New scoot or motorcycle? hmmm  By  scootn4fun2010 (Read 1,892 times)

I find many motorcycle (cruisers) below 800cc, they rev too high on the highway, and don't have an overdrive.
My fleet is changing to a 50, 150cc and a 300cc Ninja, or perhaps a 900cc V-Star.
The V-star is for the long rides with the wife, the 150 is good enough to do 20-30 minute trips with with the wife, or by myself on the highway doing ~50-60MPH.

It all depends on what you mainly want to use the bike for.
If fuel economy is important, and speed, get a Ninja.
If comfort, and storage is important, get a Cruiser, preferably >800cc (as they are geared heavier).
For instance, my VT750 is just below that 800cc treshold, and in final gear, with stock chain and sprockets, @~2500RPM, I'd be doing 45MPH.
So the bike feels comfy @45mph, but so does a 50cc, and so does a 150cc (my 150cc feels most comfy@35MPH).

If I'd ever re-invest in a big bike, anything above 300cc for sports bikes, and >500cc for cruisers, I'd make sure it's final gear ratio is large enough.
In fact, riding a smart for two is very much like riding a motorcycle!
Fun, small, and fuel efficient, only with a cage around you.

I would go with the larger 350 to 500cc scooter or the 850cc Aprilia Mana. The Aprilia Scarabeo 500 was on sale for $3,999 for the past year and you may still find some available if you search around. The Piaggio BV350 is also a competant bike that will serve for highway touring and still gets around 70 mpg. The BV350 is a new boxed stroke design engine with a new wet clutch CVT that give performance similar to a 400 to 500cc scooter but with better fuel economy.

I ride with Boulevard 800's and Vstar 1+ liter bikes and find them frustrating to be with. Slow lumbering hulks that don't do much very well except plod along straight ahead. Cornering and stopping don't seem to be their best attrubutes judging by how much time we spend getting them back on the road after sliding through a stop or not able to hold a sharp curve on a country lane ending up in the drainage off the shoulder.

They don't make fun of my Aprila Sport City 250cc scooter any more. Some of the cruiser riders claim that it really has a 750 in it and the 250 badge is just a ruise. Don't know what they would think of the Scarabeo 500 or Mana 850 CVT Sport Bike.

I agree firstmost with what are your driving plans? Mostly in-town in-traffic? Mostly open roads/highways?

Although I'll always go scooter over motorcycle, 'cause I dislike the added thought of shifting up/down.

>'Kat

definitely looking for something for interstate speeds (75+ mph). From the sticker prices, the Yamaha TMax is about max that I want to spend. I'm not in a rush, but all the input gives me good ideas of what to look for, thanks! Oh, I had dirt bikes as a kid, so clutches don't bother me any, but the bigger scoots have places to put stuff while motorcycles still don't. I'll figure it out I guess. lol

Ninja 300??? I guess I've been out of the loop for a while. Ah yes now I see, new for '13, hmmm... My ninja 500 was more than enough umph for my needs.