When is it time to get something bigger...

[michiman]

 

I want to be on the interstate more...

I am done teaching the wife to ride...

Are there reasons I am not thinking of?

[norcal1]

500cc + would be safer on the interstate. I think a 250 is great for two lane highway but not enough bike for the freeway.

[zodiac927]

I would have to agree with “norcal1” The GV 250 is an outstanding scoot with enough power for most riding condition.  That said, if you intend to do much interstate riding, say more than twenty minutes daily than a 500 would be a better choice.  Just last week I had to ride the interstate for about 45 minutes each way for two days and it was a bit much.  Let’s face it, a 250 doesn’t have the smooth ride of a 500 or 700.  The GV 250 had the power but it had to wind up so high, in addition to the smaller wheels and lighter weight made for a ride a bit on the rough side.  It should be noted that I have an AirHawk seat cushion which helps a lot but you still can feel it through the handle bars and the scoot in general.

Years ago I road a Honda Shadow 700 and it was as smooth a ride on the interstate as you could want.  I might pick one up again down the road but I still plan to hold on to the GV 250 because it’s a great scoot and maybe the best one out there.

Zodiac 

[geezerbob]

I've put quite a few miles of interstate driving on my P250 and will offer these observations:

Handling and performance at 65 mph (GPS) is comfortable and the bike handles that speed fairly easily and will maintain it on most hills, but not in the mountains.  The most I could get out of it going up Saluda Mountain on I-26 was 61.  I-77 in WV, between Princeton and Beckley, was much worse, with a maximum speed of 50 in a couple of areas.

Gas mileage is a trade off and is more affected by wind speed and direction than with a larger bike.  On a recent long trip (approx. 1,300 miles each way), I got 6 - 8 mpg more on the return leg driving the same roads at the same speeds.  Winds were generally from the northwest coming and going and my route was generally northwest going up and southeast coming back.  Terrain also makes a bigger difference with the smaller bike.  My mileage was unbelievably higher traveling I-40/I-26 coming out of the mountains than it was going up.

A larger bike will deliver about the same gas mileage at 65 as my P250.  At 70 or higher, the X500 will probably do better.  The trade-off is that at speeds of 60 or below, the smaller engine will walk away from them.

Since I can afford only one bike, I've decided to wear out the one I have and enjoy the gas savings.  I usually take only one long interstate trip a year and a couple of shorter ones.  The usual suburban errands and back road rides with my buddies are delivering 58-68 mpg, way above what my riding pals are getting on their SW's and B650's.  Learning a little patience on the slab can pay off.

[zodiac927]

Hey geezerbob, I use to live in Summers county WV, between Lewisburg and Hinton; part of the back to land hippies learning to live off the land
Know anyone from Hinton or Lewisburg?

[axy]

I've put quite a few miles of interstate driving on my P250 and will offer these observations:

Handling and performance at 65 mph (GPS) is comfortable and the bike handles that speed fairly easily and will maintain it on most hills, but not in the mountains.  The most I could get out of it going up Saluda Mountain on I-26 was 61.  I-77 in WV, between Princeton and Beckley, was much worse, with a maximum speed of 50 in a couple of areas.

Gas mileage is a trade off and is more affected by wind speed and direction than with a larger bike.  On a recent long trip (approx. 1,300 miles each way), I got 6 - 8 mpg more on the return leg driving the same roads at the same speeds.  Winds were generally from the northwest coming and going and my route was generally northwest going up and southeast coming back.  Terrain also makes a bigger difference with the smaller bike.  My mileage was unbelievably higher traveling I-40/I-26 coming out of the mountains than it was going up.

A larger bike will deliver about the same gas mileage at 65 as my P250.  At 70 or higher, the X500 will probably do better.  The trade-off is that at speeds of 60 or below, the smaller engine will walk away from them.

Since I can afford only one bike, I've decided to wear out the one I have and enjoy the gas savings.  I usually take only one long interstate trip a year and a couple of shorter ones.  The usual suburban errands and back road rides with my buddies are delivering 58-68 mpg, way above what my riding pals are getting on their SW's and B650's.  Learning a little patience on the slab can pay off.

My People 250S, especially with passenger, needs 20 % more fuel on highway (60-70 mph) compared to consumption on regular roads (40-60 mph).

[geezerbob]

Zodiac, I live in SC but travel when and where the notion hits me.  I've spent the night in WV only three times, once each in Bluefield, Princeton, and Charleston.