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Post by rockynv on Nov 5, 2015 13:36:21 GMT -5
Couple things, rocky. 1--how much do most of those 500cc bikes you mentioned weigh? 'Cause it sounds like bike-weight is a concern for mike. 2 (and something I've always wondered)--what makes your 250cc Appy so fast? You've posted before how you'll look down and be going well into the 80s without realizing it. It can't just be the bigger wheels, although I know that matters. My dealer once blew off a pair of Vespissers' attitude towards me by telling me their Vespa might be 250cc but couldn't go as fast as my 200cc with his 16" wheels. >'Kat The Aprilia and Piaggio 500 are less than 400 lbs while the Majesty and Burgman are a bit over. I find the Scarabeo 500 and BV500 much easier to hold up than the Majesty or Burgman. Low center of gravity and higher seat work in my advantage. Remember I am a disabled person and have to walk with a cane due to a 20 or so foot fall off a ladder that failed so that I fell onto a very heavy concrete machine slab that was over 2 feet thick. The Vespa gearing does not make up for the smaller wheels so you hit the rev limiter on them at a lower top speed than you do on the Aprilia with the 15 inch wheels which so far I have yet to reach the rev limiter on. The rear tire being a 130/  -15 on the Aprilia is also larger in diameter than the 130/60-16 tires common on the other bikes which along with the slightly modified ECU map from Aprilia they made for bikes that went faster than even the Piaggio versions. Probably one of the reasons that Piaggio is no longer providing Aprilia with scooter engines over 50cc. The only scooter engine that Aprilia makes themselves is the 850 and Piaggio is not allowing Aprilia to market them in the USA except to sell them to John Deer for their Gator Vehicles.. |
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Post by nulldevice on Nov 5, 2015 22:48:08 GMT -5
All the used scooters for sale used in my area are 49cc. If I wanted a 500 pound scooter I'd rather keep my 500 pound Scrambler. I live in a small city with some nice country roads. The Kymco is rated at 29 hp and reviewers say it will do 80. Dry weight is 364 . The main by pass 4 later has a 60 mph limit. Anyone want to buy my 150 Wolf Blaze for $1100 in Roanoke Va Cool, that is only a few HP less than my Majesty and sounds good for what you want. Do enjoy whatever you find when you get it. In reference to "classic" motorcycles. I looked the word up and found the word classic has a zillion different meanings depending on context. My classic was of enduring original design. I think you used it as based on a classic design. In all truthfulness, I hope your Triumph only looked much like the 1060s bike. It would numb your hands, eat batteries and headlight bulbs from the vibration, was noisy as all get out, and had a clunky shifting transmission. It was fun trying to keep the oil inside the motor and off the garage floor and the electric system by Lucas, lord of darkness, was a trip too. It's no wonder the Japanese ran the whole British motor cycle industry out of business. How much things can change in half a century. |
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Sophomore Rider
Currently Offline
2007 Yamaha Majesty
Posts: 219
Likes: 6
Joined: Feb 24, 2013 23:59:56 GMT -5
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Post by bigggroovy on Nov 9, 2015 11:30:29 GMT -5
Can buy a new 2012 for $3400 plus tax and tags. Just bought a Wolf 150 which is a bit disappointing but willing to sell it at a loss. Still learning but I'm addicted the 300 should be all I need, not interested in the Goldwings type luxo scooters. Seems like the Kymco is a a great deal for the tech, quality and performance from in town to 2 up and even the 65mph highways. Any advice appreciated. It will also replace my 500 pound Triumph. At age 65 it's time to ditch overweight classics Think about a used 400cc Majesty or Burgman instead. You can find ridiculously low mileage ones for about that much. I just bought my 2012 Majesty 400 for about $3500 plus tax, tags, and title with about 2100 miles on it. I'm a big fellow, over 300 pounds and over 6 ft tall. About as much load as two average size people. I went with a 400cc scooter for the following reasons, and I'm glad I did. 1. A 300 cc motor isn't that much bigger than a 250cc motor. 2. Many highways have higher speed limits than 65 MPH 3. Most of the time the actual traffic speed is five to fifteen MPH faster than the speed limit. 4. Head winds are a fact of life. 5. Up hill grades are too. 6. If you aren't into doing your own wrenching they have a large, long established nation wide dealership network and parts distribution system. The only clinker is the 400cc machines weigh close to 500 pounds, but the over 70 contingent of the A C W Scooter Club seem to have no problems handling their maxi scooters. Ask the dealer to let you move one around and see how it works for you. 500 pound classic Triumph? What are you calling a classic Triumph? A 1970 Bonneville weighed 363 pounds. Replace the battery with a few large capacitors in parallel (the vibration ate batteries) and it would weigh less than 350 pounds. www.classic-british-motorcycles.com/1970-triumph-bonneville.html I got a 07 yamaha majesty 400! |
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Post by mikestib1 on Nov 9, 2015 12:28:42 GMT -5
You're right about classic Triumphs and Lucas electrics. Joseph Lucas was known as the prince of darkness and BSA stood for bastard stopped again!
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Post by mikestib1 on Nov 12, 2015 17:33:30 GMT -5
Got the 300 and loving it. Water cooled, 4 valve head and fuel injection. Keeping my Wolf blaze 150 too.
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Post by JerryScript on Nov 12, 2015 23:55:18 GMT -5
Got the 300 and loving it. Water cooled, 4 valve head and fuel injection. Keeping my Wolf blaze 150 too. Best of both worlds! Enjoy the rides! |
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Post by SylvreKat on Nov 13, 2015 8:45:23 GMT -5
Got the 300 and loving it. Water cooled, 4 valve head and fuel injection. Keeping my Wolf blaze 150 too. I've been wondering what you ended up doing. Congrats on the bigger bike! Go take a long highway drive on it. NOW POST PICS!!!!!!!!!!! Please.  >'Kat |
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Post by mikestib1 on Nov 13, 2015 11:48:23 GMT -5
If I could figure out how to upload pics, I would. I'm ancient so help a brother out
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Post by JerryScript on Nov 13, 2015 13:32:35 GMT -5
If I could figure out how to upload pics, I would. I'm ancient so help a brother out Here are instructions for pics. itistheride.boards.net/thread/7511/easy-picture-postingYou can also upload them to a website like photobucket, and paste the url they give you in the reply box here. |
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Post by mikestib1 on Nov 13, 2015 15:06:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the help!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 14, 2015 1:29:16 GMT -5
Mikestib1,
Welcome to the site!My story is similar to yours, as I just turned 69 and arthritis makes it nearly impossible to get on and off a big bike anymore. Even the large scooters with a "semi-hump" are hard for me. I rode a Chinese 150 for 7 years and loved it, but it just was too slow for safety even on surface streets. Two years ago, I traded it on a VERY used Kymco Grandvista 250 and I'm very happy with it. Mine has the old-school carbureted, 2-valve "workhorse" ATV/scooter motor with 19 hp. It is FABULOUS for in-town use, with good acceleration, and effortless highway riding up to 65 mph cruise, or a tad over 70 cruise if needed, at near WOT. When "all is perfect" she'll hit better than 80, but with hills, wind, etc. 65 is her realistic best cruise. The new 300 is a lot better, being fuel-injected with a 4-valve head. It puts out around 30 hp... As much as many 650's of my youth. I believe the 300 would easily cruise 70 mph, but not much more. For the record, my old "Minnie Mouse" as I call her is an '07 model with 15K miles on the clock. The former owner put most of the miles on at WOT riding 2-up and loaded-down. He says the old girl has been from New York to California and from Canada to Mexico. And the only work ever needed was a battery, brake pads, a muffler and a drive-belt (all done by the dealer before I took delivery).The old girl still rides like a new bike, with all rubber parts still soft and pliable and all electrics working fine including the folding mirrors!  The saddlebags, whitewalls and fishtail exhaust are just homage to my Harley riding past... LOL! You can take the old geezer off the Harley, but you can't get the Harley out of the old geezer... LOL! I am truly a die-hard Kymco enthusiast. I test-rode every large scooter I could, and also found the 400cc and larger ones heavier and longer than I really wanted. The Kymco 250-300 step-through scoots are almost in a class by themselves for size and weight. Just perfect for this old geezer! The Grandvista was Kymco's first attempt at a "touring scooter" and the 12" wheels are often considered too small, but with good tires and well-balanced, they run as smooth at 70+ mph as my old Hogs did. The new 300 has large wheels, AND dual-disk-brakes up front, which are a big improvement over mine. The BIG Kymco road-scooters like the 700 "My Road" are great, but as long and heavy as a Harley. The Italian scooters are great too, also being in a pretty unique size/weight class and very fast. But if 70 mph is enough for you, I think you'd fall in love with the Kymco 300! Hope my experience may help.Leo (VERY happy on a Kymco) in Texas
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Post by rockynv on Nov 14, 2015 9:01:21 GMT -5
The Italians were aiming for sub 400 lb lightweight bikes that were agile and easy on the rider but still offered some touring ability. They started breaking that model with the Atlantic 500 and Big Scarabeo 500 but reeled that in with their more recent offerings. The BV350 was a breakthrough since the engine was box stroked to provide near to 500cc performance in a bike that gives 250cc economy and is light enough for most riders to handle with ease. The did have to double the frame giving it a hump to stiffen things up though.
The Aprilia SRV 850 even though it is considered a scooter is listed on the motorcycle section of their main web site as a more of a Sport Bike.
Kymco is coming very close to the lightweight motorcycle philosophy of the Italians although their current 500cc bikes are a bit more like the Burgmans in size. It would be a hard choice if I lost my Sport City but I would probable on a new bike be choosing between the People 300i and the Piaggio BV350 while used it would probably be the Scarabeo 500 or the BV500 unless a used BV350 became available at an attractive price.
Part of the attractiveness of the bikes based on the Long Case Piaggio 250 or 500 engines is that there are plenty of sources of parts with a number of Vespa, Piaggio and Aprilia dealers around me that I do not need to order parts over the internet and can find most items I need locally in a few hours of searching and be back in service in very short order however so far in almost 5 years I have not had a single breakdown and have yet to be stranded by the bike.
I keep looking however nothing new is really tempting me yet to give up the 2009 Sport City 250 especially since I went with the Dr Pulley Sliders and the Michelin Power Pure tires.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 14, 2015 13:19:42 GMT -5
Hey, congrats on the new scoot! Have a bone on the old chopper guy!
I think you'll be very happy with the People 300. It should do everything you need it to, short of crotch-rocket speeds! I've found with my old 250 that Kymco REALLY makes a long-lasting, heavy-duty bike. I'd say Kymco quality is every bit as good as any make, and better than some. They have a rep for going way past 50,000 miles with little trouble. Little things give a hint at the overall build-quality: After 8 years and mostly hard highway 2-up use, even the seat-upholstery and rubber floor-board shows no noticeable wear!
Kymco makes engines for some Honda products, so that says a lot. Honda won't put their name on ANYTHING that won't stand up as well as their own make.
Rockynv is right about his love for the Italian scoots too. For me it was a hard choice between a Kymco and an Italian scoot, because they both share that unique size, easy on and off flat-floor, "just right" size and weight. After trying out most every type of scoot, I went with the old Grandvista when it showed up at my local dealer (MOXIE SCOOTERS) nearby. This dealer is FIRST CLASS with great service. The former owner of "Minnie Mouse" traded her on a new People 300 just like yours! He just couldn't resist the features which make it the "no-brainer" natural upgrade from the 250.
I rode choppers and baggers for over fifty years and loved every mile. When I went with a scooter almost 9 years ago, I was skeptical, but knowing a 150 would be limited in performance, I was not disappointed with the Chinese 150. When local street speeds increased over and over, making the 150 a rolling roadblock, I went with the old 250 and actually find it fully as enjoyable as my old Harley baggers on the road, and LIGHT-YEARS better in town.
Thinking back to my last Hog (a 1970 full-dress Electra-Glide, stolen back in 1978) I note the Kymco is as comfortable. It has more acceleration, and only 10 mph less top-speed. It has MUCH better brakes and suspension. It gives mpg, costs only $100 a year to insure and is as reliable as the family sedan. The overall riding experience is actually BETTER than the old Harley... And, nobody is trying to steal the old Kymco LOL!
I'll bet you'll like your 300 just as much, and more... and it should last as long as you need it to!
Ride safe,
Leo in Texas |
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Post by mikestib1 on Nov 15, 2015 13:08:27 GMT -5
Fuel injection beats cv carbs hands down in 50 degree weather. The Wolf takes about 10 minutes until it runs right. The Kymco runs perfectly after a 2 minute warm up n the driveway. Love them both and thank God my wife is so good about my obsession with 2 wheels. It helps that it gets me out of the house and happy!
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Post by mikestib1 on Nov 15, 2015 15:11:21 GMT -5
Maybe the 300 Kymco people should be marketed as the Geezer Express
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-15 on the Aprilia is also larger in diameter than the 130/60-16 tires common on the other bikes which along with the slightly modified ECU map from Aprilia they made for bikes that went faster than even the Piaggio versions. Probably one of the reasons that Piaggio is no longer providing Aprilia with scooter engines over 50cc. 
