Originally Posted by prodigit
Scooters are more nimble, thus are ridden more dangerously (often zigzagging in traffic). Says who? I ride mine safely
Scooters offer less protection, thus an accident always results in more trauma for a scootard than a cager. You said always, bad idea, I'm sure a 5 min googling can show that is not always the case
What I wrote here, is only common sense.
The problem is:
1- If she was getting a 50cc, her chances of having a minor accident would get up a lot higher, because of the way they are ridden. No one will force her to ride like an idiot zipping dangerously in traffic
2- If she was getting a 150cc, her chances of an accident would be the highest of all, because a 150cc can be used to zigzag in traffic, but it can also be used at higher speeds. Higher speeds can result in greater injury however more power can also result in the ability to move out of the way I think it's a wash. Once again no matter how fast a bike can go it will only go as fast as the rider wishes.. No one forces you to ride like an idiot based on engine size
3- If she was getting a 250cc+ bike, her chances of minor accidents would decrease, but the ones of major accidents would increase. This due to the way such bike is ridden, as 250+cc bikes generally are ridden like a car, and not to zigzag between traffic. On the other hand, 250cc can still zigzag between traffic, even at highway speeds; and an accident there, is most surely going to be graver. Sorry this is just a mess of opinion not based in fact, a head on collision would likely be fatal... in any vehicle at highway speed. I have known more people who survived crashes at highway speeds (non-head-on type) than those who were killed. All of them wore helmets some of them were zipping through traffic on liter bikes...
A scooter is prone to accidents with cars while being in the car's blind spot. A car has less that possibility. Every thing is prone to accidents in a drivers blind spot DON'T RIDE THERE EVER NO MATTER WHAT SIZE BIKE/CAR OR WHATEVER YOU ARE IN!!
A 150cc scooter is kind of the same as a car in acceleration, and useable speeds not on the interstate (upto 50-60MPH).
A scooter in an accident will be worse for the rider, than a car in an accident, in which chances are greater that the other party will have more extensive damage. Maybe I have been in one motrocycle accident where this was not true. If the rider bails and misses all the hard parts he may just brush himself off and ride home
Regardless, a 50cc scooter is not a bad way to learn to ride in traffic.
Less major accidents, more minor ones (like bumping against car mirrors, sliding in a corner at lower speeds, etc..)... My dad has ridden motorcycles from 50cc to 1800cc for over 40 years and never had any accidents (except when he motocrossed but that's a whole other game) so its possible to never have an accident really all mine I am ashamed to say were related in some way to my former substance abuse (except the desert racing ones but that's a whole other game) I believe I will ride the rest of my life accident free. I gear up like every ride will end with a crash..
Also, let's not forget scooter stability is way lower than a car's. Sometimes
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