Best performing scooter?

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JohninMadisonWI
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Best performing scooter?

Post by JohninMadisonWI »

Is there a general agreement on the best performing, best handling, fastest accelerating scooter out there is the 150-200cc range?

I have a Vespa/Aprilia/Piaggio dealer, and a Gunuine/Kymco dealer, and a Honda/Yamaha dealer.

If I decide to upgrade from my 50cc, I want something that is the analog of a sports car/sport bike - or as close as I can get.
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Post by beastmaster »

vespa 300 gts if money doesnt matter , blur 220 if you want something sporty
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Post by Tocsik »

This is a forum that mostly centers on the Genuine Buddy.

You may get a lot of bias here.

But, that doesn't mean it isn't well-founded.
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Post by gr8dog »

Lots to choose from. Get out and test ride (bad time of the year in Madison though). I initially bought the Buddy 125 because of the quick acceleration and nimble handling. Through two years of riding I discovered I wanted something that runs comfortably on the highway (a lot of my riding) and offers greater stability at speed and a smoother ride. Although Buddy can maintain a steady 55mph on level roads, uphill grades and headwinds often held me at speeds of 50mph wide open. This made me feel vulnerable on the highway as cars and trucks rushed up behind me.

I test rode lots of scooters and motorcycles. In the end, the best combination of all factors for me led me to buy the Tmax. I installed a JCosta racing variator to increase acceleration (at the expense of top end). My gas mileage only dropped by 1 mile per gallon. I now have quick acceleration, under 6 seconds to 60. 100mph top end, I never really tested it, got there one time. Handling will keep up with any sport bike but the ride position is more upright. It took a few long rides to get used to the extra weight and longer wheel base. Now I have two great bikes. One for in town and one for long highway rides.


{Edit}
Ooops, I didn't notice the 150 to 200 cc range limit. Sorry. That Vespa is a beautiful machine. Somebody I work with has two 250GT Vespas. One for Him and one for Her. They LOVE them! Very comfortable, quick and can keep up on the highway too. Just the thing for all those twisty southern Wisconsin roads. :wink:
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Post by JohnnyScoots »

I would say a Buddy or a Stella 4T. This comes from a guy who has neither and is just taking cost/ repair/ popularity and reliability into the mix. Not to mention, they are performers as well. Genuine can't do much wrong in my book. I personally like Genuine Scooter Co. better than Vespa. (don't hate me).
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Post by JHScoot »

a specific consensus most likely not. but a loose general one form those brands is possible. but still subjective

on the Genuine side the Blur 220 would be of interest to you. also the Buddy 170, which if anything like the 150 packs quite a pop when ridden well. in my own experience the Buddy 150 accelerates very well and gets out in front of traffic easily at lights. i would think the 170 is just as well

those are what i would call "fun" scooters. Honda? well, the PCX is very nice and a different kind of scooter for around the same price as the Buddy 170. but dealer fees might make it less attractively priced unless a deal can be struck. hey, it's winter. i bet dealers will deal when they need or want to.

Vespa is very bice but its gonna be over $5000 once all is said and done for a 150 that may not give you what you are looking for or well over $6,000 for something that would. if you don't mind the cost at load in and the upkeep, you can't go wrong with one of their 300's

Yamaha? Zuma 125 is nice and its aftermarket friendly, but the Vino 125 is downright pokey. i would pass

Kymco? the Super 8 150 would give you what you want at a budget price if you can live with the styling and bigger then average wheels. and the Like 200i series is worth a look as they have some get up and go behind them in a traditionally style scoot. and the Yager 200 might be worth a look, but its so darn unusual looking

in the upper cc's? well, pick your poison. lots of good scoots out there 250cc and above that would give you what you want at a higher price and with bigger wheels. just gotta try 'em out a bit if you decided to go that route

but so many variables apply. for some speed / performance is relative, for others its absolute. what kind of riding is done, under what conditions, and on what kinds of roads? weight of rider, altitude, weather conditions, type of riding style and so on

but sure you should be able to get quality and what you want for anywhere between $2500 and $4000, give or take. so, just wanted to chime in...
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Post by neotrotsky »

Also, "best performing" has quite a few definitions. I'm a sucker for 2-stroke since the torque is not something you can get on a Buddy or a PCX, and there's no better edge than being able to row your own gears!
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Post by BuddyRaton »

JohninMadisonWI wrote:I want something that is the analog of a sports car/sport bike - or as close as I can get.

Italiajet Dragster...YMMV

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Post by Syd »

^^ Ha!

I know you don't have a dealer, but I'll submit my fav, the SYM HD200.
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Post by neotrotsky »

BuddyRaton wrote:
JohninMadisonWI wrote:I want something that is the analog of a sports car/sport bike - or as close as I can get.

Italiajet Dragster...YMMV

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HAH! Good luck finding one of those. If you do, I'll take a 180cc. I think I have a spare kidney I could throw down...
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Post by waspmike »

Have a look at Kymco Yager 200. Acceleration not as good as some but top speed is good if you do Hwy riding.



Much depends on your idea of what looks good.

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Post by Edwub »

I went from a 50cc to the Blur 220. Love, love, love my Blur. You said "sporty" and this is Genuine's sporty.

My friend has a Buddy 125, and my bro-in-law is on a Piaggio Fly 150. That's the extent of my hands-on riding experiences.

I'm assuming if you've been on a 50cc, you're not exactly looking for a highway cruiser, but just something that's stronger, faster, and more fun on more or less the same roads.

I did the 50cc -> Blur transition. Love it so much more for the same roads, and looooove it on all the new roads I can go on.
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Post by laxer »

The Blur, the 150 may have left a little to be desired, but is probably still much sportier than almost anything else out there. The 220? hold on to your britches!
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Post by Raiderfn311 »

Never ridden a Blur220i but Ive read it has superb handling and brakes on-par with sport MCs, plus a 75-80 mph top speed.
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Post by ericalm »

That's a lot to cover and much of it is very subjective.

Here are my tentative picks for scooters in the 150-200cc range.

Best overall performance, reliability and handling (small wheeled-scooter): Genuine Buddy (125, 150, 170i)

Best overall (large wheeled): SYM HD200 Evo. Runner up: Kymco People GT 200i.

Best acceleration: Before everything started going to fuel injection, the Kymco People 150 and 200s consistently whooped other scooters of their size. Now, I think it's pretty close. And the differences are nothing that couldn't be overcome by changing rollers.

Best one I haven't actually ridden: Honda PCX. (Yes, this is a 125, but it keeps up with the 150s!) A guy in our riding group has one and I'm consistently impressed by its looks (and I generally dislike sport scooters) and performance. He also owns a big sportbike and spends more time on the PCX. The local dealers never have any in stock for me to test ride and I don't like to ride other people's scooters.

Also good but probably not at its price point: Honda SH150.

Others:
Genuine Blur 220i (outside your parameters).
Yamaha Zuma 125. (Like to tinker and mod? This is a great platform for a custom scoot.)
Piaggio Typhoon 125. A dark horse. I haven't ridden it, but a friend who I respect seems to like it a lot. Not my style of scooter.
2012 Piaggio Fly 150. Restyled; much nicer look than current model. Solid scooter. No idea why it's not going to fuel injection yet. Overstock of LEADER 150 engines?
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Re: Best performing scooter?

Post by iMoses »

JohninMadisonWI wrote:Is there a general agreement on the best performing, best handling, fastest accelerating scooter out there is the 150-200cc range?
No.
iMoses

Re: Best performing scooter?

Post by iMoses »

iMoses wrote:
JohninMadisonWI wrote:Is there a general agreement on the best performing, best handling, fastest accelerating scooter out there is the 150-200cc range?
No.
That being said it depends on your intended usage. I have a Buddy 125 and a HD-200. While I do ride both to work...I stay on secondary roads and off the freeways around town. Other than work I use the 125 when we get together for a in town city ride. If we are going on a long, out of town country ride I will ride the HD-200.
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Post by Alexbv200 »

I would SERIOUSLY look at the Aprilia Scarabeo 200.
80mph top speed and you can pick up a new one for less than $3k!!
Probably best bang for the buck right now!!
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Post by Dooglas »

Well, if we are talking 150-200cc - someone has to bring up the 200GT Vespa. Not available new any longer but there are many good used ones out there. Great value for the price used. Plenty of power. Well made. Looks good. Nice combination of around town and cruising scooter capabilities. Truly a modern classic.
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Post by Raiderfn311 »

Isnt the scarabeo 200 plagued with parts issues? Otherwise I have taken a hard look at this scoot and really like it.
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Post by ericalm »

Alexbv200 wrote:I would SERIOUSLY look at the Aprilia Scarabeo 200.
80mph top speed and you can pick up a new one for less than $3k!!
Probably best bang for the buck right now!!
I certainly prefer the 'Beos looks to the SYM, Kymcos and most other 200-ish scoots out there!
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Post by neotrotsky »

The Fly 150 is Piaggio's workhorse scoot. They're producing them in their Chinese facility (but still Italian owned and controlled), so the carbed unit is probably a perfect fit for many markets there. Keeps prices down so they can afford a decent gateway product. This is good for other markets like the US. I like the Leader motor quite a bit, but Vespa's luxury "tax" (much like the Apple "tax" on perceived high end devices) is just too much for a 150 in my opinion. For well over a grand less you get into the marque and that's a smart move by an automaker.
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Re: Best performing scooter?

Post by Lostmycage »

iMoses wrote:
JohninMadisonWI wrote:Is there a general agreement on the best performing, best handling, fastest accelerating scooter out there is the 150-200cc range?
No.
So true.

Beware the one post troll bait. :roll:
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Post by ericalm »

neotrotsky wrote:The Fly 150 is Piaggio's workhorse scoot. They're producing them in their Chinese facility (but still Italian owned and controlled), so the carbed unit is probably a perfect fit for many markets there. Keeps prices down so they can afford a decent gateway product. This is good for other markets like the US. I like the Leader motor quite a bit, but Vespa's luxury "tax" (much like the Apple "tax" on perceived high end devices) is just too much for a 150 in my opinion. For well over a grand less you get into the marque and that's a smart move by an automaker.
There's far less of a luxury tax on the non-Vespa branded models. A Fly 150 is $2899 MSRP, less than a Buddy 150 and $100 more than a Buddy 125. I'm not recommending one over the Buddy but MSRPs are pretty close. (Cost of ownership, however, probably higher on the Piaggio.)

I think the Fly is one of the better scooters made by a non-Chinese company in China. I believe all of the Piaggio/Vespa 125cc and 150cc engines (including the injected ones) for scoots sold in the US & Europe are made in China now, though the LXs are assembled in Italy.
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Post by neotrotsky »

ericalm wrote:
neotrotsky wrote:The Fly 150 is Piaggio's workhorse scoot. They're producing them in their Chinese facility (but still Italian owned and controlled), so the carbed unit is probably a perfect fit for many markets there. Keeps prices down so they can afford a decent gateway product. This is good for other markets like the US. I like the Leader motor quite a bit, but Vespa's luxury "tax" (much like the Apple "tax" on perceived high end devices) is just too much for a 150 in my opinion. For well over a grand less you get into the marque and that's a smart move by an automaker.
There's far less of a luxury tax on the non-Vespa branded models. A Fly 150 is $2899 MSRP, less than a Buddy 150 and $100 more than a Buddy 125. I'm not recommending one over the Buddy but MSRPs are pretty close. (Cost of ownership, however, probably higher on the Piaggio.)

I think the Fly is one of the better scooters made by a non-Chinese company in China. I believe all of the Piaggio/Vespa 125cc and 150cc engines (including the injected ones) for scoots sold in the US & Europe are made in China now, though the LXs are assembled in Italy.
When I was referring to the Luxury "tax", I was speaking about the Vespa line itself. The Piaggio scooter side of the company is honestly one of the best things about Piaggio as a whole.
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Post by Dooglas »

ericalm wrote:There's far less of a "luxury tax" on the non-Vespa branded models. A Fly 150 is $2899 MSRP, less than a Buddy 150 and $100 more than a Buddy 125.
Then there is the Piaggio Typhoon. MSRP is $2699. As neotrotsky says - Piaggio offers good value in several of their scooters.
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Post by Syd »

This is nice and all, but what about the OP? He didn't ask about the best scoot for the buck, he asked the American question: What goes the fastest? Do any of the listed Piaggios rank up with the HD200 or the 170i or the People GT200?
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Post by Chessy1 »

I think the Honda Sh150 should not be overlooked. It's rated at 15+ h.p. which is similar to most of the Chinese 250's (top speed near 70). It's liquid cooled (not to be overrated when riding in the hot summer, just look for the threads the 170's had when ridden near WOT), rated at over 90 mpg, and is large enough to seat two comfortable. Oh, bigger wheels as well, Honda quality, and large dealer network for support.

The negatives, almost no storage (reason why I dropped it from my list) and the price point is a little high (granted, deals can be had during this time of year as a few dealers were moving them on ebay not too long ago.

I'll also say the Honda PCX (125cc) is not bad for a little scooter as mentioned previously as it has a top speed of around 60 mph and is rated for 110 mpg.
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Post by Dooglas »

Syd wrote:Do any of the listed Piaggios rank up with the HD200 or the 170i or the People GT200?
The Vespa 200GT and the Aprilia Scarabeo 200 move right along.
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Post by SoCalScooter »

Dooglas wrote:
Syd wrote:Do any of the listed Piaggios rank up with the HD200 or the 170i or the People GT200?
The Vespa 200GT and the Aprilia Scarabeo 200 move right along.
The Vespa 250GT is supposedly rated at a top speed of 76mph and 22bhp (couldn't find stats on the Vespa 200GT, which uses an engine with 198cc displacement, if I am not mistaken). The 250GT weighs in at 326 lbs for approximately 14.81 lbs per bhp (lower is better, or at least *should* be).

The Aprila Scarabeo 200 (180.8cc displacement) should be fairly comparable to the Vespa 200GT. The Beo supposedly puts out 19bhp. Someone mentioned 80mph top speed earlier, but I didn't see it listed for an '09 model (which are on sale apparently!)... The Beo 200 also weighs in around 340 lbs, for 17.89 lbs per bhp.

(see motorscooterguide.net for #'s - I can't vouch for them, but they seem reasonable)

I read on Sym's website that the Sym HD200 Evo (171.1 ccs) hould have about 15.3 bph and weighs in at 297.6 lbs for 19.45 lbs per bph.

It's harder to find specifics on the Genuine scoots. I know someone may have posted something about the 170's bhp (dunno about the Blur)... I don't feel like searching atm, sorry.

The point is though, that we are talking about 4.5 lbs per HP difference between the 240-ish cc Vespa 250GT and the 170-ish cc Sym HD 200. I know that that difference might be important to a professional racer, but in real life day-to-day usage, I don't think you will notice too much of a difference in power/performance.

Most of these scoots will get around 65-80 mpg. They'll all keep up with each other fairly well - some may go off the line (a little) quicker, but I don't think anything under 200cc's is something you'll want to drive on the interstate. Each do have their own unique look and feel though, so ultimately you gotta go with your personal preference.

I'll reiterate Eric's comment that for 10-inch wheels, the Buddy is likely your best bet (performance/quality/cost).

For big wheels, the Scarabeo might be a touch faster than the HD200, but it has less of a warranty - and for $300-400 more you'd get a 2012 model year Sym versus a 2009 Beo. (the People 200GTi is pretty bad ass too at 205cc's, but WAY more expensive than the Sym).
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Post by Raiderfn311 »

I think Im gonna get a HD200 when I have around 3500, which will be this time next year(If I can still find one) to hell with the parts issue, I have a good dealer close. The performance is great, plus I LIKE the styling unlike many others. the HD200 will be able to stretch its legs better than my Buddy150 without stretching my bank account too bad. Where's SYD?!?! Im with ya bro. Ive drunk the kool-aid! Let's ride!
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Post by JohninMadisonWI »

Wow. You guys (and gals) are good. Lots of good stuff to consider. I am usisng mine mainly for an around town commuter - no highway. But, I can tell I am going to outgrow this 50 in the next year or so. Not because it is inadequate, but just because I like my vehicles to be as adrenaline-boosting as possible. not in a top-speed sort of way, but acceleration an nimble handling are appreciated.

I am 6'7" - so i will be limited by that. The Roughhouse works really well for me since I can run my feet off the front of the deck where the foot"pads" are a la Harley cruiser style ;-).

And, just for the one replier - this was not a troll. Honestly, some people are new to this and will benefit from the varied wisdom a forum has to offer. Sometimes a "what is the best..." question really is just that.

Thanks all.
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Post by SoCalScooter »

Raiderfn311 wrote:I think Im gonna get a HD200 when I have around 3500, which will be this time next year(If I can still find one) to hell with the parts issue, I have a good dealer close. The performance is great, plus I LIKE the styling unlike many others. the HD200 will be able to stretch its legs better than my Buddy150 without stretching my bank account too bad. Where's SYD?!?! Im with ya bro. Ive drunk the kool-aid! Let's ride!
As I've been shopping for a new scoot this past week, I've looked into SYM (HD200/Citicom/RV250 are all viable options) and I spent a couple hours lurking over at symforum.com. There are some people posting about issues getting parts, but it appears that it's issues with their dealers. In each of the three or four threads on parts that I read, employees from Alliance posted addressing the concerns of the individual and gave them their work numbers to call so they could hash out any issues.

I think that kind of direct response from the distributor is pretty terrific and shows (to me at least) that they are eager and willing to stand behind their product.

Genuine has been a stand up company that delivers a great product and is willing to go above and beyond to help their customer base. As a result, that base has grown and grown. It looks to me that Alliance is trying to steal a page from their playbook.

I understand that not everyone has had the same level of customer satisfaction when dealing with Alliance/SYM as the aforementioned forum posters, but I just thought I'd share this perspective, since most of the stuff I've seen posted recently about SYM has been somewhat negative.

As always, your mileage may vary!
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Post by Raiderfn311 »

There is a dealer close who sells GOOD china-scoots who happens to have a SYM dealership. VERY mechanic heavy. I think Im gonna go soon(Ive never been, just website and WOM) and talk to them...I could get a HD200 for about 3500 OTD, and thats not talking to them. Maybe cheaper, although I would rather forge a good relationship w/them than save $200 or so. I really like SYM. SYM built honda engines(the v-4's in interceptors(sport)magna's(cruisers)and sabres(a bit of both).My dad had a stock 1984 V65 Magna(cruiser mind you) that could turn a sub-12 second quarter mile. It's top speed? Probably 140 or so, but I would not want to do that! Put that in your pipe ans smoke it! :P
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Post by Dooglas »

Raiderfn311 wrote:There is a dealer close who sells GOOD china-scoots who happens to have a SYM dealership.
I presume you are making two different points here. I will leave alone the point about which are good chinascoots. Sym, on the other hand, is a Taiwanese company just like PGO. They do build a few models in China to keep costs down, such as the Agility. I would say that most of their machines are comparable in quality to PGO products such as the Buddy, Roughhouse, and Blur.

<correction - as Eric pointed out the Agility is a Kymco made in China - below he lists a couple of the bikes Sym builds in China>
Last edited by Dooglas on Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by ericalm »

Dooglas wrote:
Raiderfn311 wrote:There is a dealer close who sells GOOD china-scoots who happens to have a SYM dealership.
I presume you are making two different points here. I will leave alone the point about which are good chinascoots. Sym, on the other hand, is a Taiwanese company just like PGO. They do build a few models in China to keep costs down, such as the Agility. I would say that most of their machines are comparable in quality to PGO products such as the Buddy, Roughhouse, and Blur.
Agility is a Chinese-built Kymco (as are the Like models). The SYM Fiddle and Symba are made in China.

Taiwanese companies' scooters built in China often don't match the quality of their other products. They're building in China for a reason—to cut costs and offer lower-priced models. There are often lesser-quality parts i there as well. This isn't a blanket, "If it's built in China, it's crap," statement; they're just not as good most of the time. The Piaggio Fly may be an exception, though I've heard that the Chinese built ones haven't been as reliable as the Italian ones were.
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Post by Syd »

Raiderfn311 wrote:I think Im gonna get a HD200 when I have around 3500, which will be this time next year(If I can still find one) to hell with the parts issue, I have a good dealer close. The performance is great, plus I LIKE the styling unlike many others. the HD200 will be able to stretch its legs better than my Buddy150 without stretching my bank account too bad. Where's SYD?!?! Im with ya bro. Ive drunk the kool-aid! Let's ride!
The Kool-aid's good, Raiderfn. I don't think you will be disappointed. I like to say the only thing that could beat my HD200 was an E-Class!
Raiderfn311 wrote:SYM built honda engines
And built the Honda cub for some years as well.
JohninMadisonWI wrote:I am 6'7"
Make sure you sit on whatever you consider, because I have 34+" legs and almost without fail the point on most larger scoots at which the seat bumps up to the pillion seat is where my butt wants to be, making the ride really uncomfortable. The HD was barely tolerable.
SoCalScooter wrote:I spent a couple hours lurking over at symforum.com. There are some people posting about issues getting parts, but it appears that it's issues with their dealers.
And most of those threads were most active in the period before Alliance stepped in. I'm not saying the Alliance/SYM marriage will be a good one, but I have hopes. I think it especially good that they are beginning with just four models - including the HD evo.
The majority is always sane - Nessus
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Lostmycage
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Re: Thanks

Post by Lostmycage »

JohninMadisonWI wrote: And, just for the one replier - this was not a troll. Honestly, some people are new to this and will benefit from the varied wisdom a forum has to offer. Sometimes a "what is the best..." question really is just that.

Thanks all.
Well now, you have to consider the cycle of posters that we see here. Often we get people who create an extra forum ID so that they can post something that's sure to stir up debate, which then gets heated. When it comes to scooters and performance, opinions can flare up pretty fast. Don't discount me here, I'm quite glad to see an actual new member and I heartily welcome you to Modern Buddy. That being said, you did ask for opinions on a highly opinionated subject.

Your height is going to be an issue. You can have a really awesome performing scooter, but if it doesn't suit your body size then you won't be happy with it and you won't ride it. I'm not sure how locked into the cc range you are, but I'd take a good long look at the Aprilia Scarabeo 200, it shares a lot with a similar sized Vespa, but the frame is more accommodating to taller riders. If you can find a dealer (read: support network) I'd get the SYM HD200 without a second thought. If you can stretch past that 150-200cc mark, there's a few more options. The Blur 220i is certainly a really good performer (it's handling and braking are top notch in it's class) but it might be cramped for you. The Kymco People series is also a good fit for the taller framed person, so I'd look into that as well.
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Syd
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Re: Thanks

Post by Syd »

Lostmycage wrote:The Kymco People series is also a good fit for the taller framed person, so I'd look into that as well.
Not the new GT series, I'm afraid. I sat on a GT300 and found it very cramped. I was somewhere between bummed (cramped) and relieved ($$$).
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Raiderfn311
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Post by Raiderfn311 »

Dooglas wrote:
Raiderfn311 wrote:There is a dealer close who sells GOOD china-scoots who happens to have a SYM dealership.
I presume you are making two different points here. I will leave alone the point about which are good chinascoots. Sym, on the other hand, is a Taiwanese company just like PGO. They do build a few models in China to keep costs down, such as the Agility. I would say that most of their machines are comparable in quality to PGO products such as the Buddy, Roughhouse, and Blur.
I will clarify. The bulk of their sales is chinese scoots. They also sell Sym. I know the two are different. No need for a lesson here. :wink:
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ggs34
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pcx vshd200

Post by ggs34 »

so which is faster the honda pcx 150 or the sym hd 200 the sym seems to be built better
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Syd
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Re: pcx vshd200

Post by Syd »

ggs34 wrote:so which is faster the honda pcx 150 or the sym hd 200 the sym seems to be built better
My guess is colored by bias, as I owned an HD200.

I think the additional weight of the cruiser styling would hold the PCX back even more than the SH150, which was beaten by an HD200 in head on testing that I can lot find online. :)
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