Now-discontinued Yager GT200i VS new Honda PCX 150?

[Swordsman]

Is this a no-brainer in favor of the Honda? Both supposedly retail for about $3500. The Yager has 2 more hp, but the Honda... is a Honda, and supposedly gets much better mpg.

A dealer just south of here supposedly still has a Yager in stock, based on their Cylce Trader ad. Just got me thinking.

~SM

[Howardr]

My friend who has a Yager, may disagree, but I'd go with the PCX.

Howard

[hal888]

I've got my eye on a PCX at the local Honda dealer.

[az_slynch]

It really depends what you want out of the bike.

The PCX is a really well-built machine, imbued in the craftsmanship that Honda is famous for. It's intuitive and well laid out. The engine's a brilliant piece of machinery too. Easy on the eyes and the ergonomics are easy on the rider.

That said, it wasn't what I was looking for when I bought a new scooter. I wanted a step-through, not a step-over. I use my floorboards as cargo space too. I wanted a long-range fuel tank, and 2.9 gallons sounded more practical to me than 1.6 gallons. I figured that if I was buying a bike with a disc brake, I'd like to have two discs instead of a disc and a drum. I also had no interested in linked brakes...work with me here, I was moving up from cable-operated drums and a rear brake often operated my the right foot. CBS is probably a fine system, just not my cup of tea.

Now, I can tell you straight that the Yager is not a Honda. It's well-built, but doesn't quite have the "finished" feel of a Honda. Everything has worked fine in the five months I've had the Yager. It starts immediately each morning and hasn't given me a worry yet. Switches and controls all work as-new. Still, there have been little things that remind me that it isn't a Honda. There's an imperfection in the front brake reservoir sightglass. The controls for the digital dash aren't easy to operate or well-placed. There's more resonance through the handlebars than I'd expect from a new bike. The FI sometimes backfires on deceleration if the engine is still warming up on a cold day. Not major things, but just bits of polish that Kymco will need to take note of if they ever really want to go toe-to-toe with Honda.

Now, I encourage you to ride both and take the time to make a list of features/attributes that you would want from a new scooter. First impressions say a lot, but when you're miles down the road, you don't want to be asking yourself if you made the right choice.


P.S. The Honda gets better mileage. If I ride the Yager like I stole it, I get 70mpg city. If I mind the tach and keep the revs in the 5-6K range, I get 80mpg city. I need to do a good long road trip to figure up highway miles, but I know from observation that it's more efficient when cruising then stopping and starting in traffic. I can also tell you from experience that it'll eat a PCX's lunch on uphill grades.

[JHScoot]

i have no experience with either but just off the top of my head unless the Yager is under HUGE discount i'd go Honda

and by HUGE i mean a lot cheaper then the Honda. a lot! not that i don't like KYMCO but a discontinued one anywhere near the same price of the already superior Honda is a no go imo

[az_slynch]

Wrench in the mix: SYM RV200. It deserves a look.

[Dooglas]

Wrench in the mix: SYM RV200. It deserves a look.

Though, you might ask yourself a couple questions. Do you have a local Sym dealer? Do you have a local Honda dealer? That may help guide your decision. Purchasing a new bike is as much about a relationship with a servicing dealer, as it is a relationship with a manufacturer.

[az_slynch]

Wrench in the mix: SYM RV200. It deserves a look.

Though, you might ask yourself a couple questions. Do you have a local Sym dealer? Do you have a local Honda dealer? That may help guide your decision. Purchasing a new bike is as much about a relationship with a servicing dealer, as it is a relationship with a manufacturer.

There's a Honda and a SYM dealer in Marietta, but that's about 25 miles away. There's another Honda dealer in Canton, which is closer.

BTW, the SYM dealer is Vespa of Marietta.

I may Ride Red and have a fondness for the Elite line, but I must politely disagree that the relative ubiquity of dealerships is essential to the owner experience. After all, look how many Allstate-branded Cushmans, Vespas and Puchs were simply sold out of a catalog!

[Dooglas]

I may Ride Red and have a fondness for the Elite line, but I must politely disagree that the relative ubiquity of dealerships is essential to the owner experience.

Well, essential is in the eye of the beholder. You will certainly find many riders, however, who have regreted owning a brand with no nearby source for parts or trained service.

[az_slynch]

Well, essential is in the eye of the beholder. You will certainly find many riders, however, who have regreted owning a brand with no nearby source for parts or trained service.

Fair enough. I admittedly wouldn't buy a Vespa in this town, as the dealer only tolerates them so they can carry the racier Italian stuff. Their attitude towards scooters would make for an unpleasant experience.

One other tangential point for the dealer-dependent would be warranty. Here's a quick compare:

Honda: One year, transferable. Can be extended by purchasing a Honda Protection Plan.
Kymco: Two years, nontransferable. Can be extended by purchasing Kymco Extended Protection.
SYM: Two years, nontransferable.
Genuine: Two years, nontransferable with roadside assistance.

The Honda warranty is great for the new scooterist who may want to unload the bike soon after purchase, but those Brand-X guys sure look after you in that second year.

[Dooglas]

And just to round out the list -

Vespa: One year, transferable, with roadside assistance. Two year extension with optional extended warranty