I asked in here about a year ago for advice on scooters and did end up buying myself a Suzuki Moped.Its a fantastic scooter and I am so glad that I took peoples advice and got something Japanese because alot of the Chinese made ones I see driving around are smashed up.Mine fell over once and nothing broke.Anyway thats getting slightly off topic.I love my scooter.However this has made me want to get one that is capable of doing slightly faster speeds.It would be good to have something that was capable of going on the motorway from time to time.I have to go and sit my licence but does anyone know anything about Yamaha scooters.I was thinking of getting this one. http://www.redbaron.co.nz/new-bikes/yamaha/223-2011-xc125-vity/
mrfxit,
Dec 15, 7:53pm
HO, please DON'T get something like THAT for the motorway no matter how fast it can go. It's simply not designed to handle motorway speeds in NZ, never mind other NZ roads
sw20,
Dec 15, 7:59pm
If you have to get your bike licence just buy an actual motorcycle. I got my 250 Bandit for $3k.
shellbell13,
Dec 15, 8:01pm
Yeah thats what my partner says.But I like my scooter.I love all the storage on it and you don't seem to get that on a motorbike.I doubt I would go on the motorway if at all but it would be nice to know I could if I needed to.Mostly its just to get me to uni and the shops etc.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 15, 8:07pm
Piaggio (who make Vespa) make some excellent motorway capable scooters. The Liberty is a real cracker if you want simple to ride as its just simple twist and go and quite affordable. What's great about the Liberty is it has big wheels like a bike while still being a step through scooter so is suitable for roads which are not so great.
Have a look at the Vespa's as well, although they do have smaller wheels. I would also consider a used PX200, these are the last of the "real" vespa's and basically have no depreciation if looked after. They have gears though so you need to be comfortable with riding a proper scooter. Don't worry about buying secondhand, there are plenty of really well looked after ones around that have been owned by enthusiasts and are still like new. The PX is a proper all steel scooter so will last indefinitely if looked after. I have toured much of the country on a PX200, keeping up with open road traffic and doing hundreds of kilometers in a day with ease.
Just to clarify, the "New" vespa's are now twist and go as far as I am aware (and 4 stroke). So if you don't want to learn to ride a real scooter but like the Vespa looks then they are an option too.
BTW, I much prefer to ride a fast scooter for safety reasons. Being able to "take command" of your lane and ride in the proper bike position feels much safer than being sandwiched at the side of the lane.
Just remember, regardless of what scooter you have, wear PROPER safety gear including a proper jacket, pants and shoes.
mrfxit,
Dec 15, 8:10pm
Scooter = to say that I hate them would be an understatement. Gutless Super delicate balance Noisy
Something akin to riding a cane chair with wheels / a motor & a pogo stick for steering.
yes I have ridden a couple but got off both after about 6 meters YES, have owned & ridden severalMOTORBIKES all over the north Island
mrfxit,
Dec 15, 8:13pm
To add insult to injury to me, I have 1 here that I have to find time (& inclination) to repair.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 15, 8:18pm
LOL, there are scooters and scooters. I hate the little 50cc death machines, just fast enough to make a mess of you but not quite fast enough to keep up with traffic. So you get sandwiched between parked cars that might open a door on you and traffic passing you.
Then. there are the likes of my scooter which would wheel stand through a second gear takeoff and make Commodore drivers mad because they couldn't keep up with me through the twisty stuff.
Admittedly, my PX was not exactly standard, but a standard one still goes very well.
shellbell13,
Dec 15, 8:21pm
I have a 50cc Suzuki and its pretty good most of the time.Its just on occasion when I need to change lanes going uphill and I haven't got the power to do it that I would like to be able to go faster.For a 50cc scooter it seems to go really well compared to most scooters I see driving around.
shellbell13,
Dec 15, 8:22pm
I am not sure I could drive that on a learners licence.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 15, 8:23pm
I suspect you don't know what you are missing! Having more power changes everything!
shellbell13,
Dec 15, 8:24pm
Hence why I am going to get my licence so I can have something gruntier.I love riding around on my scooter.I much prefer it to using the car.I am sure I will get bigger and bigger.And next thing I will be riding around town on a Harley or something. lol
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 15, 8:25pm
Not sure how the learners system works now, but check, the output is not that huge, depends on whether someone has thought to put it on the "list" I suspect. Otherwise just hurry up and get your full bike license.
BTW, you are getting your bike license I take it! You will obviously need it with a bigger scooter.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 15, 8:25pm
Scratch my last response, you have answered my question.
shellbell13,
Dec 15, 8:27pm
Yip I need to get my learners licence so I have drive anything more than a 50cc.I am nearly ready to sit it.Just want to be 100% sure I am going to pass.You can have a 600 something cc bike if it is maybe LANS approved or something but that means nothing to me.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 15, 8:27pm
Seriously, I think you should go and ride a Piaggio liberty, there are several on here. Personally I would go with the 200cc version, IMO you want something that sits on 100km/h with some power left up its sleeve.
The 150 (which I havn't ridden) may also be O.K in a pinch.
shellbell13,
Dec 15, 8:32pm
Thats a nice looking scooter.I don't think I can afford to go that high sadly being a poor student and all.
r15,
Dec 15, 9:32pm
oh, i see jazz likes euro scooters too.get your wallet out!
get a japanese road bike with a storage box on the back carrier thing.or even a little cruiser with saddlebags- options are unlimited!
countrypete,
Dec 16, 3:05am
Suzuki makethe Burgman scooter in 250, 400, or 650cc.Any of these fill your requirement for the ability to ride on the motorway, keeping up with (and in the case of the 400 and 650 beating) the rest of the traffic.They have heaps of storage.Yamaha and Honda also make scooters like these.Any of those Japanese ones will likely be more reliable and easier to service than some of the others mentioned.They are also in the learner category for LAMS so can be ridden on a learner M/C licence
mrfxit,
Dec 16, 5:54am
LOL yea agreed on those 'commuter' 50cc things. A lot of the issue I have with 'those' is the steering angle & seat position. I also used to own a Suzuki 50cc "motorbike" (4 speed gearbox) & even tho it was a 50cc, it had a lot more power then the commuter bikes & was a lot more stable & balanced.
Still gave me the shites with trucks passing me on the open road but still far better then those "other things" on the odd time I did get it on the open road
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 16, 5:57am
The 150's can be had from as cheap as $1500 secondhand if you keep a sharp eye out. Depreciation will be next to nothing, reliability is great and parts are available and well priced so a good decision both from a financial and safety perspective.
As I mentioned above, don't buy a new one, much better bought secondhand (even almost new). You could even get the 200cc version secondhand for not much more than you are looking to pay for the Yamaha new.
These are not cars, there is very little to go wrong and repairs are cheap, so buying a slightly used scooter is not the risky business that buying a used car is.
kazbanz,
Dec 16, 7:02am
hey mrfixit--take a burgman for a ride one day-you will be amazed at how well they go and handle.
mrfxit,
Dec 16, 7:58am
LOL yea very possibly . is that another name for humanburger where they scrape up whats left on the road after you fall off & make it in to a Burgerman Pattie!
desmodave,
Dec 16, 9:00am
Caught up to 1 on the coast road heading home from the Greymouth street racing 1 year it seemed happy enough parked on 140+km. I dont know what sort of top end they run out at but the riderdidn't seem to enjoy getting passed.
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