Scooters versus motorcycles

[kaz]

Hi there I'm new to the forum. I currently have a wee 50cc Sym Mio. I have a restricted license now and am considering getting something else so the Wellington hills aren't so tough! So far I've narrowed it down to a PGO T-Rex 150 or a Piaggio Fly 125.

But for a similar price I could get a motorcycle like the Suzuki GN250 instead. Can anyone tell me what the key differences are that I might notice when riding? I realise I could go faster on a motorbike but since I rarely ride on the motorway and mostly commute about 8kms twice a day, this does not seem important. Are there safety differences? Better stability or something?

[kaz]

Me again - I should probably mention that I love my current scooter (but not it's lack of power) and that I ride in all weathers very happily. I am not a fair-weather scooter rider - it's too much fun to miss opportunities to ride!

[paturoa]

I've always been keen on the larger front wheel diameter (you get with mbikes) for emergency braking.

[McJim]

My wife wanted a scooter for a while - then she sat on a sportsbike and has never wanted a scooter again.

It's a personal taste thing - if you really want a bike you'll get one - if you don't you won't.

I think you should wear all the gear all the time (protective boots, trousers, jacket, gloves and helmet) but scooter riders don't seem to wear all the gear but go just as fast as motorbikes around town.

I guess scooter riders get hurt more when they get swiped by cars then.

[Mr. Peanut]

There is no versus, they're both bikes and both highly entertaining. I'd go for the scooters over a GN250.

Had a look at the Suzuki FXR 150?

[Babelfish]

I'd go for a push bike....a pink one with tassles and spokey dokeys...before a GN250...and then a scooter.

Joking aside, if you want to do longer distances, then I'd suggest a bike (but something cool, not the vermin of the biking world). If you are just heading to the cafe or dairy, texting your mates while you go, stick to the scooter. If you cant identify with all the biking safety aspects, stick to the lower speeds of a 50cc.

[kaz]

Thanks McJim. I agree with you about protective gear and that's why I already do already wear protective gear. Lately I've also added a reflective vest over the top at night.

[kaz]

Thanks but how does a bigger wheel diameter actually help with braking? I'm curious.

[kaz]

I appreciate the replies but need explanations too. Like, why is a bigger wheel diameter good? Or why do you suggest a scooter over the GN250? Why suggest the Suzuki FXR150 - same engine size as the T-Rex so what's the difference? (also please don't assume I don't wear or identify with safety gear. I do wear protective gear and have no issue with this).

There seems to be a lot of mythology around motorcycles - partly why I posted my question about scooters versus motorcycles on the scooter forum and not among the motorcycle threads. Sometimes when you try to talk to people about this stuff, they just trot out cliches that I can't make sense of (like "you have to lay it down to avoid a crash". Surely laying it down IS a crash! or "you need power to accelerate out of trouble". What situations does this actually apply in?) So I'm hoping you fellow scooter riders can actually explain this stuff to me coz I'm really interested.

From what I can tell so far, the advantage of a scooter is that it has a storage box (I take my "nice" clothes to change into at work and my lunch etc), it's easy to park in all kinds of places, it's cheap to run, it's automatic which is good in the CBD (I can deal with gears no problem but why bother if you don't have to). Advantages of motorcycles are...what...?

[The Lone Rider]

Get a 250 bike. You'll like the power increase, and manual gears is always great for when you are going up and down hills.

-- To your post

Big diameter wheels gives you more surface area when you are breaking, and I've find also great when you go over bumps and holes in the road.

I have no clue why people bag Gn250s.. they are common, and small little cruiser bikes. They run good. I think some people here just a bit too caught up with how much over the speed limit they can get.

You need power to avoid a crash in such situations as a car driver not seeing you and come flying at you. Increased power you can haul ass a lot faster to get out of the way, and also allows for you (if you are a heavy person) to haul ass more then a lower power bike.

[klingon]

I was actually intending to get a scooter originally, but ended up with a bike. Obviously that makes me biased! My reasons for coosing a bike over a scooter were:

- Larger front wheel diameter of a bike means when you hit a pot-hole or something you can ride over it more smoothly without the big jolt

- A bit more power means you have the option of going out on the open road if you choose, not just kicking around town

- I prefer the riding position on a bike. Somehow it feels more stable to me to straddle it rather than sit 'on' it - probably just personal preference

- The gear issue. I see too many scooter riders running around in their everyday clothing, and I prefer to wear the full gear. Culturally that seems to be more easily accepted when you ride a bike than when you're on a scoot.

So that about covers it - all personal opinion rather than fact, all factors that encouraged me to get a bike instead of a scooter.

By the way, you can get a top box or pack rack for a bike so the gear storage issue isn't really a biggie.

Good luck in your quest for a new ride

[The Wop]

Given your usage needs, I would say that a scooter will be fine. You can get manual, 200cc scooters, so the gear argument is redundant, you can get 250cc versions that sh*t all over GN's, so that one is redundant too and some modern scooters have large enough wheels to make traction and the like very similar.

Let's face it, bikers bag scooterists as they clearly feel the need to compensate!

[Dave Lobster]

Try both. See if you can borrow someone's scooter for a couple of weeks. Something a bit quicker than a moped.
And someone's bound to have a bike lying around that they'd lend you.

All different types of scooter are different. Same with bikes.

For my own $0.02 worth, I'd look at some sort of a trail bike for nipping round town. A 250 or a 400. They've got lots of woosh and they're high up for visibility. They don't get damaged when you put them down either. And they're cheap as chips.

[swbarnett]

For me the only real difference between a scooter and a bike is the fuel tank. On a scooter your knees sit in mid air. On a bike they grip the tank (unless you're knee-down in a corner on the track). This gives you more control and you are more "one with the machine".

[kaz]

Hey thanks everyone, your comments are really helpful. Dave Lobster, that sounds like a good idea.

My partner has a Vespa ET4 150 and I already ride that sometimes so I know I like a bigger scooter.

To Klingon and swbarnett: the riding position comment is useful. I notice that even on the Vespa, I'm on a bit less of a "perch" than I am on the Mio. I certainly like the idea of being "one with the machine" - especially since I love to really lean into those Ngaio Gorge corners.