Scooters 101 – How much to spend?

So your embarking on the hobby known as Electric Scooter Riding are ya! Your curious what to buy, how much to spend, who to ask questions to? I’m here to give you a good intro to all of that information in my segment Scootering 101 starting with this article so that you can make a good choice for yourself and get you headed in the right direction to have a good ol fun time riding!

Warning: Even tho above I say I will get you the info for the questions and may make some suggestions I will NOT tell you which one to absolutely buy as that is personal choice and every scooter can be fun in their own right!

Question 1: How much to spend?
So this question again is personal choice. Basically there are 2 thought processes here.
1) Buy entry level and if you find you enjoy scootering then save up and move up to a more higher priced higher performing device.

2) Spend more with first purchase so that you get more of a “top notch” experience rather then a maybe “underwelming” experiencing if your a thrill enthusiast.

Pros of #1:
Cheaper initial cost. If you don’t like it or decide that you want to try another device or hobby, then you haven’t spent a lot of money.
The entry level devices can help you see what the riding experience is like without being as “intense” as the more expensive devices. Get your the feel of riding it, carrying it in your car, the overall feel of going uphill/downhill or on grass or dirt with scooters.

Cons of #1:
If you decide to sell your entry-level device and move up, then you may lose some money during your sale.
Example: If you buy a $500 scooter then you probably can’t ask for $500 when selling it. Because of this you may end up spending more overall if you buy 1 and later buy a 2nd one, instead of going for that 2nd model first!
If your more of a thrill seeker then you may find fairly early on that you want/need more power then the entry level’s provide.

Thought process #2
Pros: Your getting a higher performing scooter right off the start! Possibly something with dual suspension, wider deck for your feet, better performer for going uphill, better experience if your a heavier rider

Cons: If you find you don’t like scootering then you spent more then you wanted and can’t return is. Will have to sell it used and take a loss. Also better performing scooters are often heavier. Entry level scooters may be 20-30lbs while the more beefier 30+ mph scooters can go from about 50-100+ lbs!
May be harder to fit in your vehicle or carry up stairs.

Conclusion:
I think the best conclusion with cost is to spend what your comfortable spending. If you can go for a higher model then definitely do it and enjoy! Keep in mind that just because you have a higher performing scooter does not mean you have to go full throttle with it right from the start! You can still learn and take it slow. You just may have more of a learning curve because of the quicker acceleration and more power behind it. Luckily, pretty much all scooters have settings that you can dial back to make it more beginner friendly.
Now if you can’t afford a higher priced scooter but want a electric scooter now to try out, then go with the entry level-priced devices! There are some fine scooters out for smaller budgets! As a 240+lb rider myself my first scooter was the Turboant X7 Pro. I do have some posts about that experience. And even with that scooter being only $500 I really enjoyed it and even now after moving on to higher priced scooters, part of me still misses the ease of use on that scooter! It was lightweight, still showed me what riding an electric scooter felt like and I had fun with it!
*For group rides go for a scooter that has a least 25mph. Will explain this more in next article.*