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Scooter vs motorcyle

Danno

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I have been tempted to get rid of my vstar 1300 and replace with a scooter or a smaller bike. The vstar has to be the nicest looking bike I have owned but was my least ridden. I am thinking a burman 200 or even a vstar 250 aka route 66 if you remember the virago 250 from the late 80s/early 90s. The burg has storage! No set decisions just pondering my plated bike herd. I do have a tw for a lightweight. And I really dont want anything much over 300lbs. I commuted a few years ago on a survivor 1982 cm200...so a rebel 250 might work. And possibly better ergos than the vstar. Any thoughts on scooters vs smaller street bikes? Or small standard/cruiser bikes that are still available?
 
Ha...add ground clearance and easy loading for a high modern truck tailgate. Xr150l is slightly on the radar.
 
You need to ride a modern Vespa.
I prefer a scooter stop light drags. The acceleration off the light and away from traffic is much better. While the 12” wheels make it more nimble and quick to turn.
 
I still have a vino 125 and it is a dog. And a little too nimble with 10 in wheels. The vespas are cool and fast. Not sure if that is the answer. Plus I live in the sticks. I'll look up the closest vespa dealer. Ha..I might be tempted to ride wheelies on the vespa! The vino has scraped the mud gauard a few times.
 
I still have a vino 125 and it is a dog. And a little too nimble with 10 in wheels. The vespas are cool and fast. Not sure if that is the answer. Plus I live in the sticks. I'll look up the closest vespa dealer. Ha..I might be tempted to ride wheelies on the vespa! The vino has scraped the mud gauard a few times.
I gaurantee I live more in the sticks than you. Vespa service is easy and mail order parts are 2-3 days away
 
The Burgman 200 has a huge storage area under the seat and performs well for a 200 but it is pretty heavy at around 360 pounds. Some time back someone rode from the Florida Keys to Niagara Falls, 1500 miles in less than 36 hours: https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/1500-mile-bun-burner-on-a-burgman-200.1336142/

There are a number of 150cc scooters that are a decent improvement in performance over your Vino. Honda ADV150 and PCX, Piaggio Liberty, and Kymco Like 150i. Even the new Zuma 125 with its four valve head would be an improvement. The Vespa suggestion is also a good one.
 
I'm not a fan of the smaller stuff so my opinion wouldn't do you much good
... HOWEVER ...
going by what I see on the road in this scootercentric landscape I live in the PCX is the best choice. I'd say the #1 overall would be the Piaggio Beverly.
 
I had the V-Star 950 and loved the looks of that bike. Rode it 3000 miles first month and couldn't find my happy place. Thought I needed bigger, then shorter, then....
DMV clerk asked me if I wanted a dealer license (friend teasing me).
Moving to a scooter is a big change. For me it was perfect. I tried several maxi scoots and they were fun. Step thru has been my happy place. Got a GTS for travel and a Liberty 150 for everything else. I almost got the PCX but the work involved for simple valve adjust wasn't for me. The Xmax is great but again it didn't fit me. Still like the Yammies! I'm now hooked on the step through design.
 
As comical as it sounds the vino was 2up for over half its miles. We loved the ride but it was very cramped. I always wanted a vino 250.... Yami missed out on not building a 250. I almost bought a magesty more than once. I am a zook and vtwin fan hence the odd two choices of burg 200 and the star 250. The storage compartment on scooters is nice. And I have owned quite a few small frame scooters. The beverly and people scoots are kinda nice. Trying to stick to big 4 machines. Someone has the lifan adv style scooter around here. Looks similiar to the honda. Younger rider...just never waived him down to chat. I think adv or maxi style might be what I'm looking for. The burg is heavy but has almost 20hp. I have short sections of 70mph interstate that I ride. A pretty solid 65mph cruise would work. Thats about what I run on the klr.
 
Another scooter to consider if you can find one is the Yamaha Smax. It's only 155cc but will run over 70 MPH. If you plan on riding 2 up then the B200 would be a good choice.
 
For small town or even city stuff, I'd rock a scooter all day long.
 
Another scooter to consider if you can find one is the Yamaha Smax. It's only 155cc but will run over 70 MPH. If you plan on riding 2 up then the B200 would be a good choice.
Yup 2up would be nice with easy mounting. I have watched some burg 200 videos. I'll check out the B200
 
Scooter all the way for short or city trips. Have a look at the Super-Cub, or the Trail 125. PCX is also a good option, smaller engine but huge space under the seat. Yamaha Nmax 155. Kymco and Sym are also pretty good scooters. It depends on what's available for you locally.
Larger scooters are heavy. The Vespa GTS 300 is about 350 pounds, Piaggio Beverly is even heavier. Don't even think of the larger displacement maxi scooters, almost all are over 400 pounds.
 
Scooter all the way for short or city trips. Have a look at the Super-Cub, or the Trail 125. PCX is also a good option, smaller engine but huge space under the seat. Yamaha Nmax 155. Kymco and Sym are also pretty good scooters. It depends on what's available for you locally.
Larger scooters are heavy. The Vespa GTS 300 is about 350 pounds, Piaggio Beverly is even heavier. Don't even think of the larger displacement maxi scooters, almost all are over 400 pounds.
At one time the cub and trail125 were options. But I think I would rather get the xr150l. The motorcycle option is great but no storage. I have rocked the milk crate but more likely a bookbag tied down. Also I have been spoiled by the fairings on the klr and strom. The pcx is an option. Maybe a maxi style smaller scooter with spread out ergos. 2up and highway capable. The rough estimate was kinda the burg. But I have limited knowledge outside of specs and youtube videos or reviews.
 
I ride interstate all the time on the vespa. 80mph on the flat, 85+ in a good draft.
 
Several years before we made the move to scooters (in 2013), we were at our friend's dealership, and while he and I were talking, my wife was "browsing"... she saw a Vino 125 scooter and thought it was the "cutest thing ever." Joan asked about it, and my buddy had a salesman roll it out so she could ride it. I asked, "Will it handle two up?"

My friend said, "It will barely handle one up. It's a dog. Have her look at a Zuma instead - it's peppier and has fuel injection." My wife looked at the Zuma and proclaimed it too ugly to consider. We took the Vino out two-up and he was right: it was crowded and painfully slow. We passed on it. Must have been 2009 or so, because that model had been discontinued.

I had forgotten all about this. My wife did "plant the seed" of getting a couple scooters 4 years before we actually did. In 2013, we bought a pair of Honda PCX scooters, and they were fun and peppy - enough so that it kept us interested in riding.

Just tossing that out there if you are comparing anything current to the Vino.

I considered a Burgman 200 at one time (to replace the PCX), but the dealer we went to was the very definition of a "stealership." (They advertised the B200 for a great price, but was over TWICE that amount to get it out the door!) I bought that first Vespa a couple months later. The B200 was comfortable and plenty of storage under the seat... but that girl has one really wide back end.
 
Several years before we made the move to scooters (in 2013), we were at our friend's dealership, and while he and I were talking, my wife was "browsing"... she saw a Vino 125 scooter and thought it was the "cutest thing ever." Joan asked about it, and my buddy had a salesman roll it out so she could ride it. I asked, "Will it handle two up?"

My friend said, "It will barely handle one up. It's a dog. Have her look at a Zuma instead - it's peppier and has fuel injection." My wife looked at the Zuma and proclaimed it too ugly to consider. We took the Vino out two-up and he was right: it was crowded and painfully slow. We passed on it. Must have been 2009 or so, because that model had been discontinued.

I had forgotten all about this. My wife did "plant the seed" of getting a couple scooters 4 years before we actually did. In 2013, we bought a pair of Honda PCX scooters, and they were fun and peppy - enough so that it kept us interested in riding.

Just tossing that out there if you are comparing anything current to the Vino.

I considered a Burgman 200 at one time (to replace the PCX), but the dealer we went to was the very definition of a "stealership." (They advertised the B200 for a great price, but was over TWICE that amount to get it out the door!) I bought that first Vespa a couple months later. The B200 was comfortable and plenty of storage under the seat... but that girl has one really wide back end.
Nice the vino would flatland 55mph 2up. The wife could ride up hills at 55mph. But 2up and a hill was tucked and 35mph. The seat was way too short. The adv150 and pcx are options. Never really considered the Piaggio or vespa brands. I think the twin headlights of the burg reminds me of my strom. I use to be a classic scooter fan where a gt300 and stoplight racing would seem ideal. Or a built stage whatever roughhouse would be tops.....but I kinda am appreciating workhorse unloved and over used machines. I get a better value. I like the looks of the burg head on...but it is not my thing. So outside storage and to do the duties of life would be the mission. I have always used dual sports for this role. I have tried everybike and sometimes twice. Maybe motorcycle evolution is hard to miss the scooter appeal. Small bikes are similiar. I find a limited supply though. The 450 elimator and some canvas saddle bags might work if I wait long enough.. Ha..that or a classic 350 are thought. Interesting the vstar 1300 pushes around easier than my klr or strom. But it is a big bike. I can ride the heck out of it but I question why. Scooters and cruisers overlap in my world some. But weight is weight. So 670lbs vs a scoot or lighter bike. Storage is nice! Even the burg 400 is a weight loss. Or a bolt. Thinking out loud..
 
Maybe I'll ride to the closest dealer this weekend to check out the little burg. The wife said why not drop ship a scoot. I replied that there wasn't anything close to the burg. And I pulled up the lifan clone of the adv. Right over 3k shipped. I also considered the bike Barnone recently bought. I'm trying to stick with big 4 bikes even though I have had clones. If I sit on an adv150...I might be sold. Same for pcx. And the zuma 125 is nice. But I want a little more power and speed. The minimoto line is cool and I am a big time mini fan but those are kinda the wrong bikes for around here.
 
I have three Ice Bear 150 scooters (GY6). The first one has over 8000 km on it with no issues and the other two haven't been used much. One is in the mountains of WNC and the other was my ride on Sanibel Island at our cottage there and luckily it wasn't there when hurricane Ian destroyed the cottage. I think I will leave it out at the ranch 30 miles east of Fort Myers, FL. They are very good to ride around town but top out at 55 or 60 MPH which is fine for me. They are very simple to ride and maintain. The first one I bought is a 2000 which cost $1,000 delivered to my house. The other two are newer and I think the price now is about $1400 or so for the same scooters.
I think they are decent quality and don't make the mistake of trying to soup them up. If you want a faster scooter buy one with more ccs.
The small bike in the photo is a DF250RTG which is a fun ride.
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