A 250 for a first scooter? Honda Reflex

[disinfected]

I've been searching for a scooter for the last month or two, trying to find something to get me back and forth to work, along with something I can have fun with on the weekend. The Yamaha I'd been eyeing sold out in front of me a day before I could buy it, but now I have found what seems to be a really good deal.

It's a 2002 Honda Reflex, less than 7000 miles, and only a thousand dollars. Only concern is, it seems kind of big. Now, given, I'm 6'4, and I look kind of funny on the smaller ones. I like the style of the larger touring scooters but I'm not sure if it's a good bet for a first scooter. Seems it's had an owner who has taken care of it.



Would I regret starting out with one of these, and continue the search for something smaller, or would this be something I should look into for a thousand dollars?

[bobbyb]

if you have the money, buy it. Thats a great price on a just broke in
Honda. In New Mexico, thats a $2500 scooter.

If it doesn't work out (which i think it will), you should be able to
make some money if you sell it.

We rides 250's and love them. For what they do, i doubt we need
anything larger.

[ericrockstar]

@ 6'4 almost any scooter should seem small to you. 1k for a Honda reflex is a steal. Don't hesitate.

[spandi]

If it's in good mechanical condition nail it.

[fugaziiv]

If I found that scooter for 1k, it would already be sold. Grab it.

Matt

[jwalz1]

I hope you are not still waiting..........

[disinfected]

I finally got a call back on this one. Apparently it sold last night, the posting was just never taken down off the internet. The 1500 dollar search continues.

[prodigit]

For $1500, your best bet is a second hand one.
If you don't mind making your hands dirty, BMS has an older model available of the BMS TBX 260 that makes a great first scoot, however you don't have the reliability of the Honda scoots. Meaning you'll probably have to do all work yourself, as many scoot sales channels only want to work on the big brands (aka: Italian, Korean, or Japanese brands, like Vespa, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha).

I'm 6'3", and I have a $2600 BMS TXB 260, with EFI and adjustable suspension.
It has less maintenance, because it uses hydraulic valve adjustment, so you won't need to open the bike for valve adjustment, or change a sparkplug.

But aside from that, if you are going on the highway quite often, I'd still recommend the $1000 more expensive, $2600 2012 model with EFI over the 2008 model, simply because it uses better materials. Military grade screws, larger disc brakes, and a sturdier frame.
The 2008 model is good if you don't take the bike to extremes (like don't pass 65MPH).
In fact, if you know for sure you'll not ride on the highway a lot, just get the $1600 bike instead; saves you lots of money, is powerful enough, the brakes work just fine on that model too, and the suspension really doesn't make that much difference if you're below 220LBS anyway!
The Roketta also is a much sold bike. It has a 250cc engine; also rides great and has a great price!

I find, with my 6'3" these bikes to be just fine in size! They also make excellent first bikes, as you'd be spending <2k.
Now if you asked me if a Burgman would make a good first bike, I'd think twice. They're great bikes, but at the price of ~8-$10k new price, they're not really cheap.

If I had to start all over with your budget, then get a 150cc motor, and after 6 months to a year, get a real brand with more than 300cc's like a burgman!

So, yes, new price you will find a lot of chinese bikes for <$2k, or second hand Korean or Japanese models with less than 20k miles on. Usually people get rid of their bikes after 10-20k miles, though I've heard of people doing 37k miles on a chinese scooter!

[rockynv]

For a few hundred more than the BMS 260 ($2,999) you can get a new 2009 Aprilia 250cc Sport City. The 6' 4" sales manager at the local Aprilia dealer has one for his 10 minute commute down the 70 mph interstate and it carries his 300 lbs at 70+ mph with no problems.

[disinfected]

I've got a budget of $1500 dollars, looking at everything from 125cc and up to get me back and forth to work. I have been searching endlessly, but still can't figure out what my best bet is for this price. Highway riding is not necessary at the moment, I have a 12-mile one way commute on semi-congested roads.

So 1500 cash in your pocket, what do you buy?

[disinfected]

They've been pushing to get rid of this one for two weeks now, I could probably get it for >$1000k.

[prodigit]

For $1500 you can get quite some 150cc's!
You'd be glad you spent less money on a first bike, and saved gas in the process (150cc's are very efficient, and not too slow neither).
70MPH is nothing for a 250cc. My 260 goes 80+MPH. Question is, do you need to go so fast, or would you rather pocket some initial budget, and gasoline money in the process?

Even a cheaper 150 cc chinese scoot does 65MPH just fine!
If you're living in a hilly area, and want to take upto 2 people (or upto 280LBS) at 50MPH, even over bridges, a 150cc should be able to do that.

My mistake was to buy a too expensive (and fast) model.

There's really only one road in my environment where cops don't go, in the middle of nowhere.
There I can drive 80MPH, until I get bored, and return home.
Otherwise I'm not even using 50% of my bike's potential.

Last time I skidded because I accelerated too fast on a wet floor. Don't want that to happen again in traffic!
50cc's would be cool enough for me, as when you take off the limiter, they will go 40-45MPH; however, they accelerate too slow on a red light; especially with 2 people on them.

I did not look well enough at the 125cc models, but in the short time I looked, most I came across where cross bikes, not really comfy road bikes.
I looked at the 150cc's and was tempted to buy the better brands, however now I now regret not doing so, and spending the extra money to buy a top of the line chinese bike; because all the $1000 improvements they did on this BMS (over the 2008 version), are barely noticeable, and it's still a chinese scoot (which means if one thing is overlooked during PDI, I can still expect it to fall apart).
Sure, suspension is a tad softer, but still hard compared to a Honda cruiser bike, and EFI probably gets me upto 5MPH faster on the highway (that's 20 instead of 15 miles faster than max allowable speed).
Yes, I accelerate about as fast as cars from a red light (faster most of the time, but about as fast as a regular car flooring), but so would a 150cc with open throttle.

A 150cc does 55MPH (perhaps 60MPH) all day (and probably can peak at 65 on a flat suface without wind)!

[cheap0]

Sigh, too bad about the Reflex. $1500 should buy an older model Burgman 400, but those are rare. Assuming you don't find one of those, a used Kymco 125-250 would be another good choice likely within your price range. Did you say where you are? I know of a Kymco People 150 in Nashville which could probably be had for $1500.

Chinese are always an option, and you should be able to find a new 150 or a used 250 easily within your budget. Expect to tinker. I suppose you already know this.

Oh! I just remembered, a dealer in Tupelo, MS is selling an older Honda Helix for $1500. Not quite as great a buy as an '02 Reflex for a grand, but it would likely be well worth the money. I'm not sure how well the Helix (or Helix clones, like the one you showed) would fit a tall person, but you can always go sit on one and try it out.

[macktheknife]

Sept 6, 2012 1:15:13 GMT -5 prodigit said:

For $1500 you can get quite some 150cc's!
You'd be glad you spent less money on a first bike, and saved gas in the process (150cc's are very efficient, and not too slow neither).
70MPH is nothing for a 250cc. My 260 goes 80+MPH. Question is, do you need to go so fast, or would you rather pocket some initial budget, and gasoline money in the process?

Even a cheaper 150 cc chinese scoot does 65MPH just fine!
If you're living in a hilly area, and want to take upto 2 people (or upto 280LBS) at 50MPH, even over bridges, a 150cc should be able to do that.

My mistake was to buy a too expensive (and fast) model.

There's really only one road in my environment where cops don't go, in the middle of nowhere.
There I can drive 80MPH, until I get bored, and return home.
Otherwise I'm not even using 50% of my bike's potential.

Last time I skidded because I accelerated too fast on a wet floor. Don't want that to happen again in traffic!
50cc's would be cool enough for me, as when you take off the limiter, they will go 40-45MPH; however, they accelerate too slow on a red light; especially with 2 people on them.

I did not look well enough at the 125cc models, but in the short time I looked, most I came across where cross bikes, not really comfy road bikes.
I looked at the 150cc's and was tempted to buy the better brands, however now I now regret not doing so, and spending the extra money to buy a top of the line chinese bike; because all the $1000 improvements they did on this BMS (over the 2008 version), are barely noticeable, and it's still a chinese scoot (which means if one thing is overlooked during PDI, I can still expect it to fall apart).
Sure, suspension is a tad softer, but still hard compared to a Honda cruiser bike, and EFI probably gets me upto 5MPH faster on the highway (that's 20 instead of 15 miles faster than max allowable speed).
Yes, I accelerate about as fast as cars from a red light (faster most of the time, but about as fast as a regular car flooring), but so would a 150cc with open throttle.

A 150cc does 55MPH (perhaps 60MPH) all day (and probably can peak at 65 on a flat suface without wind)!

So you don't like your 250cc because it's too fast? It runs as fast as you make it go?

Now that you think 150cc scooters would suit your needs better I'll let you in on a secret, I own both and have two of the linhais.

Water cooled versus air cooled in the heat I've had to ride in no comparision.

Extra power (if needed)

Ran right they both get over 70 MPG.

I live in the hills have all of my scooters including the 150 properly tuned for the hills and the 250's will leave any 150 in the dust riding in the hills in fact I can ride two up on the 250 and still be at the top of the hill before you will get there on any 150.

Both the 250's have over 10k each which is easy on the linhai and getting over 10k on a 150 without major repair is rare.

Charging systems on the linhai compared to a 150, no contest, can put HID's or anything else on the linhai with no problems. 150 scooters with a 8 pole stator can't do it.

Now in the city red light to red light all I will say is two weeks ago I was in traffic red light to red light for over 1 hour in 108F weather, try that on a 150 air cooled and you'll be over at a the EZ mart letting it cool off.

There are a few name brand water cooled 150's that can take that kind of punishment but you need good money to buy one of them and still yet the extra 100cc is worth it.

A 150cc does 55MPH (perhaps 60MPH) all day (and probably can peak at 65 on a flat suface without wind)![/

Only after modding them and again in 108F weather, not happening.

[prodigit]

Well, then get a watercooled version!
Truth be told, a 150 accelerates just fine from a red light!

If you don't need the power, and want to save the money, it's more than enough!
Question is why you have so much work on a 150, when both 50cc and 250cc can run relatively maintenance-free for many years?

[disinfected]

Anyone familiar with the Q-Link models? This Pegasus 150 is available locally for a good price.

[jwalz1]

You will have to look hard to find one and be patient at $1500 but it is doable, used Reflex or Sym RV 250. At that price I would not go anywhere else.

Somebody who posted here in my neck of the woods found a Sym for $1500 with less than 1000 miles on it this spring. That is a score. It won't happen overnight though.

[disinfected]

Also around the 1500 range is this one, that the guy has been trying to sell for awhile. It's the Kymco Bet&Win 250. Could possibly pick this one up too, for $1500.

[jwalz1]

I love my Kymco. You might want to try the Kymco forum if you have specific questions on that scooter.

www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?board=18.0

[disinfected]

I like it, but just not sure I want to pay 1800 for a 2006. If it's a really good one though I could try and haggle it a bit.

[disinfected]

Ended up going for a certain 150cc bike on a deal I couldn't turn away. Only downside is I have to wait until Tuesday to go pick it up down in Dallas.

[prodigit]

Well, congradulations, and have fun scooting!

It just depends on how many miles the bike has. Some 2006 models can be very good; just get one with low mileage, and they'll run around for many years!