Considering Getting a Maxi Scooter

[bigk]

Hello everybody. Seasons greetings to you all.
I have been lurking on here for some time now and thought I should introduce myself.
I have been riding, sleeping, breathing motorcycles since the beginning of 1970 (my 16th birthday).
I have had a large assortment of bikes in that time and must have had over 60 of them, occasionally
having two at a time but never more than that. So as you can see I am a serial swopper of bikes and as
finances have improved I have become worse! I am just a working class bloke (originally from Burnley,
now living in South Cumbria) but it is my only real hobby (that's my excuse to my 2nd wife )

I have had very little to do with scooters over the years, having owned a couple and ridden one other.
The two I have owned are a Spanish built Lambretta Li 150 bought new in 1972 (truly appaling build quality and
reliability) and a Vespa 90 (much nicer). I also rode an XMax 250 in recent times when my bike was in for service
and was very impressed with the turn of speed (had it up to 85 on the probably optimistic speedo)

I have a Yamaha XT1200 Super Tenere which I have had for over 12mths (long time for me )
but have only done 1700 miles on it because I can't summon up the interest to go out on it. So I am looking to get a machine
I have not really tried before ie a maxi scooter rather than give up two wheels altogether. That would be one hell of a wrench
after all this time.

I have a couple of issues which I need to be assured of before I embark on this. One is that I am 6ft 4ins tall and therefore need
something roomy and the other thing is that I occasionally suffer from a bad back and wondered if the seating position on a
scooter would make this worse!

I have been reading with interest Data's posts regarding his Burgman 400 and think that something like this might suit me (good economy,
possibly roomy enough and relatively easy /cheap to maintain. It may summon up a little more enthusiasm which I seem to have lost over
the last few years. Motorcycling for me used to be all about riding the bike but perhaps I should concentrate more on seeing things and places.
Don't know if that makes any sense to anybody but thanks for listening!!

Regards, bigk

[poldark]

Welcome, all makes perfect sense to me - apart from listening to Data of course!

With any luck you'll be able to find some nearby Muppets and perhaps the option to rideout in a small group might also help nudge your enthusiasm. Although the thrill of riding is still there, I also now find myself looking forward as much to the places we pass/visit along with the friends I'll be with - perfectly natural.

Burger 400 might well be ideal, best find a dealer that can let you test ride one & maybe try against the X10 350 for comparison sake.

[bigk]

Thanks for the welcome, Poldark. Yes, I am considering all the maxi scooters including the X10 which has had some very good write-ups.
I would also like a look at the Tmax, burger 650 and Silverwing although you are then getting into the realms of higher fuel consumption/running costs?
Maybe a bit excessive for my needs?

[Deleted User 62]

Hello & Welcome to the

[StephenC]

The Satelis 400 will be along soon. No idea on price, but going by the 125 it should be pretty good all-rounder. And the 400, although of course slower than 500/600 scoots, should be better on fuel.

Here's the placeholder for when they officially announce the UK launch - http://www.peugeotscooters.co.uk/peugeo ... 20Soon%204

[smeghead]

I have just gone to the 'dark side' after years of motorcycling, big bikes, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Triumph etc. I decided I had had enough of MCN, Bike, Ride et al telling me I needed to go faster on bigger and heavier bikes. I bought a Yamaha Majesty 400 but also looked over the Burgman, chose the Maj as I got a better deal on it and the dealer is local. I am sill running it in but I can see the potential of the thing. It will easily cruise along at 70-80 which is as fast as I want to go. Currently returning 75 mpg and I can park the thing straight outside where I work, in the middle of town, for free. All my stuff fits under the seat and it just washes down when I go out in the wet. If you fit comfortably on the Suzuki go for it. You just need to change your expectations of what a two wheeler can do for you. I love mine and, although it's early days, I really can't see me changing back to a motorcycle.

[Liam]

Hello Bigk,, Welcome.

Enjoy your scoot, whichever one you get.
The good thing about a big engined scooter is, you can thrash it about or ride it sedately.
A lot of riders on big motorcycles feel pressured into riding like Valentino Rossi all the time.
And it becomes obvious that they can't!

[bigk]

Thanks all for the welcome.
Smeghead, when you moved to a scooter from big bikes, did you not miss the instant power and performance and did it not feel strange moving to scooters after years on bikes? Also, did you get lots of flak from your motorcycling mates? (Personally that doesn't matter to me. I am big enough and ugly enough to ignore it!!)
I do understand what you mean about MCN. If it can't wheelie everywhere and do at least 180mph then it's no good!

[VOZZA]

Hi Bigk and welcome, hope you find what you're looking for. I think if you can handle the flak from mates the rest will be easy.

[smeghead]

Hi bigk,
Smeghead here! In answer to your questions,Yes I do 'miss' the power, but I have adjusted. I like the way I can relax now and just enjoy the ride, the machine underneath me has become less important although the Majesty is great in it's own, but very different way. I am no longer battered to death when I've finished the ride, I no longer stress about taking the Bonneville out in shitty weather as it took ages to clean, I now go to work on it as it's all so easy. It may sound like a 'cop out' which, I guess it is to some extent. But I have had years of very enjoyable motorcycling and I now hope to have years of nice easy scooting. I have suffered some 'banter' from my son in law and surprisingly, my daughter, but they can all just sod off! Life is too short to worry about what other people think. I have just come back from a week in Spain and almost all two wheelers are scooters, no one bats an eyelid it's just the people in this miserable, insular country that worry about what you ride. Get the Burgman, if you don't get on with it then hey ho, flog it and get another bike!