Which Commuter Scooter ?

[Spy]

Hi All,

I am looking to purchase a 125cc scooter for commuting on London A roads to work and back, approx. 18 miles each way.

I previously owned a Suzuki VanVan but now I need to commute again, I would prefer an auto scooter, so no "get a geared bike" posts please

I have a few questions, some related to types of scooter and then some on specific scooters and hoping some people can help.

Type of Scooter

Are larger wheeled scooters (say 16") better in every way compared to smaller wheeled scooters (say 11"/12") eg comfort, turning circle etc ?

Are larger scooters like the new Honda Forza, just as easy to filter through traffic as smaller scooters like a Vespa GTS or Honda PCX ?

Specific Scooters

Which one would you buy, and why - Honda PCX, Honda SH125 or Honda Forza ?

Other than the classic styling, does the Vespa GTS 125 have anything else going for it compared to the above ?

Thanks for your help

[Nobby the Bastard]

[WD Forte]

The Liquid cooled, efi, sohc, Forza, looks pretty decent
and would hopefully be economical and last well
I don't see why it wouldn't filter as well anything in its class.

As long as you can see where you're going of course
In the rain that is.
It may be wise to look into some of the latest visor cleaning products.
We can help you on that......
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bikers smell of wee

[lifeisforlivi...]

Depends how much money you have to spend. The forza is a premium scooter that is quick and can hold 70mph. SH125 is okay and a good second hand option, I can speak from experience of owning a Honda PCX 125 and I cannot fault them one bit. They have full LED lights, 12v socket for phone charging in the front waterproof glove box, big under seat storage. Lots around second hand for £1600-1900 and they are high spec for the price with onboard computer etc.

Other options could include burgman 125, Yamaha nmax 125, sym joymax 125. I would say bigger wheels do help but overall design matters the most, the PCX has 14 inch wheels and all the weight is low down with the tank running through the center and it handles very well, take your hands off the bars at 10 mph and it will track dead straight. Top speeds of the liquid cooled current gen scooters 70-75mph (tucked). Most can cruise happily at 60mph and have 5-10mph for overtaking / short bursts.

Exhausts and transmission mods are worth looking at for the PCX as they make a big difference. Standard they cruise at 55 and max out 60-65 but with exhaust and variator kit they can hit 70-75 flat out / tucked or down a slight gradient.

[andyscooter]

presuming you will be on a cbt as you are suggesting 125cc scooters

then pcx all the way with a taller screen on it

a vespa will be nicked in London or cloned or both

look through gumtree there will be at least one gts300 registered as a 125 on there

the forza is a nice scoot but 4 grand for a 125 is a lot of dough

also Yamaha n max is now out at nearly the same price as the pcx
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[Alpineandy]

I don't know much about scooters (other than I'm not a fan), but a PCX has a very good reputation.
However depending on the roads, a larger scooter (250-400) would probably be a wiser idea for an 18 mile commute into/out of London if it involves any larger A roads.
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The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[Spy]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am limited to a 125cc as on CBT and have no inclination to take the time and money for a full licence.

The A roads I will travel on are limited to 50mph and incorporate those lovely average speed cameras in sections.

There will also be traffic in certain sections at the time of my commute.

This means that it is highly unlikely I will need to exceed 60mph which should be fine for a 125cc scoot.

I think what is more important, will be filtering and weaving through traffic as well as decent acceleration to stay in front of cars when sitting at the front of the queue at lights and they change.

I understand larger wheels (and probably a larger scoot) will soak up the road bumps better but I am worried they may be limited when weaving through traffic.

The Forza is a nice but expensive scooter but not sure if it is slightly too bog when trying to weave through traffic. It looks quite bog compared to the PCX and SH125 in dealers.

I know the PCX has a great reputation but I prefer a slightly more upright seating position and a flat board would be a nice option.

Also, I would prefer a bike with ABS, hence that may narrow my choice down to teh likes of a Vespa GTS, Honda SH125 and Forza.

[Alpineandy]

[Andy_Pagin]

I rode a Yamaha Vity in London for a year, very cheap, reliable and perfectly adequate for the job.
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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

[andyscooter]

op are you looking at the right forza

the 125cc one is a sporty styled one

the 300 is the more lardy maxiscooter styled one

also 18 miles in rain a larger bodied scooter is better in all ways as you will stay dryer

have a look at piaggio x8 or x9 scooters or even the Suzuki burgman 125

the flat floors are pointless unless you plan on carrying large bags by your feet and even the gts hasn't got one as such as they have the frame running up the middle now to create a little step (again read post above about vespa theft 22 a day in London at the moment)

I filtered on the m25 on a Yamaha majesty 400cc the widest part is the mirrors and they are no wider then the pcx
if you can get a pcx through the gap then a maxiscoot will do it as well
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[Andy_Pagin]

[lifeisforlivi...]

[MahatmaAndhi]

The PCX always comes up when people talk about commuting on a scooter. And seems to have a well deserved reputation.
What about a Yamaha Cygnus? From what I've read, they're a good size, decent performance, quick off the line, good storage, cheap to run, nimble and, y'know, not half bad looking.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-coSNXJnGo38/UP1nWGnOcBI/AAAAAAAACo0/5Zxoe4kArn8/s1600/Yamaha+Cygnus-X+2014+-+Front.jpg
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[Spy]

Thanks guys.

Yes, well aware of the excellent reputation the PCX has.

Although I would prefer ABS, the NMAX could be a possibility but I am sure I read somewhere that even with ABS, the brakes were not as good as the combined brake system on the PCX.

As regards scooters being theft magnets with the Vespa a prime target, 99% of the time it would be garaged both at home and at work.

How does the Vespa GTS perform compared to a Honda PCX, Honda Forza or Yamaha NMax.

What is old tech about the SH125, it has ABS and I though the same engine ?

[lifeisforlivi...]

[talkToTheHat]

£2700= licence + 2nd hand bandit/fazer with low miles + change

You won't have assertive acceleration at 50 on a 125, you win the traffic light grand prix on a 125 against a small family car unless the other driver lets you win.

You can filter on anything as long as you really know how wide it is. 30bhp or so is just adequate acceleration at the speeds your talking about, and that's being optimistic.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[andyscooter]

op what is your obsession with gts's

they are good scooters and have a small turning circle but you will be commuting into London

have a look on modern vespa forum to see how many are being nicked at the mo mainly due to being able to change the ecu in seconds and ride away as the immobiliser is built into it

also the prices people pay to insure them in and around London

a vespa at the moment just isn't worth thinking about down that way

the older pcx's are also getting nicked as they have shit immobilisers on them the newer ones seem to have solved this
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[lifeisforlivi...]

[andyscooter]

[Spy]

Thanks all.

No real obsession, I just like the look of the Vespa.

Having thought about it a little more though, I think my choice will come down to:

- Honda SH125 - Still think it is a little plain and I will look like a dDomin's delivery driver.

- Honda PCX - Like the styling but super common. May be a good thing if buying second hand but quite fancy the new 2017 one with ABS

- Yamaha NMax - Apparently the ABS is not as good as the Honda CBS (!). Also, servicing is apparently more expensive as requires timings adjusted or something !

When I think of it like this, I can see why the PCX is a popular choice.

[LeeW]

Get a PCX, I bought one last week and can't fault it.

[Pjay]

Man the fuck up and DAS.

[andyscooter]

I also found you got wet on the vespa as your knees are above the leg guard level

you may find the same with the sh as its a similar sort of shape

other thing with big wheeled scooters you tend to lose the under seat storage a bit so may need a top box

I loved my pcx and would have another

again I would use the big screen I had on mine
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[Spy]

Thanks guys.

Would you say the PCX has more leg protection over the SH/Vespa design ?

[lifeisforlivi...]