More and more Brits are discovering the benefits of commuting by scooter. With prices starting at less than £2000 and monthly deals working out less than a bus pass for some, a scooter can be a fun and practical way to get to work each day. Small mopeds can be ridden by 16 year olds, but with restricted top speeds they can have limitations on the open road.
Instead, we’ve looked at some A1 category scooters. These can be ridden by over 17s, after a day’s mandatory training (called Compulsory Basic Training, or CBT) and have enough performance to keep up with traffic on the main roads, as well as being cheap to run and buy. Here are five to consider…
Honda Vision 110
There are many reasons why Honda’s motorcycles and scooters are the global best sellers. Over the years, the Japanese giant has gained an enviable reputation for good reliability, value for money and a strong dealer network that makes it easy to buy and service one wherever you live.
Honda’s entry level model is the Vision 110 – a simple and unintimidating machine that’s perfect for urban commuting.
The spec sheet is basic but it does the job. Like all the scooters listed here, the fully automatic twist and go transmission makes it so easy to ride, and there’s plenty of space under the seat to store a helmet, or to carry some groceries.
The 108cc single cylinder engine makes just under 9bhp, well under the 14.75bhp allowed on an A1 licence but more than enough to keep up with the urban traffic. Top speed is around 55mph, good enough for short runs on dual carriageways, but the city is its natural environment.
The Vision is all about running costs, or lack of them. It costs £2399, with Honda advertising a PCP deal for £49 a month. It also sips fuel. The tiny fuel tank holds just over a gallon of petrol, but with a claimed 147mpg you won’t be making too many visits to the pumps.
Suzuki Address
See everything we just wrote? Well why not just cut and paste, replacing the word ‘Honda’ with ‘Suzuki’ and changing ‘Vision’ for ‘Address’?
Not quite, but Suzuki’s 110 category scoot has pretty much the same MO as the Honda Vision. With a slightly bigger, 113cc, engine it makes a tiny bit more power (9bhp) than its rival. Combined with a little less weight (100kg) the Suzuki feels a bit more sprightly than the Vision. It’s also £100 less expensive too, at £2299, which is nice.
Again, it’s hugely practical and extremely easy to ride. A 60mph top speed means that the Address can tackle the odd dual carriageway, although it’s certainly not its natural environment. Fuel economy is over 130mpg, but it’s got the same size of diddy fuel tank as the Vision. It’s not quite as frugal as the Honda, but Suzuki still claim up to 153 miles between refills.
Like most scooters, there’s enough space to store your helmet during the day, or to carry a bag or two while riding. Suzuki also offer an optional ‘Commuter Pack’ which adds a 30 litre top box for more storage, as well as practical hand guards.
Lexmoto Aura
Lexmoto is a relatively new name in the world of small capacity scooters and motorcycles, but they’ve build a good reputation for offering value and reliability over the past few years.
The Devon based company is not a manufacturer in the traditional sense, rather they import Chinese built models and back them up with a parts and sales support service like you’d expect from an established Japanese manufacturer.
Prices for 125cc scooters start at £1300, with finance deals from just over £25 a month, but we’ve chosen the £2000 Aura as our pick of their models.
The Aura goes up against the best selling Honda PCX125 and Yamaha NMAX, but is over £1000 less. The styling is modern, while the keyless ignition system, USB charging port and LED headlights are the sort of features you’d come to expect from more expensive offerings.
Fuel economy from the fuel injected 125cc motor is not quite up to the standards of the Japanese models but at over 90mpg its still incredibly frugal, while a 55mph top speed is adequate for the open road.
Niu NQi GTS Sport
At just under £3000, the NQi GTS Sport is one of the more expensive scooters in our selection – although it should at least be the cheapest to run – because it is fully electric.
We’ve chosen the Niu (pronounced ‘new’) because we know that there are a lot of potential scooter commuters who like the idea of an electric scooter for their daily commute.
With a top speed of 45mph, the Niu isn’t quite as fast as the petrol scooters listed here, and this might be a drawback if you are planning to ride outside of the city, but the acceleration is immediate and the bike is light, at 109kg.
The Niu has two batteries, which can be removed and charged off the bike, perfect if you live in a flat or want to charge up while at work, but with a 60 mile range, the Niu has more than enough range for most city commuters. For those looking for more range, the more expensive ‘Pro’ model can do 100 miles between recharges, but costs just over £600 extra.
Honda PCX 125
No scooter feature could be complete without Honda’s evergreen PCX125.
The PCX has consistently been Britain’s best selling powered two-wheeler for years now, and for good reason.
At £2999 it’s the most expensive scooter here, but sales figures would suggest that the £600 premium over the Vision 110 is money well spent for most riders.
While these scooters are not about outright performance, that extra engine capacity brings with it a bit more go for riders who spend more time on the open road. The engine makes 11.5bhp, which is good for a 65mph top speed, while fuel consumption remains over 130mpg.
There’s a higher spec than the Vision too. Stop start technology seamlessly cuts the engine at a standstill, reducing emissions and fuel consumption, while the larger fuel tank means that you can get over 200 miles before needing to stop and refuel. Other touches, such as the car style dashboard, USB charging points and LED headlights give the PCX a premium feel that defies its sub-£3k price tag. It’s Britain’s best selling scooter for a reason, you know…
