How to Ride an Electric Scooter: A New Rider’s Guide

Riding an electric scooter is easier than a bicycle for many, and most people can pick it up right away. Stay focused and be safe. This guide will help get you started and cover important tips on riding an electric scooter, and you’ll be riding safely in no time.

Getting the first steps right is crucial to your safety. Follow the steps below of how to ride an electric scooter safely in 8 simple steps.

First things first, you should always wear a helmet when you ride, no matter how short the trip or how fast you are riding. With a scooter, you are closer to the ground with a lower top speed. The safety gear you need for an e-scooter is the same equipment recommended for cyclists. The elbow and knee pads are recommended too, but a helmet is always a MUST. This gear will protect you from most accidents occurring with an electric scooter.

Do a pre-ride check of your scooter before every ride, and make sure your scooter is good to go. make sure you read every section of your e-scooter manual carefully, and follow the TFBBS inspection (Tire, Folding, Brakes, Battery, and Scooter).

• Tires are in good condition and inflated to correct pressure
• Folding mechanisms locked into place
• Brakes work properly
• Battery charge level
• The scooter looks and sounds good (no weird noises, obvious damage, or anything unusual)

Make sure you are familiar with your scooter and its controls. Before riding, it’s important to familiarize yourself with your scooter. Make sure you know where the throttle, brakes, lights, and bell are.

step 1: Find an open area to start your practice
practice in some less stressful areas without having to worry about hills or other obstacles. This will allow you to give yourself enough time to get to know the basics. Here’re some places you can start: Your backyard, Quiet streets, Parking lot, etc. Place the e-scooter on a flat paved surface to begin with.

step 2: Raise the kickstand
hold your handlebar nice and steady, using one of your feet to raise the kickstand beside the scooter. It will lean after this so be sure to hold onto it, please remember, never ride with the kickstand down which may cause a safety hazard.

step 3: Apply the disc brake
Apply the disc brake (rear brake) by pressing the brake lever on the right side of the handlebar, so that your e-scooter does not move at this moment.

step 4: place your non-dominant foot on the deck
For your first time on the scooter, we recommend you adopt a regular stance, which is placing your non-dominant foot (for most people, it’s your left foot) on the deck, your other foot remains on the ground during this step.

step 5: ride it like a standard kickscooter
Release the brake, and try out your scooter as a standard kick scooter. This can give you a good sense of balance and steering. Make sure you don’t go too fast during this step and use your brake to be familiar with the basic function of your scooter.

step 6: Press the throttle steadily and slowly
Start to press your throttle with a slow smooth motion to get your electric scooter moving. You’ll typically have to get the scooter up to 5 km/h for the motor to engage. Once your motor kicks in, place your dominant foot on the deck behind your non-dominant foot. This will allow you to keep your balance and enhance your stability. Accelerate by squeezing down on your throttle control.

step 7: Turn by steering at a lower speed
Turning the handlebars slowly. Like the throttle, the movements should be slow and steady to keep the ride as smooth as possible. When riding your scooter, use your handlebars to help you balance, but your feet and legs should be doing most of the work.

step 8: Use the brakes
Simply pull the brake lever to slow the scooter. Be sure to pull it slowly to avoid a sudden stop. You can also use the electric brake to slow more gradually. Remember to shift your weight back and down when braking hard, please practice more to be comfortable with your brakes.

1. Pushing the throttle too hard.
   This will make the scooter jump forward and could make the rider lose control or fall off the deck.
2. Pulling the brake lever too hard.
   This will make the scooter stop suddenly and could cause the rider to fall or be thrown from the scooter.
3. Turning the handlebars too far.
   When turning it is important to shift your weight to keep the scooter upright. Turning the handlebars too far can make this impossible and cause the scooter to fall. Slow and steady is the safest way to do anything on a scooter. Even if you are traveling at high speeds, a slow and steady throttle or brake movement will keep you from falling.
4. Leaning too close to the handlebar.
   Being too close to the handlebar while riding will move the center of balance forward which could cause the rider to fall.
5. Not wearing safety gear.
   Many e-scooter accidents involve head injuries that could be prevented with a helmet. majority of injuries can be prevented with proper safety gear and caution. Read our guide on e-scooter accessories to see which safety gear you need and see our riding tips guide for more safety practices you should abide by.

Now you know the basics of riding an electric scooter. It isn’t all that difficult, most people can get going comfortably in about ten minutes. Safety gear is essential as you’ll be cruising at notable speeds once you get used to your e-scooter.

Make sure to always lock your electric scooter when leaving it unattended in public as they’re sadly prone to theft. Also, make sure to check up on e-scooter laws in your area before braving the streets. React and be cautious. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not ready for busy traffic yet, practice more, and gain confidence before riding in mixed traffic.