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Buying a Second Hand 50cc Scooter - what should I keep in mind?
With 50cc scooters, I've figured they are not required to be registered which fits. I'm fine with a 50cc as I will only use it around the block for short commutes.
Now, the other day I met a guy on Autoscout24 selling a 50cc scooter, we arranged a meetup for an inspection and I've liked what I've seen and we have come to an agreement.
He says he will drive it to my location and collect payment while giving me the keys and ABE. Is this it? What kind of papers should I expect to receive?
The insurance thing is actually the part people get wrong most often with 50cc scooters here. You still need a Kleinstkennzeichen or Versicherungskennzeichen even though you don't register it, and that little sticker costs about 40 to 60 euros per year depending on coverage. You can get it at any ADAC office or online from places like HUK or R+V, and they'll ask for the ABE number and frame serial.
One thing nobody mentioned is the parking situation. In Berlin, you can't just leave a 50cc on the sidewalk anywhere, the Ordnungsamt will tow it if it's blocking pedestrian flow or left near a U-Bahn entrance. Get a good chain lock too, those scooters get stolen constantly around Neukölln and Friedrichshain, especially the popular Piaggio and Peugeot models. A cheap Abus chain from Bauhaus runs about 30 euros and it's worth every cent.
You should also get the original invoice if he has it, and make sure the ABE papers match the serial number on the frame. Without the ABE, you can't get insurance, and driving without insurance on a 50cc here will get you in real trouble fast. Also check the TÜV sticker on the license plate holder, even though you don't need plates, some scooters still need to pass inspection every two years depending on the model year.
honestly the guy driving it to you is kinda nice but also a bit of a red flag. make sure the scooter is actually cold when you check it, if it's warm he might've warmed it up to hide starting issues. these 50cc two-strokes are simple but a cold start tells you everything about the carb and compression
also check the tyres for age, not just tread. there's a date code on the sidewall like "2318" meaning week 23 of 2018. old rubber gets rock hard and on wet berlin cobblestone streets that's sketchy af. i see people sliding on those tram tracks all the time
for papers, the ABE is key but also ask for the last service receipt if he has one. these cheap chinese scooters need their valves adjusted every like 3000km and nobody does it. if the valves are tight you'll get hard starting and no top speed. also check if the COC certificate is there, some insurers want that too even for 50cc
and tbh, test ride it around the block before paying. if he's weird about that, walk away. a scooter that feels fine parked can have a weird wobble at 40kmh that you'll hate every day
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What is the correct spelling for a street name that appears differently on multiple signs in Charlottenburg?
Worth noting that Berlin street names have official umlaut and ß rules that trip people up, so a sign showing "Strasse" versus "Straße" is not actually a spelling error, just an older transcription. Same with "ue" versus "ü" (e.g. "Kantstrasse" vs "Kantstraße"), both are considered valid renderings and you'll see the ß version on the blue Schilder and the ss version on older plaques or in databases that predate Unicode. If the difference you're seeing is between those two forms, there's nothing to fix and both are technically correct.
if the signs u mean are the old enamel ones on the house facades those are often protected as Baudenkmal so nobody's allowed to correct them even if the spelling is outdated. the binding version is whatever is in the Berliner Strassenverzeichnis plus the entry in the Liegenschaftskataster, so if u tell me the street i can point u to the right Bezirksamt Mitte or Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf page. tbh the merged district thing is real but the facade signs are a separate story, theyre basically museum pieces at this point
honestly thats super common in Charlottenburg, the district offices were merged from older Bezirke and nobody ever fixed all the Schilder. if its a real street you can check the official strassenverzeichnis on berlin.de, that list is what the Burgeramt actually goes by. which street is it? some of the Kaiserdamm / Kantstrasse signs are notorious for this.