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scooter vs. motorcycle handling
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Today I rode around on my Vino 125 after about 1 week of only riding
the motorcycle. I wanted to put less wear on my motorcycle tires. It
was an odd sensation. Though I've rode the scooter a while, it felt a
little alien. The seat was hard and higher up (30 inches vs. 26 1/2
inches). When I was riding it really went into corners easier but in
straight line stability I found myself fighting it alot more at low
speed- it felt sort of like riding a bicycle again. The center of
gravity is probably higher than the Honda Rebel 250.
I've been thinking of moving up to a larger wheeled scooter, or one
with a longer wheelbase. Maybe a Scarabeo, a Yamaha Morphous, or maybe
a Helix or Reflex. I don't mind the auto transmission, but I think I
don't care for the small wheels on scooters anymore, nor the short
wheelbase/shallow rake. I just don't see myself needing that kind of
extreme manouverability a scooter gives. But I do like the awesome gas
mileage of a 125 and that's all the power I really need. I don't need
a Suzuki Burgman 650 or something like that.
The only problem with something like a Scarabeo is my legs are short.
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more blah blah deleted...
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yes you do, you just don't know it yet.
keep comin'
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27 1/2 - 28 inches. The Vino 125 with a 30 inch seat is about as high
as I care to go. I'd have to get a taller bike lowered. Even then
it's a little too high (what's odd is I'm tall from the waist up so it
feels smaller than it really is for the handlebars). That's why I was
thinking the Morphous was a good compromise. I can flatfoot it easy,
it looks like it has a low center of gravity, bigger tires than the
Vespa-clones.
Another option would be to just sell the scooters and get a Kawasaki
Eliminator 125 if I wanted something just to "scoot" around with, and
get all the awesome gas mileage a scooter gives, but with something
with bigger tires, etc. Sure, it would be more work than a motorcycle
but I've found that the manual transmission doesn't bother me that much
anymore.
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Magnulus, first I gotta think some people are way too cool to ever enjoy a
scooter. Being uncool, I find riding a scooter a blast. Naturally it depends
on the where and how of operation. On perfect surfaces and amoungst
beautiful neighborhoods, with the beach close by-like in say San Clemente- a
scooter is both practical and a hoot. In decrepit "milltown" massachusetts
where the ho chi minh trail would look like a smooth go, I 'd ride most
anything else. Small displacement bikes get panned here by some, but they
are fun too unless your ego is needy. I'd like one of everything, but can
manage only one, so its a UJM for me....told you I was uncool.
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Give up on the scooters, ditch your road bike and get a trail bike for a
couple of years.....more adventure, a better view in traffic and you
will learn a lot about handling by riding in the dirt.
Then get a GSXR1000... :)
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