Scooter vs Motorcycle
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- DennisD
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- Location: Pensacola, Florida
Scooter vs Motorcycle
This morning I rode my Triumph to work as it has been in the garage unused for quite a while. She started right up and as I backed out it struck me just how heavy she is. Now, this is a Bonneville 800, not some huge cruiser, and the weight is around 450 lbs so its class is middleweight but the center of gravity makes it feel heavier than big scooters I've tried.
My, my! I did get into 4th gear one time, and the ride was comfy, but my legs got wet as expected from early morning sprinklers in the median and a slight rain that began a half mile from work. The sprinklers weren't hitting me, but any water on the road splashes onto your legs when on a motorcycle. On the scooter I would have been dry.
Arriving at work, I parked in the usual spot and walked toward the control room, stopped, looked back at her as so many of us do with our 2 wheelers, and knew that she might end up being sold. Kinda sad, but...
Nothing beats a scooter for commutes and just running around, at least twice the gas mileage of a motorcycle, inexpensive maintenance when the simple things are done at home and tons of fun.
My, my! I did get into 4th gear one time, and the ride was comfy, but my legs got wet as expected from early morning sprinklers in the median and a slight rain that began a half mile from work. The sprinklers weren't hitting me, but any water on the road splashes onto your legs when on a motorcycle. On the scooter I would have been dry.
Arriving at work, I parked in the usual spot and walked toward the control room, stopped, looked back at her as so many of us do with our 2 wheelers, and knew that she might end up being sold. Kinda sad, but...
Nothing beats a scooter for commutes and just running around, at least twice the gas mileage of a motorcycle, inexpensive maintenance when the simple things are done at home and tons of fun.
- Chuck a Spaz
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Imagine how much dryer it is on a Stella.
<a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/exercise/wc2smA7/">
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- illnoise
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Re: Scooter vs Motorcycle
Just give it to me if you don't want it! : )DennisD wrote:…and knew that she might end up being sold.
2strokebuzz: When news breaks, we put it under a tarp in the garage.
- greencountry
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I took a motorcycle basic rider course, and was really torn after it -- I love manual transmissions and a motorcycle seemed so much more comfortable for my psychological manhood. After test-riding and now owning a Buddy though I can safely say I'm over the motorcycle fixation -- I love scootering, it's so much easier in all the ways DennisD mentioned, and given that my attention was brought to two-wheelers in the first place for fuel economy and eco reasons, there really was no need for the bigger engine of the motorcycle (for my needs anyway).
As for the manhood thing, as I think someone else mentioned, a good number of women think the scooter is cute and wanna go for a ride. So that's not so bad.
As for the manhood thing, as I think someone else mentioned, a good number of women think the scooter is cute and wanna go for a ride. So that's not so bad.
- gt1000
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Guys, please don't take this as a slam at the Triumph Modern Classics because I love the Bonnie and Thruxton myself, but before you give up on bikes altogether, you might want to try something that's actually current technology. The Triumphs are gorgeous bikes that are finished very nicely but they're heavy for their power output and sport truly old school suspension and braking technology. Like any naked bike, weather protection is going to be non-existent. The Thrux also has low clip-on bars that make riding in heavy traffic a real comfort issue.
There's a bunch of great bikes out there that fall right into the 400 lb range with nice power, adjustable suspensions, great brakes and some weather protection. I'm always pushing the Kawasaki KLR and, at it's price point, I simply cannot understand why any objective shopper would choose a GTS over it. It's not just great around town, you can also take it out onto trails and on adventure tours. The Triumph Tiger is a lot more money but offers weather protection and an accessories catalog that will complement any style of riding. Oh, and ABS too.
Scooters are truly wonderful machines around town and I reach for my Buddy's keys more often that my Ducati keys, but the Duc piles on more miles by far than my Buddy.
There's no perfect bike for me. Ideally, I'd like 3 but simply don't have the space, and deep down, I know one bike would sit most of the time. So the dual sport will have to wait. But, if the itch continues to grow, I may have to eventually trade scooter for dual sport, because the Ducati is untouchable.
There's a bunch of great bikes out there that fall right into the 400 lb range with nice power, adjustable suspensions, great brakes and some weather protection. I'm always pushing the Kawasaki KLR and, at it's price point, I simply cannot understand why any objective shopper would choose a GTS over it. It's not just great around town, you can also take it out onto trails and on adventure tours. The Triumph Tiger is a lot more money but offers weather protection and an accessories catalog that will complement any style of riding. Oh, and ABS too.
Scooters are truly wonderful machines around town and I reach for my Buddy's keys more often that my Ducati keys, but the Duc piles on more miles by far than my Buddy.
There's no perfect bike for me. Ideally, I'd like 3 but simply don't have the space, and deep down, I know one bike would sit most of the time. So the dual sport will have to wait. But, if the itch continues to grow, I may have to eventually trade scooter for dual sport, because the Ducati is untouchable.
Andy
2006 Buddy 125 (orange), going to a good MB home
2009 Vespa 250 GTS (black)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800 (black)
2008 Ducati Hypermotard S, traded for Tiger 800
2006 Buddy 125 (orange), going to a good MB home
2009 Vespa 250 GTS (black)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800 (black)
2008 Ducati Hypermotard S, traded for Tiger 800
- chokepuppy
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- Johnny
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Weird - I'm having the opposite reaction.
My 350 has quickly become my daily driver. I take my Lammy out a few times a week just to keep her happy.
My Stella will soon be on the chopping block. I just don't ride her much anymore and I'm running out of room in my garage.
My 350 has quickly become my daily driver. I take my Lammy out a few times a week just to keep her happy.
My Stella will soon be on the chopping block. I just don't ride her much anymore and I'm running out of room in my garage.
<b>2006 Buddy 125
1974 Honda CB350F
1972 Honda CB350 Twin
1968 Honda S90
1965 Lambretta Li150
1975 Ford Bronco</b>
1974 Honda CB350F
1972 Honda CB350 Twin
1968 Honda S90
1965 Lambretta Li150
1975 Ford Bronco</b>
- siobhan
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This is a great thread...thanks DennisD for starting it. Both my b/f and I go back and forth on getting a bike (just one, we'd ride 2up). I think part of my problem is I don't want to be on the back...it's boring. But there are longer trips we want to make and a 150 and a 200cc just ain't gonna cut it. It just takes so long to get anywhere because we don't ride on interstates with the scoots (it's just too scary with those little tiny wheels) and "the backway", though featuring nice scenery, can add miles and miles to a trip.
We'd have to keep the scoots because my daily commute is all stop-and-go in the city and I like not having to shift the scoot (and I could come up with tons of other reasons to keep all the scoots).
What do folks think about bikes in the 350-800cc range? We're both thinking nice vintage Honda, BSA...or what I really want, a 60's Moto Guzzi but he wants no part of that. We're both mechanically handy...ideas? We really want vintage...we're ok with reliability being way down on the list of positives.
We'd have to keep the scoots because my daily commute is all stop-and-go in the city and I like not having to shift the scoot (and I could come up with tons of other reasons to keep all the scoots).
What do folks think about bikes in the 350-800cc range? We're both thinking nice vintage Honda, BSA...or what I really want, a 60's Moto Guzzi but he wants no part of that. We're both mechanically handy...ideas? We really want vintage...we're ok with reliability being way down on the list of positives.
Fahr mit mir!
http://scootcommute.wordpress.com/
http://scootcommute.wordpress.com/
- greencountry
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You know what, as much as I love manual trans, I was feeling tired in my left hand (clutch hand - no wisecracks pls :p) towards the end of the basic rider course. I have trouble imagining commuting in stop-and-go traffic with a motorcycle. I'm surprised the clutch isn't easier to squeeze, the tension is pretty tough for repeat shifting.r0sa wrote:my bf has a motorcycle, he now wants a scooter, he says he hand cramps from shifting, and he claims riding a scooter [my scoot] is so much more fun because there's no shifting involved
- MPA
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once you ride you get used to the clutching - it's not bad at all.
I love my scooter alot, but I miss the hell out of the SV650 naked I had last year - Not a super powerful bike but those V-twins have torque I might get another one next year (probably a 600), but we'll see. I'll likely end up with another scooter that got a little better mileage then my Rattler though.
I love my scooter alot, but I miss the hell out of the SV650 naked I had last year - Not a super powerful bike but those V-twins have torque I might get another one next year (probably a 600), but we'll see. I'll likely end up with another scooter that got a little better mileage then my Rattler though.
- AxeYrCat
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It was after I rode several current bikes that I decided I wanted the Thruxton.gt1000 wrote:Guys, please don't take this as a slam at the Triumph Modern Classics because I love the Bonnie and Thruxton myself, but before you give up on bikes altogether, you might want to try something that's actually current technology.
Sort of how I decided to get a Stella instead of another Buddy...
It's not that I don't LOVE the Thrux -- I do. Very much. It's going to be difficult to give it up. But the fact of the matter is that I VERY rarely have the time to ride for pleasure, and making payments on the bike and paying for insurance on it isn't something that's ultimately worth it to me, especially when I can ride the Stella for a MUCH lower cost/mile. Since I only ride either for the commute into work and for small errands close to home, the convenience of the scooter over the motorcycle really trumps the more visceral enjoyment that the big bike provides.
I'm definitely not giving up on big bikes, nor am I giving up on Triumphs (my uncle has a '68 Bonnie that really got me into them), but at the moment, I've got to sacrifice in the name of pragmatism.
Huh? What just happened?
- greencountry
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- charltons
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I'm not quite over the MC fixation yet. The same happened to me afterwards. I guess I need to ride the Buddy more.greencountry wrote:I took a motorcycle basic rider course, and was really torn after it -- I love manual transmissions and a motorcycle seemed so much more comfortable for my psychological manhood. After test-riding and now owning a Buddy though I can safely say I'm over the motorcycle fixation -- I love scootering, it's so much easier in all the ways DennisD mentioned, and given that my attention was brought to two-wheelers in the first place for fuel economy and eco reasons, there really was no need for the bigger engine of the motorcycle (for my needs anyway).
As for the manhood thing, as I think someone else mentioned, a good number of women think the scooter is cute and wanna go for a ride. So that's not so bad.
" You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought " - Leia
- AxeYrCat
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greencountry wrote:It's not you (the motorocycle), it's me! <insert crying emoticon>
Snagged this from a friend's sig on another forum:
High-maintenance motorcycles get you through times of no high-maintenance women better than high-maintenance women get you through times of no high-maintenance motorcycles.
Huh? What just happened?
- DennisD
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Ahh yes, I remember the 70's and 80's a little bit - sometimes.AxeYrCat wrote:greencountry wrote:It's not you (the motorocycle), it's me! <insert crying emoticon>
Snagged this from a friend's sig on another forum:
High-maintenance motorcycles get you through times of no high-maintenance women better than high-maintenance women get you through times of no high-maintenance motorcycles.
____ will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no ____.
I'm glad I started this thread also. Its not that my motorcycle is less capable of this or that than some other motorcycle or not as technically advanced as another, but rather that it IS a motorcycle. After my ride home from work today I realized that I really do love my motorcycle and I simply need to go on a long, long ride over a weekend. Time for ME.
But the scooter is the big winner in town and for runaround fun.
Last edited by DennisD on Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Johnny
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Obviously, I love old Hondas. I guess it depends on what your objective is. I wouldn't recommend any of the bikes you mentioned for touring - especially two-up. Geez, the thought of touring two-up on a BSA makes my body ache just thinking about it.siobhan wrote: What do folks think about bikes in the 350-800cc range? We're both thinking nice vintage Honda, BSA...or what I really want, a 60's Moto Guzzi but he wants no part of that.
If you want vintage + reliability for touring, you really can't beat a BMW.
<b>2006 Buddy 125
1974 Honda CB350F
1972 Honda CB350 Twin
1968 Honda S90
1965 Lambretta Li150
1975 Ford Bronco</b>
1974 Honda CB350F
1972 Honda CB350 Twin
1968 Honda S90
1965 Lambretta Li150
1975 Ford Bronco</b>
- gt1000
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Say no more. I feel pretty strongly about not making payments on a pleasure item myself. Something used for everyday transportation is different.It's not that I don't LOVE the Thrux -- I do. Very much. It's going to be difficult to give it up. But the fact of the matter is that I VERY rarely have the time to ride for pleasure, and making payments on the bike and paying for insurance on it isn't something that's ultimately worth it to me, especially when I can ride the Stella for a MUCH lower cost/mile. Since I only ride either for the commute into work and for small errands close to home, the convenience of the scooter over the motorcycle really trumps the more visceral enjoyment that the big bike provides.
And it's no secret, some folks just prefer vintage...
Andy
2006 Buddy 125 (orange), going to a good MB home
2009 Vespa 250 GTS (black)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800 (black)
2008 Ducati Hypermotard S, traded for Tiger 800
2006 Buddy 125 (orange), going to a good MB home
2009 Vespa 250 GTS (black)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800 (black)
2008 Ducati Hypermotard S, traded for Tiger 800
- DennisD
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I can't imagine sitting on the back of ANYTHING while touring. My wife has said she would consider the sofa on the back of a Goldwing.Johnny wrote:Obviously, I love old Hondas. I guess it depends on what your objective is. I wouldn't recommend any of the bikes you mentioned for touring - especially two-up. Geez, the thought of touring two-up on a BSA makes my body ache just thinking about it.siobhan wrote: What do folks think about bikes in the 350-800cc range? We're both thinking nice vintage Honda, BSA...or what I really want, a 60's Moto Guzzi but he wants no part of that.
If you want vintage + reliability for touring, you really can't beat a BMW.
I would tour on a scooter by myself in a heart beat. My only requirement would be no schedule, maybe 100 miles today, maybe 10. Go where I please tomorrow. Retirement sounds so good!
I had a Triumph in the 60's. I wouldn't tour 2up on the one I own now, much less the old one. Nostalgia only goes so far. Of course, if the couple is only 5'1" and weighs in around 90lbs each it might not be so bad.
- enzomatic
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I still ride the mountains all the time, rode with a thrux the other dayAxeYrCat wrote:Coincidentally, my Thruxton will be for sale soon as well.
I'll miss riding it up twisty mountain roads, though.
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v349/ ... summit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/ ... summit.jpg" border="0" alt="summitride1"></a>
here's me at the summit here in Santa Cruz with the thruxton, a Duck, a CB750 and a CBR600 that I rode with. The Duck and the CBR took off on the up hill but the sharp turns allowed me to keep up with the thrux and the cb750.
I've been looking at MCs too but still have a spot for smaller bore, I would love to get my hands on a CB175k4, then I'll go smaller with a c70.
Looking for ppl to ride with in LA.
- RedRanger3
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Hi all. I'm new to this site. I rode a bike years ago and have recently started riding again because of the increasing cost of gas. I considered another motorcycle but decided to look at the large displacement scooters. For commuting purposes the under-seat storage was important. the automatic tranny was neat and I liked the step through design and the lower center of gravity. So I bought a Suzuki Burgman 650. It has a motorcycle suspension as well as a 638cc 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine. So i get "motorcycle performance" with a scooter's comfort and ease of use. I'm really glad I chose the scooter and I'm loving every minute I'm on it.
- DennisD
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- RedRanger3
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I had been looking for a 125 - 250 cc scooter but ended up buying a 2001 Yamaha TW200 dual sport motorcycle:
1. I only have room for one motorcycle or scooter and didn't want to be confined to riding on the street only.
2. Scooter prices are crazy right now. I got my TW200 with under 900 miles on it for only $1800.
3. I was concerned about parts availability for Buddies. I hear on this board stories of people waiting for months to get parts.
4. Some say scooters have the advantage of storage under the seat however I wouldn't use it because I don't like to leave things on/in the bike because the possibility of theft. I have a top box on the TW now but will replace it with a duffel bag/rack system so I can take the duffel bag with me once I get to work.
5. Somebody earlier mentioned that motorcycles get bad gas mileage. Well mine gets 80 mpg with low gearing and knobby tires.
6. I'm not sure what maintenance differences there is other than a chain but this hasn't been an issue for me.
Pleeeeease don't assume I am bashing scooters. I still would like to try one once scooter prices come down. That's why I still visit this forum!
1. I only have room for one motorcycle or scooter and didn't want to be confined to riding on the street only.
2. Scooter prices are crazy right now. I got my TW200 with under 900 miles on it for only $1800.
3. I was concerned about parts availability for Buddies. I hear on this board stories of people waiting for months to get parts.
4. Some say scooters have the advantage of storage under the seat however I wouldn't use it because I don't like to leave things on/in the bike because the possibility of theft. I have a top box on the TW now but will replace it with a duffel bag/rack system so I can take the duffel bag with me once I get to work.
5. Somebody earlier mentioned that motorcycles get bad gas mileage. Well mine gets 80 mpg with low gearing and knobby tires.
6. I'm not sure what maintenance differences there is other than a chain but this hasn't been an issue for me.
Pleeeeease don't assume I am bashing scooters. I still would like to try one once scooter prices come down. That's why I still visit this forum!
- AxeYrCat
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I don't mean to bash the Buddy at all, because I thoroughly enjoyed mine, but it was not the sharp turns that allowed you to keep up with those two bikes, it was their respective pilots.enzomatic wrote: I still ride the mountains all the time, rode with a thrux the other day
...
here's me at the summit here in Santa Cruz with the thruxton, a Duck, a CB750 and a CBR600 that I rode with. The Duck and the CBR took off on the up hill but the sharp turns allowed me to keep up with the thrux and the cb750.
I do not consider myself a particularly capable motorcyclist, but I'm a fairly decent one, and I've been able to hang with sport bikes through some pretty intricate twisties... In many such cases, it's the rider more than the machine.
Huh? What just happened?
- DennisD
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He doth speak the truth.I don't mean to bash the Buddy at all, because I thoroughly enjoyed mine, but it was not the sharp turns that allowed you to keep up with those two bikes, it was their respective pilots.
I do not consider myself a particularly capable motorcyclist, but I'm a fairly decent one, and I've been able to hang with sport bikes through some pretty intricate twisties... In many such cases, it's the rider more than the machine.
- enzomatic
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admittedly 1 of the riders was fairly new to his machine and they were riding with me so they weren't taking off or anything so I could ride up the hills with them, there was a part that was really really tight curves and was 1 way about as wide as a bike path, I was owning on those.
Looking for ppl to ride with in LA.
- Racenut
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- enzomatic
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That's it, It was fun up there last winter when it was snowing. I'll be heading up 35 to San Francisco. Kinda nervous but now that I'm all geared up should be a blast.Racenut wrote:I think I know that spot there... up at the top of 9 and 35? I've only ever been there at night, but it looks kinda familiar.
Looking for ppl to ride with in LA.
- olhogrider
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I like Alice's. Good food, lots of bikes and really lousy service. As for bike vs scoot, after I got my Vespa, my Harley never left the garage. I hope that doesn't happen to my GTS when I get a Buddy!enzomatic wrote:That's it, It was fun up there last winter when it was snowing. I'll be heading up 35 to San Francisco. Kinda nervous but now that I'm all geared up should be a blast.Racenut wrote:I think I know that spot there... up at the top of 9 and 35? I've only ever been there at night, but it looks kinda familiar.
- greencountry
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You know what, I'm going to have to take back my confidence in being over the motorcycle thing, and now I really get the folks who say motorcycles have their place. Every once in a while we take long drives to places about 80-100 miles away and the Buddy just doesn't seem well-suited to it. Some of the reliability problems people have mentioned on this site are disconcerting, and riding 2-up for hours on a Buddy just doesn't sound that fun (especially for the passenger's legs with those tiny footrests).charltons wrote:I'm not quite over the MC fixation yet. The same happened to me afterwards. I guess I need to ride the Buddy more.greencountry wrote:I took a motorcycle basic rider course, and was really torn after it -- I love manual transmissions and a motorcycle seemed so much more comfortable for my psychological manhood. After test-riding and now owning a Buddy though I can safely say I'm over the motorcycle fixation -- I love scootering, it's so much easier in all the ways DennisD mentioned, and given that my attention was brought to two-wheelers in the first place for fuel economy and eco reasons, there really was no need for the bigger engine of the motorcycle (for my needs anyway).
As for the manhood thing, as I think someone else mentioned, a good number of women think the scooter is cute and wanna go for a ride. So that's not so bad.
Plus, once my wife gets her motorcycle license, I don't think she'll be as interested in riding on the back every time we go out scooting. And I dunno that I want to ride on the back all the time either.
- beagldog
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TW200's are awesome. I have one and I don't ride it as much as the scoot but I won't part with it. That fat rear tire is great and with saddle bags and a tail bag you can put alot of stuff on it. I also have a BMW 650GS that is going to be sold. Just don't ride it and like others have said, making payments on something you're not riding doesn't make sense.DanMB wrote:I had been looking for a 125 - 250 cc scooter but ended up buying a 2001 Yamaha TW200 dual sport motorcycle:
1. I only have room for one motorcycle or scooter and didn't want to be confined to riding on the street only.
2. Scooter prices are crazy right now. I got my TW200 with under 900 miles on it for only $1800.
3. I was concerned about parts availability for Buddies. I hear on this board stories of people waiting for months to get parts.
4. Some say scooters have the advantage of storage under the seat however I wouldn't use it because I don't like to leave things on/in the bike because the possibility of theft. I have a top box on the TW now but will replace it with a duffel bag/rack system so I can take the duffel bag with me once I get to work.
5. Somebody earlier mentioned that motorcycles get bad gas mileage. Well mine gets 80 mpg with low gearing and knobby tires.
6. I'm not sure what maintenance differences there is other than a chain but this hasn't been an issue for me.
Pleeeeease don't assume I am bashing scooters. I still would like to try one once scooter prices come down. That's why I still visit this forum!
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Motorcycle / Scooter
I have been wanting something bogger for two up touring but I just might go for the Yamaha T-Max or Silverwing over a motorcycle. These scoots seem just as comfortable as any cruiser motorcycle plus clutchless riding in heavy traffic.
- RedRanger3
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Re: Motorcycle / Scooter
Give the Suzuki Burgman 650 a look. Largest engine displacement of all the maxiscooters. Fuel injected DOHC 8 valve engine, liquid cooled. It is made for touring and long commutes. It has a motorcycle suspension. Very comfortable stock seat and carrying a passenger is no problem at all. Scads of storage as well.JNV wrote:I have been wanting something bogger for two up touring but I just might go for the Yamaha T-Max or Silverwing over a motorcycle. These scoots seem just as comfortable as any cruiser motorcycle plus clutchless riding in heavy traffic.
- BigColdMartini
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When we got our scooter I intended to use it for commuting to work but 60 miles round trip is wearing my back down. My wife loves using the Buddy for riding around the burb and running to the mall and other stores, so I think I'm going to let her be the main rider and get me this... The BMW F 650 GS. Not too big and not too small, it's just right and will be here in late August.
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- olhogrider
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- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:30 pm
- Location: Vegas Baby!
I hear there is one for sale in Kansas. See post above.BigColdMartini wrote:When we got our scooter I intended to use it for commuting to work but 60 miles round trip is wearing my back down. My wife loves using the Buddy for riding around the burb and running to the mall and other stores, so I think I'm going to let her be the main rider and get me this... The BMW F 650 GS. Not too big and not too small, it's just right and will be here in late August.
- PasadenaSue
- Member
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:41 pm
- Location: Pasadena, CA
Funny, I spent last weekend riding around L.A. on a Sportster 1200. At first, I didn't like it because it was so big and heavy, but after riding it for a while, well let's just say that I am looking at craigslist...
I like my Buddy and it's perfect for running around town. But the power on the Sportster was impressive. I could see having both - one for commuting and one for weekend cruising.
Stay tuned...
PasadenaSue
I like my Buddy and it's perfect for running around town. But the power on the Sportster was impressive. I could see having both - one for commuting and one for weekend cruising.
Stay tuned...
PasadenaSue
- nissanman
- Member
- Posts: 1209
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:11 pm
- Location: Middletown, CT
Ahhh another F Troop member? I do miss my R1150R sometimes... but I never had the time to ride it and commuting was not it's forte. My BuckTen is great for running around town and to work. Not to mention in the 4000 miles I put on the BMW, it lost more value than the entire price I paid for the scooter
EZPZ #65
- charltons
- Member
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:09 pm
- Location: jacksonville FL
I tookj a longer ride on my Buddy a while ago. It did fine, but it wasn't the most comfortable. It's fantastic for around town, though.greencountry wrote:You know what, I'm going to have to take back my confidence in being over the motorcycle thing, and now I really get the folks who say motorcycles have their place. Every once in a while we take long drives to places about 80-100 miles away and the Buddy just doesn't seem well-suited to it. Some of the reliability problems people have mentioned on this site are disconcerting, and riding 2-up for hours on a Buddy just doesn't sound that fun (especially for the passenger's legs with those tiny footrests).charltons wrote:I'm not quite over the MC fixation yet. The same happened to me afterwards. I guess I need to ride the Buddy more.greencountry wrote:I took a motorcycle basic rider course, and was really torn after it -- I love manual transmissions and a motorcycle seemed so much more comfortable for my psychological manhood. After test-riding and now owning a Buddy though I can safely say I'm over the motorcycle fixation -- I love scootering, it's so much easier in all the ways DennisD mentioned, and given that my attention was brought to two-wheelers in the first place for fuel economy and eco reasons, there really was no need for the bigger engine of the motorcycle (for my needs anyway).
As for the manhood thing, as I think someone else mentioned, a good number of women think the scooter is cute and wanna go for a ride. So that's not so bad.
Plus, once my wife gets her motorcycle license, I don't think she'll be as interested in riding on the back every time we go out scooting. And I dunno that I want to ride on the back all the time either.
" You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought " - Leia
- greencountry
- Member
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:09 pm
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
Yeah, I def think the Buddy will still win for around town. Taking out a big bike to go to a store just a few miles away is like... well, like using an SUV to drive yourself alone to that store. (assuming you're not buying a new TV or something)charltons wrote: I tookj a longer ride on my Buddy a while ago. It did fine, but it wasn't the most comfortable. It's fantastic for around town, though.