Commuting Advice Please

[rich673]

I am about to move jobs which will result in a 13 mile commute from NW London to SW London, along the A41, through town and finishing at Battersea. Trying to do this on trains and tubes is definitely going to be a nightmare, so want to get a scooter for the journey.

Really I am looking for the safest option but which also has a good mpg and will work well getting through the traffic as I get into central London.

I'd be really grateful for any guidance and suggestions, I have had a bit of a look around and I like some of the Piaggios, especially the MP3s - but are they actually any good for going through traffic? I've also seen that the Honda SH125 is highly recommended, is that still the case?

Would really appreciate a bit of hand-holding here!

Thanks

[CaNsA]

Get a used honda CG125.

Scooters are lame.

[Andy_Pagin]

Let's start at the beginning, do you have any biking experience?
If not I'd suggest you either do a 'Get-On' taster session, or the one day Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course before you start thinking about what bike to go for.

Ignore the post from CaNsA, I commuted in London on a scooter for a year, they're perfectly adequate for for job.
____________________
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Bendy]

Nothing wrong with a scooter for pootling around London.

I'd choose the SH over the MP3 - less stuff to go wrong. Any scooter will be okay in traffic, I like the bigger wheels on the SH for less pothole action.

You haven't mentioned a budget or whether you're looking new or second hand?

Take a look around, note what everyone else is riding, get one of those.

[map]

If you're going for the bigger MP3 (400+ iirc) then check the distance between front wheels. This is as iirc they could be classed as a trike and so ridden on car licence. Useful if you didn't want to go down the CBT / bike training route. Needs TFL registering and an annual (cheap) congestion charge for a trike. Scooters would be free.

Scooters in a city are fine. Better weather protection and (normally) loads of under seat storage. So ticks the boxes for commuting.

As said, have a look around. Large wheels helps with potholes and handling.
____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Ribenapigeon]

As above, look around at what others are riding next time your in london. Just make sure you buy a quality machine from a major manufacturer. Anything 125cc and up.

[Northern Monkey]

Get a used honda CG125.

Scooters are lame.

Bigger wheels will make riding over crap road surfaces, a CG wont lose much value, or have loads of plastic to crack if you drop it.

[Rogerborg]

Scooters are mind numbingly dull to ride, and the small wheeled ones aren't too clever over potholes.

But they are, sadly, very practical. Get yourself some muffs and a Tucano Termoscud invalid blanket and you can ride them in miserable weather without too much inconvenience.

Have a look at the Honda Vision 110. Big wheels, combined braking, low cost, great economy.
____________________
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

[map]

[DrSnoosnoo]

I'd have this brand new

https://www.peugeotscooters.co.uk/peugeot-scooters-detail.php/Vox-23/
____________________
I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[map]

FWIW here's a VisorDown review of the MP3 LT 400 and here's a MP3 LT 400 review from the Daily Mail.

Both confirm that it's classed as a trike. Looking around I'm wondering if the LT designation is an indication of the wider front track. This is as come across the 300 LT described as a trike and also the LT model(s) described as "the car licence version".
____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[barrkel]

[Andy_Pagin]

I can't see the point of these trikes, unless you're disabled, have an extremely poor sense of balance, or are just too lazy and stupid to do the CBT.

They cost a fortune, you've got three tyres to wear out, and have no apparent advantage over a scooter.

From a safety point of view, no one type of bike is more or less prone to idiots pulling out in front of you, or crashing into your back or side.

You might have issues (ie. fines) with parking in motorcycle bays as well.
____________________
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[barrkel]