I know that many people see scooters as toys. Especially the small 50cc that only go 30-35 miles per hour. They are small and cute and don't have an intimidating presence like big Harley Davidsons. You still need gear.
It's not that the small scooter is dangerous on it's own, it's the people in cars who don't look for two wheeled vehicles. They are the dangerous ones. They are the reason you need to wear a helmet, a jacket (long sleeves) and gloves. So lets talk about those. . .
Helmets
Full face is best, but open face is better than nothing. Those half helmets that cover only the top of your head are NOT better than nothing. Those are nothing. Avoid those.
Your helmet keeps your head from getting bashed in if it should hit the pavement if you go down. It's the most important piece of gear you can own. It should fit VERY snug. It should be a bit difficult to get on and off. If you shake your head with the helmet on, it shouldn't move around on your head. If it does, try a smaller size or a different brand. Helmets are not something you buy over the internet. You really need to try on a few (ten) to know what fits you. I have a 3/4 helmet. It's a full front shield, but doesn't cover my mouth. Mine is a Scorpion EXO200. DOT and SNELL certified. Try on many and buy the best you can afford.
Jacket
Jackets can be REALLY expensive, I know. A good motorcycle jacket can run in the hundreds of dollars, and the more expensive you get the more bells and whistles you get. A good jacket should have elbow, shoulder and middle of the back armor. It's not metal but thick flexible high density foam that will withstand a certain amount of scrapping across the ground at high speed before it shreds. In that time it should protect your body parts from shredding in you scrape across the ground. There are several on line retails that sell last year's model for much less than what is currently hanging in the motorcycle shop. Some are Leather-Up (http://www.leatherup.com/), The Motorcycle Superstore (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/) and Cyclegear (http://www.cyclegear.com/). If you find a jacket you think looks good, do a review search and read them. Those reviews will tell you how the jackets fit. I have a Joe Rocket jacket in a size larger than I normally wear since Joe's run a bit small. You don't want to buy a jacket and find it's too small/large. A little due diligence will keep you from buying something twice. Craigslist is also a good place to start. It's where I got my jacket, for $75. Used one season and she sold it to get a different color. Lots of people sell their toys and then sell their gear for cheap. CL is a great place to start.
Gloves
I like my hands. I'm currently a returning student and I use my hands a lot, as do you. Going down on a bike and losing portions of skin to the pavement will make your hands unusable for a long time. Gloves are pretty important. They keep your hands warm at high speeds, if you go down they will protect your hands from road rash. Leather gloves, maybe with knuckle armor are good. Buy two pair. If they get wet they may take a long time to dry. You should be able to buy gloves on line when you get a jacket.
Even if you just ride a small 50cc, if you have to lay the scoot down to avoid a car that just turned in front of you, you want to be sure you will come out of it with as few scrapes as possible. Accidents happen and being ready for them is the key.
