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Post by haakon59 on Apr 12, 2009 15:35:37 GMT -5
You might want to call around to see if anyone has a Yamaha Majesty 400. Superb scoot. Very stable and comfortable. Tacoma Motor Sports had some a few months ago. You can call them at 253-564-8678. Hope this helps. Photoman2k Thanks for the reminder--I've heard many good things about Yahama scooters. In fact, I saw a Yahama Majesty 400 a few weeks ago at the grocery store, it looked quite nice. Thanks for the referral, I might give those guys a call.
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Post by haakon59 on Apr 12, 2009 15:41:17 GMT -5
FWIW I'll offer my two bits. "Fast" is relative. If you've been riding 250cc scoots, a 500 is really fast. My last was a 1000cc sportbike, and from where I am, a "fast" 500cc scooter doesn't exist. Besides, as stated above, they come with throttles which you control. I think that what gets overlooked most often is the weight of the vehicle. A 500cc scooter is going to be heavier than a lot of motorcycles. What's even more important is the center of gravity (CG). That's how high or low in the chasis the weight is. I don't know how big you are, but, at some point, you will probably have to pick whatever you buy up off the pavement. There's only one way to know if you will be able to do it, and I suggest trying it before you purchase rather than after. A 535cc Yamaha Virago will be much easier to pick up than a 500cc scoot. Lighter and much lower CG. Go try it. There's no comparison. Some of these scooters have very low CG's, Linhai-powered 250's, and some are very high. Something to think about, and this is the time to do it. I haven't been thinking of Center of gravity, I need to add this to my list of considerations. I will also look into the Yamaha Virago 535, which I didn't know about before, thanks. Reading some of the information so far, it seems like a great bike to put on my list.
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Post by haakon59 on Apr 12, 2009 15:53:11 GMT -5
Haakon - Another thing to consider is whether you'll use the bigger bike for everydy stuff as uch as you'd use a smaller scoot. I use my 250 for everything. Commuting to work, short trips to the market, the occasional short hop on the freeway, and some road trips for fun. More power for the freeway would be nice, but on the other hand the 250 is light enough that I can get it in and out of the garage easily, can maneuver it easily around small parking spaces, etc. Not ownng a 500 or bigger scoot, but just having seen them, they give me the impression of being enough bigger and heavier that I wouldn't use it for everyday stuff like going to the market. I don't know - maybe yud get used to the bigger bike and it wouldn't be a problem. I jst find the 25 size is pretty nice for an all-around scoot, and the bigger bikes may be more for specialized uses like cruising. So, I think Id lean to getting a 250 china scoot to start and see if it doesn't meet your needs. Prices are getting riduculosly low - you can pick a new one up for like $1500 - Im sure you could sell it later for not much of a loss. Or if you had more money and could get one of the fuel injected 250's like the Hyosung or UM Xspeed, that might be the best of both worlds - a realtively light bike for everyday errands and enough power for some serious freeway travel. I've seen last year' model of these scoots advtised for as little as $2,999, which is a darn good deal. Decisions, decisions ..... I have been thinking about the UM/Hyosung Xspeed, the only problem is a lack of dealerships in Seattle at this time. There was one in Auburn, which is less than an hours drive, but he doesn't stock them. For my first bike, I want to have a repair shop close by, mainly because I don't have any experience with scooters yet. I have been also thinking about QLink (CF Moto), Commuter or the V5 (Legacy, I believe). They seem to have a good reputation for reliability and you save some money too, but the dealership is a couple of hours drive away for me. Kymco, Sym, Piaggio, Aprilia, and Suzuki are all about 15 minutes drive from my place, so I am guessing I will wind up with one of these brands. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Post by russ69 on Apr 12, 2009 17:28:21 GMT -5
There is more than one way to get started but I would be looking at a big wheel 150/200/250. You really need to spend a year on a smaller bike and take the time to learn how to survive on the street. You'll be able to sharpen your skills without having the weight/power of a larger machine. This training will pay off in the future. Bikes like the Kymco 150/200 or SYM HD200 are fantastic machines, good enough to ride the rest of your life and that's the reason the MSF uses Honda 250's, they are excellent size for a starter bike. Don't get me wrong a good rider can ride anything from 50cc-1800cc but the first year on a small bike really pays dividends later. Thanx, Russ
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Post by termite on Apr 12, 2009 20:46:18 GMT -5
If the scoot you're looking at is an Aprilia SCARABEO 500 ie, then it's totally different from a Kawasaki 500 Ninja, or even a Suzuki GS 500. If you are average height(5'9" or taller for males), reasonably athletic and have at least average hand/eye coordination, then you shouldn't have any problems with the Scarabeo 500. It weighs 415 lbs, has a 30.7" high seat, and 39 HP. These specs are fairly close to the Yamaha Majesty specs. It's not going to be a hotrod. Top speed is about 100 mph. Take the MSF course. Use THEIR bike; it's insured, and you need to learn a clutch anyway. After you buy the Aprilia, practise in a large empty parking lot, and avoid heavy traffic for the first few weeks or longer. Buy some good gear. At minimum, wear a good helmet, jeans, a sturdy jacket(leather, ballistic nylon, denim, canvas), and GLOVES. Spring has sprung, summer is just around the corner; you may want to buy a mesh motorcyle jacket, because they are cooler than regular jackets, and they normally have armour. Some even have liners that zip in. There are lots of brands: Tour Master, Teknic, Joe Rocket, etc. Here is my "go-to" store: Motorcycle Super Store. Another is New Enough. Be carefull, ride alert, and keep the rubber side down.
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Post by CCProf on Apr 14, 2009 12:00:54 GMT -5
Good discussion folks. A note on the MSF course - here in PA you have 2 options for licensing. You can take the test thru the driver's license center with a state examiner. Not recommended. If you blow the figure 8 in the 20X25 box, you're flunked. The MSF course uses the same box but spots you 20 "demerits" before you fail. The box is a max of 8 so you can actually skip it and still pass. You can lose points for speed which is a downside of scooters. Most aren't as quick off the line as a regular bike. We (in PA) are allowed to use our scooters if we ask and I did and passed. I figured why not use the one I ride - UM Matrix 150 then. It did great in the maneuvering portions. Great course and in PA it's free! The instructors told us that people who tried to take the state test on big heavy rides were doomed.
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