I despise scooters. Have from the very first time I rode one back in the 1980's. Slow wiggly squirrelly things, designed to kill you it seemed.
Got lost accidentally today, and wandered into the battlescooter forum over on ADV rider. And there, I saw this!
Talk about a low center of gravity! And 650cc?! It's got real brakes! And forks! And even more tuperware storage compartmants than the Pacific Coast I've been considering! This thing is real!
Then I discovered there are more of them! There's a whole world out there, known as touring scooters!!!
My two-wheeled world has been turned upside down, by scooters. Oh dear lord....
Cotton
Dork
10/26/12 10:36 a.m.
Just say no...lol. Fight the urge until it passes.
<img src="
" />
That looks quite a bit like a Gurney Alligator
http://www.allamericanracers.com/alligator/alligator_tech.html
I love scooters. I bought my wife a BWS 50 a few years ago, and had a blast riding it. I also got made fun of a lot (more than usual 
) and got called a lot of not so nice names. I'd like to have a Kymco super 9.
oldtin
SuperDork
10/26/12 12:59 p.m.
Resist. - although I've got a little soft spot for old vespas and 50ccs
Jack
SuperDork
10/26/12 2:24 p.m.
Just move on FoxT. There is nothing to see here.
No prob with scooters. I'd really like to have a T-Max some day. More likely I'll get a Burgman 400 or a Majesty, though.
I'm on my second scooter now. Heard all the jokes the first time around, and when I had a Miata. Generally don't care what judgemental strangers think of me
Hell Aprilia is about to release a big scooter with an 850cc motor making something like 75 hp and 58 lb ft. Think about that E36 M3.
ddavidv
PowerDork
10/26/12 7:18 p.m.
Scooters? Really? They're sort of....well....
Well, I do drive a Miata....
rotard wrote:
Miata=SV650
Scooter=DUI
Depends on where you are. In the great state of Ohio, even a 49cc scoot requires a motorcycle license.
My Burgman 650 is wonderful. More comfortable than my DL650 while 2 up. Lots of storage space, but I do lose maybe 5mpg.
minimac
SuperDork
11/1/12 6:55 a.m.
I love riding Mrs.Minis' Majesty. It goes like stink and returns over 60 mpg. 
Even BMW makes them, but no M division in the scooter department. sorry.
I can't figure out what comment to make. Should I be impressed, or just giggle? Don't think I'll see one like this in the US.
Go just a little further...
rotard wrote:
Miata=SV650
Scooter=DUI
A Miata is nowhere near as manly as an SV650, sorry.
I could see that. I loved my GS500e and it was very nimble, but I wasn't under any illusions that it was some sport bike..
I would ride this to work and not care what they think
Saw one of these when I was in Germany a couple years ago.
Apexcarver wrote:
Go just a little further...
I've always wanted to take a crack at building that myself. But with so much rake out front it would likely be a royal bitch to turn around, much less packaging that rear and finding a motor to do the original justice.
While my mother was trying to get her Honda Elite 250 running,
I got my Trail 70 running.
Which one would I ride now? The Trail 70
alex
UltraDork
11/4/12 1:55 p.m.
Has anybody made the scooter/fat girl joke yet? OK, I'll leave it for somebody else.
Here's the thing about maxi-scooters: for practical two wheeled traveling, one can make the argument that they're superior to motorcycles. They're easier to use, easier and more comfortable to ride, have good weather protection, good passenger accommodations, and a ton of built-in storage. And this recent crop performs basically like a standard mid-size motorcycle.
But I'll be the first to admit that I'm not quite secure enough with myself to be seen on one. That's easy when riding, I guess - a full face helmet is your friend. But they you have to find somewhere to park where nobody will see you get off and stash your helmet so nobody connects you with the scooter.
Plus, they sound like sewing machines and they look like they should be stocked in the housewares department.
It's pretty much impossible to look cool on a scooter. Exceptions to this rule: you're using it as pit transport; you're on something vintage AND you're small enough to not look like a 14 year old on his little sister's tricycle (therefore the vintage rule is not applicable to guys my size); you're Steve McQueen.
If you can pull it off, hell yeah. Go for it, you'll probably love it. For all practical purposes, they're great.
I'll stick with motorcycles.
