Scooters that are powered by electric or gas motors are becoming increasingly popular for children and teenagers and are a good choice if your child has outgrown his kick scooter but is not yet ready for a full sized motor vehicle. Some popular models such as a Razor electric scooter or a Go-Ped are readily available and come in a wide variety of models. Motorised scooters have either a gas or electric motor and vary in both initial cost and running costs so which one should you choose for your child? We'll look at both these types of motors to see some of the advantages and disadvantages so that you can choose wisely.
The main difference between them is in performance. Gas powered scooters are generally faster than electric powered models with top speed of around thirty mph. Electric scooters vary depending on the size of the motor but the maximum speed is around twenty mph for one of the more powerful (and expensive) models with cheaper ones being somewhat slower. Speed of course, is related to safety and you need to be sure a child can handle the speed before allowing him to use one. For younger children who may be getting their first powered scooter an electric model with a lower speed is much safer. As he learns to handle it responsibly he can progress to a faster model and then to a gas powered scooter with faster speeds.
Another thing to consider is how easy the scooter is to look after. A child should be expected to take care of his own things properly and a gas powered scooter may be harder for a child to look after on his own. With a gas engine maintenance is needed to check and change the oil regularly and to make sure spark plugs are clean and not corroded. This won't be easy for a young child but an older child or teenager can be expected to do this kind of maintenance. An electric motor however needs very little looking after so will be more suitable for a younger child.
Electric scooters are easier to re-charge, just plug into a power socket at night. A gas scooter will need to be taken to a local gas station to be filled up which may not be so convenient. How long do electric scooters run on one recharge? This can vary considerably depending on the size of the motor with the cheaper scooters only carrying a charge that is enough for forty minutes of continuous use. A bigger motor can be used for up to four hours between recharging. when you are looking to buy a scooter check with the manufacturer for the running time on one charge to make sure it is enough. Although four hours may not seem very long it is plenty for a child to use his scooter around the neighborhood as he won't be using it for four hours continuously.
Running costs also need to be taken into consideration as electric powered scooters are cheaper to run than gas powered models and don't need spare parts such as oil filters and spark plugs to be changed regularly. A cheaper Razor scooter with a shorter running time can be bought for under $100. if you want one that can run for four hours between re-charges expect to pay more, perhaps as much as $350. A gas powered model such as a Go-Ped will start at around $450.
In conclusion then we can say that an electric scooter will be a better buy for a younger child who can progress to a faster, gas scooter when he is older and more experienced at both riding and looking after his scooter.
See a great selection of scooters at Razor Scooters for Sale
