Fast scooter

[Panigale]

I was passed yesterday by a scooter which clearly had some ooomppph in it.
Chased it down, was a bike I had never seen on the road, an Aprilia 850.
We rode together for a while and boy, does that thing shift for a scooter. He was clearly a good rider, but jeez, scooters have moved on a tad since I rode one last in about 1990.
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Panigale S

[Mario_Kempes]

An SRV850.

https://www.motorcycle.com/gallery/gallery.php/d/327659-2/2012-aprilia-srv850-left-side-18.jpg

Maxi scooters are common as muck where I live. I had a shot of a T-Max once and, while comfy, they're actually quite heavy and fat which reduces filtering options sometimes. They're also bloody expensive.

T Max

https://imganuncios.mitula.net/se_vende_yamaha_t_max_500cc_black_max_97444166824508381.jpg

[sabian92]

Quite like maxi scooters for a commuter (massive underseat storage) but they are expensive as shit and expensive to service.

Probably good to tour on as well with all that storage - wouldn't be stuck in traffic with 2 massive panniers unable to filter.

[Matt B]

[Rogerborg]

Hello, new Faggio rider here. I just had to see what the appeal was, and why Europe is so gay metrosexual for scoots. They outsell bikes there by some margin, and there's clearly a market for the bigger, "sports" ones.

My midi is... OK. Surprisingly competent on motorways, but the 13" wheels on the Burgman 400 make for comically hectic cornering though. I got it as a winter bike for the weather protection, which is decent, and muffs and an apron are on the way, but am now wondering if I'll have the nerve to take it out in anything inclement.

385cc is enough for legal road use, and it gets up to speed in a fuss free, snooze inducing fashion. I can believe that the maxi scoots would be capable of decent speeds, especially given that you can just crank them wide open and let the spinny weights and magnets (how do they work?) and such do their magic.

The underseat storage is handy, but if you don't give a stuff about looks - and you're on a scooter - then you could just put a big top box and tank bag on a bike. I'll be adding a box to the Burgman anyway.

Filtering, I'm undecided. The bars are the limiting factor, not the width of the vehicle, and they're no wider than any other regular (non clip-on) bike. The chap I got mine from had removed the stalks from the mirrors to make for easier filtering, he used it as a city bike.

But the centrifugal clutch will take some getting used to: I have to rev it to engage the clutch while holding it on the brake to get control at slow speeds. I'm not sure my nerve is up to trying to slip it through tight gaps where there's no room to get feet down.

Servicing, I can see it you getting rinsed at a garage as pretty much everything in the service book starts with "remove cover X and panel Y". But mine is going to be home serviced, and I don't mind taking its clothes off and giving it a good going over every so often. If it craps itself, eh, spares-or-repair.

They do start expensive, and owners seem to get all sentimental and over-value them. Of the three that I looked at, two were asking silly money and got no serious offers. I only got mine at a reasonable price because the seller was being royally dicked around by his eBay "bidders" and was happy to take actual cash when it was waved in his face.

Well, further bulletins as events warrant. I'm undecided as yet, but it's something that I want to be able to tl;dr about from experience.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[chris-red]

Maxi scoot sounds like a feminine hygiene product.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

The Bergman slogan should be "Go to work on a jam-rag".


Echoes of early Throbbing Gristle there, for all you Genesis P. Orridge aficionados.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[map]

[Rogerborg]

Well, I wasn't going to raise the nodding issue...

I pulled up next to a chap on a Transalp at the supermarket yesterday, and there was an awkward moment when we both pondered our options. Him, maybe acknowledging me; me blurting out "I really ride a GS! This is just for a laugh!". In the event, we shuffled around, didn't make eye contact...

[smithyithy]

[Rogerborg]

[j00pY]

There is a scooter that comes past my house every day. I always mistake it for a Ducati as it sounds so nice!

[Christoffee]

I thought I was joining the macho world of biking, now I'm thinking about the practical storage, auto box, muffs and apron that a scooter can offer!

You're a bad influence.
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Bike: CBF125

[ScaredyCat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36-7x2y9uCI
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Matt B]

[Hetzer]

[Cheeseybeaner]

The small wheels and odd weight distribution would make me distrust a scooter. From a practical point of view I'm sure they're great but being so used to the normal attributes of motorcycles I couldn't get my head around owning one.
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My bikes: 2003 KAWASAKI ZRX1200R, 1996 YAMAHA DIVERSION XJ900S

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I love everything about modern scooters apart from their looks, sound, handling and high plastic content.
____________________
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Pie-Roe]

For icey/snow conditions, are scooters not a bit less suitable than a geared bike? I'd have thought that an auto transmission would be a bit shit for riding in the snow.
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Previous: GSF600, FZR600 x2, ZXR750, XT600 Tenere, CB125, CZ125, ETZ 250, ER5, CCM R30, DRZ400, RF600x4, RF900x2, GS500, VTR1000F, 640 SMC, CB250 NIGHTHAWK, GT550x3, GPX750 TE610, CB500, X11x2, SV650, ZING 125, TL1000R,CB250 Superdream, CBR1100XX

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Let's just say Bergman green laning has yet to take off.
____________________
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Rogerborg]

Dismissing them without trying one would be like bad mouthing all modern supersports 600s because you rode a CB750 in to fail its MOT a few times.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[chris-red]

[Rogerborg]

Riding a CB750 is like taking it up the shitter? Harsh, but probably fair.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[fox]

[Irn-Bru]