What would your ideal scooter be?

[MrGrumpy]

A Forza 350 with working suspension!

Isn't that an ADV350?

[Ministerofsillywalks]

As I say a more powerful Forza would be nice. Around 35 bhp. Though a Nexus would be better. Shame they don't make them any more. Likewise the Piaggio X9. Big and comfortable with enough power and decent fuel economy.

[tmaxrobbo]

A T Max with three cylinder motor . It would sound great and give it the noise it needs

[mottza]

Gilera Mk1 500 Nexus, circa 2004-6 but with the powerplant of the Kymco Downtown 300 circa 2010.

In the original fire red and black, naturally, and the same level of tech as it had in 2006.

Set up for torque, not bhp. Acceleration not top speed.

I saw a nexus 500 in tenerife last week

[capitano]

Gilera Mk1 500 Nexus, circa 2004-6 but with the powerplant of the Kymco Downtown 300 circa 2010.

In the original fire red and black, naturally, and the same level of tech as it had in 2006.

Set up for torque, not bhp. Acceleration not top speed.

I saw a nexus 500 in tenerife last week

I haven't seen one in years.

The styling, feel and handling of that Mk1 were great. The Piaggio Master 500 motor was probably a step too far. (Yes that's heresy, I know )

The Kymco 300 motor would have been a great powerplant for it.

[mottza]

They did a 300 nexus. I nearly bought one.

[capitano]

They did a 300 nexus. I nearly bought one.

And a 250 before that.

Neither felt anything like the 500 ergonomics-wise nor in handling. They were nowhere near as good looking either.

The 250/300 Leader motor was great but the Kymco had a better feel and more usable torque.

[Orcadian]

A Forza 350 with working suspension!

Isn't that an ADV350?

I think the 350 Forza is about as good as I can find but agree with Mr Grumpy about the suspension. Perhaps in an ideal World I would have a Forza with a 398cc motor (just under the next VED band!) ADV suspension, proper bar mounted mirrors as I already know what my elbows look like but would like to see what's about to take me out without shifting position. Fully adjustable slightly wider and taller screen (already fitted!) and a parking brake - already fitted one of those too after pulling into a downhill lay-by on the A90 to use my phone and only being equipped with 2 hands from birth, had to bugger off and find another level one a few miles further on. Why Honda didn't put a rear hugger on when the dimples are already there for an aftermarket one is also beyond me - I have had one nearly from the beginning - keeps most of the crap from being flung forward onto the engine. Also the genuine heated grips are barely warm enough on the highest setting £300+ and about the same for fitting so I fitted them myself. With hindsight, should have bought li-on battery heated gloves - they fit all bikes! Perhaps another 1 inch on each wheel diameter could be useful. Also a phone/gps mount and better access to the USB/C charge point - I've cut a grommeted hole in the panel to bring out a lead.

All that said, I had a great 3000 mile tour from here in Orkney to Austria last year for 3 weeks on the Forza @ over 90mpg and seem to use it as my 'go to' bike most of the time - I have others, mostly 70's Honda classics.
The only bike that I have had which had everything just right 'straight out of the box' was a 1500SE GoldWing but yer pays yer money!
If I was 30 years younger I might swap the desirable bits from a damaged ADV onto my Forza but can't be arsed these days.

Ian

[scootabout]

Having ridden my 2009 SH300 to test ride an ADV 350 yesterday, I'd ask for an SH 400, with Forza storage + removable box and panniers that are tight into the bike, not dangling inches off to the side, as frequently seen. Wide, adjustable screen, deflecters to keep my knees out of the wind. Oh, and integrated security, like the cable that Peugot (I think) that pulled out of the back, long enough to go round a lampost/tree/stand. Self-cleaning with three year service intervals. A price point of three grand would seem reasonable

[Orcadian]

Having ridden my 2009 SH300 to test ride an ADV 350 yesterday, I'd ask for an SH 400, with Forza storage + removable box and panniers that are tight into the bike, not dangling inches off to the side, as frequently seen. Wide, adjustable screen, deflecters to keep my knees out of the wind. Oh, and integrated security, like the cable that Peugot (I think) that pulled out of the back, long enough to go round a lampost/tree/stand. Self-cleaning with three year service intervals. A price point of three grand would seem reasonable

I think we are singing from the same hymn sheet really. I was 'GoldWinging' for 35 years and over 100,000 miles and was frequently ridiculed for having a bike that was too wide to filter through traffic until we measured my mate's BMW K100 RT across his panniers, which were a good 2" wider than my 1500 'Wing because mine were designed to fit right by the wheel and fully integrated, rather than sticking out like Dumbo's ears.
Before the 'Wings, I had a shaft drive Honda VF750 S and that had a very thick security cable which plugged into a key operated socket just above the left hand swing arm pivot. If the half inch steel wire armoured, plastic coated cable was cut through, it set off a loud alarm (never tried that though!)
That was back in 1983 - over 40 years ago, so Mother Honda had a good system back then. Now I wasn't born cynical - it only started when I was two but I could assume that the big manufacturers dropped that Idea as it would hurt their repeat sales of stolen bikes and especially scooters.

Ian