[Christian]

Hello, My name's Christian, a kid about 6' in height who's just turned 16 who lives on the outskirts of Cochin and I was looking for something I could commute in which doesn't require a license. I could be commuting about 20-30 kms (50kms max) every alternate day, mainly for tuitions, and running some small errands. Comfort, practicality and build quality isn't a matter to me, I just need good range and some good acceleration to reach the electronically limited 25 kmph easily, as that's the maximum all these "licenseless" two wheelers can go, and that is no problem as the average speed here is approximately 20 kmph. I really liked the Atum e bike 1.0, but I saw many negative reviews and now I'm giving second thoughts. I'm not really interested in any of the electric scooters in this range, as they all seem so bulky and sluggish compared to the Atum, which I've seen reach the top speed in a matter of seconds in some YouTube videos. All the negatives mentioned in the reviews didn't really bother me as I didn't really care about any of those, but I still thought of asking y'all as I've seen how knowledgeable everyone over here is. So if you could help me justify the purchase or recommend any any other vehicles, it would be great.

P.S. I don't like using cycles as it is very humid here and cycling for about 10 mins leaves me drenched in my sweat and out of air.

[RohaNN_kWh]

Hey Christian,

I would recommend you get a learning licence for 2 wheeler non-gear vehicles which permit up to 50cc scooters to be driven by Anyone aged 16+.

The next step would be to buy a 2nd hand scooty or a new one if budget permits, activa/dio/maestro any 110cc ones available in the market. Yes, these are not 50cc but hear me out !! Cops are fine with these gearless scooters being driven by Learning Licence holders. (They are very well aware of the non-existent 50cc options)

Getting the 2nd hand scooter checked by a mechanic before purchasing is a must.

Secondly, buying an e-bike from new brands isn't practical as you wouldn't have the time and energy to look after niggles and problems cropping up and finding a dealer for the company, forget unknown brands look at OLA. You'll end up booking an OLA Cab for your 30km commute. (sorry bad joke)

Get an activa, it's safer than a 25km/h speed capped e-bike, also has sorted dynamics and storage for a full-size helmet and some luggage.

Trust me you don't wanna be going 25kmph on our roads (yes it's not safe), your scooter should have the power to manoeuvre out of tricky situations, it's not about the top speed. (personal experience)

Good Luck finding your ride

[Christian]

Originally Posted by RohaNN_kWh

The next step would be to buy a 2nd hand scooty or a new one if budget permits, activa/dio/maestro any 110cc ones available in the market.

Thanks for the advice! Does it have to cap out at 110 cc or is it fine if it goes up till 125 or 150? Just curious to find out

[saikishor]

Originally Posted by Christian

Thanks for the advice! Does it have to cap out at 110 cc or is it fine if it goes up till 125 or 150? Just curious to find out

Any gearless scooter will suffice. I had this license when I was 16. I used to ride an Activa and a Scooty pep plus with that license. Once I turned 18, I had to surrender that license and add other classes of vehicles for a new license.

[ObsessedByFIAT]

You are just starting out on a very long journey of using motor vehicles for commute from point A to B or maybe for leisure riding.
I would not suggest to start it on a note which is not approved by the Transport department. However, according to the the below article published in The Hindu from Dec 2018, youths in the age range of 16 and 18 can ride electric scooters with a speed limit of upto 70kmph.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le25813038.ece

Use these years to make yourself comfortable with various road traffic laws and follow them diligently.
Always remember that there is someone who is waiting for you back home! (Whenever I step out of house, I always keep this thought in mind, which stops me from doing anything stupid while on the road!)

All the best!

[adisan]

Originally Posted by Christian

I don't like using cycles as it is very humid here and cycling for about 10 mins leaves me drenched in my sweat and out of air.

Regardless of the humidity, this does not sound good coming from a 16-year-old. Do pay attention to your fitness.

[W16rocks]

I am in a similar situation man, but I am thinking of getting a RE and learning for a year by using it in society and nearby areas and then after a year when I get my licence, riding it on busier roads as buying a scooter for a year doesn’t make sense to me.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by RohaNN_kWh

Hey Christian,

I would recommend you get a learning licence for 2 wheeler non-gear vehicles which permit up to 50cc scooters to be driven by Anyone aged 16+.

The next step would be to buy a 2nd hand scooty or a new one if budget permits, activa/dio/maestro any 110cc ones available in the market. Yes, these are not 50cc but hear me out !! Cops are fine with these gearless scooters being driven by Learning Licence holders. (They are very well aware of the non-existent 50cc options)

Totally the wrong advice someone would expect to come from an automotive forum. One or two cops might turn a blind eye but the court will not. Both the kid and the parents would be in a soup if something unfortunate happens. The kid is talking about riding 50 Kms and not just around the neighbourhood.

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT

However, according to the the below article published in The Hindu from Dec 2018, youths in the age range of 16 and 18 can ride electric scooters with a speed limit of upto 70kmph.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le25813038.ece

This seems to be the best option.
Buying these 25kmph limited vehicles is fine today but you will outgrow it quickly. It's bad investment.

On the other hand, if you can find a legal alternative that may cost a little more, but will serve you well for 5 to 10 years, that's the option you should look at.

Do explore on the vehicles as mentioned in the article. Also, others can comment if there is a special license for these.

[ike]

Originally Posted by Christian

Hello, My name's Christian, a kid about 6' in height who's just turned 16 who lives on the outskirts of Cochin and I was looking for something I could commute in which doesn't require a license.

It is better to wait till you turn 18 and get the scooter/motorcycle that you want. Use public transport or use cabs to commute till then. Outskirts of Kochi and commuting to the city will mean riding in thick traffic and the speed limited electric scooters may not be a safe mode to commute. Getting a license for sub50 cc scooters and then getting a bigger capacity scooter as some have advised (new or used) is not legal. There being no such scooters on sale at this point in time is irrelevant when you look at it legally. Ride safe! and be on the right side of the law.

[subincb]

You should apply for motorcycle without gear learners license. I believe you can apply online if you have completed 16 years. There was restriction earlier for 50cc, not sure now. I believe its removed. You should try applying in parivahan.gov.in after that decide for scooter. If you get license for MCWOG without any restrictions then you can even ride Aerox.

If there is restrictions stick to the rule book. Insurance, legal issues and many more. Could be trouble for your parents.

[Chandrahas]

Hi, I use a Lectro C8 cycle for my daily commute of ~ 10kms. The cycle can be run in 4 ways i.e, Throttle, Pedalec, Cruise or Manual mode.
So, there is no need to pedal as the throttle mode works akin to any other ICE scooter.
You could get the range topping Lectro F6i which has a claimed range of 60 kms on throttle only mode.

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by adisan

Regardless of the humidity, this does not sound good coming from a 16-year-old. Do pay attention to your fitness.

+1.

At 15/16, I used to bike (bicycle) to the tuition classes on my Rockrider with a heavy hoodie on and a bag weighing a few kilos (more sometimes) for many, many kilometres. And I didn’t stop there. Used to roam about the city as well. Even during peak summer.

Learnt a thing or two about taking sufficient breaks and being well hydrated. Water + Nandini lassi for the win!

@OP, trust me, you do not wanna be flouting rules and finding loopholes in the law / playing with policemen’s sympathy, riding illegal petrol scooters. One bad incident - due to lack of judgement and experience arising from your young age, apart from many other factors, can leave both you and your parents at risk. The best outcome would be the impoundment of the vehicle (that’s in your dad’s name), I don’t need to mention the worst.

Enjoy cycling, it’s something that’s hard to get back into once you stop doing it and hop onto a motorcycle. Cost wise and fitness wise, this is your best bet. Fitness levels will not be at their peak again, once you get sucked into entrance exam preparations or whatever.

Been there, done that. All the best!

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Christian

a kid about 6' in height who's just turned 16 who lives on the outskirts of Cochin...I could be commuting about 20-30 kms (50kms max) every alternate day, mainly for tuitions, and running some small errands.

Your choices are either between cycle, power assisted bicycle or the entry level Hero electric. As a 16-year old I commuted ~ 20 km on a cycle, this was well within the city in a generation where other vehicles weren't really fast. I also did it because I found joy in it.

In 2022, I don't feel comfortable taking a 2-wheeler that can't do 40 in the neighborhood or 60 on a 100ft+ road. Driving/riding slower has far greater risks, which is hard understand unless you see it from the other side.

20 or 30 km commute is ok as long as you don't ride on high speed roads like National Horror 17 or MC Road. 50 km sounds impractical, which lot of adults don't wish to do even with flexible work timings.

Honestly, if you were inspired to ride you wouldn't have asked the question. Heat-humidity are least of your problems, but south-west monsoon is. Plus you get some bonus rains during North East monsoon as well.

Bottomline, goto tuition at someplace nearby rather than inviting 20-50 km commute. As a 11th or 12th grader, you'll find more exciting things to do in life than spending hours on the road on top of academic pressure.

[Christian]

Thank you all for your help, regarding the debate between whether I can ride any petrol scooter or not, I did call the Ernakulam RTO and ask them about it, to which they replied you can ride anything as long as it's gearless if you have your learners, however it'll be better to stick to a low displacement scooter like the scooty pep, as that's what most people do here