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Automatic Motorcycle vs Automatic Scooter - HELP/ADVICE?

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chris-red
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Joined: 21 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 11:38 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
jazzinspace wrote:


I thought I was supposed to be changing gears every 10mph so... I swear the 1st gear is literally screaming and throwing shit after 10mph though.


It's a 125 you are supposed to scream it Wink I really wouldn't worry about when you change gear, you can just feel it.
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Alpineandy
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PostPosted: 11:54 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
chris-red wrote:
WD Forte wrote:
Camberwell to the City?
what's that 3-4 miles max?
In busy shitty traffic, you ll be lucky to hit 30


Have you even ridden in London?

I get from Hornchurch to Shoreditch in 30 minutes during Rush hour, that's about 16 miles. I assure you it is very easy to hit 30, 40 and even 50 even in central London at busy times.

You do know where Camberwell is, don't you?
Camberwell to the city is pretty small roads with numerous traffic lights and crossings which, during rush hour, are pretty solid.
Think of it as you're commute on the A13 between Blackwall tunnel and Shoreditch, where you rarely see 30mph.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 11:55 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rogerborg wrote:
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha wrote:
Because let's be honest - when is that long travel suspension ever going to see any action.

Potholes and that. I do like the suspension on my 'adventure' bike for the urban jungle.

My XR was good for flying over speed humps and going up/down curbs, but living with the fork drive was a pain in the arse.

jazzinspace wrote:
I thought I was supposed to be changing gears every 10mph so... I swear the 1st gear is literally screaming and throwing shit after 10mph though.

1st =<1 0mph
2nd =< 25 mph
3rd =<35 mph
haven't got to use 4th yet because london and stuff.

I am such a noob :'(

...Maybe I should just get a better manual bike then. I do think I have bought a piece of junk haha.

If vespa's get nicked all the time (those statistics on how many get stolen is amazing!), are manuals less nickeable?

What is a good retro starter manual for city commuting (around 300cc-500cc) I thought triumph bonnevilles look pretty dope when i first started thinking about motorbikes.

Your gearing sounds fine, when I started riding I was in 5th at 30 until Tef' showed me the error of my ways Wub (my BS excuse no rev counter on the bike and a car driver).

chris-red wrote:
WD Forte wrote:
Camberwell to the City?
what's that 3-4 miles max?
In busy shitty traffic, you ll be lucky to hit 30


Have you even ridden in London?

I get from Hornchurch to Shoreditch in 30 minutes during Rush hour, that's about 16 miles. I assure you it is very easy to hit 30, 40 and even 50 even in central London at busy times.

So fairly major roads? OP will be taking normal urban streets, I'd say 30 or below most of the time as people like to drive around at 20mph a lot Evil or Very Mad
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 12:14 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
chris-red wrote:
I assure you it is very easy to hit 30, 40 and even 50 even in central London at busy times.

Are there many places where it gets you through the next set of lights a cycle earlier?

Genuine question, I have no idea. I know there are very few places on my commute where caning it achieves more than a longer wait at the next red light. I've noticed that many of Royal Jordanian's clips of blasting through that London end with an awkward edit at lights.
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Alpineandy
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PostPosted: 12:24 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rogerborg wrote:
Are there many places where it gets you through the next set of lights a cycle earlier?

Genuine question, I have no idea. I know there are very few places on my commute where caning it achieves more than a longer wait at the next red light. I've noticed that many of Royal Jordanian's clips of blasting through that London end with an awkward edit at lights.

There are some of the wider dual carriageways where it can work (RJ does make excellent headway but he's probably the luckiest 'filterer' I've ever seen) but from Camberwell to the City is only a small part dual carriageway (unless they've changed it in the last 5 years) and most of that is old roads which are only just wide enough for it to be 2 lanes. It's mostly quite old roads where filtering is very difficult and road widening isn't possible...
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chris-red
Have you considered a TDM?



Joined: 21 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 13:41 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rogerborg wrote:
chris-red wrote:
I assure you it is very easy to hit 30, 40 and even 50 even in central London at busy times.

Are there many places where it gets you through the next set of lights a cycle earlier?

Genuine question, I have no idea. I know there are very few places on my commute where caning it achieves more than a longer wait at the next red light. I've noticed that many of Royal Jordanian's clips of blasting through that London end with an awkward edit at lights.



It's the reason I 'MotoGP' most starts from lights, there are a few I KNOW I have to rag it to make the next one the rest is oppostunity.
Contrary to popular belief London is not 100% gridlocked even at rush hour. Seeing as you can filter to the front of lights you can pull away into clear road as fast as your like.

As per video of a section of my commute it's old and potato cam. But plenty of speed is going on there, this would have been ~9am on a weekday.

https://youtu.be/mvIC71MJkoo?t=46s
____________________
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.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 14:12 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
chris-red wrote:
It's the reason I 'MotoGP' most starts from lights, there are a few I KNOW I have to rag it to make the next one the rest is oppostunity.
Contrary to popular belief London is not 100% gridlocked even at rush hour. Seeing as you can filter to the front of lights you can pull away into clear road as fast as your like.

As per video of a section of my commute it's old and potato cam. But plenty of speed is going on there, this would have been ~9am on a weekday.

https://youtu.be/mvIC71MJkoo?t=46s

Do you always go the wrong way down one-way streets? Might as well get Tony Robinson to introduce that, its all changed round Aldgate and congestion's a lot worse.
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Teflon-Mike
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PostPosted: 14:50 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
chris-red wrote:
Contrary to popular belief London is not 100% gridlocked even at rush hour.

I'll take your word for it! I try keep my eyes shut! ('m told this is a tactic many london drivers employ!)
Last few times I have visited London, I have arrived at Marylabone, been shepherded outside by my Auntie, expecting to find a pewter scotty dog and a dice, and instead been shoved into a Nissan Micra driven by a lead boot! That then does the dicing (with death!)! CARS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LANE SPLIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"That's Oh-Kay" I hear in reply to what I thought was a silent scream.. "Its not a CAR, its a Landan-Micra!"
From there to Peckham, is a blurr, with a sound track.... she's an actress, and makes most of her living doing voice overs.. so I get the full audio-tour she once recorded, in full 'tour-guide Cindy' voice, "And on our left, you will see...." punctuated by things like "USE your fakin indicators you wankah" in a voice that would probably be bleeped out in an episode of the Sweeney!
I imagine that traffic must move, as I do eventually fall out of the London conveyance pod, at the flat.. and am offered 'Camille tea'! "Its good for the stress" Says tour-guide Cindy! Shocked When what I really want is a about a pit of vodka-matini... which I can empathize with, being very shaken and little stirred!! Hold the olive!
Place really, REALLY makes me appreciative of Brummie Drivers!!! It really does! I can almost forgive Coventry car controllers most of their sins! And they seem to have the attitude, "Look! we BUILD the damn things, you cant tell us we don't know how to drive'em! Indicators? Ah, well, that's Ken's job; I don't expect they work anyway; probably don't even have bubs in'em!"
They say madness is merely a relative measure of the insanity that surrounds you, so I suppose, it is, relatively speaking, true you don't HAVE to be MAD to drive in London.... it just helps!!
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chris-red
Have you considered a TDM?



Joined: 21 Sep 2005
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PostPosted: 15:15 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
M.C wrote:
chris-red wrote:
It's the reason I 'MotoGP' most starts from lights, there are a few I KNOW I have to rag it to make the next one the rest is oppostunity.
Contrary to popular belief London is not 100% gridlocked even at rush hour. Seeing as you can filter to the front of lights you can pull away into clear road as fast as your like.

As per video of a section of my commute it's old and potato cam. But plenty of speed is going on there, this would have been ~9am on a weekday.

https://youtu.be/mvIC71MJkoo?t=46s

Do you always go the wrong way down one-way streets? Might as well get Tony Robinson to introduce that, its all changed round Aldgate and congestion's a lot worse.


Only if I hit that light. I said it was old, it's the only In london on bike footable I have. I don't go that way anymore, I go all the way up Commercial Street from Limehouse Link now.
____________________
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.
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jazzinspace
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Joined: 15 May 2017
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PostPosted: 15:23 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't want to be encouraged to drive wrecklessly around town so I'm going to stick conservatively to around 20-30 max until I am more confident.

The suggestions about the Royal Enfield for retro looks and the Honda CB500/CB300 for popularity are good comments and are something I will take a look at, thanks for your tips.

I think I'll try out the tips of changing the way I use gears on a manual before I resign myself to a bitch ass scooter for now then.

I did also see the Honda Rebel and thought it looked like an interesting prospect for an entry level cruiser but I'm petrified of getting anything over £3,000 really because I just feel like it's going to get stolen.

If you had like 300-400quid to spend on any kind of security stuff what would you get? I don't have a rain cover or a even a lock at the moment. I saw datatag adverts and my instructors swear by trackers but fuck knows whats good value for money out there. (there are no lampposts to chain shit to where I live as well btw). For those of you who don't know camberwell, it's pretty dodgy around here.
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angryjonny
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PostPosted: 16:36 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Cover, Almax or Pragmasis chain, decent disk lock.

Cover is the most effective of all.

Declare none of it to your insurers.
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jazzinspace
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PostPosted: 17:25 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't understand - why not declare a rain cover, or disk lock to an insurer?
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Fizzoid
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PostPosted: 17:29 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
jazzinspace wrote:
I don't understand - why not declare a rain cover, or disk lock to an insurer?


Because based on much feedback, it really doesn't bring your premiums down by much, if anything at all

Not only that, but should your bike get taken the day you forgot to put the disk lock on, and the insurance company found out, then sorry sir, but you haven't met the conditions of your policy...
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jazzinspace
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PostPosted: 17:35 - 16 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
oh really; fuck that then thanks!
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Rogerborg
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Joined: 26 Oct 2010
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PostPosted: 07:52 - 17 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Fizzoid wrote:
jazzinspace wrote:
I don't understand - why not declare a rain cover, or disk lock to an insurer?

Because based on much feedback, it really doesn't bring your premiums down by much, if anything at all

Declaring an Almax chain put my cheapest quote up by 1/3rd.

Insurance makes no sense and everybody gets wildly different quotes. You really will have to plug some bikes and situations into the Random Number Generator to see what's insurable.

I took the Enfield today, what a laugh. However, I'd hesitate to recommend them as 365 day bike. I know stinkwheel likes to use his in extreme conditions, but the tyres and brakes aren't brilliant.

Oh, be aware that you'll need to get something registered after 1 July 2007 or you'll get bummed dry by the ULEZ charge.


M.C wrote:
Do you always go the wrong way down one-way streets? Might as well get Tony Robinson to introduce that, its all changed round Aldgate and congestion's a lot worse.

I was just thinking that's actually better progress than I can make north of the Clyde.

London 2012 vs 2017 comparison (trigger warning: RJ vlog)
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BillyJ
Nearly there...



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PostPosted: 09:25 - 17 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
That commute can be done on anything really.

I commute from Camberwell too and most days go to Vauxhall-Hammersmith - Uxbridge and then back with is about 25 miles each way. I do it on a Ducati 900SS and aside from the shit turning circle at walking speed, it's great!

Also obviously use my Ducati to go anywhere in London, often finding myself in Waterloo which is pretty close to Bank and the straight road outside waterloo station is perfect for popping a little wheelie to get tourists to look at you Wink Laughing

Regarding your security situation, I have a tracker and disc lock, I'm also buddies with some of the roadman so they don't touch my bike Laughing Laughing (famous last words).
But I bring the bike inside or almax it to a lamppost if I'm not here for the night or if I'm going away.
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 17:37 - 17 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'd these days consider a cheap chinqy scooter in London if I was commuting. This is because I hate traffic and don't really enjoy riding all that much I guess anyway.

Secondly buying a Chinese scooter, while still very nickable it's not a trophy/premium scooter and also if and when a hooded scrotum nicks it, you'd get another one in great condition for another 400quid.
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mikeoc
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PostPosted: 21:22 - 17 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I zip around London from Streatham to Crystal Palace, Borough, Moorgate, Belgravia and Heathrow on a weekly basis on a DCT Integra, a lot of it in rush hour, some of it out of rush hr; I used to have a 125 scooter and no regrets moving up to a bigger bike. You get very used to the weight and feel of a bigger bike, i personally think it translates into a lot more control and stability than on a scooter. No problems filtering, the NC750x isn't a wide bike, and it's very maneoverable. Plus it may tempt you to get out and about further afield than just using it for the daily commute - for example, I rode London to Snowdonia a few weeks ago, loved every second of it Wink
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M.C
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PostPosted: 23:13 - 17 May 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rogerborg wrote:
I was just thinking that's actually better progress than I can make north of the Clyde.

London 2012 vs 2017 comparison (trigger warning: RJ vlog)

You should start jumping lights and going the wrong way down one way streets then.
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Marclev
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PostPosted: 22:06 - 21 May 2017    Post subject: Re: Automatic Motorcycle vs Automatic Scooter - HELP/ADVICE? Reply with quote
jazzinspace wrote:

I am worried by the large height and weight (230kg) of the bike, Filtering through really tight roads and traffic jams seems like a regular experience for me and I have barely had a chance to go faster than 35mph.


So probably not a good idea to get one of those then!! Rolling Eyes

jazzinspace wrote:


Vespa 300 GTS Super
I find it a bit girly.


Just think of her as a sexy Italian woman that does whatever you want her to and problem solved, threat to your masculinity averted Thumbs Up

Beyond that, get whatever does the job. If I lived in a big city and only ever used the bike for commuting from end to the other of it, a fuel efficient scooter would be about all that I'd get. What's the point in getting a big bike if it's only ever going to spend its time weaving in and out of city traffic and never get out of second gear (be it automatic or manual)?
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