“Take a step back in time and whisk yourself to work on a retro scooter with bags of style…”

But before you can do that, you first need to buy one and before you do that, you need to know what’s out there and at what price.  We’ve taken some time out to have a look at some of the best quality 50cc retro scooters and 125cc retro scooters currently on the market.  Now we have to point out here that when we use the phrase retro scooter, we are referring to brand new retro-styled scooters, not actual genuine classic scooters or vintage scooters.  The remit of this buying guide is to pick out the best value scooters and give you an overview of each model whilst making you aware of any pitfalls we’ve found with either the scooter or the company selling the scooter.

Retro Scooters

Your first problem is going to be to decide how much power you need. In scooter terms, this means what engine size you’re looking for or in more layman terms, how fast do you want to be able to go? We’re looking only at 50cc and 125cc options for this review.  A 50cc scooter typically has a top speed of 30mph.  In the UK, you are legally allowed to ride a 50cc scooter by obtaining your CBT certificate and riding with ‘L’ plates.  The same rule applies to 125cc scooters and for more information on the legalities of riding 50cc and 125cc scooters have a look here.   125cc scooters typicaly have a top speed of around 50mph.  For most people, zipping around town is what they’re looking for from a scooter and we’ve found that 125cc scooters offer both performance and speed more than enough to accomplish this task for you.  The price, of course, is in the pudding as it were and a 125cc will normally set you back an extra few hundred pound on initial purchase and a few extra quid a week on petrol.

Cost, Cash and Congestion

If we take a closer look at costs on each engine size and then work out costs over a year, it should help you get a picture in your mind of what would suit you best.  A 50cc retro scooter’s average fuel consumption is approximately 110 miles to the gallon, or 2.8L for every 100km (.61 gallons for every 62 miles).  Now most of the 50cc retro scooters that we’re going to look at in this guide have a maximum fuel capacity of 3.8L.  This means you can fill up the tank for just £3.50 and get about 80 miles out of it!

A 125cc retro scooter, on the other hand, has an average max speed of 50mph.  Of the 125cc retro scooters that we’ll be looking at, the average fuel consumption is approximately 3L per 100km, which works out at approximately .66 galons for 62 miles of travel.  Baring in mind a 125cc fuel tank can take up to 4.8L of fuel, you’d be looking at paying around £6 per full fuel tank with an average miles per gallon of just under 100 miles to the gallon.

So costwise, the cost isn’t that much different in terms of fuel and for the sake of the £1.50 worth of fuel (probably twice a week, so an extra £3 per week), the extra performance will be well worth it.

Congestion Charges for Scooters

On top of the fuel costs you have the consideration for traffic congestion charges.  Now in London, both 50cc and 125cc scooters will avoid the London congestion charge, which could save you even more money over your average car.

Insurance costs for 50cc retro scooters vs 125cc retro scooters

Obviously insurance is more difficult to calculate because insurance prices differ with each individual application based on your personal circumstances.  For the purposes of our guide however, we’ll take an average 18 year old’s situation as our base.  This would include no driving experience and a recently obtained CBT licence.  We’ll also base our prices on the industry’s cheapest retro scooter insurer, MCE Insurance, whom we have found to provide the best quotes across the scooter industry.

– Edit, we had to remove our quote examples because each application is so different and our examples weren’t relevant enough for 80% of our visitors.  Instead, we’ve decided to generalise it and can say with confidence that you will save some money on a 50cc compared to a 125cc scooter and expect this to be 10% of the purchase price of the scooter per year.  MCE Insurance are still our insurer of choice, beating pretty much all other insurers that we tried.

Retro Scooters Compared

Below you will see 4 of the top retro scooter buys currently online.  We’ve included 2 50cc retro scooters and 2 125cc retro scooters for comparison.  We’ve bolded our star buy, which is the Traditional 50cc Retro Scooter based on price/performance – not looks!  Although looks are a consideration, we’ve left that to your own tastes (women seem to luuurrvvveeee the pink retro scooter, you see, and it’s not quite to my taste )

Statistics, wise, there’s not much between them, but given the extra power in the 125cc scooters, we’d recommend considering those as a first choice. 50cc scooters are great for getting through CBT tests or as first bikes, but when it comes to true city scootering, you can’t beat the 125cc retro scooters that are currently available.

Conclusion

In our opinion, there are two great value buys online at the moment; both form the same company actually, and both well worth the small price you’ll need to part with to own them.  We’d go with 125cc scooters purely because the power offered by them is enough to get you about without feeling ‘flat’ and because the slightly higher insurance costs and running costs (amounting to about 10%) are worth the extra kick.  With this in mind, our two top choices would be the 125cc Tommy Scooter for just £799 and the 125cc Retro Scooter for just £749.  Both scooters have the option of next day delivery for certain areas so you could actually order online today and be riding your scooter tomorrow.  A great service in our view.  Don’t forget to get an insurance quote for any bike you like and make sure you give MCE Insurance a try, you’ll not be dissapointed

Other Helpful Resources:

• Find out how you can obtain your CBT
• Learn about the legal requirements to ride a 50cc or 125cc scooter in the UK
• If you don’t want to buy new, have a look at some cheap 2nd hand retro scooters
• Get a retro scooter insurance quote

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Go retro girls! It’s a recession so let’s make the best of cheap, stylish transport and in this case, it comes in the form of this chic pink retro 50cc scooter. How does over 100 miles to the gallon sound to you and a full petrol tank on only £6? Sounds good to me and if this cheeky little scooter wasn’t pink, I might well give it a go myself but I’m preferring the more manly 125cc Tommy Scooter.  Alas! if you aren’t partial to the bright and colourful, trendy pink colour then and are looking for something that will get you from A to B in steady time and for practically no cost, then this retro scooter is for you.

With this scooter (like many other retro scooters featured on this site) having only a 50cc engine, this makes it perfect for learner riders or those who have just passed their CBTs and at only £649 (not including delivery) for the whole thing, it’s an absolute steal in this climate and I guarantee you will not be dissapointed at just how fuel efficient and cost effective this scooter is.

Of course Ive already mentioned the colour so I don’t need to do that again and I’m sure you can see for yourself just how stylish this thing is but if you want a more in-depth view, you can see the scooter in full 360 degree view at our partner’s site (this is also the place to buy one of these if you want one!).

This is a special deal that is only available online and from this shop and with such a fantastic offer, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this particular model go out of stock pretty quickly so if you are interested, make sure you place your order today!

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This is a legendary uniquely coloured light blue 50cc scooter reminiscent of 60s and 70s engineering and retro-chic italian style. The only difference with this retro scooter however is that the only thing old fashioned about this road nipper is its looks! Everything else is brand new, top quality and absolutely great value! This particular model has all the reassurance of a reliable 4-stroke modern engine with modern fittings. Undeniably, it is one of the most eye catching scooters on the road today and at this special limited price, its an absolute steal. With all the frills that come with this scooter for such a great price, it makes the perfect cruising solo vehicle.

So what if you don’t like the colour? Well, don’t fret, this nifty, trendy little retro 50cc scooter comes in a sizzling array of eight colours, from a cool cream to a cheeky red and any of them will guarantee to turn heads on the street. With up to 100 miles to the gallon and a full tank at around £6, you simply can’t go better than this scooter – especially in a recession!

So what next? Simple, choose the retro scooter colours to match your style, make your payment, choose the delivery option and you’re done! It really is that simple. There’s even a next day delivery option for those of you who just can’t wait any longer!

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So what if you don’t like the colour? Well, don’t fret, this nifty, trendy little retro 50cc scooter comes in a sizzling array of eight colours, from a cool cream to a cheeky red and any of them will guarantee to turn heads on the street. With up to 100 miles to the gallon and a full tank at around £6, you simply can’t go better than this scooter – especially in a recession!

So what next? Simple, choose the retro scooter colours to match your style, make your payment, choose the delivery option and you’re done! It really is that simple. There’s even a next day delivery option for those of you who just can’t wait any longer!

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If you want retro fun, fun, fun, just twist and go with this retro-styled 125cc scooter. With its sleek and funky lines and envious looks, the 125cc Retro Scooter is the hallmark of continental, great value and quality chic. Whether day or night, this little puppy is a guaranteed magnet of unadulterated style. In most cases, its easy to be pulled in by looks alone, but this scooter packs its own share of power too.

As one part of our stylish range of 125cc scooters this retro version comes in several colours (see links below) and as you can see from the photos, is a cracker from every viewing angle. So, which colour do you see yourself riding about on? And once you’ve picked your colour choice, you’ll be even more excited to know that this scooter will be delivered to you within just three days. If you’re really desperate you’ll be even more pleased to know that if you wanted your brand new retro 125cc scooter even faster, we can arrange delivery for the next day!

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Wouldn’t you like to be able to fill a petrol tank up with £7 and ride over 100 miles in classic retro style?

Classic italian styling and head-spinning good looks are the order of the day with this 125cc Scooter from Direct Bikes.  The brand new ’09 Tommy Scooter has a restricted top speed of around 60mph and is extremely economical for a scooter of its engine size.  Combine its running costs with its unique, streamlined, aerodynamic good looks and you find yourself wondering why you didn’t buy a scooter like this before the recession?!

The Tommy 125 will mobilise you like never before, making zipping around in tight city streets a breeze.  It’s fast enough to feel like you have power beneath your seat whilst at the same time manouvering exceptionally well and handling smoothly.  Unlike the retro scooters of the 60s, the 4 stroke engine beneath this classic ride will give you a twist and go experience well worth its cost.  Gears are fully automatic and the engine is electrically started.  Overall its a compact retro ride that performs as well in urban jungles as it does out on the country roads.  With the summer hotting up before us, the Tommy Scooter is the perfect excuse to get out into the thick of it and take those country rides youve been thinking of for the last 6 months!

As with all of the scooters available at Direct Bikes, this 125cc tommy is available in a choice of great colours and once you’ve decided on the colour you like best, click through to the payment and delivery page where you can specify next day delivery and any other extras you may want.   It’s as easy as that. Your scooter will arrive the following day!

Read our Tommy 125cc Review here

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This a a true classic, almost legendary styled retro 50cc scooter.  The scooter comes available in a wide choice of eight colours, from a very 70s-esque cool cream to a retro modern chic cheeky red.  When you look at this scooter, it is absolutely undeniable that this trendy retro 50cc scooter is reminiscent of seventies style scooter models with all the added bonuses that come with a modern learner legal scooter; such as a reliable 4-stroke motor for example.  The retro scooter is perfect for cruising around urban streets or even better down to the beach for the summer holidays!

Like we mentioned previously, one of the main advantages of this particular model is that it comes in a sizzling array of eight colours, from cream to red, allowing you to choose the style that matches you.  Even better is the ease in which you can have your own retro scooter delivered to you tomorrow simply by choosing the colour to match your style, followed by a quick nd easy payment page and then a simple delivery options screen.

It’s definitely also worth mentioning that all of the scooters listed on this site come with a full 12 months manufacturer’s warranty and are covered by the distance selling regulations!  Meaning that if you order and don’t like it, as long as everything is unopened and in full working order you can simply return it to us for no hassle!

Don’t waste any more time, it’s red hot summer outside and this retro scooter is your key to wild nostalgic freedom on the beaches.

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This trendy 50cc scooter comes in a sizzling array of eight colours, from a cool cream to a cheeky red. Choose the retro scooter shade to match your style, make your payment, choose the delivery option and you’re done! Direct Bikes will deliver your 50cc scooter within three days. Should you want your new 50cc scooter faster, Direct Bikes can arrange next day delivery

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