and allow you to grip the controls easily.
- Wear sturdy boots that cover your ankles, preferably ones made of strong leather. The ankle is a very vulnerable area in case of a fall.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Riding a Motor Scooter

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1
Accelerate gradually. To speed up, simply twist the hand-grip throttle with your right hand. Twist the throttle away from you until you are at your desired speed.^{[14]
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- You will be able to go at different speeds depending on the size of your motor scooter. A smaller scooter (125cc to 150cc) can travel 65mph.^{[15]
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To brake on a motor scooter, press the hand brakes with both hands, similar to how you would on a bicycle. The right hand will usually control the front brake and the left hand will control the rear brake.^{[16]
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3
Lean into your turns. When turning on a motor scooter, you must tilt the handlebar towards the side you wish to turn and actually lean your body in that direction. Your scooter should naturally lean in the direction that you are pressing the handlebar and it is important to get used to this.^{[17]
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- Practice turning slowly at first. As you increase the speed of your turns, you will also need to lean more.
Getting comfortable on a motor scooter can take some time. Go to an empty parking lot and spend time driving your scooter around. Practice accelerating, braking and turning until you are comfortable doing so. Then try out your scooter on a slow street and gradually progress to higher speeds.^{[18]
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5
Use caution on the road. Scooters are lightweight and not the most stable at high speeds. When going fast, use extreme caution. Always yield to cars. Keep in mind that there is nothing protecting you from the road should you fall. Always follow all motor scooter laws. To find out these laws, ask your local DMV.^{[19]
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- Keep in mind that driving laws for motor scooters are more similar to cars than bikes. If you are used to riding a bike, it might be difficult to break these instincts. Motor scooters are driven in the middle of the road and obey all traffic signals and signs just as you would in a car.^{[20]
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Tips

Don't be overconfident. Have control on acceleration and speeding. Also, watch over speed-breakers! They can be dangerous if not observed.

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Be careful. The best protection is prevention. No matter how much experience you have with a scooter, always wear a helmet.

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Warnings

Do not attempt to speed down a steep hill. You will most likely lose control of the scooter.

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Watch the road in front of you for sudden holes or cracks. If you don't see them in time, you can crash.

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Don’t worry about looking cool on a stand-up scooter. No one looks cool on stand-up scooters! Just have fun.

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Let skateboarders have the right of way at skate parks. They don’t always look fondly on scooters.

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Listen for cars and yield to cars and pedestrians.

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