I have a scooter (moped) 49cc now and it's electric as well as kick start and I love it because it's so easy to ride and very fun. I'm thinking of buying this scooter from Honda:
http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/mo...
Either that, or their off-road/street legal motorcycle or a sports motorcycle.
I want to know, what is the difference, in terms of operation, maintenance, cost, ease of use, maneuverabililty, gas mileage, speed, licensing requirements, capabilities, etc between a scooter and motorcycle? The only difference is performance.
All modern machines, especially from old industrialized countries (Japan, Italy, Germany, England, US) are well sorted out from a handling perspective, so you'll have a competent machine.
The difference in terms of maintenance won't be significantly different. All gas engines require regular maintenance & tune ups, and all chassis stuff needs attention from time to time: brakes, bearings, cables etc.
Licensing requirements aren't. If you're a vassal of the State, you need to sign it over to them (license). If you're not, good luck.
. scooter- regular drivers license over 49cc need a motorcycle license (in colo) The Silver Wing you are looking at is a *drastic* change from your little 49cc scoot -- somewhat like going from a Volkswagen Bug to an SUV. It has a much longer wheelbase than a regular motorcycle, as it's a touring scooter. I own a Honda Helix, which is a 250cc touring scooter, and the manuverability is not as good as a regular scooter. According to my son, who has ridden both motorcycles and my scooters on the freeway, they do not do as well with extensive freeway driving as a motorcycle, which is easier to "grip" to help keep control of when you face drafts from trucks or heavy cross-winds.
I don't know what state you live in, so I don't know what your licensing requirements are for your 49cc scoot, but that Silver Wing will be subject to the same licensing, registration, and insurance requirements as a motorcycle.
A scooter's center of gravity is generally lower than a motorcycle's. With a scooter, the tires will need to be replaced more often because they are smaller. A scooter will cost more than a motorcyle with a similarly-sized engine (I'm guessing it's because of smaller production runs). A touring scooter is more comfortable to ride than a regular motorcycle but not necessarily than a touring motorcycle, and the gap between a touring motorcycle and a touring scooter is getting a little blurred these days. But the longer wheelbase of a touring scooter (or a touring motorcycle) means it's a tad more difficult to maneuver. Maintenance (apart from tires) and gas mileage should be about the same as a motorcycle of similar size and type.
I would never try to discourage someone from purchasing a scooter, because I love mine. I think it boils down to personal preference. If you are going to be carrying a passenger often, a touring motorcycle or touring scooter would probably be more comfortable than a regular motorcycle or a regular scooter. If you don't like the idea of having to shift gears all the time, you might want to stick with a scooter. But if the thought of riding a motorcycle doesn't bother you, it certainly would be worth trying one.
I don't know if you really want an almost-600-cc scooter, but you might also want to check out Kymco scooters (if you can find a dealer in your area -- their web site, kymcousa dot com, has a dealer locator -- I have no affiliations with this company other than having drooled over their scooters for a number of years, and if I ever buy a brand-new scooter, it will be a Kymco -- either a People S 250 or a Grandvista 250) if you just want a larger ride. Kymco built scooters for Honda for years before Honda released them from their contract and let them go out on their own. They have scooters up to 250cc that are not touring scooters, and they have 250cc and 500cc scooters that are touring scooters as well. There is also a Suzuki Burgman, that comes in 400cc and 650 cc models.
Good luck with your decision! There is also a newsgroup alt.scooter that you can access through Google Groups to get more opinions on scooters, and I have found those folks to be pretty friendly and helpful. Most scooters are designed for lower speeds, and city commuting. they do not maneuver very well, and are more forgiving with your inputs. in MO you must have a M Class license for both, regardless of size.
Motorcycles are usually longer wheel bases, more stable at higher speeds, and most bikes above 250cc are legal to drive on the interstate. scooters are for a leisure rider wanting to stay in the city, cruisers are for the commuter/slow cruise across the country, and street bikes are for faster trips and the larger ones are more specific to racing, even if they are street legal, the bikes are still designed primarily for racing. Like the differences between an '87 Honda Civic and a Formula 1 racecar. You can ride a scooter in a skirt. If you don't wear a skirt on a regular basis you should probably get a motorcycle. |
