Scooters, recommendations please!

[Proto]

Hopefully completing the move to our new house in Dorset/East Devon in a few weeks, a fairly rural area - tucked away in a valley between Lyme Regis and Axminster.

Thought a scooter might make sense for getting around, popping to the shops, local errands and so on. Roads will get busy during summer holiday periods (if lockdown ever ends), so scooter might make more sense than getting the car out. Short trips to Lyme (3 miles), and Bridport (10 miles), that sort of thing. Might occasionally go crazy and go as far as Exeter, 30 miles.

I’ve never had a scooter before, and know little about them, tbh. I want something easy to live with, reliable and fast enough to ‘make progress’ in summer traffic.

Thoughts? Engine size? Manufacturer? Model? etc. etc. Won’t be buying new, looking to spend £2k ish. Is that enough? I was thinking a 400cc Burgman sort of thing.

Anyone got any experience?

PS My last two wheeler was a bit of a contrast, Buell Lightning XB12S 🙀😂

 

[Smudge]

You'll need a full mc license to ride a scoot over 125cc.

 

[Proto]

You'll need a full mc license to ride a scoot over 125cc.

” PS My last two wheeler was a bit of a contrast, Buell Lightning XB12S ” 😄

 

[Smudge]

” PS My last two wheeler was a bit of a contrast, Buell Lightning XB12S ” 😄

Yeah, stupid of me, should have known a Buell. Just saw 125 instead of 12S.

 

[gavroche]

I used to have a Suzuki Burgman 400. Great scooter, comfortable, plenty of storage space under the seat and will do 70mph all day long.Top speed about 95mph, so enough power for your needs.

 

[MarkF]

I'd go for the Burgman too but perhaps the 250 if a 30 mile jaunt is to be your longest? I've had a 400 and a Yamaha Majesty 250 and the 250 was ample for everything I needed from a scooter. The Vespa GTS 250 wipes the floor with the others for looks and is a nice thing to own, I'd buy that.

I know it's a 125 but the Honda PCX could easily cope with what you intend and be very economical to run. People do european tours on them so it'll get to Exeter!

 

[StuAff]

+1 for the PCX. Spent a lot of time on 70 mph roads- it runs out of puff at 60 or so, but it'll do that all day- and even now my commute is on the motorway (albeit mostly limited to 50 mph at the moment, smart motorway conversion), still getting 125 mpg. Reliable, dependable, but not boring. Done 43,000 miles on mine so far…

 

[MarkF]

+1 for the PCX. Spent a lot of time on 70 mph roads- it runs out of puff at 60 or so, but it'll do that all day- and even now my commute is on the motorway (albeit mostly limited to 50 mph at the moment, smart motorway conversion), still getting 125 mpg. Reliable, dependable, but not boring. Done 43,000 miles on mine so far…

How long are the engines good for? A few people at work have them and love the things, cheaper than using the bus.

 

[Electric_Andy]

The 125's should be adequate. The only thing with the larger (e.g. 400 burgman) scoots is they are onbviously heavier - 180+kgs. Not a problem for some, but you notice this when manual handling it out the garage, parking etc. Having said that, 125s are more sought after for L platers so they can demand higher prices compared to (relatively) what you get from a 250 or 400.

A colleague had a Honda SH300 and loved it, he used it for going around his home town of Looe to get shopping in whilst dodging tourists.

 

[Smudge]

The 125's should be adequate. The only thing with the larger (e.g. 400 burgman) scoots is they are onbviously heavier - 180+kgs. Not a problem for some, but you notice this when manual handling it out the garage, parking etc. Having said that, 125s are more sought after for L platers so they can demand higher prices compared to (relatively) what you get from a 250 or 400.

A colleague had a Honda SH300 and loved it, he used it for going around his home town of Looe to get shopping in whilst dodging tourists.

The Burgman is very heavy..... 215kg !
Which is a lot considering it only has a paltry 31bhp.

 

[StuAff]

How long are the engines good for? A few people at work have them and love the things, cheaper than using the bus.

Pretty long...if you keep them serviced there seems to be no problem doing mega-mileage. Seen ones on eBay with 50,000 plus miles. On mine, I had some electrical gremlins- error code indicated a sensor needed replacing, which it was, but didn't sort it, but a replacement wiring loom (from a breaker's, thankfully) sorted it. Then some water got in the headlight and caused further problems, so that needed doing. Otherwise, just wear and tear stuff....

 

[StuAff]

The Burgman is very heavy..... 215kg !
Which is a lot considering it only has a paltry 31bhp.

My Xmax 400 is 210kg, and 33bhp. If it had been eligible for the A2 test, I'd have gone for the 300 instead (179kg, 27bhp). It is indeed a fair old lump to move around out of the garage etc. Needed a breather on the Mod 1 manual handling! That said, once rolling, you really don't notice the weight. Once I finally worked out I needed to keep further forward on the seat than I had been, the Mod 1 stuff became pretty straightforward, barely harder than the PCX. And as for on the road…it flies. Don't be fooled by the power output, it can really get a move on. Joining a national speed limit road is effortless. Loads of grip, terrific brakes. And with a big windcreen and comfy seat, it's serene. Looking forward, eventually, to doing some serious mileage on it…

 

[Proto]

This is very local to me, very low miles for its age. Good price?

No idea how I’d buy it in lockdown. Can’t travel and I don't even have a crash helmet any moe, chucked my Arai away when we moved 🙈

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202004168969184

 

[MarkF]

Looks OK, £2k ish for very low mileage. But are the belt & rollers due to be replaced? It's knocking on now, personally l'd prefer a scooter that was used & serviced regularly.

 

[Proto]

Looks OK, £2k ish for very low mileage. But are the belt & rollers due to be replaced? It's knocking on now, personally l'd prefer a scooter that was used & serviced regularly.

1600 miles in the first 3-1/2 years, then 200-250 miles a year since. Two owners, most recent a 60+ female nurse who has been using it to get to work. Getting too heavy for her so she’s hanging up her crash helmet. She takes it for servicing and they tell her it doesn't need doing, just an oil change will suffice. Note MOT runs out in June 2020.

I'm very tempted but logistics a bit of a nightmare with lockdown and house move.