Commuter, recreational scooter

bigcanoe · Post by **bigcanoe** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 1:57 pm

Hey guys,

I have decades of motorcycle experience, but I am thinking of getting a scooter. I have been following this forum for a long time! Do you think that these scooters would work for my needs:

Blur
Buddy 170
Stella 4T

I am 5'11", 250lbs. I commute 60 miles (round trip) a day on 55mph or 65mph (depending on route).

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:02 pm

the Blur certainly would so long as folks stick to those sppeds on your commute. If they are all doing 75-80mph then I'm not sure how the Blur would fair. I highly doubt a stock Buddy or Stella would be a good match for those speeds, especially for 30 miles at a go.

bigcanoe · Post by **bigcanoe** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:16 pm

In my car I tend to do 70, and its fine. So I would say thats tops. But I might enjoy the ride more so i would be fine taking the back roads. Sections are 55, but lots are 45/35 too.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:24 pm

On 55mph roads, you should be fine. On 65mph (usually Interstates) I wouldn't take anything lower than 250 on and I wouldn't do that during rush hour. The drivers in your area might be a little less homicidal than they are around here, so that should be taken into consideration.

Of the three you mentioned, I'd recommend the Blur 220i. It's got enough pep if you need to jump on the 65mph road every now and again much more so than the Buddy or Stella... also you can actually buy the Blur at the moment. The Stella 4T and Buddy 170 aren't yet available with the Stella 4T "right around the corner" and the 170 not yet announced for availability. Yeah, go for the Blur.

ksalen · Post by **ksalen** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:43 pm

Concur. Don't overestimate how unhappy these smaller scoots are when asked to maintain highway speeds. You need a power reserve for hills and headwinds, and I don't think the 150s have that.

I am not happy and don't feel at all safe when I am the slowest one on the road, so I avoid situations in which I am that.

I presently commute daily on a Buddy 150, granted in the admittedly high-strung DC area. I would not generally commute on a 150 on a greater than 45MPH road, certainly around here, anyway.

For my present 6-mile, each way commute, I considered a Blur 220i, but the relative lack of storage compared with the Buddy put me off, as did the increased width.

I previously commuted in a 55-MPH zone for a couple years 30 miles each way on a Honda Silver Wing, which made such a commute a breeze.

If you drive 70 in your car, you don't want a scooter that can't do 75. For your commute, I would be thinking Vespa GTS (250-300), Suzuki Burgman or Honda Silver Wing.

Good luck.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:07 pm

Different routes for different vehicles. Depending on whether I'm driving the car, riding the scooter, pedaling, the bike, or walking, I take different routes to get where I'm going. So it isn't a question of whether my scooter will work on the interstate (not a bleedin' chance), but whether there's a route that will be nice for my scooter. There usually is.

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:09 pm

Try a SYM HD-200. 171cc, 16" wheels and loads of fun.

bigcanoe · Post by **bigcanoe** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:14 pm

Ya, I will still have a car, so I can take the scooter on nice days and take the scenic route too

Cost is an issue, the Maxis are nice but pricey.

Wheelz · Post by **Wheelz** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:22 pm

I'd say of the choices you posted the Blur is the way to go, it's got the extra power may need. Not to mention that is the only one that is currently available....

UnionZac · Post by **UnionZac** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 4:33 pm

With your height you may find the Blur slightly more comfortable than the Buddy, and it may work out better for comfortably cruising at the speeds you commute takes you through. I've certainly hit the "Buddy Ton" of 70mph, but it doesn't want to hangout there, the Blur 220i certainly can. I've seen some fast Stellas but I don't think any that are really fast than my Buddy. However if I was just buying a scooter for recreational use, with no serious commutes in mind you really can't beat the sound of a 2 stroke scooter.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 5:09 pm

Both the buddy and the blur can do that, thats a little fast for the stella.

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 5:16 pm

bigcanoe wrote:Hey guys,

I have decades of motorcycle experience, but I am thinking of getting a scooter. I have been following this forum for a long time! Do you think that these scooters would work for my needs:

Blur
Buddy 170
Stella 4T

I am 5'11", 250lbs. I commute 60 miles (round trip) a day on 55mph or 65mph (depending on route).

Is there something special about just those 3 scooters? As others have mentioned, a slightly larger scoot might be more appropriate. Don't get me wrong, I love my Buddy and my Stella, but if I'm going to ride that far at those speeds, I would take my SYM RV250.

Right tool for the right job.

Howard

bigcanoe · Post by **bigcanoe** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:19 pm

I am just a fan of Genuine

easy · Post by **easy** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:16 am

I think my Black Jack can do that with a windsheild and Dr pulley variator/sliders

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:07 am

that is a longish, faster commute for a small 150 / 170cc scoot. i'd go with the Blur if you must have Genuine. if not I'd go with a Kymco People S250, Xciting 250 (both can most likely be had at Blur prices, or near or even under it on leftover stock) or at the very, very least a SYM HD200. not a fan of larger wheels? SYM RV250

but as said, the Blur imo would give you the best of both worlds, if a bit lacking in comfort. small(er) tossable scoot but capable of maintaining a good 70mphish speed in varied conditions

heck, you've been riding a long time, though. you would know better then us what you can and cannot put up with on a daily basis

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:12 am

I am also on the side small scooters have a purpose and its not long fast commutes - except for economical reasons (unable to afford a larger bike) I would never consider a small bike for such a long fast commute. To me it is no fun having to wind out a small bike for such a long time and it couldn’t be good for the machine either not to mention comfort; 500cc or greater if that is going to be your routine.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:49 am

The Stella 4T tops out at 60mph indicated on flats; 65 really pushing it downhill. Doesn't sound well suited to your commute.

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:10 am

bigcanoe wrote:Ya, I will still have a car, so I can take the scooter on nice days and take the scenic route too

Cost is an issue, the Maxis are nice but pricey.

Maxis don't have to be pricey. I did a part trade a few months back and got an '07 Yamaha Majesty 400 for $1,800. Asking price (used) was $3,800. It only had around 1,500 miles on it.

I'm not saying to not get a Buddy (or equivalent), but if you are bringing up Maxi's, and your commute is 30 miles each way, that's a loooonnng commute to be taking side roads both ways.

I've ridden my Buddy 125 on the freeway many a time, but my commute is only 10 miles each way, and I don't always do it...for instance not if it's windy or rainy. The tires are too tiny for it to be comfortable for me then. I'm sure there will be folks that disagree, and I know there's quite a few that do take the freeway regularly, but those are my thoughts and comfort zone.

BuddyLicious · Post by **BuddyLicious** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:17 pm

If your heart is with Genuine scooters(Thats our Man) really your only choice given your needs is the Blur.If you are simply after a quality machine that can do the job then your choices are many.Off the top of my head there is:

Genuine Blur 220i

Kymco- Downtown 300i,People S250,Xciting 250 or 500

Suzuki- Burgman 400,Burgman 650

Honda- Silverwing 600

Vespa- 300

Of course the best thing to do is spend a day or two going to Dealers and checking out all the scoots in person.Have fun and good luck.

cheez37 · Post by **cheez37** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:18 pm

BuddyLicious wrote:If your heart is with Genuine scooters(Thats our Man) really your only choice given your needs is the Blur.If you are simply after a quality machine that can do the job then your choices are many.Off the top of my head there is:

Genuine Blur 220i

Kymco- Downtown 300i,People S250,Xciting 250 or 500

Suzuki- Burgman 400,Burgman 650

Honda- Silverwing 600

Vespa- 300

Of course the best thing to do is spend a day or two going to Dealers and checking out all the scoots in person.Have fun and good luck.

Also look into the Aprilia Scarabeo 500 or the SYM Citycom 300 or RV 250

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:54 pm

michelle_7728 wrote:
bigcanoe wrote:Ya, I will still have a car, so I can take the scooter on nice days and take the scenic route too

Cost is an issue, the Maxis are nice but pricey.
Maxis don't have to be pricey. I did a part trade a few months back and got an '07 Yamaha Majesty 400 for $1,800. Asking price (used) was $3,800. It only had around 1,500 miles on it.

I'm not saying to not get a Buddy (or equivalent), but if you are bringing up Maxi's, and your commute is 30 miles each way, that's a loooonnng commute to be taking side roads both ways.

I've ridden my Buddy 125 on the freeway many a time, but my commute is only 10 miles each way, and I don't always do it...for instance not if it's windy or rainy. The tires are too tiny for it to be comfortable for me then. I'm sure there will be folks that disagree, and I know there's quite a few that do take the freeway regularly, but those are my thoughts and comfort zone.

I think its all what you're comfortable with. I've got a commute of 25 miles each way, I have no issues with doing it on the Buddy, or lately on my vintages. Its something that not everyone is comfortable with, but its absolutely possible to do.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:21 pm

cheez37 wrote:
BuddyLicious wrote:If your heart is with Genuine scooters(Thats our Man) really your only choice given your needs is the Blur.If you are simply after a quality machine that can do the job then your choices are many.Off the top of my head there is:

Genuine Blur 220i

Kymco- Downtown 300i,People S250,Xciting 250 or 500

Suzuki- Burgman 400,Burgman 650

Honda- Silverwing 600

Vespa- 300

Of course the best thing to do is spend a day or two going to Dealers and checking out all the scoots in person.Have fun and good luck.
Also look into the Aprilia Scarabeo 500 or the SYM Citycom 300 or RV 250

All good suggestions. Dealers are offering deep discounts on the Aprilia models these days. The Scarabeo 500 is about the only maxi I like in terms of aesthetics. It's a subjective thing, though.

Post by **jrsjr** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:35 pm

Since somebody else broached the topic of the Silverwing, I will say that my used Silverwing cost a little less than a new Buddy and will do your commuting job in quiet comfort. I <3 small scooters, but they're not the right tool for the job you want done. P.S. The Silverwing gets 52 mpg, which is not quite as good as the Buddy but, if you actually work the numbers out, it's not really much differerence. P.P.S. A stock Silverwing will run 93mph flat out, so it's unlikely to run out of steam unless you're commuting on the Autobahn.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 5:36 pm

I might as well chime in again as well. I've had to move to maxi scoots because of my commute along a homicidal highway. I don't feel safe unless the bike has guts left to get extra speed quickly from the cruising range, which around here is 10 over the 65-70mph speed limit. You've got to do that just to keep up with traffic. With rain grooves, expansion joints and other surprises, large wheels can soak up a lot of jarring that smaller wheels can't.

You'll hear a lot of talk about smaller wheels being more nimble feeling, the truth is, a lot of that is in the rake of the forks. Small scoots tend to be a lot more vertical where as standard motorcycles are less so. Choppers make for great casual cruising because the long rake smooths out the ride at the great expense of "flickability". Maxi scooters are somewhere between a small scoot and a standard motorcycle. Maxies have larger wheels and steep rakes which in a lot of regards offer the best compromise for commuting; the large wheels add stability and the steep fork rake keep them nimble. Fuel economy is still above the 50mpg mark which still saves you tons of money. They also often have much more storage space than standard sized scooters. But the best part is that you can find them cheap if you look in the right places. You can get a lot of bike for your money if you look for used or old models.

I've got a Scarabeo 500ie (the newer, lighter version) and an MP3 500 and I'll take them almost anywhere. That's a good feeling. They still get right around 60mpg which isn't any more or less noticeable than when I had a Buddy or Blur. The Scarabeo is actually for sale right now and it's still got almost a full year of warranty left on it and we've got it priced at around the same point as you'd pay for a new Blur and much less than a new Vespa 250+, but it includes several windshields as well as the Aprilia top case and a few other upgrades. That's not at all a rarity. You can get a used scoot if you shop around for a very attractive price and the best part is that they often include accessories and upgrades that would cost you hundreds more if you bought them for a brand new scooter.

Kymcos have a sterling reputation but are plagued by their looks

and that's coming from someone who has a model affectionately nicknamed "Fougly" because of it's European name, the Gilera Fouco. I've never heard anything bad about them functionally or mechanically.

I'd recommend a SYM in a heartbeat except for their US distributor having gone MIA. I'd still buy one used, but I'm a prolific DIYer. Parts would come from Canada or further away so down time might be extended due to shipping time. If I found a good enough price, I'd make that gamble if I were in the market.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the Blur. If they'd offered the 220i when I needed to upgrade, I would have gone for it. They're really sweet rides. Don't let anyone tell you that they don't have a lot of storage options either. The rear rack that's available for it is stupid strong and well designed. I also had (still have if memory serves) a tank bag for it.

BuddyLicious · Post by **BuddyLicious** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 6:41 pm

I agree with member Lost My Cage post above except the statement about Kymco being ugly,at least not all of em by no means.Among the larger scoots the Downtown,X-Citing,S250 and the Like 200i are all good looking scooters.The Grandvista 250 is weird looking to me but even so the look of any scooter is a personnel opinion only.

I was going to say something about Sym distributor and dealer network but post above took care of that,Thanks Lost My Cage.

Smiley13 · Post by **Smiley13** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:08 pm

I was just talking with the tech at scooter works yesterday about this very question. I want to be able to ride to phoenix from tucson using the back route there. I had mentioned I was thinking of riding my rattler that distance. He said it would make it. But would be causing alot of stress to that little motor. He suggested a blur 220i if I was planning to ride distances. He explaind that even the 150 blur would be fine too. They are work horses and have a comfortable ride for distance. I am a Genuine,Vespa,Honda,Yamaha and suzuki fan. Not sure about the other brands of scooters dont really care for them. But if your picking a genuine product the Blur would be your best bet for a commuter bike. Work Horse 4t. Good Luck
Smiley

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:09 pm

ericalm wrote:
cheez37 wrote:
BuddyLicious wrote:If your heart is with Genuine scooters(Thats our Man) really your only choice given your needs is the Blur.If you are simply after a quality machine that can do the job then your choices are many.Off the top of my head there is:

Genuine Blur 220i

Kymco- Downtown 300i,People S250,Xciting 250 or 500

Suzuki- Burgman 400,Burgman 650

Honda- Silverwing 600

Vespa- 300

Of course the best thing to do is spend a day or two going to Dealers and checking out all the scoots in person.Have fun and good luck.
Also look into the Aprilia Scarabeo 500 or the SYM Citycom 300 or RV 250
All good suggestions. Dealers are offering deep discounts on the Aprilia models these days. The Scarabeo 500 is about the only maxi I like in terms of aesthetics. It's a subjective thing, though.

Just me; Aesthetically, I like the Vespa 300 of that list; I just don’t consider the 300 to be a Maxi, more like a middi.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:30 pm

rajron wrote:Just me; Aesthetically, I like the Vespa 300 of that list; I just don’t consider the 300 to be a Maxi, more like a middi.

Agreed! Although the only reason the GTS 300 isn't a maxi is that 300cc Vespa owners don't want to admit they're riding maxiscooters.

(Just teasing, though we need to draw the line somewhere!)

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:28 pm

I've ridden my Buddy 125 across country (Tulsa to Indiana and San Antonio) at high (for the Buddy) speeds. It handles fine but you'll find "cruising" tops out between 60-65mph in general. I don't know about the 170cc yet--none of us do--but I expect it will do better in that regard. I hope to find out while scooting to New Orleans for (shameless plug alert!) AMERIVESPA 2011!

Overall, I find the 125 to be comfortable and it has enough speed to handle that commute. However, not everyone may want to make that commute with that small a scooter.

BootScootin'FireFighter · Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:48 am

another important thing to ask, what type of work do you do and what environment will you ride in? 30 miles each way of suburban riding can wear on someone every day, especially if they work a stressful and or physically demanding job. The last thing you would want is to be worn out and have to ride through busy suburban roads packed full of soccer moms, shopping malls, and endless traffic lights. When I first bought my Buddy, I was riding in 17 miles from Fairfax in busy suburban traffic, at the butcrack of dawn (still dark most of the way). While it was a blast to ride, It was a bit tiring when I arrived, and if I had a busy night, riding home wasn't the most eye-opening experience unless I had a big caffeine boost. I still had almost 2 months on my lease until I moved into the city, but that started to wear on me. If you're on more open roads with less development and cross traffic it might not be so bad. My vote would be for at least a 250... I do like the Vespa 300 though!

Modern Buddy

Commuter, recreational scooter

Commuter, recreational scooter

Re: Commuter, recreational scooter

The proper scooter