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Well, I think I'm outta my thread now that I've started it and read so much from all of you who know. Thanks a bunch. I have a lot to digest, money to budget, husband to discuss with and all of that. You've given me plenty of info and then some! Take care, all of you. This was a good Forum for us all.
Thanks everyone for all you've commented on. NYRed with your g/f, got a lot out of you, and some of the older ladies. Oh, not that I'm old yet! I will continue reading, but also let my husband read all this. Thanks a bunch.
Your quite welcome...If you want service almost anywhere then I'm sticking with the Bergman...Bottom line is find all the semi local big names in the area and go sit on them...Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, Vespa although they are crazy with the cost...Got to expend some time to try your butt on some seats...What works for one don't for another...One thing someone said makes sense...The front of most scooter seats can be cut down a bit on the wide padding...There is a place nearby the recovers chairs and seats I bet...If the seat is not quite as wide then your legs extend down a tad better and that might be that extra inch or so you need to get your feel down on the ground...Try a few and check back and let us know how the search is going...
NYRed - You have a lot of good ideas. I need to take Oregon classes and get M/C endorsement for my license and then can test drive. Am leaning toward Burgman or Piaggio 3-wheel, either at 400cc. My husband who rides a BMW 1100R concurs. Is very concerned about my safety as you are your g/f's. Thx for good wrds. Now I'm out until something good happens!
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
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Check them all out,but the 400 Burgman is nearly impossible to beat for all around comfort,storage,price etc etc
I have a 650 Burgman,400 Burgman(my wifes) and a 600 Silverwing and if I had had a brain in my head I would have saved myself some bucks and just left the Wing sitting and bought another Burgman 400 ...they are AWESOME machines (this coming from a dyed in the wool,hardcore Honda fan)...IMHO Honda smokes Suzuki in a lot of areas of the biking world (touring bikes maining...hard to compete with a Goldwing or the old Valk Interstate ,may it RIP),but as far as scooter tech,engineering,price and bang for the buck Suzuki kills Honda in the scooter world...jmo
Your welcome again...Next post from you should be on your results from your butt parking on some seats...lol
Good luck on your test also!
So here's the deal. I go for one night of book learnin' and all is well. 24 people, about half of which are females. All but 2 are scooter bound. One has a Vespa 150 at home, another has the Yamaha Majesty. They just need endorsement on their license.
Next day, we all go out to ride, split into groups of 12. The one gal with the Vespa is hesitant as she doesn't want to ride a motorcycle. Well, neither do I. I had notified instructors about no feeling in feet. Did OK for first 1.5 hrs when we had to straddle-walk them around, learn to shut them off, turn them on, etc. Then learn to put our feet up in 1st gear.
Trouble came when we had to shift to 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd back and forth. Hmmm. Can't feel foot shifter and had to keep looking, at which time, I would break formation, screw up my hands, etc. FERGODSAKES, I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE! After 2.5 hrs on their Suzuki 250, one of the instructors call me out for a talk. Well duh. Of course I knew you weren't supposed to look down. That was the friggin' point of having an automatic scooter.
But I sat at the sideline til the break and then told everyone good luck and why I was leaving. They understood from discussions the night before.
But get this. I guess I left too early. There's an ad in our local Craigslist for a Vespa 150 with reason for selling: was taking Team Oregon class and fell off their motorcycle breaking collarbone and leg. WOW IS THAT TERRIBLE OR WHAT! And she was the one who didn't want to take that class on a motorcycle.
Since my instructor told me I didn't fail because it was medical and I could get a refund, when I called the HQ of them, they said, oh sure, you can take a scooter in up to 250cc. Fercryingoutloud. Why don't they let anyone know that??
but it is now a moot point for me. My doctor had a nice long talk and we came to a mutual decision that I have too much wrong with me to take responsibility on 2 (or 3) wheels. And come to think of it, that's probably darned true. I have a lot of medical issues which, he reminded me, can affect my reflexes, especially if I had to take a pain pill the night before . So that's the long and short of it. My conditions are progressive so I will continue to enjoy other things with my husband, like bicycle riding. It's good for my health, although we won't burn up many miles!
Thanks to everyone for all the help you provided me. If it was up to me I'd still want the Piaggio MP3 250. But I get the whole medical thing. I will just have to think of something else cool to buy to make up for it. In the meantime, y'all have a blast out there and be careful.
I'm going to try to include a picture of me riding. b'bye
Nope, didn't work. Well, it was darned cute!!
What about the vespa? I have a yellow 150 and I love it. Top speed is about 60 mph and it is automatic. After taking my motor cycle course and riding gear shifting clutch thing I thought too myself I should have just bought a motorcycle. Then when I jumped back on my scooter I realized I had made the right decision for me. Watching traffic, light and such is enough to do without shifting gears and such. If I were younger I most likely would trade in my scooter for a motorcycle but at my age the only thing I would trade my vespa 150 is for a 250 or a MP3500. Good Luck and happy riding.
I'm an old guy who thought motor scooters were a lot more fun when they had a clutch and gears to shift. I simply like manual transmissions. austilelady, you'd get used to it, but you don't have to!
MBel, tough decision but maybe a responsible one. You don't want an accident on a scooter. When I took the safely class I got permission to bring my bike, I wasn't about to get on something I had to shift. I hadn't had a shift bike since grad school...some 35 years ago. But safety is a big concern and you want to do what is best for everyone....
Find another adventursome hobby that is safe for you and what your feel your limitations are...the very best to you...
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If you want service almost anywhere then I'm sticking with the Bergman...Bottom line is find all the semi local big names in the area and go sit on them...Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, Vespa although they are crazy with the cost...Got to expend some time to try your butt on some seats...What works for one don't for another...One thing someone said makes sense...The front of most scooter seats can be cut down a bit on the wide padding...There is a place nearby the recovers chairs and seats I bet...If the seat is not quite as wide then your legs extend down a tad better and that might be that extra inch or so you need to get your feel down on the ground...Try a few and check back and let us know how the search is going...
),but as far as scooter tech,engineering,price and bang for the buck Suzuki kills Honda in the scooter world...jmo
MBel gets shut out!
