Anyone use a scooter to go to work on? When I get posted to my new job there's only parking for motorbikes and someone has suggested getting a scooter rather than using my motorbikes, especially on cruddy days. The route to work is about 15 miles each way with twisty country B-roads, fast A-roads and busy town roads. Any suggestions on which scooter maybe worth a look?
I was overtaken by one of those scooter things a couple of years ago on a dual carriage way, won't say how fast I was going for obvious reasons, but I know he was doing in excess of 100mph!
A friend of mine in Newcastle has the Burgman 400 for his commute of about 15 miles. He raves about it for commuting. His weekend ride is a 2008 Fireblade
I use a scooter everyday from hyde park area to the city. It's only a 125 but you want find any bikes or scoots run past me as its so damned small and narrow to get through all the cars, trucks and busses. It's more about picking your lane, gap etc and keeping the speed up, as opposed to straight out speed. I'm talking heavy congestion. Also I don't have to worry about it being nicked like either my street triple or new Multi.
Some of these sccoters are proper fast, but i've only once seen a scooter rider wearing suitable biking footwear. I'd still rather use my Zx7 for communting duties that hop on a scoot. They certainly have their place, which thankfully isn't in my garage :smile:
I have a 2004 Sym Joyride 180 - cost £600 and it's great... Big enough so that other road users can see it, but narrow enough for filtering... Really stable handling, despite the small wheels - I think the long wheelbase helps... Fast enough for keeping up with traffic ( about 75mph tops, solo or two-up )... Cheap to run ( does about 80mpg )... Light, easy to push around, great for riding in traffic... And because it's bigger than a 125 it's not been abused by previous "learner" rides. I would not have believed how much fun a scooter could be until I tried one - do it, you won't regret it !
And... ( at the risk of sounding like a proper "silly old fart" ) it has a big storage area under the seat. With that and a decent top-box it will carry loads of work stuff and / or shopping...
I use a Vespa GTS300 for commuting. There are faster scoots out there and these are not cheap for a scoot. But they are Italian, look cool and are fast enough for all types of road. You can't get a helmet under the seat btw. Oh and I had to fit the Akrapovic, it's the biker in me ! View attachment 13444
I ride a 125 version of one of these. Not as powerful but if I keep my momentum up I'm ok. I would like to change to a 300 but can't justify 4k on a new scooter. My125 cost me £1700 back in 2007.
