250 is pretty quick, but would love to have a bigger cc scoot but actual and running costs are a little more than I can afford.

It looks as if I am going to be shot down in flames here.

I still ride for the fun factor; more power is more fun for me. When I ride to work I look for the fun. I look for a car well up the gaggle and see how quickly I can catch and overtake it, then look for the next one.
I ride a T-Max because it handles like a motorcycle, so A and fast B roads are what I like. Going out with the local motorcycle club it is good fun to out handle the power rangers on their crotch rockets, yes they come past on the straight bits but who cares, it’s never far to the next corner.
The clutch and variator seem well set up so with the low slung engine in frame I do not really know what people mean when they say that bigger maxi’s are a handful in town traffic.

Petrol cost – I am an ex motor mechanic and I like to keep the motor tuned the best I can but I have no electronic gear so it all has to be done by ear. If I ride it like I stole it still gives it only gives me low 50’s i.e. 52-54, if I ride it like a saint the last time I got 64 mpg. It’s an old bike, 2001 with highish mileage but it will still top the ton, private road of course.

I have had smaller powered bikes that top out at 65ish and do not accelerate all that well and I feel quite unsafe on A roads. The car at the back of you will follow for so long – until they are board – and then overtake you whether there is room to do so or not.
I am not the smallest of people so I do need a bigger bike.

So after reading how other people ride I will now keep my head down and wait for the flack.

I have a Honda S-Wing 125ABS, this is because I had a PCX for commuting (between towns) that somebody wrote off for me and I decided I needed a bigger bodied scooter for more wind/weather protection so I settled on the S-Wing 125ABS. That was all on a CBT, now I have my full license I want to get a Burgman 400 desperatly, this is because the fuel economy isn't that much different, service intervals are much further apart and its more comfy and I'll keep up more with other traffic on the A12.

When I pick a scooter I look for;
1) Comfort
2) Looks
3) Storage
4) Wind/weather protection
5) Bigger it looks the better for road presence

I have a Xevo 400 because i didn't do direct access so was limited to 33bhp for 2 years. I ride 5-6 days a week, lots of the time with a pillion.

The mpg is decent and the power is ok, although it's crap from a standing start with a pillion (Like Deeping, I'm also quite large). If I can find something suitable to upgrade to I'd like a bit more power, especially for motorways with a pillion.

The problem is there isn't much out there now that appeals.

I have a Honda Foresight 250 as I find it just right performance and economy wise for my 8 mile commute to work along a fairly quick b road or along a single track lane if I just want to dawdle along admiring the scenery.
I'v used 100cc & 125cc scoots on the same route but found I was being cut up all the time by drivers who stray well over the 50mph speed limit and I just didnt feel safe whereas the 250 can cruise along nicely at 70 ish if I need to with plenty in reserve & it also has decent road presence compared to smaller scoots.

My LML 125 2 stroke is my toy really and I wouldn't use it everyday for commuting on as its top speed is only around 55mph on a good day with the wind behind me etc.
I'm going to fit a 150cc 5 port kit to it though which doesnt give much more speed but provides much more torque for climbing hills and riding into headwinds.

The biggest cc scoot I had was a X8 400i which was lovely and I would definetly consider buying another one if I had a longer commute along dual carriageways and motorways etc.

I ride scooters rather than geared bikes for the everyday practicality, storage space, weather protection and comfort.
Why a 500 and not a 125? Well for safety really. Cagers see bikes (sometimes, if they are awake) and have a pre-conceived notion that a bike is fast and so make their manoeuvres with that in mind. If however you are actually fairly slow, then they get caught out, or rather you do.
It does help being reasonably quick as it means you can mix it with the rest of the traffic on faster roads and motorways.
Also the frenzied revving of a 125 would get on my nerves, and the general lack of mid range guts makes them rather dangerous at times. My old 250 was OK being the Honda variant with the low revving motor but it was marginal on motorways and going any distance was less relaxing. You seem to be flogging a bigger motor so much less even riding fast although if I was only going 10 miles or less all cross town, then I might consider a sporty 125 as a commuting bike only and keep a larger one for other uses.

i have a tomos nitro 50, nitro 150 and a 09 tmax. I will say i bought the 150 to replace my 50 but couldnt let the 50 go... then i wanted more stability and the ability to ride 2up so i bought the tmax... funny thing is when my girlfriend rides the nitro 150 she pulls away from me till 50mph then the variator on the tmax moves and i catch her about 55-60 mph... my nitro 150 has been gps verified with a topspeed of 73 mph (yes i was past the redline but i do that frequently). I love the stability of the tmax and wouldnt give it up...

I've got a Sym Citycom 300i which has a 264cc engine (Here's a vid of it dragging my 110kg butt from standstill to its top speed:
The Citycom, for me, is the perfect balance between size, comfort and economy. I am also a big fella - 6'7" and the Citycom is one of the tallest Scoots available. (Here's a great site for Motorcycle sizes and how it might 'fit' you: http://cycle-ergo.com/ ) Down here in St.Ives, Cornwall there are some really steep hills, and it flies up them! It does 100+ mpg going down them and 77 mpg going up. It has 16" wheels and IMHO it's one of the best handling scooters available. To me there's a lot more enjoyment 'making progress' with a smaller engine. I have driven some very powerful cars in the past and still occasionally drive a Maserati GT Sport Convertible as a chauffeur and I can honestly say that riding the Citycom is more relaxing!
Passing your motorcycle licence isn't just about getting a piece of paper and throwing away your 'L' plates. It's more to do with teaching you how to read 'the road', to ride safely and defensively and it might even save your life, regardless of whether you're on a 49cc or 2294cc! It's a shame it's so damn expensive but try to see it as an investment!

i ride a 200cc becuse it came up at the right price

its fast enough to enjoy riding but not fast enough to lose my licence

i also have a 100cc scoot to ride to work and back and 4 quids worth of fuel lasts me a month

i've got a SYM GTS300i,which for me seems the perfect size for my riding,as i ride on my own 99% of the time.it'scomfy ,very good on fuel ,good storage it's what i can safely afford to run.an most of all i love the look of it.