bike rec wanted: 2 seats, 60+mpg, quiet, 4 stroke, fwy legal

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justforfun · Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:43 pm

This will be my first bike. I don't have a motorcycle license, but I'm getting one. I am open to mopeds/scooters too. My parameters from highest to lowest importance are...

2 seats
enough power to manage most hills in San Francisco
60+ mpg city
quiet
4-stroke
freeway legal

If more than one such beast exists, I'd like to pick the one with the most power, comfort, and reliability.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

intotherain · Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:26 pm

kawasaki ninja 250

Veda · #3 Unread post by **Veda** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:23 am

Are the two people you are seating small or large? You can fit two 100lb. people on just about anything, but two 200 lb. are going to narrow down your options.

mtn_horn · #4 Unread post by **mtn_horn** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:24 am

If both 60+ mpg and quiet are as important as your other parameters, I would look seriously at a Vespa GTS. It's 250 cc, fuel injected, liquid-cooled. It has easily enough power for two normal sized humans for trips in and aroud all of the hills in San Francisco and it is definitely freeway legal.

When deciding between a motorcycle and a scooter, one thing to look at is how you will be using it mainly. Is this vehicle mostly an urban warrior or are you mostly going to be on the freeway with it?

justforfun · Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:23 am

Veda, good question. I'm about 175. She's about 125. So around 300lbs altogether.

Also, this is mainly going to be a bus pass substitute. So as long as I can get from A to B faster than I could on the bus, I'll be happy. However, if it's not totally dorky, that would be a plus.

jstark47 · #6 Unread post by **jstark47** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:36 am

mtn_horn wrote:If both 60+ mpg and quiet are as important as your other parameters, I would look seriously at a Vespa GTS. It's 250 cc, fuel injected, liquid-cooled. It has easily enough power for two normal sized humans for trips in and aroud all of the hills in San Francisco and it is definitely freeway legal.

When deciding between a motorcycle and a scooter, one thing to look at is how you will be using it mainly. Is this vehicle mostly an urban warrior or are you mostly going to be on the freeway with it?

Good post, mtn_horn. A Honda Reflex will also fit these specs. There's probably a lot of larger scooters that will fit, I happen to know the Reflex from personal experience.

Concerning scooters and freeway use - if people would stick close to the speed limits, this wouldn't be an issue. A Reflex has no problem running steady-state 65mph with me (240 lbs) on board. But as we all know, people don't stick close to the limit, they do 80, 85, 90mph..... that's where a lot of scooters can't keep up with traffic.

gsJack · #7 Unread post by **gsJack** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:45 am

The GS500F or the Ninja 500 come as close to your parameters as anything.

2 seats
enough power to manage most hills in San Francisco
no problem, meets these easily.

60+ mpg city
comes close, I get 60 mpg overall summers on my GS500s in NE Ohio, should get that year round in So Cal.

quiet
4-stroke
freeway legal
again, no problem.

mtn_horn · #8 Unread post by **mtn_horn** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:58 am

justforfun wrote:Also, this is mainly going to be a bus pass substitute. So as long as I can get from A to B faster than I could on the bus, I'll be happy. However, if it's not totally dorky, that would be a plus.

I only have strong knowledge of Vespas and my bike (an Aero). As jstark pointed out, the Honda reflex meets your specs as well.

If it is mainly to be a city-streets vehicle (and it sounds like it is), I think I would lean toward a scooter and here's why:

Storage. Lots of storage. I can carry seven bags of groceries in/on my scoot and all I have is a medium size top-case. Because the engine sits where it does on a scoot, there's a clip off the front end of the seat where you can hang groceries, there is under-the-seat storage, and then there's a topcase. And there's a glove box to hold a wallet, small bottle of water, etc.

The downside to scooters: the tires are small (although there are some maxi-scoots with bigger wheels) and while the GTS will get up to 70-75 mph comfortably, you don't have much in reserve after that - especially if you're riding two-up. Besides that, I'd be a little nervous on the freeway at 70 mph in traffic riding two-up - harder to see obstacles (like potholes, debris on the freeway, etc) with all the cars around you - potholes can be scary on 11 inch wheels at 70 mph.

A new GTS costs as much as a 750 cc Aero new. However, insurance is less. Waaaay less.

I'm getting about 60 mpg on my Aero - but that's only city driving - I haven't taken her on long trips yet. I love my Aero, but until I get some saddlebags installed, there is zero storage. That sucks for running errands.

The way I see my two wheel future working out: scooter for in-city commuting and errands, motorcycle for longer trips (Moab, Santa Fe, Salt Lake, Durango).

One last thing about the GTS: several people in my scooter club have them and looooove them - they take them everywhere - including to the top of Mt. Evans (highest paved road in the US) - they are very versatile. They also tell me they get in the neighborhood of 70 mpg.

Duffy · #9 Unread post by **Duffy** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:45 am

I agree with mtn_horn. If you are mainly using it for busing around, you problable will need the storage. The kawasaki ninja 250 is a great bike, but if you are going to have a passenger, there goes the spot to put a pack. Besides, I don't consider the ninja's to be quiet, you can hear them coming

JC Viper · #10 Unread post by **JC Viper** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:09 pm

There's always the V-Strom 650 but it's tall. It is very quiet (stock) and can carry passengers comfortably. It's highway MPG is around 50 +/- and city should be in the 40s avg. depending on how hard you twist the throttle and how long you sit in traffic.

Plus it has great luggage accessories.