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Why do you ride a maxi-scooter vs a motorcycle?

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I like the mix of utilitarian features. I enjoy the relatively cool, wind-free, vibration free ride.
I like the way the fairing reduces wind exposure at 65 mph without trapping engine heat.
I like the cargo carrying capacity of my Burgman and the added comfort of a driver's back rest.

I owned motorcycles for 30 years.
For the last 20 years, I had to satisfy my two wheel cravings with bicycles. I remain an avid cyclist.

My wife and kids were against buying a motorized 2 wheeler.
There is an added risk to cage free transportation.
I argued that a scooter was safer than a bike at the same speed.

After I retired, I bought a used 150 cc scooter
My idea was to keep it all summer and sell it in the fall but I sold it for a tidy profit within 2 weeks.
This suggested to me that the risk of ownership was rather low and that
if you didn't like a particular scoot you could probably resell it faster than a motorcycle.

I did not care for the lack of power and acceleration of the 150 cc scooter compared to
my last motorcycle. The 150cc scooter seemed underpowered.

I did like the absence of heat from the engine. Scooters are relatively
cool and if you live in Texas or any southern state, that is a plus.

This year, I purchased a Burgman 400 with only 3900 miles on it from a knowledgeable
owner who was moving and did not want to move the scooter.

The previous owner had added all of the extras that I would have added plus a few that I wouldn't have
thought of. Although there is lots of storage space under the seat, the large trunk is also quite useful
and practical. I might have failed to discover this had not the previous owner added a Bestem T-box.

I was a little concerned about not having a garage for the scooter so I included theft in my insurance policy.
The insurance cost was still less than $75 a year. The Champion cover works fairly well as a garage.

I thought that I might put 200 miles a year on the scooter. I put nearly 400 miles on the scooter the first month.

I have a driver's back rest which makes it twice as comfortable as a motorcycle or scooter without the backrest.

My AN400 gets twice as many miles out of a gallon of gas as my Honda Civic SI. I had calculated that a scooter did not make economic sense but this probably isn't true. It depends on the maintenance costs which
I thought would be high compared to my car. My Honda has only cost about $400 a year to maintain.

Why do you ride a maxi-scooter?
FEATURE . . . . . . COMMENT
AT CVT . . . . . . .I rather like shifting gears but the automatic transmission is a good selling point & adds value.
storage . . . . . . Crotch rockets are not designed to be practical - scooters are usually more utilitarian in design.
vibration . . . . . Some motorcycles are as vibration free as a scooter with the same displacement.
no heat . . . . . . My last motorcycle had a fairing and was very hot to ride at slow speeds in the summer.
better mileage . . I don't think that scooters with the same displacement
light weight . . . . would get better mileage or be any lighter.
cheaper alt. . . . . Is a 250 cc scooter cheaper than a 250 cc motorcycle (MC)?
more capable . . . Scooters are not more capable but they usually have a better mix of utilitarian features.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . You don't need to go from zero to 60 in 4 seconds to keep up with the traffic.
 
MaNy Reasons

1. I fractured my bAck a year ago.
2. I commute with two brief cases.
3. I'm looking for economy. My Sym gets 70-90 mpg and B400 gets 60. Gas won't get down below $2.50 again.
4. Once my back stabilizes, I will go touring to NC or to Arkansas. I would also like to plan a long trip to Wyoming. Face it...MCs can't carry as much.
 
You did not include "ALL OF THE ABOVE".... DUH. :thumbup:
 
I prefer the practicality of a maxi-scoot for commuting over a comparable cycle.
The under-seat and 'dashboard' storage is a huge plus as I don't want saddle bags, a top box nor a nap sack over my shoulder when I ride.
I like the front facia that offers more element protection than other cycles.
I prefer the upright seating yet sportbike-like handling that my maxi-scoot offers.
There is a mileage and performance loss due to the CVT, but there's a convenience benefit and still fairly high mpg with the CVT, and I really don't need to go any faster. I'm capable of getting into enough trouble w/ my Tmax as it is. :D
For commuting and local trips, my scoot is the thing for me.
When my wife and I want to do some serious 2-up riding, I'll probably buy a worthy cycle for that, but I don't see getting rid of this scooter. Ever.
 
Dennis49 said:
........I have a few friends who have lost legs on motorcycles from being crushed between car bumpers and motorcycle engines, frames and tanks.
......the odds of walking away from a t-bone are better......
.....if you're driving the car, and not on two wheels! :cry:
 
GTRDave +1 - could not say it better.

I also needed the break from the clutch as it was hard on already damaged hands.
Sport mode on the 650 is just the ticket when urge to twisty kicks in. :D
650 Burgman by far is the best mixed use machine - can do almost anything except off road reasonably well and even is okay on dirt roads with the low C of g.
More stable and more power than my Silverwing. Does not track road ruts either....a BAD attribute of the Honda.

Keeper for me. Best bike in 45 years of riding. Even my snooty kid with the YZ250 was impressed with the sound and power two up ( 450 lb between us ).
**** tho, him getting on and off was hard on my left leg :oops:
 
well of course, scooters are more fun to ride ,,no need to deal with clutch, and when it comes to maxi scooters,stick with Burgmans 400 or 650s and when it comes to forums for big scooters,BUSA is the best,,,don't ever go to other sites like Maxi scooter.com, that forum is full of dictators. they have their own world...if they don't like your opinion they will gang up on you and make fun of you...it was upgraded as they say but for me it got worse,,i like the old maxi scooter.com minus the dictators. sorry for the rant! some of them are racist..most of my friends who are member of that site say the same thing.
one of the moderator said.. "my house, my rules" ..gosh would you believe that???
 
sbett said:
.
I like the mix of utilitarian features. I enjoy the relatively cool, wind-free, vibration free ride.
I like the way the fairing reduces wind exposure at 65 mph without trapping engine heat.
I like the cargo carrying capacity of my Burgman and the added comfort of a driver's back rest.

Why do you ride a maxi-scooter?
FEATURE . . . . . . COMMENT
AT CVT . . . . . . .I rather like shifting gears but the automatic transmission is a good selling point & adds value.
storage . . . . . . Crotch rockets are not designed to be practical - scooters are usually more utilitarian in design.
vibration . . . . . Some motorcycles are as vibration free as a scooter with the same displacement.
no heat . . . . . . My last motorcycle had a fairing and was very hot to ride at slow speeds in the summer.
better mileage . . I don't think that scooters with the same displacement
light weight . . . . would get better mileage or be any lighter.
cheaper alt. . . . . Is a 250 cc scooter cheaper than a 250 cc motorcycle (MC)? Probably not.
more capable . . . Scooters are not more capable but they usually have a better mix of utilitarian features.
. . . . . . . . . . . . You don't need to go from zero to 60 in 4 seconds to keep up with the traffic.
Since I posted this I sold my AN400 for $100 more than I paid for it and bought a newer AN650
The higher displacement seems to have cost me 10+ mpg but everything else has been upgraded.

If you want an automatic transmission or under-seat storage,
you are pretty well stuck with a scooter. Over 112 listed these items as important.

Better mileage was listed by 47 but there are a few MCs such as the new
BMW 650 that gets 20 more MPG than the Burgman 650.

Does the CVT reduce mileage that much?

No chain to maintain was not listed as a feature. Neither was ease of maintenance in general.

Ease of maintenance may be a toss up. The maxi scooter is easier to keep clean but
you have to remove some of the plastic parts to service. It is usually easier to replace
filters, plugs, and oil on a MC.

Lack of engine heat in the summer was mentioned by 58.
If you live in the South, having a cooler ride is important.

Lighter weight was mentioned by 22.
I am not sure that a 400 or 650 cc scooter is any lighter than an MC with the same displacement.

There does seem a difference in where the weight is located.
The scooter is not as top heavy as a motorcycle.

The weight on the front wheel on a scooter seems to be less.
The steering on many MCs feels heavy at low speeds when compared to a scooter.
 
convertfromVespa said:
I bought the scooter because it met my minimum requirements for a bike.

Number one was that I did not want a chain. Too many spots up my back and required a lot of maintenance.

...
sbett said:
...No chain to maintain was not listed as a feature. Neither was ease of maintenance in general....
I think you missed my comment. However, I do appreciate the effort you put into the summary.
 
Storage capacity and automatic transmission are the main reasons for me. Also here in Ireland we get lot's of rain, so the added chest and leg protection is a bonus. I also think a step-thru frame is safer if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a fall. You will be thrown clear of the machine rather than having it fall on your leg.
 
jmccoymunster said:
a step-thru frame is safer if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a fall.
You will be thrown clear of the machine rather than having it fall on your leg.
SB: Are there any statistics on this?
Has anyone here had a fall where they avoided having the weight of the machine on their leg?

I have had quite a few falls on a motorcycle but none on a scooter.
My 750 cc Honda had crash bars on it and this did protect the bike when it skidded down the road on its side.
I was never pinned under the bike so I can't say how much it helped under those circumstances.
Most of my falls were on light weight trail and motocross bikes so this probably doesn't count.
 
Yup, I don't count off-road or racing either--out there you are almost trying to crash, or you are not intent on winning.

In 52 years of two-wheel riding I have gone down twice on the street, both over 25 years ago now. Once in a turn on wet leaves (broke my hip), and once in a turn on sand (hurt my pride mostly)--both on paved roads. To this day both conditions (sand down here) make me slow as needed to keep the rubber on the bottom.

As to why I bought the K3 AN400, it was 99.44% the under seat storage.

(I had already taken out the two 6-packs of cans when SWMBO took this shot)
Image


I could live without the slushbox, it seems to be a very high maintenance thing. A 4-speed twist grip like the old Lambrettas would be neat.
 
My arthritis made me feel unsafe on my Royal Star. The Burgman kept me on two wheels for a while longer but I'm liking it more with every ride. My biggest problem is getting the macho biker thing out of my head. I'm liking the Burgman more now than when I started writing this.
 
All of the choices for owning a maxi are good. Especially a Burgie. Personally though, I couldn't possibly imagine having only one bike. Currently the "stable" consists of 2 Yamaha Virago 1100s('95 and '96) a '73 Yamaha 175 2 stroke enduro,
a '73 Yamaha 360 2 stroke enduro, and the newest member, an '06 Burgman 400. They all have a very distinct
personality and individual "vibe", each of which makes me grin like an idiot. Whichever bike I'm
riding at the moment seems to make me say "GOD I love this bike"!!
Having all of that trunk space, good performance, good looks, and high fun factor makes the Burgman a sweet ride
as far as I'm concerned.
 
Rich63 said:
All of the choices for owning a maxi are good. Especially a Burgie. Personally though, I couldn't possibly imagine having only one bike. ...
My guess was that the question posed by the OP was If you only had one bike would it be a maxi-scooter or a motorcycle.

I cannot afford, have space, or wife's acceptance of more than one bike at a time.

Currently, I am on a motorcycle. It costs more than a scooter, handles better than a scooter, with hard bags and top case more storage than a scooter, just as fun on a commute as a scooter and fits in my garage. The one advantage of a scooter that I miss, is the ease of getting on and off of it.
 
Rich63 said:
All of the choices for owning a maxi are good. Especially a Burgie. Personally though, I couldn't possibly imagine having only one bike.
+1

I have had as many as 3 and currently have 2. Eyeballin' a possible 3d right now for track use only.

So, it's not an "or" thing for me.

After this Burg, a maxi will always be in my garage, though.
 
convertfromVespa said:
Currently, I am on a motorcycle. It costs more than a scooter, handles better than a scooter, with hard bags and top case more storage than a scooter, just as fun on a commute as a scooter and fits in my garage.
I have yet to see a motorcycle that handles better than a scooter in heavy city traffic and stop and go situations.
You put extra and possibly third-party hard bags and top case and compare this set to a scooter inherited storage. :) Mind you, scooter can also have bags :lol:
Fun factor again somewhere is better on a scooter, somewhere on a bike -- equal overall

I drive a motorcycle too, but the problem is you can not be objective when trying rank it higher than a scooter :)
 
Well, I had a Burgman 650. It is a great bike on its own. The bike I have now, came standard with hard bags. There was about a $2000 difference in price. The only storage I added was a topcase so that I could run around without the hard side cases and still have similar storage to the Burgman. Yes, sometimes my left hand does get tired in stop and go traffic. I get almost the same mileage on my bike as I did with the Burgman. I also have as good or better weather protection than I did with the Burgman.

If you go to my link to the gallery, you will see that it even looks a little like a burgman. Same color, and two lights with a similar shape. Maybe my bike is an extension of my past bike, the Burgman 650. :)
 
convertfromVespa said:
The bike I have now, came standard with hard bags.
Yeah, good for you, but bags still look extra :) It's a question of marketing approach for the company. However it blows the bike to a car size, and so it's not the same

The only storage I added was a topcase so that I could run around without the hard side cases and still have similar storage to the Burgman.
But having 60+ l storage on top and far-most place doesn't favor drivability, and one can carry only light loads more or less safely

I get almost the same mileage on my bike as I did with the Burgman. I also have as good or better weather protection than I did with the Burgman.
Only with a good approximate :)

If you go to my link to the gallery, you will see that it even looks a little like a burgman. Same color, and two lights with a similar shape. Maybe my bike is an extension of my past bike, the Burgman 650. :)
True, looks good and a logical transition from the 650. Nothing beats 400 in the market so far though :wink:
 
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