Thinking about trading-in my Super 8

[MassScoot]

Hi All: I'm thinking about trading-in my Super 8 for a SYM HD200. I keep my Kymco Super 8 in Florida @ my mothers home (my father passed in November) Anyway....The dealer has a HD200 (in Red) that has under 200 miles on her & she offered me $1400.00 for my S8. She want's $2900.00 for the HD200 & I thinking I might pull the trigger. At 15.3HP, it's night & day vs. the S8 @ 9.38HP. In addition, I'll receive the 2-year warranty in full. Water-cooled vs. air, plus dual disc brakes & a much more comfortable seat! What do you guys think? I'm on the fence as I only come down to see my mother 4-5 times a year. I wished it was fuel-injected, but I'm splitting hairs I think. I think for the extra $1500.00 it might be worth it.

SYM HD200 Link:

http://alliancepowersports.com/sym-hd-200-evo/specifications.html

Photo Gallery:

http://alliancepowersports.com/models/HD_photos.html

Any insight would be appreciated!

BTW: Here is my S8 pictures from Photobucket:

http://s1304.photobucket.com/user/Alockbee/library/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20ALEX-PC?sort=3&page=1

[Vivo]

I'd get the SYM if I would be scooting everyday....to get most of the featured advantage compared to the Super 8...  better seats, more power, etc...   If I'll be spending for something that will just be stored most of the time..might as well not... 

If you can afford a Vintage Vespa, I'd recommend that... more on storage and less on the road... value will rise in time...

[MassScoot]

I'd get the SYM if I would be scooting everyday....to get most of the featured advantage compared to the Super 8...  better seats, more power, etc...   If I'll be spending for something that will just be stored most of the time..might as well not... 

If you can afford a Vintage Vespa, I'd recommend that... more on storage and less on the road... value will rise in time...

Vivo: I always value your opinion. I was thinking the same thing as I don't use it enough to get my money's worth out of it. Too be honest, I'm not thrilled with my S8 overall. It's dependable & get's the job done, but I feel like I have to WOT most of the time. The SYM HD200 offers that & then some. Still, the $1500.00 may not be worth it. Just that the HD200 is so much more comfortable vs. the S8 & has a better ride overall. I'm going to think about it this week if I'm going to pull the trigger.   

[Stig / Major Tom]

Riding home from work on my LIKE today - I was enjoying this scooter so much that I just kept on going!
Since I rebuilt the seat, the new shape encourages me to sit further from the leg shield - which is very comfortable for my height. The extra padding and added width of the seat makes the seat very comfortable. I liked the scooter before I changed the seat - now I can stay on it longer and enjoy it more.
So, if your present scooter is not comfortable - switching to one that is comfortable will improve your enjoyment a great deal.
The SYM HD200 is, to a lot of us, the gold standard of this type, price  and size of scooter.
If it fits you and also impresses you as much as it does a lot of us - I think you would thoroughly enjoy owning one.
Let's see....riding around in the Florida sunshine....I think you'd look right in style on this scooter:

Stig

[Vivo]

MassScoot...get the SYM, by the looks of it, you're in love..Lol! No amount of money can pay for a million more smiles!!! and the feeling of a new toy... as the saying goes..."Boys never grow up, their toys just get more expensive"      

[TLRam1]

Yep, if you enjoy it you will ride it more and enjoy the ride.

[MassScoot]

Vivo, STIG & TL: I appreciate all of your insight. I must admit, riding the HD200 vs. the S8 is night & day. The power alone is HUGE. Not to mention, the 16" tires, comfortable seat & the larger frame. Plus, I love the looks of the HD200 so much more (not that the S8 is bad looking@ all) It just feels like it "fits" me better then the S8. I'm going to ask for $1500.00 on my S8 as it only has a tad over 1,000 miles on her & she looks like the day I bought her. Vivo...You're so correct! As we get older, our toys get more expensive. STIG: I agree. The HD200 @ $3499.00 is the best "value" scooter out there for what you get. I must admit that some of the Chinese scooters (think Lance & Bintelli) here is the USA are much, much better. I'll chime back & let you all know what I have done.   

[MassScoot]

Well...The dealer won't give me $1500.00 for my S8 (same place I bought it from) So...I'm standing firm. No HD200 for me. She can get $1800.00 for it all day long! It's simply greed IMHO! She picks-up $300.00 on my S8 & get's an HD200 sale! How can that not be a win-win? I'm pissed right now! Then again she might call back. We'll see.

[Vivo]

Yes, good decision MassScoot... If she's a business person with good customer relations, she'll call back... your scoot is almost brand new and full of tender lovin' care...  keep us posted...

[Stig / Major Tom]

If she's still willing to go $1400 on the trade-in ....take it and bring home your lovely red SYM!
Life is too short to .......
Nah - life is too short. Period.
Even before 9/11 I used to think that way.
Stig

[Vivo]

If she's still willing to go $1400 on the trade-in ....take it and bring home your lovely red SYM!
Life is too short to .......
Nah - life is too short. Period.
Even before 9/11 I used to think that way.
Stig

It's not about the lousy $100... it's the principle of the thing!

[Stig / Major Tom]

It's not about the lousy $100... it's the principle of the thing!

To paraphrase the Great American  Mark Twain (who once said, "You can't eat your principles!")....'It ain't about the $100, it's about riding down the road on a nicely made, pretty red scooter --- grinning like a school girl.'

Or, perhaps more to the point - as the Great American Groucho Marx once said, "Who moved my cheese?!"
So, there you go.
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

Dear MassScoot,
If you haven't seen this, thought it might be of interest to you as it involves a SYM HD200.
From the SYMforum pages.


They set off from Kansas City with a SYM HD200 with just under 3000 miles on it.


See their movie....you can skip to @16 mins to see them buying the scoot
....type this into search box

Stig

[SaltyDog]

If you can wait, HD200's from private sellers come up from time to time.

Depending on what part of FL you're in, you may want to check into this one:  http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2009-SYM-HD-200-111355065 .   Or at least use that as bargaining power at the dealer you've been talking with.

[MassScoot]

Vivo, Sig & everyone...You guys are the BEST! I love this forum. She did call back & accepted my $1500.00 for my S8. Mailed her-off a check for the difference yesterday. Now I have to pay Florida state tax & re-register. No biggie. It's really a great scoot in the mid-range market. I'm getting older (& fatter) & I think the 15.3HP really makes a difference. The S8 is a solid scooter, no question, but @ $2499.99 (current retail price) there are simply too many options for less money. I don't know if any of you have cruised on the HD200, but it's a really slick scooter! It's really night-day vs. the S8. You can cruise @ 60MPH & still have another 10 when you need it.

I like to motor around in Florida (flat roads all the way) & @ times when I was in a long stretch, I couldn't do 50MPH all of the time & needed to pull over & let people pass me. This was simply unacceptable for me. I know I only use this scoot like 4-5 times a year, but I want, what I want! I considered the Honda PCX-150 (as the dealer is 2 miles away), but their fees were ridiculous! I'm happy where I'm at. I love my GT300i & Kymco parts here in the US, are the best bar-none.