Scooter info and tips request.

steveC said:
Got my first test ride sorted for Monday. It's a BMW. Have contacted the local Honda and Yamaha dealers. No chance of test rides :mad: both say the same. Shortage of scooters.

The Honda dealer has 1 Forza and the Yamaha dealer 2 of the 300 range.

Honda dealer is looking at April/May for the ADV350.

Being rather selfish I would like it sooner rather than later. My cancer won't be going on hold for a few months while I wait for a delivery.

Steve
Click to expand...

You won’t be disappointed… This lives in my garage…. :D
 

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Test ride accomplished

Test ride done on a c400x. After decades of manual bikes I made a few beginners errors. Came up to a junction and pulled the clutch in. Nearly. put myself over the handle bars. Lesson 1 complete :) after a few miles things fell into place and I ventured out onto some fast roads. I could hold 70 easily and ventured up to 80. There was more available but I settled back to a comfy 70.

It was 9c and being a big softy had the heated grips and seat on.

So my fist ever scooter ride was a success, I felt apprehensive before but afterwards knew that a scooter was what I wanted. That surprised me.

So I been offered a deal with my local BMW dealer and regular sales person. The only other scooter to offer competition and being available is the Honda Forza (with heated grips ) I await the Honda dealers call tomorrow to see what their best deal is.

The Yamaha dealer is just too far away.

Thanks to those who have made suggestions.

Which one would you be going for the C400 or the Forza ?

Steve
 
you will get a new Forza for the price of a secondhand BMW. I think the Hondas quality is better than the C400. As you know its just a Kymco in disguise. Both good bikes but the hands would take my money. If the Honda dealer can't get a machine till May, your decision is made for you.
 
DC said:
you will get a new Forza for the price of a secondhand BMW. I think the Hondas quality is better than the C400. As you know its just a Kymco in disguise. Both good bikes but the hands would take my money. If the Honda dealer can't get a machine till May, your decision is made for you.
Click to expand...

Ive been offered the demonstrator a C400x with all the boxes ticked (650 miles first service done) for a very good price. The new C400gt was also offered at a very good price.

I have spoken to the Honda dealer about the Forza 350 they have 2 in stock. I have asked for a OTR price with Honda heated grips. They will get back to me early tomorrow.

Until they do my decision isn't made.
 
steveC said:
Ive been offered the demonstrator a C400x with all the boxes ticked (650 miles first service done) for a very good price. The new C400gt was also offered at a very good price.

I have spoken to the Honda dealer about the Forza 350 they have 2 in stock. I have asked for a OTR price with Honda heated grips. They will get back to me early tomorrow.

Until they do my decision isn't made.
Click to expand...

Steve. I’m also looking at scooters atm. Been talking to my Honda dealer and he suggests Oxford heated grips may be a better buy due to Labour charge for fitting Honda ones
 
steveC said:
Test ride done on a c400x. After decades of manual bikes I made a few beginners errors. Came up to a junction and pulled the clutch in. Nearly. put myself over the handle bars. Lesson 1 complete :) after a few miles things fell into place and I ventured out onto some fast roads. I could hold 70 easily and ventured up to 80. There was more available but I settled back to a comfy 70.

It was 9c and being a big softy had the heated grips and seat on.

So my fist ever scooter ride was a success, I felt apprehensive before but afterwards knew that a scooter was what I wanted. That surprised me.

So I been offered a deal with my local BMW dealer and regular sales person. The only other scooter to offer competition and being available is the Honda Forza (with heated grips ) I await the Honda dealers call tomorrow to see what their best deal is.

The Yamaha dealer is just too far away.

Thanks to those who have made suggestions.

Which one would you be going for the C400 or the Forza ?

Steve
Click to expand...

Have you ridden the Forza too? Sorry if I missed that. You know my thoughts based on my previous comments… anyway, see you in the C400 owners club soon… :D
 
stever1 said:
Steve. I’m also looking at scooters atm. Been talking to my Honda dealer and he suggests Oxford heated grips may be a better buy due to Labour charge for fitting Honda ones
Click to expand...

As a comparison I was in my local bike shop at the weekend A&D Denbigh. They sell Oxford heated grips for £89 and sell them fitted for £130.

Good luck with your test ride/ offers, sounds as if you are close.
 
I've had to go down the scooter route for medical reasons.
I test rode every scooter I could find .
Forza, BMW, Kymco, kawasaki, Burgman 400 / 650, Honda SH300, Piaggio x10, Piaggio X Evo, Lexmoto Pegasus 300 & 400, Xmax 300, Xmax 250, TMAX 500 & 560 & a few more.
A few I dismissed because I couldn't get on because the step through bit was to high -
Honda ADV 350, Honda Integra, Xmax 300, Forza 300.
Burgman 650 was just to heavy.
The Italian's because I've had Italian bikes for years & always trouble with parts.

I wanted 2 scooters, one for bimbling & one for longer days / touring.

I bought a XMAX 250I 2009 with 1100 miles only, absolutely as new.
I love it, fast enough for what I wanted it for, comfortable now I've cut the Hump out of the seat..:D, great weather protection, a pleasure to ride.

Then I bought a bargain Burgman 400 :blast
Now I should I've had a longer rest ride, its a very harsh ride & definitely not a mile muncher IMHO.
The engine revs far to high to be comfortable for touring & I disliked it.
But sold it at a profit..:)

And bought a TMAX 500 ABS. ( 13k miles, superb condition ) pearlescent white.
I haven't used it much yet as I'm getting over a hand operation.
But when i have I can see why the call them ' the king of scooters '.
Handles, goes, supremely comfy, etc..

I didn't go for a TMAX 530 / 560 purely because of the cost, I can upgrade later if I want..

£13800 TMAX 560
£5799 FORZA 350
I like the Forza but struggled to get on it & it fealt a bit cramped against the TMAX.

TMAX ain't cheap...

Definitely test plenty, would be my recommendation & don't touch any with a delivery bo on the back.. :rob

Never saw scooters in my life a year ago, but I'm still riding ...:thumb
 
Resurrecting this thread as I am a long term owner of a Mk3 Tmax 500 and disagree strongly with some of the points said regarding servicing costs.

There is nothing difficult about doing your own servicing on a scooter if you know your way around a toolkit. Official dealer parts are expensive (overpriced) and labour charges for scooters run up simply because there is a lot of panelling to remove to get to anything.

Alternatively, if you aren't paying for your labour by doing it yourself, and select quality aftermarket parts (once out of warranty) the costs of servicing and running a scooter can be pretty cheap. One expense is the special tooling required to remove the variator and secondary sheave when doing a vee-belt change (the kit can also be adapted to use for holding the clutch basket when replacing clutch assemblies)

I can do a major service on my Tmax with OE quality pattern filters (HiFlo), a pattern primary vee belt (Dayco) and pattern brake pads (Polini) for less than £200, any by buying bulk oil drums I can do the interim oil and filter services for peanuts. I replaced the clutch with a kit from Malossi for £80 compared to hundreds for the OE Yamaha item.

The list goes on (fork seals etc), but my point is that they can be serviced easily enough and for sensible money. With oil changes required every 3000 miles coupled with having Nikasil cylinder liners, they should be capable of making very high mileage.
 
I've just put a deposit on this, after trying/buying a few small bikes/scooters over the past couple of years, the experience may well bite me on the bum when I come to sell (resell), but decided to give it a go as will only be using locally and next to no servicing for next couple of years, apart from tyres and with a new house with solar panels & charger in the garage running costs will be low.
 

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W
GADGET said:
I've just put a deposit on this, after trying/buying a few small bikes/scooters over the past couple of years, the experience may well bite me on the bum when I come to sell (resell), but decided to give it a go as will only be using locally and next to no servicing for next couple of years, apart from tyres and with a new house with solar panels & charger in the garage running costs will be low.
Click to expand...
What range does a thing like that have ?
 
stever1 said:
W

What range does a thing like that have ?
Click to expand...
This is mooted to be a 'Long Range' version, as I understand it, the maximum in the most favourable conditions ie in ECO and riding like a Nun is 99 miles, I'm picking it up from Park Lane and intend riding it back to Norwich, with a stop to recharge at Colchester, working on a safe range of 70 miles.
 
GADGET said:
This is mooted to be a 'Long Range' version, as I understand it, the maximum in the most favourable conditions ie in ECO and riding like a Nun is 99 miles, I'm picking it up from Park Lane and intend riding it back to Norwich, with a stop to recharge at Colchester, working on a safe range of 70 miles.
Click to expand...

Please pop back and let us know how you get on with it, real world range etc? Cheers...(y)
 
If you are still consider a smaller lighter bike, the Triumph 400 has now come onto the radar.

Pretty bikes, but I appreciate the February delivery might not be ideal.
 
steve hughes said:
That looks a nice bike , like Jonnie it will be interesting to see how living with an electric scoot in the real world turns out 👍🛵🛵
Click to expand...
If you want first hand information on living with an electrical scooter, Robbo1200Adv is the man to speak to although I know he has returned to the Tmax fold recently.
Hopefully he will be along soon if he sees this to explain the ownership experience.

Having a solar array to charge an E-scooter is my idea of cheap and environmentally conscious motoring and a solution to urban congestion (assuming you run it over many years to offset its manufacture).
 
Last edited:
Indeed Adam I loved my Evo for the four and a half years I had it .Weirdly we sold our home and have moved to a new project home that has solar panels !! I Traded my GSA to get the T Max as no one would take the Evo in PX . I then realised what a great bike the GSA was and traded the Evo for a New GSA !! I know !! The Evo cost nothing to run . Servicing was £36 a year plus tyres . I did 12000 miles on it , got through 3 sets of tyres but no brake pads . It was quick enough and range was from 39-78 miles depending how I rode it . It was limited to 85mph .It needs a top box as under seat storage is small . I am a T Max man so after 4.5 years returned to one and have not regretted it . I was going to take the T max to the Dolomites but glad I took the GSA , 4000 miles in 2 weeks was easy on it ! Enjoy your Evo Gadget . I will get another one maybe , it is much better than the current Electric scoot from BMW
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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