Scooter shenanigans or moped mayhem ?

Scooter shenanigans or moped mayhem ?

Author
Discussion

waterworks

Original Poster:

5 posts

98 months

Friday 31st January
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I have the urge to get a scooter / moped and take it on long journeys camping along the way, riding back roads and country lanes and just bimbling around . I want big MPG, carry just enough gear and cheap to fix if it breaks down, old school no electronic fandangles, something as simple as a lawn mower. What is the best for such a non urban ride ?

Vespa ?
Lambretta ?
C90 ?
Other ?


trickywoo

12,900 posts

244 months

Friday 31st January
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Suzuki Burgman. It’s not strictly in remit but it’s less likely to go wrong than anything on your list and comes in a range of engine sizes and prices.

TheDrownedApe

1,371 posts

70 months

Friday 31st January
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Perhaps unwanted comments in here as not posted before and defo not a biker.

Not sure on the cc you want but I had a scomadi 125 for 4 years that impressed me endlessly. A humpty like me could change the carb etc without issue and only sold it due to the rowing machine needing the space

tommyboy1972

40 posts

84 months

Friday 31st January
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I am currently drawn to a Royal Alloy 300LC or GP, you might want to take a look?

HairyMaclary

3,751 posts

209 months

Friday 31st January
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Super Cub 125 would get my vote.

kev b

2,752 posts

180 months

Friday 31st January
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Definitely not a Vespa or Lambretta!

airsafari87

3,073 posts

196 months

Friday 31st January
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kev b said:
Definitely not a Vespa or Lambretta!
Why?

Donbot

4,182 posts

141 months

Friday 31st January
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I bought a C90 after watching C90 adventures and did 4k miles touring in the UK on it.

My advice is don't, unless it is a bike you really want.

Pretty much any 125 would be better.

Biker9090

1,489 posts

51 months

Friday 31st January
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Donbot said:
I bought a C90 after watching C90 adventures and did 4k miles touring in the UK on it.

My advice is don't, unless it is a bike you really want.

Pretty much any 125 would be better.
What was so bad out of interest? Was yours standard?

Donbot

4,182 posts

141 months

Friday 31st January
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Biker9090 said:
What was so bad out of interest? Was yours standard?
Yes, standard.

The obvious is the top speed. The bike would do 50, but cruising speed was about 45. Above that it would get vibey and it felt like it didn't wan't to go that fast. This would encourage stupid overtakes.

90-95 mile fuel range. I used to take a jerry can so I wouldn't have to stop at petrol stations so often to put £2.50 of fuel in it hehe But it still meant lifting the seat and taking my camping stuff off to fill it.

The seat is fairly short, so not much room for the camping stuff.

I had no luggage on the front, which made it very front light, so it would step out easily. I stomped my foot on the road to save it a few times out of roundabouts.

If you are stupid enough to ride at night the useless front light runs off the generator. So you either pin the throttle round corners and hope for the best, or close it and see even less.

And probably some other things I'm forgetting.

That said I really liked the bike. I got so many thumbs up and waves and people asking about it. It really did feel like and adventure.

I'm sure I'd still have it if it wasn't written off. But for touring I found it a massive ballache compared to the YBR125 I replaced it with.

five50

563 posts

200 months

Friday 31st January
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Unless you’re very committed to going back to real basics. I’d get something like an Xmax 300. Great storage space under the seat (2 helmets or equivalent) good wind protection, 80mpg on a run, comfortable for long runs and will get you up to 85-90mph on a private runway. And fun to ride.

Biker9090

1,489 posts

51 months

Friday 31st January
quotequote all
Donbot said:
Yes, standard.

The obvious is the top speed. The bike would do 50, but cruising speed was about 45. Above that it would get vibey and it felt like it didn't wan't to go that fast. This would encourage stupid overtakes.

90-95 mile fuel range. I used to take a jerry can so I wouldn't have to stop at petrol stations so often to put £2.50 of fuel in it hehe But it still meant lifting the seat and taking my camping stuff off to fill it.

The seat is fairly short, so not much room for the camping stuff.

I had no luggage on the front, which made it very front light, so it would step out easily. I stomped my foot on the road to save it a few times out of roundabouts.

If you are stupid enough to ride at night the useless front light runs off the generator. So you either pin the throttle round corners and hope for the best, or close it and see even less.

And probably some other things I'm forgetting.

That said I really liked the bike. I got so many thumbs up and waves and people asking about it. It really did feel like and adventure.

I'm sure I'd still have it if it wasn't written off. But for touring I found it a massive ballache compared to the YBR125 I replaced it with.
Ah, interesting thanks.

Yeah I see the lifan conversions are massively popular.

That brings back memories of my Aprilia RS50s lights dying in corners!

lancslad58

1,244 posts

22 months

Saturday 1st February
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Honda CT125 Hunter cub, basically the super cub in on/offroed style.



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bike-details/20240531...

Have a look at SevenSeas for JDM variations, CT110, CrossCubs.

https://www.sevenseasmotors.com/vehicles/bikes/?ty...





Edited by lancslad58 on Saturday 1st February 06:11

kev b

2,752 posts

180 months

Saturday 1st February
quotequote all
Why not a Lambretta or Vespa?

Not reliable, economical or easy to repair basically and you’d have to faff about with pre-mix fuel too.

There are swift and fairly reliable ones about but they will have had £5K spent on the engine alone.

A Postie bike would be a much better choice.

PT1984

2,844 posts

197 months

Saturday 1st February
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What licence do you have?

carinaman

23,075 posts

186 months

Saturday 1st February
quotequote all
Donbot said:
Yes, standard.

The obvious is the top speed. The bike would do 50, but cruising speed was about 45. Above that it would get vibey and it felt like it didn't wan't to go that fast. This would encourage stupid overtakes.
Thanks for the insight. My late father had a C90 and did long weekly commutes on one. I've done the route on my bike once and thought how it must've been on the bikes he had but I am not sure I've thought how unsuited a C90 would've been for parts of it. I suppose back then the roads had less traffic, SUVs weren't more common than estate cars and cars were slower.


3DP

9,970 posts

248 months

Saturday 1st February
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Honda Z125 Monkey. Loads of content out there of big tours and off road jaunts in US, Spain and even the Taffy Dakar.

Super comfy, loads of mods and accessories for touring and endlessly entertaining to ride. Just need some key mods if doing mileage and touring on them like shocks, stronger clutch springs and pressure plate and stiffer rear shocks.

Could use a Grom but as an ex Grom and current Monkey owner, they are worlds apart in comfort

Krikkit

27,392 posts

195 months

Saturday 1st February
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Surely the most reliable 125 is a relatively modern fuel injected Japanese bike instead of carbs?


swanseaboydan

1,987 posts

177 months

Saturday 1st February
quotequote all
I’ve had about 50 or 60 motorbikes over the years and a load of cars. I decided to give a scooter a go a couple of years back. I didn’t want a shiny new one so I hunted around and found a 1999 Vespa px200e with a 210cc malossi kit on it. It’s so much fun. I has a real power and and it makes me feel like a kid on an rd125 ! Awesome for popping to the shops too. I hand painted it myself . Love it - paid 1500 for it - would easily get that back. Very reliable and also has an excellent electric start .
Highly recommended !

carinaman

23,075 posts

186 months

Saturday 1st February
quotequote all
swanseaboydan said:
I’ve had about 50 or 60 motorbikes over the years and a load of cars. I decided to give a scooter a go a couple of years back. I didn’t want a shiny new one so I hunted around and found a 1999 Vespa px200e with a 210cc malossi kit on it. It’s so much fun. I has a real power and and it makes me feel like a kid on an rd125 ! Awesome for popping to the shops too. I hand painted it myself . Love it - paid 1500 for it - would easily get that back. Very reliable and also has an excellent electric start .
Highly recommended !
It's looking good.

I was tempted by the Norton PCP deal, the bike wasn't on my radar til then. While daydreaming about it at work, and as elderly aunt had a Lambretta back in the day it would've been fun to have the Norton and a Lambretta in the garage beside each other. I'd be a Mod and a Rocker.

The Who? It's rock music isn't it.

Edited by carinaman on Saturday 1st February 09:25