3 days scootering in Key West with my family!

[MarkTur]

Couldn't have asked for a better vacation. Key West is like "Scooter World"! More scooters than cars!

So we walked for about 3 hours in the blistering heat, and then we decided to rent scooters. I didn't see anyone riding anything bigger than 50's and they were everywhere. Honda Metropolitans for single riders, and a Kymco 50cc for "double" riders. We got a pair of Kymco's...they were more than enough for the 20mph traffic up and down Duvall street.

The island is only 3 miles x 4 miles, and that is cut in half basically for the area you want to be in. Like I said, traffic was never over 20mph, but it was still a lot of fun.

My wife, who had never ridden a scooter before by herself rode like a champ! I had my 11 year old son on the back of mine and this really was a big success for the rest of the stay. She wants to ride my Buddy tomorrow!!! OMG, it's going to be like switching from a beat up 1963 VW Beetle to a 2008 BMW! (Maybe we'll have to add another one to the family soon!)

So we just got home, and we had a wonderful time... oh yeah - http://www.santamariasuites.com was where we stayed. I give it ***** (five stars). Truly wonderful.

OK, just thought I'd share, even it if wasn't a "Buddy Story"...

[runtotorun121]

Wow, that sounds like you had a fabulous time! And what a beautiful place you stayed. Now it sounds like you are going to have even more fun thinking about being a year-round two scooter family. Can you hear your son already lobbying for his own?

Did you get any photos you can post in the gallery for a looksee?

[sradwick]

I rode a few years ago in Key West also. Don't remember the scooter, but you are right that 50cc's are enough. The place is flat as a pancake, no hills! It was a blast.

[siobhan]

Sounds like you had a blast!

My mom, who loves Key West, has rented scoots down there several times and always had a lot of fun. She's coming for a visit on Saturday and I'm sending her to Newport (RI) on the ferry. She's going to rent a scooter there (I told her to ask for the Honda Met) and tour around. I hope she doesn't get back and want to drive one of mine through Providence...this is the same woman who bangs her fist on the hoods of cabs in New York when they try to turn on a red light.

[sotied]

Went to Key West in April for the first time and rented just one scoot.

Was the first time riding two-up (my GF and me) and it was a great place to learn.

The cars pretty much respect the scoots. The speed limits are low. Parking the scoots is WAY easier than bringing a car to the downtown area.

Good experience overall.

(only tiny thing that made me nervous was that there was not even an option to rent a helmet - I think FL is a no-helmet state)

Jeff

[MarkTur]

DEFINITELY NOT a Buddy!!!

Wow! How nice to get on a "Really Nice Scoot" again! Switching from a beat-up 2 stroke 50cc to the 4-stroke 125cc (and Brand New) Buddy was amazing. My ride to work was way too short this morning...I think I'll have to take a beach cruise this afternoon.

Anyway, here's the scoots...they WERE fun...I'm just spoiled by the Buddy. Interesting little details that make the Genuine product SO nice.

1. Well balanced. So easy to put up on the center stand compared to the Sym. You need big muscles to do it, but the Buddy uses the concept of a "lever" to just pop it up there.

2. The steering seemed "yucky"...like as if the front forks were too vertical, and it wanted to pull to either side way to easily.

3. No Powah! I felt like I jumped onto my buddy's Harley this morning!

4. Crappy brakes.

5. Crappy electronics.

So in other words, after riding these Sym 50's (one had 4000+ miles, and mine had 1800+ miles), I'm VERY VERY VERY glad that I didn't mail-order a Chinese bike!

I came home to my first bill from the finance company ($100) and this is one bill that I have no issues with at all. "Bloo" is worth every penny!

[greencountry]

Awesome, I'm totally keeping an eye on Key West for our next vacation!! And thanks for the pics!

But FYI, Sym is Taiwanese... along with Kymco and PGO (a/k/a Genuine).

[MarkTur]

But FYI, Sym is Taiwanese... along with Kymco and PGO (a/k/a Genuine).

Doh! Insert Foot-A into Mouth-B... Guess it was just "used and abused"...

[peabody99]

Sym is supposed to be a good budget brand, comparable to the Bud. the problem is those rentals get beat to hell and are not really well maintained. Comparing rentals, a 50 Sym to Bubu (Buddy), I would say the Buddy was faster.

[jmazza]

Some would actually say Sym is a better overall brand than PGO. They make some pretty nice scoots and I believe I've read they are significantly more popular in Taiwan than PGO.

But I'm guessing, like peabody99 said, the scoots in the rental places are not maintained very well, and I think that getting on almost any 50cc after being used to a 125 is going to make the 50 feel maybe a little dumpy.

[MarkTur]

Yeah, I'll agree with that for sure.

My wife actually cruised my Buddy around the neighborhood yesterday!!! Unbelievable! She thought it was really nice, but "heavy" and "too much power" compared to what she learned on in the keys. Maybe the Buddy 50 for her? Hmmm....this is getting fun!

[sotied]

Yeah, I'll agree with that for sure.

My wife actually cruised my Buddy around the neighborhood yesterday!!! Unbelievable! She thought it was really nice, but "heavy" and "too much power" compared to what she learned on in the keys. Maybe the Buddy 50 for her? Hmmm....this is getting fun!

Might just be the bike style. Buddy is more a 'classic' design with its weight in a different spot than the scoots you rode in the keys.

Could be a kymco or a sym (they are well-built) or even a TGB Key West (how coincidental or ironic) might be right for her.

Take into account that a rental fleet is going to buy the least expensive, best-lasting models it can. And many rental fleets are Syms, Yamaha Zumas and TGB Key Wests.

And you could paint the Key West a powder blue so you guys look similar.

Jeff