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AT 5'11" and 200 pounds, if it were me, I would skip the upgrading a 50cc and find something a little bigger from the get go. In the $2000 price range the (used) Sym RV 250 and HD200 come to mind. But also the Kymco People 250 especially the S model. You might even find a Kymco Yager but the styling is funky. Up in Minneapolis I saw Kymco People 250's all summer long last year, I would bet there are even more in Chicago.

Yamaha Zuma 125 (?) are also popular.

You should be able to find one of these on Craigslist pretty easy in another month or so when the scooter ads really start to show up. I'd be patient and lay in the weeds for one, cash in hand and pounce.

There are other models that are similar by other brands, but any that I mentioned would be a great buy in that price range. Even though they are bigger displacement than the ones you mention, gas mileage is still really good. I get close to 75 on my 300.

You only mention ONE model that is not a 50cc as far as I can tell. Do you not have a MC license or are trying to avoid one?

EDIT*** are you in the Carolinas or Illinois? Some dealer, and I forget the name, sells Kymco really cheaply in the Carolinas. If they have any used stock you should have lots of good ones to choose from.

Double Edit***I think it is Salisbury Cycle Center in NC. They have two used Kymco Super 8 150's for $1800. Nice scooters but they are Kymco's made in China. Still to Kymco specs, but some say not as good as their Taiwan scoots. I have ridden a couple and I like them a lot. Neat looking too.

For anybody that reads these threads that pop up you will see people argue over brands of scoots. I did lots of research before making my choice and I can say that Kymco owners had almost universal praise for the build quality of their scooters.

But so did Sym, and Piaggio, Aprillia, Honda, Yamaha, Genuine and Suzuki owners. It is hard to find someone that has run into multiple problems with these brands, and most will be problem free far beyond the original purchaser's use.

They are the respected brands for a reason. If you are thinking of any of those brands, they most likely are going to be a great product. The differences are going to be price, dealer network, availability of parts, and some minor difference in fit and finish.

If I was looking for a scooter made by any of the aforementioned that I liked and was in my price range, I would not hesitate.

If you are not too tall, I would strongly recommend you look at a Kymco Downtown 300 (or maybe even the People GT 300) if the BV 350 is in your sights. One will fit you better than the other depending on your height, the Downtown for shorter, the People for taller, but they are a blast and well built, and dealer can be talked down some of MSRP too, trust me. FWIW I have seen a used BV500s or two in the $4k range last summer.

The Sym Citicom 300 is also back and fuel injected for a list price of $4600. It is a good scooter, but not as powerful as the BV or the Kymco's. My 300 will do a little over ninety real world speed, so highway speeds are no problem. The SYM RV200 EVO is only about $3500 and won't do 70 all day long, but it will do stints on the highway up to 65mph pretty easy.

It did not take me much time at all to get on the highway, I had to to get the bike home. A 65 zone and I did 70 mph my first ride on a first time motorcycle license.

HOWEVER this highway is semi heavy traffic, it was at off peak and it is out at the end of the suburbs.

I still have yet to get on the major freeways in town, especially during anywhere near peak traffic. Don't need to to go anywhere I want to go, and does not suit my riding style which is occasional commute, local errands and joyriding.

I do plan to take some rural highway down a scenic river about 150 miles this summer on an overnight just for fun.

The freeways near me are four lanes each direction and to much weaving traffic. I guess I am not scared to do it, but have no reason to. Everywhere I want to go has more scenic routes along a waterway that I'd rather drive anyway and don't care to mix with weaving idiots. I am not scared of the speed, I am leery of the other drivers. I have taken the bike now up to mph on a rural road and decided that was enough , but the speed never scared me as the bike is stable and confident. But watch some teen make a triple lane change without putting down his cell phone and looking at traffic and you don't need to even take a chance.

NEVER ride outside of what you feel comfortable with.

If it is just two lanes in each direction, fine with me, don't care how fast. It is riding in the middle of four lanes with traffic cutting in from either side that bothers me. People drive horribly here at different speeds. Get on a four laner and some people are doing 55, some 75, some 65, and weaving and mingling all over the place. If I decide I want to do 65, some moron in an SUV will get a car length behind me and follow at the same speed. The people going seventy five and weaving might want to cut in front of the suv behind me while weaving and not see me. That is what the cage is for.

Some people say, just always be passing and you don't have to worry about traffic coming up behind you. In my limited experience, the ego manicacs around here that get passed by a scooter suddenly want to give chase and hang around close to you to prove something. Try to do eighty, then they suddenly want to do 82 once you passed them. Slow down to 65, your tailer does the same and suddenly you are in a pack of idiots all around you texting and munching french fries. No thanks.

Traveling in two lanes is just fine, but four lanes moving in the same direction you have to account for idiots from behind, in front, both directly and to either side. Since this is not my only form of transportation and this would not be much fun, the three and four laners get the car.

Big dog.

I don't own one but they are generally highly thought of as are most Honda products. Dealer fees will vary, some dealers give them away at sticker, some don't, its the luck of your location. But there is a pretty big thread on them at ADVRider forum if you want more information.

I don't wear 3/4 helmets but I was tempted to look at one and decided to stay with full face/modular but I have to say the Bell Mag 9 was nice looking and comfortable and is now on sale for $69 at Motorcycle Superstore if anybody wants a cheap 3/4. It has a sun shield. They dropped the price because the new version has a communicator cutout.

www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/67/905/45118/ITEM/Bell-Mag-9-Helmet---2012.aspx