Not Loving My Scooter - What Can I Do?

[Prawny]

After covering nearly 30,000 miles on bicycles over the last 7 years I've finally convinced the Mrs that I'm savvy enough on the road to get an engine (15 years after I started the campaign).

She thinks motorbikes are dangerous, but for some reason thinks scooters are safer, and me having no experience was happy with the compromise of me having a scooter for getting to work on.

I did my CBT in June, and picked up a 2011 Yamaha Vity the next day. Over the last few weeks I've put about 1000 miles on it from Cannock Chase into Birmingham city centre, but I just don't feel comfortable on it most of the time. It's fine, great even at 30mph and down to 10mph, it's good in town and really manoeuvrable, but on faster stretches it terrifying unless there's no wind, it's horrible on bumpy roads and when going slow it feels like it will topple over instantly, I can't do a U turn on it without putting my foot down even though I had no problem on my CBT.

The Vity only has 10" wheels, is that the problem? Would I be better on something with 14"+ wheels like a PCX? Or should I have held out for a sensible geared bike like a YBR or CBF?

I don't like the seating position either particularly, my feet are too close together and I feel like I'm on top of it, but if I felt stable I could probably get over that.

Thoughts?

[Ste]

[Prawny]

[doggone]

There are larger capacity bikes in step through scooter(ish) style.

[Easy-X]

I think a lot of this has to be down to personal feeling: you really want a "real" bike and your subconscious is screaming "this ain't right!" at every opportunity.

I resurrected a similar scooter (as in tiny wheels) and I was happy to ride it up to 40mph... didn't fancy it much over that

Either get an actual bike (lie and say a 125 is barely any faster than the scooter anyway...) or cheat and see if you can find something like this:

https://s.yimg.com/aah/yhst-94650728190733/ninja-50cc-automatic-motorbike-scooter-street-legal-101.png

Technically it's a "moped"
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[bigdom86]

"real" bikes are much safer, had the same discussion with my other half a few times, she finally realized what I was saying made sense

1. better presence on road and/or more respect from drivers
2. big bike can equal big noise - again safer as people can hear you coming
3. riding position is more natural with the bike between your legs so makes maneuvers much easier
4. big bikes are cool
5. bigger wheels, better brakes, ABS and TC options

[bhinso]

Agree with all the above.
Geared 125cc's are the way forward. Ideally do your test and get a bigger bike, you've got enough experience.
I've known people who have just had scooters and been put off bikes because of it. The small wheels will magnify bumps in the road big time.

[Prawny]

[stinkwheel]

Stretch it and slam it.

NB: This will not improve the handling but might improve the fun.
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[Ste]

[bhinso]

[chris_hu_cheng]

I think the Vity is around 8.5bhp?? A slightly bigger and significantly more powerful scooter would feel significantly better. You probably wouldn't feel happy with bottom of bhp geared 125s either.

I tried a few scoots, my wife is doing her CBT this weekend and I picked up an older Honda Dylan in good fettle, at 13.5bhp and with bigger wheels I am happy with it (I wouldn't swap it for my geared bikes though). I rode it back almost 50miles on A and B roads with a half loop around the Bristol ring road and felt fine. At higher speeds it does not feel as stable as my geared bikes (125 or 600, the bigger being the most stable), at slower speeds (30mph and below) it is super manoeuvrable though, but have to learn to ride it a bit different (a bit of back brake when needed and counter-lean). So yes in my experience a better scooter may put a smile on your face, you have to try one to find out.

I would prefer a commute into Bristol (from 15miles out) on a 125 geared bike (I have more fun), but to be honest I wouldn't get there any faster and filtering would be easier on the scooter. I could carry more on the scooter etc. BUT motorcycles are not all about practicality you have to channel the inner biker and find out what you really want.

There is a noticeable lessening of respect on the Scooter (I am sure even less if I needed L plates), you don't get treated much better on geared 125 with L plates though, this needs to be factored in. Losing the L plates is going to help with safety (not least from gaining extra training more than anything else). My tack would be justify the licence on safety grounds alone and take it from there.

After that my solution is multiple bikes I strongly suspect there is a 250 to 300cc bike or two out there that would make a perfect medium distance commuter (I love my Bandit 600 but it isn't exactly light and flicky by any stretch of the imagination). Another tactic I adopted was to convince the wife to pillion and make sure that it was an enjoyable experience so she got the bug and wanted to ride, I see much bikes in my future .

[ThunderGuts]

Get your full licence then look at options. In terms of persuading your wife;

- Learners are statistically more at risk (lack of training, but to be fair a decent proportion of 16/17 year olds with no road sense as they've gone from a BMX to something with an engine)
- Bigger bikes are statistically safer (if you remove the sportsbikes from the stats at least)
- Bigger bikes have decent brakes and it's not hard to find one with ABS
- Bigger bikes are more stable; I've never ridden a scooter, but if it's anything like hopping onto my Brompton bicycle (compared with a full size one) it basically is permanently unstable (combination of little wheels with very little gyroscopic effect, but geometry of the bike too I expect) - great for quick turns around traffic queues but terrifying at speed

Good luck!
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TG.

[WD Forte]

How tall/heavy are you?
I had a ride on a guys 2018 Honda Vison last week cos he said it made 'funny noises'
It was fine but felt tiny, flimsy and wobbly and didn't make me want to go far on it.
His YBR125 which I'd test ridden previously was a much better experience in comparison.
Mind you I'm 6'3" and 16st of rippling muscle* so that may have had an effect
which is why I ask.




* Anything stated on the internet it must be/has to be true
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[Prawny]

I’m a solidly average 5’11 13ish stone middle aged man

To clarify my previous posts, I don’t feel particularly pressured by cars on the road, I’ve been road cycling into work for 5+ years along the same route so I’m confident in traffic and know how to ride defensively.
It’s more the lack of stability and how it bounces around and blown about by any kind of breeze.

Also, I think I’ll be sticking to smaller capacity bikes for the running costs more than anything else, I do like the way the Vity sips at the unleaded.

I think I’ll take the previous advice and get some DAS lessons on various bikes, get my full licence and then I can test drive whatever I fancy. Then I’ll ask for more advice on here.

[Teflon-Mike]

Cannock Chase through the Bars into Brum on the A34.... wonderful bit oif tortrure.. stretch from Stafford to Cannock doesn't have to be so nad, but its a fast bit of road and risk of an Audi Enema can be pretty dire... through town after that it can get a biut sphincter twitching...


Lets start at the top, it is NOT the bike, and a scooter vs bigger wheel lightweight WONT help.... a LOT of it it IS in your head.. and them Audicochs wont help....

See webby: particularly Motorcycling is DANGEROUS! - Will I REALLY kill myself??

You have more than one problem: O/H's opinion is probably a biggie. AND that is the one that needs most work.

Again see advice on webby, its just that she dont understand and she loves you.... er hope....

BUT CBT isd just your foirst lesson, it is not a licence and soprry, but your cycling experience and umprty years in a car mean not a lot, you is a LEARNER!

Starting there, I would try sell the idea of a DAS course to O/H... possibly on the basis that commuting on L'sd and a scooter through North Brum rush hour would scare the shit out of ME... so I'm going to do a a course and LEARN to ride 'properly.. and that means training up on a big bike, probably a 500 A2 bike.. then after that and getting the RWYL licence, should;t be such' a wrench to sell her on the idea that you have done the training and passed the tests and the govt say you 'may' have a bigger heavier more powerful biker, so why not.. throttle goes both ways.... and you aint goinh to get a monster nutter machine... just a 500 commuter tewin or simiar, and nigger and heavier, thay have bigger wheels and morte stanility and more flexability so are a 'safer' sort of bike... AND you have the lesson learning to make you safer than CBT and loonie plates....

hat would be my approach.. and depending on burget.. D-I-V-T-C-E may even be contemplated/mr4ntioned.. expensive B-UT because its WORTH it... says the man still paying for some-one elses house...

BUT it is in that upfront approach/plan NOT the bike... I do NOR envy you on that particular run, having even been SMIDSY's by a chuffin' tranny van in my 2 ton fugging RANGE ROVER.. like HOW the CHUCK did you NOT see something THAT big!?!??? 'Sorry mayre' as they career up the entry to Spaghetti..... where ere ewe.... somwhere just a little east of Castle Brom I think!!!! Its in that a) gettinjg trained, getting a l;icence and getting in the O/H's good books, IF she has any.... NOT in tyhe bike... No 1 unsons C50 big wheel step throuh that soiesn't have all the design perversitioes of a trditional scootyer is STILL on ond the least stable ane most nervce wracking machineds I have ridden and not ione Brummie Riuysh Hour!!!!

Go get lessons, get some propprer knoe-hoe, ditch the L's and workl on O/H eith souncd sence, to try get a pripp bike, juat the act odf getting trained and q propper licence UGHT do wonders,m if you can ger something like a Honda Duviulle commuter/torurer out the deal, then BONUS,....csheaper than diviose, though porribly not as good VFM..

BUT go get a licence every other motorised road user hs to before they try commuting under oetrolk power.. why not youy? What is so special about scooters that knowing how to ride properly is believed 'o[ptional' especioally on the A34 relief road..... you could even use the M6..... if you want a little exitement!!!! Just remember they dont LOOK even for ruddy great big 4x4's so tou are up against the odds beforee tiy stsrt einb ANY two wheekler, but there are plenty of scooterisri that takle that run dail;y and M-Way is still statistically the safest rfoad ed got... boring.... but statistically 'safe(r)' and porsonally, even on a 125 lightweight with the minsteral trying to blow ovr on the elevated sections of the Birmingham by-pass I hace felt more confy and less scared than on the A34 battling with the schooll run-mums and late re[s on the A34!!!

Your call, but I would say training, full licence nd probably a propper motorbike at the end is the answer, but what you miught do about the O/H other than diviose is your call.
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[Prawny]

Good points Mike, luckily (maybe) I start a new job next week in Stafford so I won’t have to do this route anymore. Unfortunately because of where I live that means going straight across Cannock chase which is narrow, bumpy and covered in gravel. The headlight on the Vity is pathetic too.

Still I’m hoping the driving will be better although I’ve not had any issues in 20k+ miles of cycle commuting, until I got nerfed a couple of winters ago on the rising sun island on the A5

I also took a dive one morning when the council decided not to grit the roads when they really should have. Got that on film though

https://youtu.be/KnFAJu8WUzc

[Ste]

Mr Teffers, some of the keys on your keyboard have worn out, it's time to replace the keyboard with a heavier duty one.

[Prawny]

Good points Mike, luckily (maybe) I start a new job next week in Stafford so I won’t have to do this route anymore. Unfortunately because of where I live that means going straight across Cannock chase which is narrow, bumpy and covered in gravel. The headlight on the Vity is pathetic too.

Still I’m hoping the driving will be better although I’ve not had any issues in 20k+ miles of cycle commuting, until I got nerfed a couple of winters ago on the rising sun island on the A5

I also took a dive one morning when the council decided not to grit the roads when they really should have. Got that on film though

https://youtu.be/KnFAJu8WUzc

[Teflon-Mike]

[andyscooter]

the vity is a budget underpowered scooter

the tiny thin wheels will make the ride terrible (lots hate vespas for same reason)

try a bigger scooter if that's all the mrs will let you have

the gilera runners are great scooters for a bigger person
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[chickenstrip]

How does she feel about horses?
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[Ste]

[Skudd]

I've never understood this thing about other half not allowing you to get a bike.
If you can afford it, then do it.
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[Prawny]