Quick history on "famous" People 250

[sc00ter]

Does anyone remember Scooter Rider Magazine? If so read on. BJ Strass (the editor) was one of the first to really push Kymco products. If you kept up with the magazine you know about the road trips he did on a People 250 (and sometimes his wife on her Grandvista 250) and how much he loved that People 250. Anyways, he later sold it and kept the Grandvista. The People got shipped from Key West FL to Norfolk VA to its new owner-that would be me. I rode it for about a month and ended up selling it to a friend. Bought another Honda Helix (and had no local part support for the Kymco at the time) and kinda forgot about it. Anyways, ran into the guy I sold the People to over the holidays. It has been sitting in the same spot, in the weather, no cover, has not even been started, for over 2 years! Seems the drive belt broke and that was that-done deal. I almost felt bad for the People. The guy I sold it to just used it for a commuter for work untill it "died". Such a strange death for such a once-proud scooter. He tried to sell it back to me but I want nothing to do with it-HATE projects. Anyways, figured all you old school Kymco fans would like to know what happened to that "famous" People 250.

[sparko]

I am kind of curious-why would someone buy a bike, have it shipped all the way from south Florida to Norfolk just to sell it so quickly?  I also wonder how you could resist at least trying to start the bike. What if it fired up the first time? You never know. Just a 'drive belt'. Maybe this once proud scooter (which I am sure was in great shape when you bought it) would have some life left in it. Well, maybe some kymco enthusiast from your area will want to see the bike and give it a try. I sure wish you had a photo to post here for all of us so we could slowly salute the old bastard. Maybe play taps in the background. Push it off a dock down by the Navy yard or something. But don't just let it rot in some knuckleheads' backyard with a belt wrapped around it's variator . That is pathetic.

[sc00ter]

Reason for selling: 1. I was offered $500 more than I paid for it. 2. The local parts source went out of business. I average 10,000 miles a year on my scooter and no local support was not acceptable. 3. I realized I missed my Helix more and wanted another one. 4. Dont care for the big-wheel scoots that much-prefer little wheels. So off it went to a new home. Now the trying to start it. He has no idea were the keys are. The battery was dead-flat (seat lock down is broken, you can just lift it open) and the scoot was never winterized. He "thinks" it was at 3/4 a tank when parked but I heard no sloshing when I shook it. Plus the oil was never changed and it was black sludge on the dip stick and he was riding it while low on anti-freeze, which needed to be fixed when I sold it (seeping upper radiator hose) but never got done. He would just add straight water as the leak got worse. It does have a nice custom windshield on it but it was dropped at some point and the lower middle of the screen has a pretty deep scratch now. Trust me, no one around here is going to save it. He did try to replace the belt (lost all the CVT cover screws) by holding the front drive fixed sheave with a off-set pair of visegrips! Pretty bad damage done, I told him to just get a new fixed sheave and a real holding tool if he tries to put it back on the road, but he needs to find the keys first. To him it was just a cheap commuter.

[sparko]

scOOter:

Well, I figured you had your reasons for not resuscitating the patient. Kind of humorous that so many people have had their bikes stolen by a jimmied ignition and now the keys can't be found and it sounds like you couldn't steal that bike if you tried.  I bet your friend would like to hear the story.  It's a better story than the typical " my bike was stolen by some person I don't even know and the cops found it upside down in a ditch."  thanks for sharing the story of the "Famous Scooter". I guess we all wish that the bike we had so much fun with would go to a great second or third home. Doesn't always work that way, I guess. Funny it ended so uneventfully. thanks for clearing that up and hope I didn't get under your skin. Stay on the forum, you might get interested in an old kymco super 9 (with the smaller tires that you like so well). There are some real pros here that are a goldmine of advice. You would fit in nicely.

[sc00ter]

No more 50cc scoots. I have owned 3 different Helix's, 1 250 Elite. A crappy Qlink Commuter (learned from that mistake) 5 different Yamaha Zuma 50cc's (everything from stock to stage 3 water cooled) 1 Vespa P200E, 2 Lambrettas, still have my Buddy 125 (back-up scoot) and a Zuma 125 at the moment. My girl wants me to upgrade to something that 2 adults can fit on comfortably and be able to do some light touring/sightseeing on this spring. Always loved the Grandvista (have a softspot for 250's) and we now have a Kymco dealer local. Also like the Hyosung MS3 but we lost our nearest dealer years ago. The Vespa 300 is nice but wow that thing is exspensive! IF I can find a Helix for a fair price I might consider it but she insist we just go new. So thats why Im creeping onto your site and looking around. I also like the Burgman 400 but its a tad too long to fit into my scooter parking space and that is a major problem, even though she said we can just extend the walkway longer to fit it. Still leaning toward the 250 class, it will do everything I need it to and still stay affordable and practical.

[sparko]

I sat on a helix once and it seemed like the tires were a bit too small for a higher-speed scoot. But it is a Honda and they don't make junk so I am probably wrong. I am reading around on the forum that the super 8 150 is a great ride but I wish it were in a larger cc. I need something to get to the airport daily 40 mile round trip. I am happy for now with a super 9 and an agility 125 so until I outgrow them I will stay on the sidelines. First year in the scoot world for me so I am still in awe of everything out there. Nothing I don't like at this point but am still staying with Taiwanese stuff. Good rep and I get a safe feeling on my bikes. Stick around and hope you post some more. I was curious how you like the Buddy 125. Looks like a beauty. Heard they were a nice smooth ride and well-built. And you obviously liked the Zuma 50's. Heard they are a match for the super 9 LC. Even my 83 year old dad thought it was a pretty neat little bike, and he doesn't like this stuff at all. But he used to fly an ultralight so he really shouldn't talk. That was only about 6 years ago so I think he really didn't want to give it up. Still a kid. Aren't we all. Glad you're on board.

[sc00ter]

The Buddy 125. Its a 07 model, has about 30,000 miles on it (just sits in garage now), has never been washed since new-still looks good. Great quality, will run 60mph all day-will even run it at full throttle (64mph) on interstate for 20 miles if running late for work. Nice layout, can kinda streach out legs if needed and move around seat rather easily also. Great MPG. Regular maintainence is also very easy, and never needed to adjust the valves-always in spec. The only thing that made me not replace it was poor dealer support and lousy quality add-ons. Genuine does not sell service manuals to the public, luckily nothing major has broken. Parts can bee kinda tricky to get and loooong wait times when needed most. The rear rack that they sell is terrible quality and I can no longer put one back on my scoot (cracked frame mounts off!). So I will not buy another Genuine product, shame as I really like the Blur. Strange thing is the Zuma 125 is not a great scooter either. Pay a high price for a lousy equiped scoot-no bag hook, no stock rear rack (option), no 12v outlet, no drink holder (option), slow (56mph max?!?), weak alternator (will not ever run heated gloves!), no kick-start, slanted and small under seat storage, poor MPG and finally VERY complex to work on. The good thing is I know (hope) it will last and I will get a decent trade-in when I replace it. Will keep the Buddy as a back-up as it has never left me stranded. And yes about the small tire/big scoot comment on the Helix. Took me awhile to get totally relaxed on my first Helix but it was worth it in the end.