People 250 VS bug 250 and TOP CASE discussion

[phamster]

is it just me but are the 2 scoots basically the same?

i own a scarabeo 150 and am looking to upgrade...

something about the people 250 i like very much..

any body want to comment on theirs.?

also i have read other threads on the ownership...... seems like everybody that owns the kymco products likes there scoots...

the reason i want to get rid of the aprillia scarabeo 150 is the parts are hard to get, and it is a little under powered with 2 people on it.. and it is a 2001 unit..

phamster

[johnnyscoots]

Welcome aboard Phamster!

I know that I am biased when I tell you that the Kymco is the better deal. Great warranty, great support, and affordable. I cannot find bad things to say about it. It has just turned 2800km, and I went to my nephew's 8th Grade Graduation on it...and I had it pegged between 130-140km/hr. The 73mpg fill ups aren't too bad, either. Okay, the Scarabeo scoots are achingly beautiful, but almost every forum I see says that the machines are temperamental at best...and good luck if you need the parts.

John

[lewtwo]

I just got a Kymco People 250 last Tuesday. I am waiting till I have 1000KM and my first service before I post my initial comments (some good, some bad). That should be this weekend. Having a modern Vespa I share your pain with regards to Italian parts availability. Honestly my dealer has been able to get anything I needed (for a price) but then that dealer is 75 miles away. The Kymco dealer is 10 miles.

I just found out that th Vespa dealer has Purchased the Kymco dealer .... go figure.

[phamster]

lewtwo said:

I just got a Kymco People 250 last Tuesday. I am waiting till I have 1000KM and my first service before I post my initial comments (some good, some bad). That should be this weekend. Having a modern Vespa I share your pain with regards to Italian parts availability. Honestly my dealer has been able to get anything I needed (for a price) but then that dealer is 75 miles away. The Kymco dealer is 10 miles.

i am sure going to have to upgrade from my aprillia 150 now.. the power on the bike is just not enought to keep up with traffic... plus i just want something different..

i just went to the vespa dealler today and looked at the vespa gts 250.. man am i in love with that bike.... but it is 7 grand out the door ?> crazy expensive..

by the way here are some pictures of my bike and my wife..








i think i will give the 150 to my dad and just buy me a new one...

i just need more data on the kymco people 250 from actual owners...

is the power good enough? is it hard to stop.. the brakes good.. is it smooth?

is the KM meter over MILES per hour bothersome to look at?

you know.. all the info... needed to persue me to looking at this people 250 or just buy me a honda reflex or silver wing or burgman400...

but with the full size scoots.. silver wing and burgman.. i think it is hard to maneuver a full size bike vs.. the people 250 around..

also i am planning to get a windshield on the people 250.. anybody know if it is worth getting the windshield?

gosh the more think about buying a new bike it gets more confusing on what one to get..

COME On forum.. gives phamster some more info.. LOL... thanks ahead
phamster

[Andi]

Considering price, warranty(2 years), performance, quality and parts availability (as far as I have read)/dealer support (if one is close enough to you) the People 250 seems to be the best bang for the buck. Following are some reviews:

People 250
justgottascoot.com/people250.htm

People 250 S
justgottascoot.com/people250s.htm

24 hour endurance test
www.motorbyte.com/mmm/pages/2004/69/feature69_1.htm

I think for the most part you've already answered your own questions. The Vespa certainly is nice, but compared to the Kymco I would find it difficult to justify that extra 2000 plus grand and like any Piaggio product (which includes Aprilia) parts seem to be difficult to get.

"johnnyscoots" got a windshield on his People 250, click on his name and you may look up his review. He seems to like it though, especially at high speeds.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Andi

[lewtwo]

Very attractive ... nice looking scooter as well.

[gusset]

Hi Phamster, nice pics, lovely wife. Does she ride also?

If you've got a Daelim dealer nearby, you also might have a look at their S2 250. Mine's been a good bike, now past 8000km with no reliability issues. Equal to Kymco for build quality, IMHO, and costs a skosh less than a People 250. I haven't done side-by-side comparisons, but it's got a Kymco drivetrain, so its performance is probably equal to the Kymco 250cc bikes (it weights a few pounds less). It has an Asian look, though, so if you want the retro look that the P250 has, it won't be worth your consideration.

[phamster]

Thanks to all of you on this forum that has responded.

i will probably end up getting the people 250 because of the great reviews of all... and parts and dealership availability...

plus to know the results of the torture test from the MMM club... that was a great article...

my wife and i went to speedcity and checked out a bunch of scoots.. needless to say the vespa 250gts looked the best... but out of my range for now...

so after putting her on the back of all the bikes... she liked the people 250 the best... actually i liked the exciting 250 or 500 but the back seat person when sitting on the bike and putting your feet down to the passenger pedals is really UNCOMFORTABLE...

is seems kymco didn't design this one well... the body panel flares just above ankle high protrudes out too far, hitting the leg and when the passenger just puts their foot on the rest pad, will get an annoying pressure from the body panel flare.. so this exiticing bike is out of the question.. unless i want to do some body work... but pay just under 5 grand and still have to do body work? crazy thought..

so after setting on 4-7 bikes.. looks like the people 250 willl by bought by me this week....

also i was thinking... how often will i be on the highway? i just want a bike to joy ride and go to the store which is all in town... so a people 250 is perfect.. if i got a maxi scoot.. it wouldn't be fun to handle in town...

any of you bought a maxi scoot and thought wow.. i should have gotten a smaller bike? because your usage isn't on the highway going 65 miles an hour? tell me your story...

anyways thanks

phamster

[lewtwo]

>> any of you bought a maxi scoot and thought wow.. i should have gotten a smaller bike? because your usage isn't on the highway going 65 miles an hour? tell me your story... <<

Kind of a question about where you draw the line for a MaxiScoot. I seen a lot of people class the Vespa GT, GTS and the People 250 as MaxiScoots. The nice thing about the people is will handle the hiway and is still nibble enough for around town.

[WarrenS]

I agree. A 250 is classified as a maxi scoot. I think that you will have a hard time finding anybody with a 250 who wants something smaller. On the other hand you will find plenty of smaller scooter riders who want bigger. I have a 250 and a 400. That is because the 400 replaced a 800 motorcycle. I like the 250 as the best all around compromise. You can take it anywhere without limiting yourself to certain roads. I have heard of people who got a 400 and found it to be too much for them and wanted something smaller.

[tastroman]

I agree that 250's are considered maxi scooters but IMHO,not all 250's should fall in the maxi category. I would not consider a 250 Bet and Win a maxi scoot while I would consider the Reflex a maxi. I was at a dealership this weekend that had a 250 Aprilia Sport City parked next to a Bergman 650. The difference in size between these 2 bikes was enormous.

[phamster]

WELL FOLKS..

i just did it !!!! i putt 500 bucks down on the people 250 with a windsheild...

i couldn't pass up this great deal...

it is a people 250 with only 101 miles on it.. considered as a demo from the kymco rep...

basically here is the price..

3500 for the bike... with out the set up fee, and destination fee..
130 for the windshield...
217.74 for the tax

3846.74 out the door...for the 2006 people 250 with 101 miles on it... gray in color...

what do you think? did i get a good deal or what? considering i payed about 5 grand for my aprilia 150 in 2001... which will be a gift for my dad... (because he is a great dad wink wink)

anyways... i just didn't want to get a maxi (reflex sized ) bike but i sorted considered it... i have lots of fun on the scarabeo 150 with my wife.. and the controllablity was great.. so i don't want to change up anything, from the looks and feel of the ride.. i bet the kymco will be just as good.. more power now too...

with a windshield (mid sized not the tall one) i am going to be a scootering happy kymco owner...

iwill take new pictures soon.. deleivery is this thursday 21'st...

phamster

[lewtwo]

That is within a $150 of what I got my for last week .... and I had to go 180 miles to pick it up.

[tastroman]

I was quoted $4200 on a new one not long ago. Sounds like you got a good deal.

[johnnyscoots]

Good Deal, Phamster!

I paid $4335 (tax, blah blah) but didn't have to pay for a "dealer prep" charge. Mine is a 2007 People 250 (also grey) and Yes, I would classify it as a Maxi. The 16" wheels are a dead giveaway for this bike's true purpose: Go (almost) everywhere. You'll both like it on the highway. It belongs there. Congrats, and don't forget to buy a top case!

John

[phamster]

johnnyscoots said:

Good Deal, Phamster!

I paid $4335 (tax, blah blah) but didn't have to pay for a "dealer prep" charge. Mine is a 2007 People 250 (also grey) and Yes, I would classify it as a Maxi. The 16" wheels are a dead giveaway for this bike's true purpose: Go (almost) everywhere. You'll both like it on the highway. It belongs there. Congrats, and don't forget to buy a top case!

John

THANKS.. guys..

i am looking for a top case right now... what do you people 250 owners think is the best choose for a top case?

www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2010969/p-2010969/N-111+10211+600014603/c-10111
or a GIVI 470?

i really don't care if i spend 130 for a case..

what is a good deal on line for a shad Case?

thanks again..

phamster

[Andi]

www.cbxmanmotorcycles.com/Binetto-Bn-T50-Luxury-Rear-Scooter-Box-Matt-Black.aspx

Andi

[lewtwo]

Two points on the Binetto case (I think it is the same one that I have on my Honda):

>> Dimensions: 22" W x 15" D x 11" H <<
Will not hold a 3/4 or full face helmet. It needs 11-1/2 inches clear inside.

>> Capacity: 45 Liters <<
Does not come with paddles but is nearly big enough to use them.

I ordered a SHAD 37 liter (15D x 18W x 13H) for my new People off of EBAY. Might be able to get a better deal somewhere else ... this was easy. ;D
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170121148394

=======
Hey here is a thought. Would it not be nice if they standardized the quick release mount (Givi, Shad, Binetto) and then the scooter/motorcycle manufacturers incorporated the mount in the stock luggage rack ?

Like that is going to happen

[phamster]

looks like the Binetto and jc whitney ones are exactly a like.. same maker different seller...




binetto above


and below the jc whintney






just the center reflextor is different..

you guy think so too?

i ordered the jcwhiteny medium just now..

phamster

[Andi]

lewtwo,

The Binetto case is listed as 22" W x 15" D x 11" H = 45 liters of luggage capacity. Taking the dimensions which I have to assume are outside dim's and not subtracting rounded corners etc it comes out to about 59 liters, so I guess minus 14 liters for the handle, material thickness etc.

The JC Whitney case is listed as 22-1/2"W x 16-1/2"L x 11"H = 40 liters of luggage capacity. Taking those dimensions it comes out to about 67 liters, so minus 27 liters for the handle, material thickness etc?

Both cases except for a square reflector instead of round (and the mounting hardware) look identical.

Question: Would you be able to tell me if your box is actually the dimensions as listed? The site list it to fit 2 helmets, where as the "bigger" JC Whitney case only lists to fit one ff helmet and looking at the pic and considering your comments I don't think you could close the lid, also doesn't look to have enough room to fit 2 helmets side by side (maybe two hard hats).

Having done groceries three times now, I will be looking at exchanging the stock trunk on my Race 250. I have read about some latch/lock and hinge problems with the JC Whitney, although the overall satisfaction is 4 out of 5. How do you like the Binetto?

Andi

[Andi]

Shad top Cases:

www.cosmotor.com/accessories.html

or in "lewtwo's" neck of the woods (they also sell GIVI, Kappa and some other interesting equipment, no serious 2 wheeler could ever be seen with out ;D ):

www.adventuremotousa.com/motorcases.htm

Andi

[lewtwo]

>> The site list it to fit 2 helmets <<
The add I purchased it from said that too (must be Extra Small Helmets).
I will post a pictures tonight showing the Binetto case with helmets.
Will also try to get some accurate dimensions.

[johnnyscoots]

Phamster:

Buy the largest case you can afford. I'm saving up the dosh for at least a 37 liter case...and an aftermarket pipe ;D

john

[lewtwo]

I really hate it when I make a fool out of myself.

Please disregard everything I said about the helmets not fitting in the Binetto case. I swear when I first got it that I could not get the top to close with a helmet in it. I just tried it again and closed it without any problems on two 3/4 (open face) helmets. I also got it to close on a full face helmet.

The inside dimensions (in inches) are: 10-7/8 height x 20 wide x 14-1/4 deep (12-1/4 at the handle).
Will add a picture to the post later.

Again ... I apologize for the misinformation ... senility/ignorance is a awful thing.

www.keywild.com/scooter/binetto_helmet.jpg

[phamster]

lewtwo said:

I really hate it when I make a fool out of myself.

Please disregard everything I said about the helmets not fitting in the Binetto case. I swear when I first got it that I could not get the top to close with a helmet in it. I just tried it again and closed it without any problems on two 3/4 (open face) helmets. I also got it to close on a full face helmet.

The inside dimensions (in inches) are: 10-7/8 height x 20 wide x 14-1/4 deep (12-1/4 at the handle).
Will add a picture to the post later.

Again ... I apologize for the misinformation ... senility/ignorance is a awful thing.

www.keywild.com/scooter/binetto_helmet.jpg

HE HE HE>..

you nevered said that it you couldn't get a peyton manning helmet and a jeff saturday helmet in there..

anyways.. great photo.. really clean picture quality..

nice box too...make me wish i ordered the large one...

i have read some of the reviews on the jc whitney on line; and they were saying that the boxes break easy... so i didn't want to get the large one because of the jynormous size i thought it would break at the hinge easier..

so i went with medium sized unit.. so what is 69 bucks if it breaks in 2 - 3years.. i will use it carefully and not slam and abuse it..

also i don't like a bike with out a box on it... so i had to order it quickly.. didn't take my time on looking at GIVI boxes...because of their crazy cost..

are GIVI's that nice??? i guess if i had a vespa 250 gts then a GIVI must be on there.

i just hope the box doesn't break with in 4 month.. rather it break in 90 days... so i return it.. but i guessing that i won't and will be a good piece..

i am so stoke about this thursday.. that is when i get the bike @@@@!!!!

anyways.. here are some pictures of a recent ride (on the old scrabeo 150 my dad is going to love it ) with my wife to the local river here.. really fun day...

phamster

[Andi]

Thanks for the feedback lewtwo, no probs on the mis all sorted out anyways.

That's a good size top-case, how do you like the quality of Binetto. I guess the SHAD top-cases are a premium brand, OEM for BMW and KTM etc.

SHAD which is out of Spain seems to be well represented in Brasil, may bring one along on my trip next week if the price is right and I can find any.



phamster,

Nice pictures, glad your having fun, does your wife ride too? My wife recently got her license, which is actually what got me into scoots. I've had all kinds of motorcycles starting at 15 with a Peugeot moped and moving up to a big Beemer.

As we bought a scoot for her, I got one too, so we can take some rides together, even planning a trip to our sister island. I wanted a 250, as my commute to work is 1/3 highway, still waiting on it though sitting in Miami right now.

All the best and good luck with the People, that would be my ride if I could afford it, something to look forward too.

Andi

[automattic]

Can't go wrong with a People 250.

[lewtwo]

>> even planning a trip to our sister island <<
Are water-wings available for scooters down there ??

[Andi]

lewtwo said:

>> even planning a trip to our sister island <<
Are water-wings available for scooters down there ??

Actually sort of, got a Catamaran Ferry available for a couple of years now, which makes the trip in a bit better then two hours form Port of Spain to Scarborough, compared to the 8 to 10 hours of the two other Ferries. The fast boat is always booked up, but there is always room for a couple of scooters ;D.

Andi

[phamster]

well folks.. i got my people 250 and i got my jc whitney box...

my report on this box...

>> one the box is good sized.. i got medium box... BUT it looked big.. but i can not fit my full sized helmet... so really not good sized...

>> the box doesn't open with out the key.. i am used to just opening it when i need to.. and then close it and lock if i wanted to...

>> fit and finish is ok.. on a scale of one to ten.. it is a 5...

moral of the story.. for 69 bux.. .you get a 69 bux box.. so so... i would not recommend it..

so for my people 250... i am not going to keep this box very long.. i will end up ordering a shad or a givi... and return this one to JC whitney...

which one should i get this time

i thought i would give it a chance but it did not work out... function is not good...

if the box can open and close with out the key maybe i would keep it.. but for now.. i dont' want it becuase i need the key to open and close it every time.. not good for me... and my wife if she want to put her stuff away.. we have to take out the key from the ignition and use the key to unlock and open the box...

damn waste and bad engineering.....i guess i am harsh because i am a quality engineer for subaru...

anyways.. here are some picture of the install...

plus i had to drill a new hole to allow better travel so the box isn't right up against the back seat..

pictures will show the finished holes and fasteners in place..

oh my wife is looking good on the new people.. lol.. he he..