Maxi Scooter Test By kz1000st (Read 2,129 times)

[kz1000st]

www.motorcycle-usa.com/14/10384/Motorcycle-Article/2011-Maxi-Scooter-Shootout.aspx

Two things-Why am I not surprised that the Italian scooter didn't last a day? This I am surprised at. Over 8 seconds for big scooters to reach 60 miles an hour??

The Rebel is a powerful and very responsive bike, and is great for commuting around town. For the average rider (120-200 lbs), the bike will go 0-60 in 5 seconds.

You mean a T-Max will get smoked off a stop light by a bike with half the displacement that has to shift?? Something isn't right.

[Bashan]

Great article as usual KST, Basham approves . I think sometimes these MC mags get a little caught up in the performance aspect of the bikes. They're so used to hammering a MC off the line to see what it'll do they loose track of the fact it's still a scooter. Now admittedly you've got to get up to highway speeds so you don't get squashed like a bug, but still, it's not a V-max. These are big arse mills in these things too, what percentage of scooter riders look at that and can say "oh yeah, that's like mine". I actually like the description of the Burgman "pillow". I guess I'm an old fart and wouldn't mind a torquey, silk smooth push after I twist the go handle, especially with all the bumps absorbed. Once again I have to make this distinction undoubtedly to hoots and hollers. Scooters are scooters...they scoot. If you want a rocket get a motorcycle. I can say this with some chops because I have both, when I want a leisurely ride with my wife I can't wait to get on the scooters. If I want a power rush, well, let's just say I'm glad my Vulcan 1500 has a backrest. Rich

[ce]

It was an interesting article, but Like Basham said, it was condescendingly written by the motorcycle corps, for a lark, and not really a serious investigation.

Scooters, how very droll. Every one is not quite up to snuff, isn't that peculiar? The only one that was any good was almost a motorcycle, so sad, all that effort to only get so far.

I'm getting a Kymco Xciting 500 this week, to complement my Xciting 250, and my Silverwing, so I'll do a review from a bona fide perspective, one from a scooter tuner who's trying to eke out a miserable 3 mile per hour gain from Chinese scooter.

I'll tell you now though, if you like scooters, and who doesn't, step through a Kymco 250, and see if it isn't a dream on wheels.

And if you like racing Harleys, a Silverwing would get you chased down and beat up if they could catch you. Don't let 'em catch you.

Scooters are for fun, and I'm all about fun.

Like I often tell my friends that ride "real bikes", fast, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life.

[kz1000st]

Numbers don't lie. 8 seconds to 60. 629 pounds for the Burgman? My old KZ1000st weighed 600 pounds, four cylinders, shaft drive and all. Hostile responses only shows that "Motorcyclists don't like us" feeling scooter owners express isn't all one way. This article isn't a whitewash or condescending at all. The only time they even refer to a motorcycle is describing the T-Max. Think of the field day they could have had comparing any of these sleds to a 500 Ninja, which would outrun, outbrake and outhandle all of them.

[turtle8]

I'd agree that the article is an honest look at Maxi scooters. It was indeed written by purist motorcyclists and it shows that they have high standards when it comes to two wheelers. I think as scooterists, some of us get a little sensitive when it comes to comments I hear like, "get a real bike".

I'd take the TMax any day over the others in the test. When you're spending (financing) that kind of cash, what's couple of thousand more to get a well designed Japanese machine?

[ce]

Or a few thousand less, and get a real motorcycle.

There's new T-Max at Bobby J's Yamaha for only $7000 if I recall, and I sat on it in the showroom, so it was coolish, and pretty motorcycley.

I was really there because they had a Purple(!) Morphous out front that they couldn't give away for months, and I could have snogged it for $3500, but I didn't and it disappeared.

I bet Luke snuck over with a trailer and hauled it back to Yuma in the dead of night.

The dude I got my '03 Silverwing from was hiding a Burgman 650 under a cover in his garage when I came to pick up the 'Wing.

Is that a Burgman, I asked, and he kinda sheepishly said, yeah, I think I shouldda kept the Honda... looking at the candyapple red beauty I was easing off the centerstand.

I got the hell outta there pronto, his Burger was cool and all, all silver with silver conchos and black leather bags and stuff, but it sure looked like it weighed 650 pounds.

I suppose I'll have to buy the T Max when it shows up used on Craigslist, after the buyer moves up to a real motorcycle, but I won't sell my 54B to pay for it or anything, I'll just get a shed from Home Depot and put a couple scooters in there.

I sure love scooters.

[turtle8]

I am liking my resurrected 54B. I've put less than 100 miles on it since I brought it back from the brink of death. It will probably be my last scooter because before I spend maxi-scooter money, I'd buy the Aprilia Mana 850GT with its flappy-paddle gearbox.

[kz1000st]

I get just as big a kick out of riding the Big Ruckus as I did out of anything I've owned. It's an honest, hard working little motor with a lot of soul. Plus I get a lot more comments out of the general public than I have ever gotten with my bikes. It's so disarmingly funky looking that people say "Good morning, How are you, and Nice day" more than I ever heard on my motorcycles.

[turtle8]

The Big Ruckus is a cool scooter. I checked them out when they were new and it fit me well. The used ones sure hold their value too.