DougL wrote:Don't buy a Vespa GTS in London if it is ever going to be parked outside. They are currently a magnet for theft.

sufficient security will deter them, chain to a lamp post and disc lock and datatag and a tracker and it will put them off. the ones that get stolent are ones that arent chained and have no security.

Cheers will try the sh125i

XMax400Paul wrote:Try sitting on a SH125... A revelation in commuting, had on just over 6 months now for central london commuting, xmax 400 getz a run at the weekend...
And a lot more roomier than you think, true sit up and beg, no feet forward, but the flat floor alows for a bit of movement.
Vespa ard also a lot roomier than they apear.

And I am on my 3rd Honda sh 125.Have tried bigger.-Suzuki burgman yuk.Had it 4 days yuk,sold it,came back to my Honda sh 125,[2nd one] That was 6 years ago,Have ridden sh, ever since.[125 of course]

My biggest concern is backache. Getting pain after a hour or so means that I stop concentrating on traffic and start wondering about the pain.

I will see if Chiswick Honda have a demo I can use for a couple of hours.

If the scooter you ultimately select has a movable butt stop, then you can have a car upholster build it up into a back rest, which is what I did.
Actually I built the frame from metal building roof strut supports, sourced at the local hardware,and held together with a few nuts and bolts , and the upholsterer just padded it, and fitted a vinyl cover.
It came out very professional, and I am still using it a year later.

As a matter of interest, given that I am 6ft is the sh likely to be too cramped?

I wish I had not got rid of the s wing, but it gave me awful backache

have you been to http://cycle-ergo.com/ put in the scoot you want + your size etc and compare riding positions

Nope great idea, thanks
Compared to the s wing I sit more forward on the sh 150i, and my hip angle is more open 85 v 75, knees are slightly more bent and I sit forward.

Comparing the sh to a vespa my knee angle is a slightly more on the vespa and the hip angle about the same.

If I like the sh then the vespa will fit I guess.

Lower back pain is an arse and I do yoga and such!

Out of curiosity are Vespa's any good - and I am thinking the 300gts or equivalent version as they seem better vfm, (even though only about half the economy of a sh)

Jupiter wrote:As a matter of interest, given that I am 6ft is the sh likely to be too cramped?

I wish I had not got rid of the s wing, but it gave me awful backache

At 6" 3" No,but that's me,we are all different,bum hurts after a few hundred miles,but once a year.I Can just do it.

Just a quick update, I went to dealer and ended up trying the msx125. It was relatively comfortable (still got backache but could move around a lot) - and felt like a proper bike. Its got loads of disadvantages like the lack of storage (but can get a givi rack), and the service intervals at 2.5k miles but they are supposed to be relatively simply.

I liked it but am worried that trying to sell it on could be a huge hassle given the limited market. its also not that cheap.

Has anyone else tried one and what did they think? (ps I will do a search in a minute)