High mileage scooter?
High mileage scooter?
Author
Discussion

xof

Original Poster:

55 posts

99 months

Wednesday 8th July
quotequote all
Currently drive to east London for from Kent (66miles round trip) almost 15000 miles a year will be done .
I hate paying for the Silvertown tunnel (£6 a trip, £60 a week).
So I’m thinking of getting a scooter and looking at the forza 350, x adv or a c400gt.

Does / has anyone put big miles on the above scooters? And how was it?

Ps. I don’t want a motorbike, I want to be lazy with a twist and go

Master Bean

5,153 posts

148 months

Wednesday 8th July
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Honda NC750X is an economical motorbike with a DCT gearbox. Perfect for the task.

Trevor555

5,366 posts

112 months

Wednesday 8th July
quotequote all
xof said:
So I m thinking of getting a scooter and looking at the forza 350, x adv or a c400gt.

Does / has anyone put big miles on the above scooters? And how was it?

Ps. I don t want a motorbike, I want to be lazy with a twist and go
I've not done big miles commutes on them, but used scooters for daily transport for many years.

I've had ADV350, Forza300, and the C400GT..

The C400 rode very well, but sadly mine was faulty from new. Bmw's behavior was dire, as was my selling dealer, and the dealer that tried to fix it. So if you go Bmw just hope it goes without fault. My local dealer had loads of bikes sat around needing warranty repairs, they initially told me weeks before they could look at mine.

The Honda's have been ok.

My last ADV350 got Px'd at 10,000 miles for another one (now six year warranty)

To my surprise the ADV screen turned out to be better than the Forza one, although I'm only 5' 5"

The Forza's that I had both buffeted my helmet wherever the screen was set, the ADV does not.

Also, both of my Forza's had wobbly mirrors (one was brand new) the ADV has handlebar mounted mirrors that don't vibrate, and can be changed in 5 minutes. Forza mirror replacement is very involved (Honda technicians words)

ADV has full length Showa forks, makes a difference if you like to push on in the twisties. Forza and C400GT have half length forks.

Twice I have looked at upgrading to the Forza 750, but at double the price, a chain, one helmet storage, and lower mpg, I kept with 350's.

The only time the 350's could do with more power is country road overtaking. It can be done with the 350's, but it needs timing with more care.

The 350's cruise happily at 70mph, even with missus on back, and the underseat storage full of luggage. Very comfortable doing so.

Ignore people saying the 350's will do 90+ mph. The speedo reads 10% high. But they'll be fine on a long commute, and very comfortable.

Last thing to think about is theft, only consider a scoot if you have secure parking at work.



Ghs

718 posts

5 months

Wednesday 8th July
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If I did my commute all year around it would be 15,000 miles pa , 300 miles a week , but there no way I’d do that all year round , middle of the winter with ice / snow / freezing cold , 30 miles journey from home to work is along way & when it’s freezing , never mind the road conditions .
I know a lot of lads who brought bikes / scooters to save money but just ended up an ornament in the shed / garage through the long winter .
If you do decide to do it I’d buy as cheap as you can until your sure your going to keep doing it .

Ghs

718 posts

5 months

Wednesday 8th July
quotequote all
Just reading it it says exception for nhs employees , haven’t you got anyone nhs in the family , my wife put my car on her car permit , daughter on hers so I get free hospital parking in notts / Lincs , as I’m at hospitals 2 /3 times a week most weeks it saves me a bomb in parking
I’d of thought it would be some kind of permit , just use there identity if they don’t use the tunnel / or there must be a spare identity badge you could use as proof your nhs .

xof

Original Poster:

55 posts

99 months

Wednesday 8th July
quotequote all
@Master Bean The Honda nc750 is the same engine as the xadv but I prefer scooters atm but I’ll have look tonight

@Trevor555 I’ve tested the bmw and really liked but worry about putting the high mileage on it and how it will cope.
The 350 is a strong option but when I had found it a bit cramped(I’m 6’5)

@ghs it’s going to all year round if I do it. Done it before and reckon I can it in 45 mins

Thanks all

Think I’m going to test an xadv out

GreaseNipple

486 posts

269 months

Wednesday 8th July
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You'll still have to pay the tunnel on a motorbike, it's only £1.50 cheaper in peak times and the same as a car off peak

s p a c e m a n

11,970 posts

176 months

Thursday 9th July
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Yeah bikes aren't free in the tunnels, which is a piss take. Waiting for them to start charging for Dartford when they build the lower Thames

Ambleton

7,237 posts

220 months

Thursday 9th July
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Surprised no ones mentioned the Suzuki Burgerman 400 yet.

You see loads of these with 70+k miles on

Theres also the BMW C600/C650 if you want something a bit bigger.

Kymco make the engines for the BMW scooters and smaller bikes. Thats not a bad thing imo.

Talking of Kymco, the AK550 is supposed to be good.

CHLEMCBC

1,573 posts

45 months

Thursday 9th July
quotequote all
Ghs said:
Just reading it it says exception for nhs employees , haven t you got anyone nhs in the family , my wife put my car on her car permit , daughter on hers so I get free hospital parking in notts / Lincs , as I m at hospitals 2 /3 times a week most weeks it saves me a bomb in parking
I d of thought it would be some kind of permit , just use there identity if they don t use the tunnel / or there must be a spare identity badge you could use as proof your nhs .
Please don't do that, it's likely to ruin it for everyone

paralla

5,495 posts

163 months

Thursday 9th July
quotequote all
I commuted in and around London for years on a 250/300cc Vespa GTS. I loved it, even in winter. I had an electric heated vest and glove liners that I plugged into the scoot. Much better than bulky winter gear.

I stopped doing it after a couple of scary scoot-jacking incidents and then they kept getting stolen.

gallopingclothespeg

1,225 posts

217 months

Thursday 9th July
quotequote all
An X-Adv in east London is a recipe for disaster.
I’d be amazed if it doesn’t get stolen. Same goes for any big scooters like that or the TMax.

paralla

5,495 posts

163 months

Thursday 9th July
quotequote all
If it’s parked same place every day I’d put money on any maxi scoot being nicked within a week.

okenemem

1,482 posts

222 months

Friday 10th July
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ive had 3 x advs and 2 have been stolen

im currently on my third one

but they are the best bikes ive ever owned

gallopingclothespeg

1,225 posts

217 months

Friday 10th July
quotequote all
okenemem said:
ive had 3 x advs and 2 have been stolen

im currently on my third one

but they are the best bikes ive ever owned
This is my problem with them. I nearly bought one but decided against it as it's just not worth the risk.

A mate of mine has a work colleague who's had his TMax stolen from their supposedly secure work carpark three times now!

olliete

410 posts

139 months

Wednesday 15th July
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I am planning on the exact same commute length and time and I have a suzuki burgman 650 for it.

Got a rechargeable electric gillet for it and decent gear, going to get some bar muffs

carinaman

25,077 posts

200 months

Wednesday 15th July
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I saw a gloss primer ADV 350 in a car park earlier. It looked pretty smart. I liked how a switch on each side of the bar had a grey buttons that matched the paintwork. Blingy Showa shocks. It had a curly disclock reminder across the handlebars and Litelock U shackle around the back wheel.

I crossed paths with the owner today. They said many former motorcyclists who had back problems rode ADV 350s as the suspension is so good. I mentioned that I'd spotted and admired their ADV and noticed the Litelock. They said it also had a Tracker and that they'd had a blue one before. The pale primer grade has some sparkle in the lacquer. Cool onwer, they had a white performance Heald jacket and gloss grey Shoei that they said they'd had for a few years but it matched the bike.

Edited by carinaman on Sunday 2nd August 21:30

triumph66

2 posts

1 month

Friday 17th July
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all 3 will cope with high miles, no problem - service history essential though ...

BERNEV

126 posts

138 months

Friday 17th July
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I am selling my tmax. As new. 3880 miles. Old edition but fabulous. Will do another 30000 with ease.

HairyMaclary

3,774 posts

223 months

Friday 17th July
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If you've got a licence then there would be no reason not to get a nc750 dct.

If you have a CBT a Forza 125 or even a PCX 125. I did 35k in 3 years commuting from Kent to Westminster on a PCX before I did my DAS. 8ltrs of fuel would get me 220 miles or 3 return journeys. Amazing financial savings but slow.

Btw bikes have to pay to use the tunnel now.