12V Licensed Vespa Kids Ride On Scooter with Removable Training Wheels, Dual 30W Motors and Media Centre, 66 lb, Green

A scooter shape looks wonderful and rides badly for a beginner. A three year old cannot balance a moving two wheeler and work a pedal, so the first attempt usually ends on the grass.

This one comes with removable training wheels at the back. The manufacturer calls the result a stable triangle and says plainly that the wheels are there to reduce the risk of falls. Take them off when the child is ready, not before.

What it looks like

The rounded front shield, the stepped saddle and the mirrors on stalks all come from the licensed Vespa outline. The training wheels sit low at the back and are the only part that gives away that it is a toy.

The stabilisers

Two small wheels either side of the rear tyre. The maker describes the result as a triangle and states the wheels are removable to reduce the risk of falls. Nothing about that removes the need for a helmet and an adult nearby.

Size and limits

40 in long, 18 in wide and 29.5 in tall, with a 6.5 in saddle marking. The maker states 3 to 6 years and a 66 lb maximum load, and puts its ASTM and CPSIA badges on the same panel.

The dashboard

A USB port, a TF card slot, an MP3 and AUX socket, nursery rhymes, stories, music and volume. Below it are the music button, the forward and backward switch, the horn and a one button start.

Two stabilisers at the rear that the maker states reduce the risk of falls and unbolt when a child outgrows them.

Driven by two 6 V 4.5 Ah batteries, with a published speed of 1.2 to 1.9 mph.

Published alongside a stated age range of 3 to 6 years.

A single start button with separate forward and backward controls on the dashboard.

USB port, TF card slot, MP3 and AUX ports, nursery rhymes, stories, music and volume control.

A working round headlight in the front shield and a horn button on the bars.

Ships from a Canadian warehouse. Free shipping on orders over $150. Some remote areas, PO boxes and surcharge regions may be excluded or cost extra.

Return within 14 days of purchase, unused, in original condition and packaging.

Covered directly by the manufacturer under their warranty terms for material and manufacturing defects.

Stabilisers first, then take them off. That progression is the reason to pick a scooter over a car.

The maker names rubber, cement, asphalt and wood floors. Two wheels and a stabiliser do not suit grass or gravel.

The licensed Vespa outline, the mirrors and the saddle make it look like a real scooter rather than a toy bike.

What we stand behind

• The batteries, motors, speed, 66 lb load, age range and dimensions are all the manufacturer's published figures.
• The training wheels are described by the maker as reducing the risk of falls. They do not remove it. A helmet and an adult nearby are still the rule.
• The Vespa design is described by the manufacturer as licensed, and the maker states ASTM and CPSIA compliance. No certificate number is published.
• No run time or charge time is published, so neither is claimed.
• A toy for supervised play on private property. Never on a road, a sidewalk or a bike path.

When should the training wheels come off?

The manufacturer makes them removable but does not set a point. Judge it by whether the child can hold the scooter upright at a stop and steer it in a straight line. There is no rush, and the toy works either way.

What is the weight limit?

66 lb, with a stated age range of 3 to 6 years. Both figures are printed on the maker's own dimension panel.

How fast is it?

1.2 to 1.9 mph from two 30 W motors. Even the top figure is slower than an adult walking, which suits a toy where a child is balancing rather than sitting inside a shell.

Is it a 6 volt or a 12 volt scooter?

It runs two 6 V 4.5 Ah batteries, which is the 12 V system the title refers to. The two figures describe the same thing.

Can it be ridden indoors?

The maker names wood floors among its surfaces. Give it a clear straight run, since a scooter needs more room to turn than a four wheeled toy.

Does it play our own music?

Yes. There is a USB port, a TF card slot and an MP3 or AUX socket, alongside the built-in nursery rhymes, stories and music.