Looking at a kymco exciting 250

[4getful2]

Hi,
 New kid on the block here. I'd like to get back into scootin', there is a '08 exciting 250 ,that is kinda close to me for sale,Talked to the guy on the phone,500 miles, bought for his wife she didn't want anything that big. I have yet to look and drive it. I've tried doing some research on these as far as specs. and such but haven't had much luck finding the info. ,that i've been looking for.
 Is this model comparable in size to the honda reflex? Kinda needs to be, my girfriend is short legged and could barely touch the rear footpegs, when i had my majesty.
I do like the idea of bigger tires.
Any known issues?
Any comments are welcome. Thanks

[CosmoKorny]

Hi,
 New kid on the block here. I'd like to get back into scootin', there is a '08 exciting 250 ,that is kinda close to me for sale,Talked to the guy on the phone,500 miles, bought for his wife she didn't want anything that big. I have yet to look and drive it. I've tried doing some research on these as far as specs. and such but haven't had much luck finding the info. ,that i've been looking for.
 Is this model comparable in size to the honda reflex? Kinda needs to be, my girfriend is short legged and could barely touch the rear footpegs, when i had my majesty.
I do like the idea of bigger tires.
Any known issues?
Any comments are welcome. Thanks

This is a tall persons' scooter, I would say minimum of a 32" inseam to comfortably flat foot from the seat.  It's as big as a full sized motorcycle and much larger than a Reflex.

[CosmoKorny]

...pretty sexy though!   


My 6'-0" son:


I'm 6'-2" with a 34" inseam:






Oh, the xc500 and xc250 share everything but the motor and parking brake.  It's a heavy bike, a bit underpowered and IMO not for a beginner.

I wouldn't pay much more than 1500.00 for one that hasn't been dropped as they are very difficult to resell.  Count on replacing every rubber part on the bike -  tires, fuel lines, rebuild the carb.

[ts1]

Yes, it's not a scooter for little girls. 165cm tall and must take some care not to drop the scooter:

[CosmoKorny]

I just reread your post, your girlfriend rides pillion not drives?  It should be OK then, my wife is 5'-02" with short legs and rides fine.

Compared to the Majesty, the xc has rear footpegs and not boards, which seam to be easier on the pillion.  However it is a bit top heavy whereas the Majesty has the weight slung down low.  I bought my xc for the larger frame and lower price, but thought the Majesty was a much nicer scooter.

[ScooterCommuter]

The 250 is only about 70lbs lighter than the 500, because as was mentioned up-thread, the hardware is all the same apart from the engine. I would have a few doubts about whether the 250 would feel a tad underpowered in that big frame.

[bleys]

If the price is right and it is in good shape, it is a good scoot.  I have an '09 Xciting 250.  Yes it's a smaller engine in the XC 500's frame.  But that gives you 70 lb's of extra frame support, better stopping power, and a little easier to maneuver in the city.  I don't find it underpowered in town at all - plenty of power for me.  On the highway, it tops out between 70 and 75, so a little slow for the interstate.  On the other hand, the weight and large tires give a smooth steady ride on the highway.  I often take my wife for rides with me and to me this is about the smallest scooter I would want to do 2-up riding for rides of more than 5-10 miles.
The down side - more frequent maintenance on the smaller engine - oil changes every 1200 miles and valve adjustments every 2400 miles.  Do the regular maintenance and the bike is fairly bulletproof.
Whatever you decide - have fun and stay safe.

[CosmoKorny]

I think we lost the OP, perhaps he forgot he posted.   

The 250 is underpowered, and requires a different approach as the reserve power is not there.  Particularly noticeable in corners, it is easy to over brake upon entry and then not have enough throttle to bring the bike upright.  At highway speed, 60-70 mph, you really have to watch and anticipate traffic as you don't have the power to accelerate out of a situation.

That said, I ride it on six and eight lane highways all the time.  It handles a pillion just fine, in fact when my daughter rides (who outweighs my wife) I can hardly tell she's back there.

The 250 is what it is, a dependable economy maxiscooter.

[4getful2]

Sorry, been out of town a few days and no internet available and sometimes that's a good thing.                                                                                Thanks so much for the replies.
 Now that you've mentioned it, it does look like the majesty.
 Still, deciding.