Welcome to the site Martin :cool:
Be sure and go to your User CP and update information relating to your location, type of riding, etc. After that grab a spot on the couch and tell us a bit about yourself. How long you have been riding, what kind of riding you prefer, where you are located, etc. We will do our best to hook you up with some fellow dirt bike enthusiasts.
As far as bikes VS quads ... the GNCC uses bike mounted camera men for the quad races because they are faster than the quads. I would go with the scoot and show your buddies the rear knobbie. It will not be long before there will be for sale signs on their quads.
Check out the
What Bike Do I Get... ? forum for tons of great info on bikes. Use search and you will get lost in there for days. :) Start a new thread listing your height, weight, ridign terrain etc. and you will get a bunch of opinions.
Again, welcome to the site, and shout if you have any questions!