Ideal Beater Bike

[Stichill_imp]

Ferret, so this was "Your Majesty"?

We've established one thing: you are secure in your manhood.

Seriously, though, what are the pros of a big scooter from a motorcyclist's perspective? Why did you love it?

[Frulk_imp]

Friend of mine had a white 600-650cc (?) Burgman not to long ago. I was impressed by the zip that machine had. He rode it from Utah all up and down the western coast with his wife on the back. He didn’t have a bad thing to say about the machine. It’s deceiving in appearance as well. From the front or the rear it looks kind of like a sport bike. Had plenty of on board storage. There was a lot Tupperware to remove to get the routine service things. Again....when you hear scooter you just don’t thing of the performance level that this machine was capable of. I can see one of these in my garage sometime in the future just from a practicality standpoint, and if health concern were an issue possibly extending my riding years due to the lower weight, center pass through and low mass.

[the Ferret]

Ferret, so this was "Your Majesty"?

We've established one thing: you are secure in your manhood.

Seriously, though, what are the pros of a big scooter from a motorcyclist's perspective? Why did you love it?

Turn the key, twist the grip and go. Step thru makes it so easy to get on, large comfortable seat, plenty of space to move your feet around from sportbike style to chopper style. Lots of storage, great gas mileage. Using both hands for brakes was real easy to get used to and btw it had great brakes. Good weather protection. Freeway legal and would run over 100 mph and cruise easy at 80. The only drawback imo was those air cleaners, the smaller wheels and no way to bump start one, which is also an issue for me with a DCT motorcycle.

BTW my wife had one too, same size, 3 years newer and silver. It was easy for her to ride. She actually got hers first, and the times I rode it I really liked it so I found a used one a couple years older to ride around with her. She decided to quit riding so we traded her scoot in on my second CB and traded mine in on a quad with snow plow.

[Stichill_imp]

You guys may be onto something. These machines are very cheap on the used market...

[Cormanus]

If the main purpose of a beater bike is for it to be a run around, reliable, easy to maintain with good storage that will respond well to a quick squirt of a hose for cleaning purposes, it seems hard to go past a reasonable capacity scooter.

[GoldOxide_imp]

In terms of reliability, function, and cost to own, the most popular seem to be:

* Honda Forza 300 (2014 is popular, but the 2018/19 is really hot and not available in North America, yet)
* Yamaha Majesty 400 (long history track record)
* Yamaha T-Max
* Suzuki Bergman (the original Japanese super-scooter, engine up to 650 cc, scooter can get kinda "Lazy Boy" big)

All are ultra convenient hop 'n' go. Just don't expect that same feeling on initial acceleration of a motorcycle. It feels much different. They are perfect urban commuters and cruise well on freeways.

Cormanus: (+1) on washing.

[misterprofessionality]

legend has it that some of the best lap times on The Tail of the Dragon are held by Suzuki Burgman riders.

[GoldOxide_imp]

legend has it that some of the best lap times on The Tail of the Dragon are held by Suzuki Burgman riders.

I wonder how the Aprilia Mana 850 would fair?

[GoldOxide_imp]

i seriously doubt that a burgman is going to outpace a ktm or drz supermoto up there on its best day. no. way.

If it did, it might have to burn through a belt and maybe a pulley or two doing it.

[misterprofessionality]

i seriously doubt that a burgman is going to outpace a ktm or drz supermoto up there on its best day. no. way.

ssshhhhh. we've almost got him on the hook to buy one. the western world needs more underbone bikes.