seriously, motorcyle vs. scooter - non-tech differences

[rlmitchell]

First of all, I am NOT an experienced motorocyclist. I purchased my first motorcycle (Honda Rebel 250) just a week and a half ago. However, my son has scooters and I have bombed around on them quite a bit. I thought the motorcycle thing would be so easy after being on a scooter. WRONG! To me, there's no comparison. There is SO much more goin on when you're riding a bike. 1) only a front brake on the scooter to think about, 2 on the bike), no shifiting on the scooter, constantly shifting on the bike 3) cornering on the scooter feels almost as automatic as driving a car, the bike - takes quite a bit of getting used to (at least for me).

Just my thoughts.

Rhonda

[dirt dobber]

i know what you mean, i started out on scooters, 1st. was a 250 HYOSUNG (so. korea, united motors) 1 yr. 2nd. yamaha tmax 500 2yrs. i rode with the big bikes so i got me a sportster H-D. i had to learn to ride all over again, plus the loud pipes, wind, had to put padding in my helment & start wearing ear plugs, mosley for win noise.. viberation, legs getting wet in the rain. i really miss the twist and go. wish i could buy a american made scooter....see my pictures in photo gallery under HARLEY DAVISON,(dirt dobber) click twice on all pic.

[ranger l]

i had to learn to ride all over again,

I am curious what you mean by having to learn all over. I am at that stage, haven't ridden for 36 years, and, since it sounds like bikes are way harder, I am wondering if I might not be better getting a scooter. I know when I tested a 250 Virago I felt very awkward (not like I remember it being). What's so different/more difficult about a bike?

Back then, I was 22 and riding my K-S1A came pretty naturally. Scooters weren't an option, and a big bike was a Triumph 650 so the S1A wasn't made fun of like it would be now. I only want to ride for recreation on country back roads, at times when there aren't very may cars, and at speeds less than 80 kph. So should I stop imagining that a 250 V-twin will be any less of a joke to the big boys than will a KYMCO scooter and just go for safety? (I am equating feeling relaxed, competent and confident with being safer). Dry legs might be nice too

[dirt dobber]

i know what you mean, i started out on scooters, 1st. was a 250 HYOSUNG (so. korea, united motors) 1 yr. 2nd. yamaha tmax 500 2yrs. i rode with the big bikes so i got me a sportster H-D. i had to learn to ride all over again, plus the loud pipes, wind, had to put padding in my helment & start wearing ear plugs, mosley for win noise.. viberation, legs getting wet in the rain. i really miss the twist and go. wish i could buy a american made scooter....see my pictures in photo gallery under HARLEY DAVISON,(dirt dobber) click twice on all pic.

update, i just got back from checking out the suzuke 650 burgram exective, there is no way i could go back to a scooter. as far as rain i'll just put my rain suite on.
RANGER 1.... it wasn't much different from 250 to 500, it was bigger & heavery, But when i got on the motorcycle (my 1st.) i had more to do & learn when to do it & not to.they delivered it to my home town vacant walmart parking lot. that's where i learn to ride with help from the guy that delivered it. had to learn when to use padel brake & not to. had trouble starting off on a grade or hill, killed it a few time. there is several reason why i upgraded. don't worry about the big boys i rode with them. you can learn to ride something bigger than a 250, i look at the $$ i spent before i got a H-D. OH, forgot to mention i'm75, 170lb. 6ft.

[Marvin]

zeligman carefully disquised this post as a question about scooters but his true intension was to insult and make fun of scooters and the people that ride and own them.
nice try, but you didn't fool me
the truth is many people that own big cruiser motorcycles are switching to scooters cause they are getting too old to handle the big cruiser bike, their days of impressing everybody else by what they ride are long gone.
so go ahead and think that you make yourself look good buy cutting down scooters, oh oh you're sooo wonderful cause you don't own a scooter so that gives you the right to cut down others.
I don't have to pretend to be somebody I am not unlike you I don't live a lie.

[Gummiente]

zeligman carefully disquised this post as a question about scooters but his true intension was to insult and make fun of scooters and the people that ride and own them.
nice try, but you didn't fool me
the truth is many people that own big cruiser motorcycles are switching to scooters cause they are getting too old to handle the big cruiser bike, their days of impressing everybody else by what they ride are long gone.
so go ahead and think that you make yourself look good buy cutting down scooters, oh oh you're sooo wonderful cause you don't own a scooter so that gives you the right to cut down others.
I don't have to pretend to be somebody I am not unlike you I don't live a lie.

Marvin, knock it off with the trolling. Now.

[jstark47]

zeligman carefully disquised this post as a question about scooters .......

Zeligman is one of the nicest, sweetest people on the 'net. He had a bad accident on his cruiser last year, he's still recovering from it. I'm sure he's asking about scooters 'cause he's looking at an alternative ride when he's done healing - he may not come back to 100% of his former abilities, particularly with using a foot shifter. It's been an informative and productive discussion, with a lot of participation.

Take a chill pill or something - you're not going to shut down every conversation on the site about scooters.

[ranger l]

I don't have to pretend to be somebody I am not

Seriously Marvin, Mr. Zeligman's a mench - he was seeking knowledge and understanding and doing so politely.

In contrast you pretend to be a scooter rider, yet here is what Yamaha's own ad says about your motorcycle:

"The TMAX, is in many respects a motorcycle with the convenience of a step through design.
Featuring fuel injected twin cylinder power, huge 43mm fork and 2-up seating, ... an aluminium frame, R6 inspired brakes and 15" wheels highlight its motorcycle handling and heritage."

Big Bruce's pal Mike is right, enough kvetching already.

[Grey Thumper]

Nothing to see here, move along now . . .

[sapaul]

@ Ranger1

Your post has it about spot on, scooters now are much more like bikes than the PUCH mopeds I kicked around as a kid. Now they are quality performance machines. I have the KYMCO Grand Vista 250 and it handles like a dream and a lot more convenient than my bikes for urban riding. I can see that I probably will have a another scooter in my future when I am older purely because of the ease of ride. Or maybe by then electric bikes will be affordable hehehehe