Super scooters - Experience?

gilson · Post by **gilson** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:03 am

Hi guys, I've been interested in this group of "bikes" for sometime.

Having a firestorm track bike, recently selling a 929 blade and not having a road bike, I really think this category of bike would be really suitable.

I like the ease of use, the comfort and lack of maintenance.

Of course I like honda's twin 600 silverwing, the gilera gp800 v-twin and the burgman, but that's last on the list. They are far from cheap...

I've yet to ride one, and in no hurry to get one, with all this snow, but every time I speak to a somewhat embarrassed owner they say they are fantastic machines.

Anyone courageous enough to offer any advice.

(notice how I established my manly proper bike riding credentials prior to asking this advice? You may do the same thing if you deem it necessary)

Kev L · Post by **Kev L** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:15 am

If you get one you are banned from collecting parts from me on it! I was always a little suspicious.

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:18 am

Friend of mine had a T Max. Was weird - he could embarass "proper bikes" on twisty roads (though ran out of steam on the straights), sit at 90 on the motorway and lift the seat and stow enough luggage for the weekend. We went through Belgium and Luxembourg - him in the T Max and me on the Storm with my son on pillion.

You see loads of superscoots on the continent and they make a lot of sense imho

Wicky · Post by **Wicky** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:31 am

Would a Honda Deauville 650 (V-twin, shaft drive) perform a similar role and be as cheap as chips...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Motorcycles-S ... 6.c0.m1538

MacV2 · Post by **MacV2** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:33 am

gilson wrote:Hi guys, I've been interested in this group of "bikes" for sometime.

Having a firestorm track bike, recently selling a 929 blade and not having a road bike, I really think this category of bike would be really suitable.

I like the ease of use, the comfort and lack of maintenance.

Of course I like honda's twin 600 silverwing, the gilera gp800 v-twin and the burgman, but that's last on the list. They are far from cheap...

I've yet to ride one, and in no hurry to get one, with all this snow, but every time I speak to a somewhat embarrassed owner they say they are fantastic machines.

Anyone courageous enough to offer any advice.

(notice how I established my manly proper bike riding credentials prior to asking this advice? You may do the same thing if you deem it necessary)

Never having owned a scooter or even a 50cc or ridden one of the above mentioned machines I may not be fully qualified to answer this question.

I can however testify to the amount of them I see commuting every day along the A2 into London.

They do seem very popular & keep up well with the flow of traffic so you wont be subject to the constant overtaking.

The fact that you know of Hondas reputation, build quality & reliability (cough CCT R/R Cough Cough) surly should discount the Gilera & Zook.( Italian electrics? Zook build quality I hear is not the best.)

Is there a forum for any of these bikes? Surly these days it's the first place to go?

Let us all know how it goes & we want pic's if you buy ( unless it's blue.......don't want to lower the tone you know...)

lumpyv · Post by **lumpyv** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:50 am

i hear they are very practical but i see a commuter bloke riding one to the railway station every morning and he wears a sort of plastic skirt! thats put me off.

agentpineapple · Post by **agentpineapple** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:08 pm

maybe if you made the scoot look like one of these?

gilson · Post by **gilson** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:13 pm

Apart from kev's partially veiled insult, the only other insulting thing are those pictures. Man, I though I was strange.

Thanks guys. I'll investigate in spring.

agentpineapple · Post by **agentpineapple** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:28 pm

benny hedges · Post by **benny hedges** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 1:09 pm

MacV2 wrote: They do seem very popular & keep up well with the flow of traffic so you wont be subject to the constant overtaking.

lol yeh i love them.
and regarding keeping up with traffic - mine is now 86cc and it's fast as fook lol.
at the lights there is not many cars on the road that will outpace them to 30-40.
im not talking the cheap chinese 4 stokes here... as they do tend to be a bit low power, though saying that, my 4banger is now 100cc with race cam, big valve head etc and will do 60+ all day and still return 70+ mpg.

going through london last year, a pack of us got through the blackwall tunnel stretch without even slowing down, much to the annoyance of all the cagers

when i binned my storm the other year i borrowed a burgmann 650 for a few days and what a hoot! so comfy as well!
and last year i test rode honda's ugly dn1 - a 700cc full auto = awesome bike but very odd looking.
you can pick them up brand new for peanuts.

yeh you still get the odd few saying youre not a real biker... but they soon shut up when you tell them you have a firestorm & sp1 in the garage

currently as you may have seen, i have been playing with a peugeot 2 stroke and yesterday (before i seized it lol) i was very surprised to find it accelerates form start just as fast as the sp & storm up to 50+
and the parts for these things cost next to nothing.

very good fun, highly recommended - get one!

lumpyv · Post by **lumpyv** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:30 pm

" i was very surprised to find it accelerates form start just as fast as the sp & storm up to 50+ "

are you sure?? :beer:

lloydie · Post by **lloydie** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:05 pm

Twist and go
No clutch and you don't have to worry about flipping it

agentpineapple · Post by **agentpineapple** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:19 pm

i'm not sure who made it but about 15yrs ago someone produced a ped with 175cc i think, so it was aimed at people with a full license, but this thing was faster than a 911 turbo to 60mph, and it was bog standard, i think it was a jap manufacturer, buggered if i can remember which one tho......

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:59 pm

lumpyv wrote:" i was very surprised to find it accelerates form start just as fast as the sp & storm up to 50+ "

are you sure??

I could never beat the T Max away from the lights - twist and go and it really went!

benny hedges · Post by **benny hedges** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:07 pm

lumpyv wrote:" i was very surprised to find it accelerates form start just as fast as the sp & storm up to 50+ "

are you sure??

posted this one before but you obviously havent seen how quick these things take off when theyre tuned lol

[youtube][/youtube]

lloydiecbr wrote:Twist and go
No clutch and you don't have to worry about flipping it

ah theyre very easy to wheelie m8 - and flip if you're not carefull lol!

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

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