{"id":29434,"date":"2022-07-21T22:48:34","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T22:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.electricscooterinsider.com\/?p=29434"},"modified":"2023-01-23T17:32:21","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T17:32:21","slug":"how-to-ride-an-electric-scooter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.electricscooterinsider.com\/how-to-ride-an-electric-scooter\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Ride an Electric Scooter: From Beginner to Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
Starting on your electric scooter journey is one heck of a rush.<\/p>
With new scooters constantly pushing the boundaries of performance, the thrill of the ride is only getting more intense.<\/p>
But with great power comes great responsibility. Knowing how to ride your scooter is imperative to keeping you and others safe.<\/p>
<\/p>
Following years of experience, our founder, resident expert, and leading authority in the electric scooter industry, Josh Frisby, will teach you everything you need to know about the do\u2019s and don'ts of riding an electric scooter, as well as some advanced techniques<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tSee our step-by-step beginner's guide, as well as advanced techniques and how to avoid common riding mistakes.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn about safety gear, how to familiarize yourself with scooter controls, and what pre-ride checks you should do.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t In this section, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to ride as a beginner, discover advanced techniques to take your riding to the next level, and learn about the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tFollow our step-by-step guide on how to ride an electric scooter.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tDiscover 6 techniques that\u2019ll make you look like an expert.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn about the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Before learning any advanced techniques, you\u2019ll want to practice the basics until they become second nature. Getting the hang of these fundamentals will build your confidence.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Your scooter can either be launched by kicking off with one foot or from a standing position when in zero-start mode. Be careful on the throttle here.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t You\u2019ll want to get your riding stance spot on at this point. I always recommend placing your weakest foot at the front of the deck and your strongest foot at the rear.<\/p> Either use an L (or upside-down T) shape for foot placement or if you plan on riding aggressively, you should rest your rear foot on the kickplate pointing it forward.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t While in motion, you can switch between riding modes, select the number of motors in use (single or dual), and put the scooter into Eco or Turbo mode.<\/p> As a beginner, I recommend starting the scooter in the lowest setting (i.e. the slowest riding mode with just one motor). Once you gain confidence, you can gradually increase the starting power before graduating to a wheel-spinning start.<\/p> You should never change to a lower speed setting or from dual to single motor when riding at high speeds – doing so will send you somersaulting over the handlebars, as well as destroy the motors. Always slow down before reducing your scooter\u2019s power.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t You\u2019re going to need to turn at some point, and your speed will have a bearing on how you do so.<\/p> In circumstances where you are riding very slow (i.e. less than 7 mph), then you should rely on handlebar rotation to turn.<\/p> As your speed increases beyond 10 mph, the best way to turn is to lean towards the direction that you want to go with minimal handlebar rotation.<\/p> To turn while riding at fast speeds, you need to lean into the turn without rotating the handlebars – much like you would on a motorcycle.<\/p> If you want to avoid my mistake of jack-knifing the scooter, you need to resist any urge to over-rotate the handlebars. As a rule of thumb, the faster you go, the less you should rotate the handlebars.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Your brakes are vitally important in ensuring you stay safe during a ride, so mastering their application is key.<\/p> When the time comes to slow down or stop completely, you should always apply the rear brake first, and then the front.<\/p> If you were to use the front brake first, the scooter would pitch forward, making it difficult to apply any other input (like steering) until the chassis regains equilibrium. The optimal technique is to apply the rear brake a fraction before you apply the front brake. Dabbing the rear first makes the back of the scooter squat, so when you apply the front the whole scooter will squat more evenly. As a result. the front won\u2019t pitch forward as quickly and the scooter will feel more settled.<\/p> An important aspect of braking safely is the effective use of your body weight. Shifting your weight down and over the rear wheel helps to maintain balance – especially during emergency stops – and increases braking power. This is because more weight is applied over the rear wheel which equates to more downward force and enhances traction.<\/p> <\/p> <\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t At this point, you\u2019re prime and ready to drop jaws to the floor with some serious riding skills. Here are 6 techniques that\u2019ll make you look like an expert.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Carving is a technique that comes as second nature to all expert riders.<\/p> While rotating the handlebars may seem like the most natural way to turn, it will significantly reduce the speed and smoothness at which you can ride.<\/p> Instead, you need to lean into turns without rotating the handlebars. In other words, use your weight and gravity to point the scooter in the direction that you want to go.<\/p> Once you build up confidence, you can achieve a flow-state-like riding experience as you slalom your way through city streets.<\/p> It\u2019s important to note, though, that not all tires are created equal when it comes to carving. Ideally, you\u2019ll want tires with rounded front-on profiles as opposed to ones that are square. This is because the curvature of rounded tires can maintain traction even at acute angles. This is key to carving.<\/p> Square tires simply aren\u2019t as effective. As you lean into corners, the tires roll onto their edges, meaning grip is lost causing them to slide out from under you.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t With carving mastered, you\u2019ll want to try your hand at a whip and skid of the rear wheel.<\/p> First, you need to understand which foot is your strongest. For me, my right foot is stronger than my left.<\/p> Following this, you need to assume a confident stance. For those of you who are right-footed, you\u2019ll want to place it at the rear of the deck with your left foot at the front.<\/p> Then, when riding at a slow to moderate pace, you\u2019ll want to lean left as though you are about to make a left turn. The reason for leaning left and not right is because you need to maintain a stance that is open and allows you to leverage your body weight while whipping the rear end of the scooter out. If you were to lean to the right your legs would become crossed, making it hard to maintain control.<\/p> After you have leaned left, quickly shift your body weight towards the back of the scooter, apply the rear brake, and push the deck out from under you with your rear foot.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t This technique is a classic and can be executed by bending your knees, applying the front brake, and keeping your body weight in the center of the scooter. Just don\u2019t try doing this at speed.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t No guide on advanced techniques would be complete without reference to wheelies, and again, this is reasonably simple to do with a bit of practice.<\/p> With your strongest foot planted on the kickplate, lean back as you hit the throttle to pull your front wheel up. Here, the key is to keep your weight firmly fixed at the rear to maintain a careful balancing act.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Having earned the status of an expert rider, you\u2019ll want to explore your scooter\u2019s power settings to deliver a riding experience that is primed for your environment.<\/p> The good news is that most performance scooters come with displays that have P-settings. These are pre-programmed settings that allow you to make simple adjustments like altering the top speed, as well as the strength of acceleration.<\/p> Some advanced electric scooters – like the NAMI Burn-e 2<\/strong><\/a> – permit you to control the flow of power to each of its motors independently. As a result, if you like to set off with a wheel spin, you can funnel more power to the rear motor. Alternatively, if live in a hilly area, you could change the configuration of the motors to have more power running to the front motor to help pull you up hills as opposed to pushing you up using the rear motor.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Riders come in all weights and sizes, so adjusting the suspension to suit your profile can elevate your riding experience significantly. The good news is that, on some scooters, you can add preload to the suspension.<\/p> For instance, say you have a scooter that supports 265 lbs of rider weight and you are nearing its weight limit. Here, you can add preload to prevent the springs from bottoming out. The more preload added, the greater the force needed to compress the springs.<\/p> Adding preload can be done by tightening the springs using a C-Spanner.<\/p> <\/p> <\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t No matter how experienced the rider, we are all human. Mistakes happen. We\u2019ll end this guide by spotlighting a few of the most common ones, and how you can avoid them.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t First and foremost, never go for a ride without wearing the correct safety gear<\/strong><\/a>. As already stated, this means a full-face helmet, gloves, motorcycle jacket and trousers, and extra padding on the knees and elbows.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Riding an electric scooter one-handed is an entirely different ball game from riding a bicycle on-handed.<\/p> Because the wheels on electric scooters are small, they are hard to control with just one hand, especially at speed. Ever seen a motorcycle lose control and wobble from side to side? The same happens on a scooter when the front wheel isn\u2019t fully controlled.<\/p> Riding one-handed at speed is a recipe for disaster, so just don\u2019t do it.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Turning the handlebars feels like a natural movement, but if you are riding above 10 mph, avoid rotating them overzealously.<\/p> Over-rotating can cause the front wheel to become locked perpendicular to the chassis and as a result, lead to jackknifing.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t If you pull on the brakes too hard without shifting your body weight over the rear wheel, you will inevitably end up over the handlebars.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t While some scooters come with stomp brakes (aka fender brakes), we do not recommend using them as the main source of braking because they can lock the rear tire and cause it to skid.<\/p> In some circumstances, the tire can get so hot that it melts and becomes misshapen – this is especially the case with solid rubber tires.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Always do your research when purchasing a scooter and stick to the terrain that it's made for.<\/p> Attempting to ride on terrain beyond your scooter\u2019s remit is a recipe for failure. You\u2019ll be surprised how the constant vibrations of off-road tracks can rattle the bolts, screws, and other components of street-grade scooters lose.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t An obvious error people often make is wearing headphones when riding. This is incredibly dangerous – you must always be acutely aware of your surroundings and possible hazards – especially when in a city.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Having a full and detailed understanding of the regulations that determine whether you can legally ride an electric scooter is vital.<\/p> Be sure to familiarize yourself with the following:<\/p> For more info, read our guide to street-legal electric scooters<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Never, ever ride a scooter with your feet side-by-side. While this may appear to be a great way to balance your weight, it is, in fact, the worst.<\/p> Ultimately, riding in this stance reduces control over the chassis. Your strongest foot should always be behind your weaker one.<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Whether you are accelerating, turning, braking, or just cruising, distributing your weight correctly plays a key role in your ability to control the scooter.<\/p> For reference, the best ways to shift your weight are as follows:<\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Forget trying to mount curbs and other obstacles unless you own a scooter with big wheels and considerable ground clearance.<\/p> Electric scooter batteries are often stored in the deck and unless there\u2019s enough ground clearance, the bottom of the deck and battery can take some serious hits and become damaged.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Electric scooters aren't made to be ridden recklessly and in some circumstances, doing stunts can cause them to break.<\/p> For example, the motion of jumping and landing requires you to pull back on the handlebars with extreme force. The result can be a snapped stem.<\/p> Ultimately, you should avoid exerting unnecessary stress on your scooter to keep it in one piece.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t <\/a><\/p> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Before any burning of rubber or turning of heads, it\u2019s imperative to prepare correctly for your ride. So, here\u2019s everything you need to consider when it comes to preparation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn about electric scooter safety gear and what we recommend.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tHow to Ride<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
1. How to Launch the Scooter<\/h4>
2. Choosing a Riding Stance<\/h4>
3. Using the Scooter Controls to Moderate Power<\/h4>
4. How to Turn Safely<\/h4>
Turning at Slow Speeds<\/h5>
Turning at Fast Speeds<\/h5>
Bonus Tip: Be Mindful to Not Over-Rotate Handlebars<\/h5>
5. How to Brake Safely<\/h4>
Using the Correct Braking Technique to Maintain Chassis Control<\/h5>
How to Shift Your Weight to Maintain Balance<\/h5>
Expert Guide (Advanced Techniques)<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
How to Carve (+Best Tire Profile For Handling)<\/h4>
How to Whip and Skid the Rear Wheel<\/h4>
How to Do an Endo<\/h4>
How to Pop a Wheelie<\/h4>
Customize Power Settings For Your Riding Environment<\/h4>
Add Preload to the Suspension to Accommodate Your Weight<\/h4>
Riding Mistakes & How to Avoid Them<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Not Wearing the Appropriate Safety Gear<\/h4>
Riding One-Handed<\/h4>
Over-Rotating the Handlebars<\/h4>
Pulling the Brakes Too Hard Without Shifting Body Weight<\/h4>
Using Your Rear Fender As the Main Brake<\/h4>
Riding on the Wrong Terrain<\/h4>
Wearing Headphones<\/h4>
Not Abiding By the Regulations<\/h4>
Placing Feet Side-by-Side<\/h4>
Incorrectly Distributing Your Weight<\/h4>
Attempting to Mount Curbs and Other Obstacles<\/h4>
Treating Your Scooter Like a Stunt-Bike<\/h4>
How to Prepare For a Ride<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t