Time to buy my first Scooter - Looking and Confused

[Hyrb]

Thanks for such a great resource for newbees!

I really need some advice on selection of the right scooter. I've read articles, reviews and lurked here for a couple of weeks trying to do research on the right scooter. I bought my wife a 2002 Vespa et4 hardly ridden because she does Not like to tinker. With two 70's Rancheros to keep running I do. I'm also fairly heavy so I'm thinking that if I want to keep up with her on rides I need a 250cc + scoot?

So far I've looked at the Linhai Aeolus 260 Majesty clone, the Roketa 250B and the JCL 250A with the idea that the 257cc Linhai engine looked like one I'd be able to find parts for in years to come. I've looked at Znen but heard their 260 has issues. I've also looked at the Fashion helix clone, but they are ugly and thankfully I can't find one. :) I'm at the point where I don't know what the best available choice is. I'm hoping for suggestions, advice and opinions!

I've looked at several dealers and in talking to them have experienced the Good (Valley Scooters), the Bad (ScooterDepot) and the Ugly (PowersportsMax, who sold me a JCL they didn't have and refuses to release to funds from my card after cancellation). So not only would I welcome help with the type of ride but also with the dealer. Valley was great but doesn't have one in stock. So what I need is a Scooter that is a good buy, somewhere around $3000 delivered (the less the better) and available for purchase. I'm OK with doing my own PDI and OK with maintaining the ride but I do want decent long term reliability. Yes, I'm OK with a decent used model but can't seem to find anything.

I'm located 3 hours and 30 years South of Atlanta and there are no dealers other than Honda/Yamaha near me and they have nothing in stock but 50cc. No other B&M stores to buy from and nothing on CL either... We have a large building my wife operates her business out of with lots of extra space and fenced & covered outdoor parking. I'm trying to convince her that opening a dealer location would be good idea but I figure first I ought to ride!

[richardthescooter1]

I have the MC-54-250b (257cc) roketa scooter, these are cheap but it does take more maintenance to keep it running good (I do all my own work) my scoots a 2008, almost 15,000 miles and going strong, but I've had my share of problems too, if you have some money Kymco's are good, Linhai's are good, yamaha majesty 400cc are great scoot, and the JCL 250A are good too.

[Hyrb]

Thanks, I'm looking at all the options, new and used. Living 2 hours from everywhere makes buying used a lot of fun :)

Right now it's between the 54B/250A and a much more expensive used Bergman... The fact that you have gotten 15k miles out of yours is really encouraging! If you had to add the maintenance cost you have incurred to the sales price over 15k miles do you come out less than 4 grand?

[wheelbender6]

3 hours south of Atlanta - sounds like maybe McRae? Honda and Yamaha both produce larger scooters so its too bad they will not stock them in your area. They would cost around $3,500, so you may not want to pay that anyway. The Rebel and CBR 250 cost about that if you catch a sale.

[oldkid]

I've been there. It's hard to decide. I've been a motorcycle rider for years but now ride my scooters because some age reasons, etc.
I first bought a 150cc. It's a good bike but only goes about 55mph so I wanted faster. I then bought a 300cc Linhai Mainstreet. It has all the power I've ever needed and so far has been completely trouble free. You need to replace all fluids on Chinese bikes even though there are built in a Yamaha factory. I did that and it's a great bike that I was going to keep for ever. However, then I found a Majesty that I could buy for half price that a lady bought, did not ride it, and wanted it out of her garage, so now I have three and I only actually need one. What I would tell you is DON'T buy too small. I had my Mainstreet on I-75 a few times and it's fine at 75 mph. I don't know the top speed.
Good luck.. the oldkid

[prodigit]

In motorcycles you jump in price category considerably compared to most scooters.
There's the Honda rebel, a slightly lower powered, but enormous good on gas Suzuki TU250X, the kawasaki Ninja's (uncomfortable for long rides); or the more expensive, Yamaha V-Star 250; and that's about it on the budget side, unless you get a motorcross bike.

For scooters, the whole Kymco line, The Yamaha T-max, Suzuki Burgman, Honda Silverwing, or a generic chinese 250.
I know that the fuel injected 260 burgman clones can go ~80MPH; ~same do the carbureted 300cc's. That's top speed, so you will want to ride 75MPH or lower on them.
The regular 250's could do 75MPH; you will want to ride them 70MPH.

I'd not recommend any chinese bike for a 2 hour ride.
Reliability reasons.
It would be better to do 100 x 2 mile trips, than 2 x 100 mile trips; cause what happens if it breaks down 75 mile from home? (towing costs are enormous)!

[spandi]

Hiya Hyrb! The thing to do is take you time and don't get flustered or do anything in haste. It took me about 6 months of research before I began to know my way around, and one model from another. Due to California's crackpot pollution standards I ended up getting the Znen 250, and you're correct, in that it is the weakest link in the Znen chain (which is frustrating) because it's basically a good machine, with a beautiful design that just needs a little more QC on the subsystems to make it great. Having said that, as far as Chinese machines go I'll second the vote for Linhai as being a better built scooter. Whatever you choose do a pdi, keep up on maintenance and you'll have many miles of trouble free scootin'! Good Luck, See ya on the road!

P.S. ever consider a used Honda reflex?

[Hyrb]

Thanks, y'all are right. I backed up and slowed down. Right now I've got good deals I've found on a Piaggio MP3 and a Bergmun and I'm taking my time. This is something I plan on being in for years and the more I look at time spent on the road vs. wrenching I'm leaning towards more power and ease of use.

[oldkid]

Dont know about the Piaggio, but the Burgman's are great. I would only look at Burgmans after 2006. There was an engine improvement. More info on the Burgman forum. Also, I have the Yamaha Majesty that is close to perfect for the type of riding I usually do. Also again more info on the Majesty forum. Both have a great dealer network if needed.

[sbcwinn]

For what it's worth,

I have a friend at work with a Linhai 250. He beats the crap out of it. It never breaks. He's ridden in the snow, sleet. rain, on hot days and on cold ones. It has 20,000 miles on it. It is a 2008 bought second hand from his cousin.

Last year he went almost accross Canada with it.

Buy the Linhai. Its got a Yamaha designed engine, can take a beating and is super comfortable to ride.

[prodigit]

I know of a user online reaching 48k miles on his linhai.
Everything surrounding the engine probably got replaced, but the engine still works!