Post by nulldevice on Apr 18, 2013 23:13:58 GMT -5
Short version, if you want freeway performance and comfort get a 400cc or bigger scooter.
OK, here's the straight skinny from a 6'2" rider who has actually ridden on high speed highways.
150cc scooters are Interstate legal in some states, not in others.
150cc scooters may do 50-55 plus, but the riders are small or there are never any headwinds, or hills in their part of the world. They have no reserve for head winds or hills at speeds over 40-45 mph with a large rider on them. It is suicide to get on busy high speed highways with them. Traffic runs 5-10 MPH faster than the speed limit, and scooter speedometers are notoriously optimistic in the high end of the scale.
A 250cc scooter is legal everywhere as far as I know. With a top speed of 70 -75 MPH they are marginal for Interstates but will do the job with a large rider. You will still drop back to 60-ish MPH on steep Interstate hills, Add a head wind and you will drop back more. For surface highways they are the sweet spot for power and economy. I really enjoyed my 250 chinoscoot, but was never really comfortable running the freeways with it.
Any 400cc and up scooter is good for going cross country on any highway at any legal speed at full design load against headwinds while going up hill. Well, maybe not over the 8,000 to 10,000 foot passes in the Rocky Mountains. I can't say about that.
I love my 500cc TMAX. with 300 pounds of me and 230 pounds of son I had to keep a sharp eye on the speed. I had trouble keeping it down to 70 MPH, up hill, against a moderate head wind, on Interstate 71 a few weeks ago.
OK, here's the straight skinny from a 6'2" rider who has actually ridden on high speed highways.
150cc scooters are Interstate legal in some states, not in others.
150cc scooters may do 50-55 plus, but the riders are small or there are never any headwinds, or hills in their part of the world. They have no reserve for head winds or hills at speeds over 40-45 mph with a large rider on them. It is suicide to get on busy high speed highways with them. Traffic runs 5-10 MPH faster than the speed limit, and scooter speedometers are notoriously optimistic in the high end of the scale.
A 250cc scooter is legal everywhere as far as I know. With a top speed of 70 -75 MPH they are marginal for Interstates but will do the job with a large rider. You will still drop back to 60-ish MPH on steep Interstate hills, Add a head wind and you will drop back more. For surface highways they are the sweet spot for power and economy. I really enjoyed my 250 chinoscoot, but was never really comfortable running the freeways with it.
Any 400cc and up scooter is good for going cross country on any highway at any legal speed at full design load against headwinds while going up hill. Well, maybe not over the 8,000 to 10,000 foot passes in the Rocky Mountains. I can't say about that.
I love my 500cc TMAX. with 300 pounds of me and 230 pounds of son I had to keep a sharp eye on the speed. I had trouble keeping it down to 70 MPH, up hill, against a moderate head wind, on Interstate 71 a few weeks ago.
