Anyone here ride or got a scooter?

mallorcajeff

Hi all. I'm changing my job later in the year and company car will go. Apart from driving to work I have nearly no use for a car. Don't enjoy driving much anymore having worked with cars. Don't want or need to expense of a car. My new job will be a 10 mile commute. Now I cycle a lot home from work add on a lot of miles but I don't want to ride to and from everyday. I will be working with bikes so I don't want it to get too much. Cut a long story short as u know I live in Mallorca. I'm thinking buying a moped,scooter. Any tips? I had one years ago I when I lived in Minorca but the new ones have moved right no. Went to the shop and a kymco city agility 125 is 2000 euros on the road, brand new, inc lock helmet and insurance. Seems a great way to get to work and nip about. Will have to buy a car for the mrs but deco do not want or need two. Anyone use one to commute? Any downfalls at all? Bearing in mind sizing round the bay of pollenca each morning seems quite appealing on a new little scooter. I will have a few hours off in the day to go riding so to and from work cycle is not too important.
Thanks

VTech

As your in spain why not look at the Rieju RS3 125, its a great bike and very quick. I got my son the 50 for his 16th, its a great bike. Easily the best looking imo.

mallorcajeff

Good idea but im after a more sit up and beg jobby as not being funny id look a bit of a prat on it and also i like thr twist and go if i get involved with gears im looking for trouble, i will look up the make and see what rlse they have. Ta

charlie_potatoes

Why not go retro and get a refurb 60'sLambretta?
I have a nice 1951 Parka that I can sell you 8)

VTech

Just quickly googled sit up and beg scooter and this is what came up.

ben@31

Do you prefer the look of this type?

VTech

Quadrophenia.

mroli

Got a Piaggio Vespa ET2. Really fun, like riding round on it in London. TBH, use it very little as tend to ride everywhere, but for popping to supermarket (with v large backpack on) or picking up friends from station it is brilliant. does up to 40mph, fills up for £6, has a nice under seat space for storing stuff. Very little has gone wrong - spark plugs a couple of times, tyres needed changing. The seat hinge broke and is a common failure (and a pain in the arriss), other than that been brilliant. Only 50c - the 125s require a CBT (mine has expired) and you can't take pillions, but Spanish rules probably a bit different.

The one thing I really like about scooters (other than not f*cking about with gears) is the fact you can step through them to get out (like a ladies' bike). Motorbikes you have to get up and over - I got taken off by a large earth moving lorry and squashed on a motorbike because I couldn't get out of the way and off the bike....

Dunno what theft is like in Mallorca - I had one nicked in the UK which was annoying. Disc lock and a cover for the bike deters casual theft.

Insurance was cheap - 3rd party fire and theft, not fully comp.

Do get a decent helmet. I'd say get proper protective gear, but you're in Mallorca, its hot and you won't listen anyway!

If you're at all nervy - it is good to do something like the UK CBT - it is just a day and you learn a fair bit about riding if you didn't know. As a cyclist some of it will be second nature to you (don't brake and turn your front wheel for eg), but it is good to have an expert to ask questions of.

mallorcajeff

Thanks for the info.

The old retro i like but it will sleep on the street so dont want anything too nice or nickable.
Im ok with riding them experience wise. Protective gear i will get for sure. As you day when its hot van be a pain but i know what you mean. I also dont want anything too nice to ride as i will end up on that instead of thr bike. I dont want to go full on a get a motorbike as to be honest dont trust myself. Too fast and when you get to 37 and older if i come off the body wont mend as well as it used to. Also seen so many dead ones here riding like cocks kind of put me off. Just to pootle to work and back. I van ride there and back for lunch and a few miles and then home sp in summer my commute with extras can be upto 80 miles a day so that will be good as i get 4 hours off during the day. I like thr ido of the step through too. And yes vtech that pic isnt far from the truth.

team47b

Hire one for a few days to see what you need/want and how it performs for your particular commute.

VTech

team47b wrote:

Hire one for a few days to see what you need/want and how it performs for your particular commute.

Being as your in Majorca, this has to be top advice?

mallorcajeff

Yeah i did ask the shop and they said theu do hire so i will do that for couple of days. Im sure it will be mote than i need its just to nip local on. As we dont habe the chav-theft issues it should be safe and the police station is over the road so i will park there each night.
Thanks for the advice.
Bloody cold here tonight jesus went to work this morning and it got to 17 degrees and then on the way home in a huge storm its dropped to 3 degrees. Snow on the mountains tomorrow. Will be fun on a scooter next year in that haha.
Cheers
Jeff

mroli

Scooters are a lot colder than bikes as you aren't moving so the blood doesn't circulate. You can get overmitts for your bar ends which are really good and the "skirts" are good for keeping the water off of you - I just wear decent waterproofs which sort things out ok. If it is left on the street, a simple motorbike cover is good for stopping people idly vandalising it and protecting it from the elements - Oxford do decent ones. I reckon it'd be perfect for what you want from it - my second hand ET2s cost around £6-700.

ballysmate

VTech wrote:

Just quickly googled sit up and beg scooter and this is what came up.

I doubt she could sit up.
And she could beg all she wants but the answer would be NO!

nevman

That bloke looks like he`s taking the p*ss and the woman`s thinking "what a fat bast*rd" whilst quite admiring her portion control.Lots to like here.

Yossie

Scooters are the perfect commuter tools - quick, easy to ride, when you get knocked off not a lot to breakl on them.

Go for a bigger capacity (125 is the minimum really) as it gives you enough power to get out of trouble - a nifty 50 will get you splattered.

Decent helmet, jacket, gloves and some boots (no need for Alpinestar, a pair of stout hikers) to protect you and off you go. Cordura jacket with some body armour will keep you snug, protected and look ok.

It sounds jeffy, but a top box is invaluable - no rucksacks or stuff between your legs, just throw it all in the back and off you, when you get to where you are going lock your helmet in there and wander off. Sorted. Decent sized one will also fit a few days shopping in there as well.

Good friend of mine stopped using his Super Blackbird as a communter tool and got a Burgmann 400 - never looked back. Went around scraping the floorpan on every corner and laughing so hard he cried on every ride.

team47b

Nah! flip flops and shorts, standard scooter apparel here :shock:

Courage Monsieur

I used to ride a Suzuki VanVan. 125cc. 8)

BigLights

I've been riding motorbikes and scooters for years now. I'd recommend 125cc as a minimum, as per above comment. 50cc is just too slow...I find them dangerous and they lack the power to keep up flowing city traffic.

I dabbled with a Piaggio ET4 but the wheels are TINY so I always felt vulnerable to potholes etc. I'd recommend one of the larger wheeled Piaggio, honda, yamaha or other make variants.

Piaggio dealers (in London anyway) tend to be hopelessly arrogant and booking any work will take weeks, and weeks.

I'd echo the above advice - investing in tough motorbike gloves, jacket and a decent (MUST BE FULL FACE) helmet are mandatory. In my advanced classes we were shown videos of what happens when you put your hand down at 30mph....suffice to say I never once rode without the kit, ever, in any temperature, again.

Good luck!!

mbthegreat

Get some proper boots! More of an issue on a proper bike given the sticky out bits, but having survived a motorcycle crash and seen what it did to the armour on my shoes I'd never get on one without proper footwear again. Broken shins and ankles are some of the most common injuries, and boots go a long way to protecting you from them.