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Training and licensing with Ace Scooters!

Very early on we recognised a few things about scooter riders.  Firstly, most have never ridden or owned a scooter before.  Secondly, most aren't sure about what is appropriate for their needs.  Thirdly, few will have a license to ride more than a 50cc (which they can do on their car license).  And finally, most will be extremely wary of the aggressive sales unfortunately typical of the motor industry.  At Ace Scooters we recognised all these things and decided that we need to do things a little bit differently, and focus on what you the customer wants and needs first.  And if we determine that you require some training and getting a license, we'll help you organise getting these in place first, BEFORE helping you decide what scooter best meets you needs.   Pretty obvious really, but as all this takes time, most businesses in our industry aren't interested.  Fortunately we are.

Of course we can't do it alone, and we work very closely in conjunction with who we think are some of the best training companies in the business.  Good training is vital - not only will it get you through the licensing process most efficiently, it helps develop the most important piece of safety apparatus that you own - your brain.  The trainers provide the knowledge, and we provide the equipment - scooters, helmets and even other clothing if required.  There are four different license types which scooters fall into. These licenses are:

1. R-N:  Also known as the moped license.  If you have a car license, you essentially already have this license too, but if you don't, this is the best way to start as it gets you up and riding independently the quickest.  You can get your learners permit for this license from the age of 15 and a half, although you can't actually sit the practical until you are 16.  Once you've passed the test, you can ride unaccompanied on P plates.
   
   
2. R-EA:  Also known as the automatic, restricted size, motorbike license.  Most people who do this test already have a car license, and if this is the case, once you've passed the practical test you can ride without any P plates (unless you also have these for the car).  If this is your first license, then there are some additional hoops to jump through, similar to getting a car license, which will include six months of supervised riding and completing a log book.  Previously restriction was based on an engine size of less than 250cc, now the size restriction is now based on power-to-weight ratio.  Almost every "automatic motorbike (ie a scooter!)" sold in Australia can be ridden on an R-EA license as the list encompasses most machines up to 660cc in engine size! 
   
   
3. R-E: This is the manual restricted motorbike license.  You'll need this license if you want to ride a geared scooter such as the Vespa PX. 
   
   
4. R-A: This is the automatic motorbike license of any size.  You need to have an R-E or R-EA for a year before you can sit the same test again on a larger engined scooter.  Again, once passed there is no need for P plates (unless you've got them on the other vehicles you use).  Currently there is only one automatic motorbike/scooter sold in Australia that requires this license.
   
   
5. R:  This is the full motorbike license. There are currently no scooters on the market which you'd need to have this license to ride.
   

If you aren't clear at all about what you need to do get your license, please contact us before you talk to the licensing department or your local instructor, as many seem to be unaware (or don't want you to know) that you can get automatic bike licenses.  We are more than happy to help!

So how does the Ace Scooters training scheme work?

Well its really very simple.  All you need to do is to place a $500 deposit, and then you can use our scooters free of charge to do your lessons and test.  In between lessons you can borrow our scooters free of charge to practice all the things that you've picked up in the lessons (subject to licensing constraints which are described below).  Once you've passed your test, then simply decide on the scooter that best meets your needs, and pay the difference when you are ready to ride it away. As you've paid the deposit, the only thing that you need to pay for is your learners permit, and the instructor for the lessons. Simple.

Practice makes perfect

So here is how this scheme really helps you.  The best way to minimise the number of lessons that you actually need, and the quickest way to show the examiner that you are ready to get out on the road, you need to practice. We reckon that you will need between 6 and 10 hours of riding experience to be competent enough to pass your test - but that doesn't mean 6 to 10 hours of lessons.   And here's where we really make the difference.  Because once you've signed up, you can borrow our scooters to practise on.  For most car drivers getting a R-E or R-EA license, as you are already licensed to ride a 50cc, so come and borrow one of ours to practice what you learned in the lesson. The controls are identical, they just don't go as fast.  If you aren't licensed to ride a 50cc, or you want to practice on something bigger, there are a couple of conditions - you will need to have an appropriately licensed person accompany you, and you will have to wear a L vest or plate whilst you are riding.  So if you are 15 and lets say your Dad can accompany you, then we're happy to let you borrow a scooter AND we can let Dad borrow one too.

You can come in and borrow whilst we are open, or even take one over the weekend.  Its all part of the deal.  If you want to find out more, or if you have specific requests, then please feel free to fly them past us. You'd be surprised what we can accommodate.

Some examples:
Just to give you an idea how easy it is, lets look at how Greg got his license.  On Thursday he came to see us, put down his $500 deposit and with a bit of elementary instruction (he is an avid cycle rider which certainly helps), he borrowed a 50cc scooter for the weekend.  On the Monday he got his learners permit, and then had his first lesson on a 125cc scooter with Trevor.  With the knowledge from the lesson under his belt, he continued to practice till Wednesday morning when he had his second lesson and did his test.  He passed his test (we have a 90-95% first time pass rate, thanks to some very good instructors whom we recommend), test rode a few of our scooters, and rode off that day on a brand new Piaggio Fly 150.  Now Greg's story is perhaps at the extreme end - he is a professional bus driver, and he does cycle a lot, so his road-skills and general two-wheeled control skills are already good - so he didn't need much instruction, but its certainly possible to pass in 3 or 4 lessons IF you can find the time to practice.

Or how about Mark.  He got his learners permit at 15 years and 10 months.  He's ridden off-road before, so the controls were straightforward. Originally they were thinking of buying the scooter first, but with both Mum and Dad working, the scooter would have been sitting in the garage, and perhaps too big a temptation for a certain young man without a license... Mark hadn't done any roadcraft before, so he needed a few lessons to ensure that his skill levels were appropriate.  He then came in with his Dad a couple of times to do a bit of riding on Saturday mornings, and they also both borrowed scooters for a full weekend to practice and to get some good road-time under his belt.  Nerves got the better of him in the first test (as he forgot to turn off his indicator), but he flew through on his second attempt. As Mark uses the scooter as his main form of transport as he is an apprentice, getting the license was very important.

Every hour spent practising is essentially an hour less of lessons.  And at $70-75 an hour, you can see the financial value of our scheme really adds up. And if you are lucky, we often run specials whereby we'll pay for a lesson or two to get you started.

So how do I sign-up?
Simple.  Either pop into the shop and put down your deposit, and we can give you all the info that you need to get started OR if you can't wait, then book a lesson with one of our recommended trainers (tell them that you are doing it with Ace Scooters), and then phone us so we know to have a scooter ready for your lesson.  We are more than happy for you to use our scooters for your first lesson absolutely obligation free.  Have your lesson, and if you are happy with the process, your instructor, and the scooters that we have available once you've passed your test, then you can put down your deposit at the end.  If you need a learners permit before you can take a lesson, just make sure that you've got that before you turn up!

Key Phone Numbers
You can contact us on 9300 1719.

Reputable instructors:

Trevor of ABC Motorcycle Training on 0415 730 652

Mike of Learn 2 Lean Motorcycle Training on 0419 908 223

Alert Motorcycle and Scooter School on 9272 3311.

All of these guys are available through the week, but Mike and Alert also train on Saturdays too.  Alert also offer special Scootercraft courses, a fun and inexpensive way for car drivers to get some training in a group environment at a reduced cost, as well as advanced training too.   And remember, if you've bought a scooter from us, you can at any time, and at no extra charge or obligation, borrow our scooters to upgrade your license to something bigger if you desire.  In fact, we'd encourage it!

So what are you waiting for!