Best 300cc Touring Scooter?

[skipper20]

OK, some of you don't think much of 250cc scooters for touring that is. So I'll set my sights one notch higher at 300cc. Again, with primary emphasis on rider comfort, a generous fuel tank size and now a comfortable cruising speed of 65-70 mph, what, in your opinion, is the best 300cc scooter? Re. rider comfort, I'm 5' 11" with a 32" inseam and dripping wet I weigh 170 lbs. so the scoot needs to fit those numbers. And, please note I'm saying 300cc engine size so as much as you love your BV350 or whatever, please, let's stick to 300 and not wander from that baseline. TIA,

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Italia
'12 220i Blur

[Dooglas]

OI'm saying 300cc engine size so as much as you love your BV350 or whatever, please, let's stick to 300 and not wander from that baseline.

I'll break your rules right off the bat. What do you care whether the displacement of the bike is 250, 300, or 350? I presume you are talking about a range of prices, weight, size, and performance. If a 350 - or a 250 for that matter - tops a 300, what do you care about displacement?
(In any case, a BV 350 is 330cc and a Vespa 300 GTS is 278cc - the lines quickly start to blur)

[CavalierX]

So- I have a wonderful little '09 Black Jack- but next summer I am going to look into getting a Kymco People GTi 300. I am a big guy and just want something that I can do a little more Adventure riding with and from what I have read it sounds ideal. From the Just Gotta Scoot review:

"The Kymco GTi 300 is VERY nearly a "real" 300 with 298.9cc to work with. At 364 pounds, that's 12.5 pounds per horsepower. The 363 pound Piaggio is at 16.5 pounds per horsepower. Some "performance" motorcycles are in the 10 pounds per horsepower range so these scooters are no sluggards in most commuting situations."

That is a great power to weight ratio- you would have to look at some kind of sport bike or MX bike to do better.

With the 16" Wheels you have a great and very stable ride - none of the 10" and 12" wiggles.

It sounds very nice to me.

[skipper20]

OI'm saying 300cc engine size so as much as you love your BV350 or whatever, please, let's stick to 300 and not wander from that baseline.

I'll break your rules right off the bat. What do you care whether the displacement of the bike is 250, 300, or 350? I presume you are talking about a range of prices, weight, size, and performance. If a 350 - or a 250 for that matter - tops a 300, what do you care about displacement?
(In any case, a BV 350 is 330cc and a Vespa 300 GTS is 278cc - the lines quickly start to blur)

OK, point taken. Please tell me what you like about your 330cc Piaggio BV 350. Thanks,

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Italia
'11 220i Blur

[mattgordon]

OI'm saying 300cc engine size so as much as you love your BV350 or whatever, please, let's stick to 300 and not wander from that baseline.

I'll break your rules right off the bat. What do you care whether the displacement of the bike is 250, 300, or 350? I presume you are talking about a range of prices, weight, size, and performance. If a 350 - or a 250 for that matter - tops a 300, what do you care about displacement?
(In any case, a BV 350 is 330cc and a Vespa 300 GTS is 278cc - the lines quickly start to blur)

OK, point taken. Please tell me what you like about your 330cc Piaggio BV 350. Thanks,

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Italia
'11 220i Blur

I also look forward to Dooglas' reply, I respect his opinion and he's always very objective and knowledgeable.

But in the meantime I started my scooting career when I lived in Des Moines directly next to the Quartermaster store at the marina! What a great area to ride. Now, some 30+ years later with both a Vespa GTS-250 (244 cc) AND a BV-350 in the garage I can tell you BOTH are excellent tourers, and neither is incapable of going the distance while delivering an exceptional riding experience.

That said, since you own a Buddy (which I consider one of the best in-town/urban scoots around) AND if your touring scooter will be primarily for touring (vs touring AND in-town) then I would point you towards the BV-350.

Reason is that its not quite as easy to mount/dismount as say the Vespa but it's got much "longer legs" and the larger wheels deliver a less busy ride. Addionally it's extra weight works better (for me anyway) on the open road, than in-town. Otherwise, it's a spectacular scooter and a tremendous value. Same MPG as my GTS-250 BTW. My BV delivers a great ride (large wheels), great performance (11 hp advantage over theVespa), larger fuel tank (1 add'l gallon...craptastic fuel gauge), and the increased service intervals engineered in.

The wet clutch delivers silky smooth performance, and the engine braking on that bike works so well in the tight stuff, you may never use your brakes! LOL

IF you plan on using for both in-town and occasional touring, Id go Vespa 250 or 300 (250 for me please...I think its better built and the fuel mileage takes a bit of a hit on the 300 by most accounts)

However, as generous as the storage on the BV-350 is, a topcase is your only additional storage option. The Vespa can accept a topcase, as well as front rack making its cargo capacity potential slightly better than the BV (although the BV, if ridden solo can carry a seatbag on the pillion position since fueling the BV does not require getting under the seat)

A friend of mine up in Olympia has toured extensively, 2-up on his GTs-250 for a month at a time...so even 2-up touring is quite do-able on the Vespa.

So, ask yourself how you plan on "touring" and using whichever overall, but most importantly try them. All of them in your consideration.

(Heck, even the KYMCO People 300 GTI is a worthy contender IMO, lacks usable underseat storage but comes standard with a basic topcase)

Good luck, keep us posted! New scooters are always fun even if theyre someone else's!

http://gogogordy1.wix.com/scooter-aficionado

[michelle_7728]

However, as generous as the storage on the BV-350 is, a topcase is your only additional storage option.

Don't forget saddlebags...

If things go well and they DO start making/selling the Elio, by this time next year I might have my pretty blue Scarabeo 500ie w/ matching topcase for sale.

Okay, it's not a 250 or 300, but at 5'11" (I'm 5'5"), it wouldn't be any harder for you to handle than a BV 350. It's nice to have that extra power to get out of the way on the freeway when needed.

[Syd]

So- I have a wonderful little '09 Black Jack- but next summer I am going to look into getting a Kymco People GTi 300. I am a big guy and just want something that I can do a little more Adventure riding with and from what I have read it sounds ideal. From the Just Gotta Scoot review:

"The Kymco GTi 300 is VERY nearly a "real" 300 with 298.9cc to work with. At 364 pounds, that's 12.5 pounds per horsepower. The 363 pound Piaggio is at 16.5 pounds per horsepower. Some "performance" motorcycles are in the 10 pounds per horsepower range so these scooters are no sluggards in most commuting situations."

That is a great power to weight ratio- you would have to look at some kind of sport bike or MX bike to do better.

With the 16" Wheels you have a great and very stable ride - none of the 10" and 12" wiggles.

It sounds very nice to me.

The GT300 is very tight from seat to headset. So tight I could barely fit my 34" legs in. I could not ride it. So make sure you sit on it, if not take a test ride. Do the same with a BV350 too, it's cheaper than it GT300 (or it was when the BV350 was released).

[JHScoot]

Honda Forza is a good bet imo. maybe your best bet considering price and Honda quality / reliability. lots of storage and a good, comfortable ride from what i here from a local owner. seeing one up close i was impressed with its features and fit n finish

[skipper20]

Honda Forza is a good bet imo. maybe your best bet considering price and Honda quality / reliability. lots of storage and a good, comfortable ride from what i here from a local owner. seeing one up close i was impressed with its features and fit n finish

Except it weighs in at 422 lbs., sells for $6,000 in round numbers and engine size is 279CC. only 29 CCs more than its predecessor the now-discontinued Honda Reflex 250. I saw a Forza yesterday at my local Honda MC dealer and yes, it looks good and feels nice but the numbers just don't add up. I'm starting to lean towards a Kymco Downtown 300i as it seems like a lot more bang for the buck.

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Italia
'11 220i Blur

[Dooglas]

I’m not on a mission to promote the BV 350, though I do think it has a lot of capability at an attractive price. What I’d say is that you should go through a fairly deliberate sorting process to find a touring scooter that meets your needs and preferences. I’d put the BV 350 on your short list, but I’d also suggest the Vespa GTS, the two Kymco 300s and the Honda Forza. I’d suggest you start by considering the Vespa. As Gordy observes, it is a completely capable touring scooter – and it is the closest to a traditional scooter configuration of the bunch. Also looks great .

If the GTS does not work for you, or you are sure you desire the larger wheels of a “maxiscooter” configuration – then it is time to sort through the other choices. They are very different in how they accommodate riders of various sizes and ergonomics, so that means at least a series of “sit” tests if not short rides. The BV, for example, has a fairly tall seat, but the configuration seems crowded for a bigger rider – i.e. riders under 5’6” and over 6’2” may find it just doesn’t work for them. The two Kymcos are significantly different than each other in rider configuration with the Downtown feeling more like a “maxiscooter”. The Forza is a pure Asian “maxiscooter” in layout, having much in common with the Yamaha Majesty and Suzuki Burgman 400. That can be good news or bad news, depending on whether you like the low seat and feet forward cruiser style of these scooters. The BV, on the other hand, has a straight up riding style that I tend to think of as more European. The Kymco People is also closer to this configuration – and it has a flat floor unlike any of the others.

As far as engine, that is where the BV shines. It has the most power of any bike in its class and is a low maintenance design that has made everyone sit up and take notice. You can be riding along at 30 or 40 mph - when you twist the throttle, you feel the bike kick you in the fanny and it accelerates hard up to 70 or 80 mph. Very impressive. (there is a bunch of information posted by owners on the Modern Vespa website if you want to find out more about the strengths and quirks of the BV)

Dealer networks. Honda certainly has the largest, but many of their dealers seem to know little about scooters and stock few or no scooter parts. Piaggio/Vespa has a fairly large network that knows scooters, but some of their dealers are much better than others. Kymco probably has the most limited dealer network of the three, but they are well represented in most parts of the country. I’d say parts availability for Piaggio and Kymco is about average. (I’ve left the Sym CityCom off this list primarily because I think Sym is a significant step down in dealer support and parts availability)

As for price, the four large wheeled scooters are in the same ballpark. The GTS is actually the most expensive of the bunch (metal body, nice paint, quality finish, etc). One way around this if the GTS is your choice – there is surprisingly little performance different between the GTS 300 and the GTS 250. A low mileage used 250 will save you a bunch of money.

(If you haven’t already discovered the JustGottaScoot website, I strongly suggest you check out their scooter reviews – insightful and quite thorough)
http://www.justgottascoot.com/

[Dooglas]

MSRP -

Kymco People 300 - $5,399

Kymco Downtown - $5,599

Piaggio BV 350 - $5,699

Honda Forza - $5,599

Of course all dealers will add destination fees and possibly set-up charges. Most dealers will also offer discounts or incentives of some kind. The suggested prices are so close that actual out-the-door price will likely change the differences above.

[ericalm]

The BV350 is a sweet scooter, but there's no "one scoot fits all" in any category.

Pretty much all the Taiwanese and Italian options in this range are pretty good scoots.

[skully93]

Having done 800 mile stretches with the Scarabeo 500ie, it is very capable. If you're solo, the 350 would probably work just as well. 2 up you might want the higher weight and slightly bigger engine of the 500.

The Kymco seems like a decent option too. There's always the possibility of finding a cheap used motorcycle which is usually more bang for the buck for touring.

[alloo66]

MSRP -

Kymco People 300 - $5,399

Kymco Downtown - $5,599

Piaggio BV 350 - $5,699

Honda Forza - $5,599

Of course all dealers will add destination fees and possibly set-up charges. Most dealers will also offer discounts or incentives of some kind. The suggested prices are so close that actual out-the-door price will likely change the differences above.

What about service cost? Parts availability?

[az_slynch]

Bill,

My buddy John is considering selling his People 300GT if you're interested. He's done some touring on it and is trading up to a Burgman 400. This is the silver one that ScootOver had.

His primary beefs were the lack of onboard storage, the smaller fuel tank and the relative firmness of the seat. Mechanically, it runs like a Swiss watch and has great power.

[skipper20]

Bill,

My buddy John is considering selling his People 300GT if you're interested. He's done some touring on it and is trading up to a Burgman 400. This is the silver one that ScootOver had.

His primary beefs were the lack of onboard storage, the smaller fuel tank and the relative firmness of the seat. Mechanically, it runs like a Swiss watch and has great power.

I would be interested but I'm back in Seattle now and Tucson is far, far away. Actually, it's your smaller Yager that I'm still lusting about!! Assuming I can't pry it from your fingers, at least tell me where you got that nice mesh, super comfy strap on seat pad. Thanks!

Bill in Seattle
'14 170i Hooligan Matte Green (Seattle scoot)

[Dooglas]

What about service cost? Parts availability?

Dealer networks and parts availability was discussed above. As far as service costs, most scooter shops handle several brands, so costs for a particular brand tend to be similar to others for comparable work. Piaggio/Vespa scooters have fairly long service intervals which may save a bit of money thru time, but doing most of your own routine maintenance is the best way to save money on service. The one big exception in costs of servicing is the BMW C650, but that scooter never really came up in this discussion anyway.

[Syd]

Another option, if you have an SYM dealer, would be the CityCom, which is now 278cc and injected.

[az_slynch]

I would be interested but I'm back in Seattle now and Tucson is far, far away. Actually, it's your smaller Yager that I'm still lusting about!! Assuming I can't pry it from your fingers, at least tell me where you got that nice mesh, super comfy strap on seat pad. Thanks!

Bill in Seattle
'14 170i Hooligan Matte Green (Seattle scoot)

I actually bought a second Yager recently and realized that I'm actually all good with one. I'll refresh this second one and tune in similar to mine. If you're still looking for one when you come down next season, hit me up.

For the seat pad, mine is a Speedmetal mesh pad on top of a gel pad. Gel for comfort, mesh to get some airflow and keep the gel cooler. It looks like they've combined the two now:

https://www.cyclegear.com/parts/speedmetal-gel-seat-pad