Scooter versus Motorcycle?

400 or M/C?

Hey,

I owned lots of bikes (about 25 since my teenage years) and for some reason I came back to my original two wheel vehicle...a scooter. Currently I own 4 M/C's and 2 scooters (vespa and 400 Burgman) and you may ask why. Well lets not go there but better yet to ask, "When you head out to the garage which one does he choose to ride to-day".

I will tell you, "Not the V11 Sport because its too heavy, too fast and a lousy bike in city traffic". The 400 is one heck of a elegant commuter and lots of fun. Its smooth, nimble and easy to ride. The insurance is inexpensive and the thing looks really cool. Now I get a rasing from some of my macho male friends but I know exactly what I like. This is a beautiful and wonderful vehicle. It also is friendly to the environment (fuel injected and PAIR system results in low Nitrous Oxides) and I think relatively easy to maintain. I hope this helps. BTW I looked at the 650 and saw it as another big two wheel vehicle...I hope I don't hurt anyone's feeling here. Timothy

ill have to admit my view is a little biased because i own the 650 i use it for commuting to work and back and also for longer rides of near 300 miles one way at times. i would have to say if long riding comfort is your goal then a scooter is the way to go unless ur gonna buy an expensive touring bike which im assuming ur not. most cruiser motorcycles are not designed for long riding comfort but they are excellent for city commuting. the burgman line wether its the 400 or 650 both should be satisfactory for either touring or commuting. although i have never ridden one im a little skeptic of the 400 on the interstate highways...i know its capable of the speeds but u almost have to max it out, especially 2 up riding. long term mechanical effects could come into play with the 400 maxed out a lot on the highway. i personally bought the 650 because i wanted to go on longer rides and i used to ride sport bike "crotch rockets" and i coudnt stand being on it for more than an hour. and i didnt like the old timer look of the cruisers either as im only 26 still young and gotta look cool :lol:, plus im a big fan of high tech electronics which the 650 is loaded with. hope this helps you decide.

In my opinion I believe the scooter (400) is the machine you should seek.

1. The scooter is better for commutting. It has more storage capabilities than the motorbike.

2.In stop and go traffic its so much better not having to pull in a clutch as you creep along. The twist n go of the scoot is much nicer.

3.Again in traffic situations or regular riding conditions the more upright sitting position of the scooter causes less back ache and body fatigue.

4. The scooter also provides better protection from the weather should you happen to encounter rain.

5. With your passenger in mind, It is my understanding that the scooter offers one of the most comfortable rides for them. I'm sure it would be easier for your passenger to endure a 2 hr ride on the scooter over the motorbike. There is room for them to move there feet around on the foot pads as opposed to the one position foot pegs on the bike.

6. It also seems that if your budget is tighter than the scooter is going to cost you less overall to insure and ride.

I'm sure there are many more details that could be argued, but I think your time would better be used haggling with that dealer over the 2003 Burgman

and yes I too have owned both and have been riding for 25 yrs. I have never experienced any thing that has been so comfortable to ride.

Thanks for all the imput. It is all very informaive. I went to the dealership tonight and rode both bikes. I had hoped that it might help me make up my mind. Wrong!

The Burgman was a blast! It had much more uuumph then my Helix. Handled well. Moved great. The backrest could be a little uncomfortable after a long ride. I really loved it though all in all.

The Kawi Vulcan...that was a power bike. It moved and grooved. It was a lot of bike. And I realized that I need a ot more practice getting into 1st gear. But this was a motoercycle.

So now I weigh it all. The Kawi is $4399 w/ 4.9% finacing for 18 months. Insurance $260 a year. Plus the backrest and saddlebags I would need...what another $700. The Burger is $4999 at 6.9% financing. Insurance $180. So in the long run they financially balance pretty close.

So it comes down to this...style, maybe more comfort, and something unusal with the Burger, or balls to the wall now that's a bike (maybe to much bike) with the Kawi. Quite the pickle!

Scooter vs Motorcycle

Lycheed comment: "Zenden, just seen you latest post. If you want a bike, go for a bike. The two are completely different things. "

I am very fortunate to own both a Burgman 650 scooter and a Suzuki VStrom 1000cc motorcycle. They are both equipped with additional luggage (Givi E52 trunk on the Burgman, sidecases and trunk on VStrom, plus tank/hump bags for both). They both have aftermarket windscreens.
They are both practical, fun to ride, and I could tour on either one. I could live with either machine for my only ride. But it is so nice to be able to choose which one I want to ride - because the riding experience is quite different. Both machines are capable of putting a big grin on my face, and if I had to sell one of them, I honestly don't know which one I would part with.

Bottom Line: The super scooters are certainly a viable alternative to a motorcycle. If you can't decide between the two - flip a coin. Riding either is more fun than not riding!

Well, I went to the dealership this weekend and put a deposit down on the Burgman. I wanted to take it out one more time to help solidify my choice. As luck would have it, as the salesman was getting the keys, it poured for all of 5 minutes. Enough to make the road wet. The manager at this point said no test rides. Makes sense but really stunk. And it is supposed to snow this week, so now I have no idea when I can try the Burger again!

I have been thinking a lot about which way to go. And I have been reading all of your post and thinking about all that you have had to say (which I greatly appreciate). I came to this conclusion: The Burgman is the bike for me. For what I will be using it for, this is the way to go. I know I will love it and it will be a fun bike to have. Plus I should have this paid off in about a year. At that point I may upgrade to a bike, or buy a bike and have two! As many of you have stated, sometimes one bike isn't enough!

If luck holds out, I will soon be the new owner of 2003 Blue Burgman 400! Thanks for all your advise and comments.