What scoot did you almost buy? Why not?

[Stig / Major Tom]

In 2013 I went into a cycle shop with my son - and spotted some step-through scooters!
(no new scooters bigger than a LIKE200i on the dealer's floor)
Gravitated right to a tan Metropolitan and a gold Vino.
Honda & Yamaha : GREAT seats, nice colors, from names I knew.
LIKE200i had crappy seat, lousy suspension when I bounced on it....a CHINA sticker and name I'd never heard of.



This Yamaha was really nice looking in Gold & brown....


Then over in the used area I found this '09 VINO 125 in superb wine red!!
But it was 3+ yrs old, NOS from a failed dealer, (3 yr old gas in it & carb'ed) $2999 +.


And a huge black Scarabeo 500 with very few miles on it. $5999 +
If it had been silver, tan or red maybe.....but not black.


I was fine with a 50cc, but my son, my wife, the salesman and this forum made it real hard to buy a 50cc scooter. The only guy who told me I'd love it was a Calif. youtube guy who rides his all over creation, including camping in the snow. Sadly....I let go of the 50cc scoots.

The next best alternative was the LIKE200i (other Kymcos looked like Boy Racers to me - the Honda PCX had that nasty seat bump)
I still want that wine colored Vino 125 or the Gold 50......
But the LIKE200i has been a great scooter...I love a whole lot about it now that I've fixed the seat. A real bit of front lighting would be nice...but apparently it never gets dark in Taiwan or China. ?
Stig.
I mean, look at this little beauty! I'd like to have this on my desk, or parked in my living room, but I'm married.
Happily.
Still.....it would be nice.

[bucray]

Aprilia BV 350
Lack of availability

[mclark999]

Almost bought a Super 9. Went with People 50 instead because I didn't know the Super 9 was restricted and it only went 25.

I do love the People though, but know the liquid cooled Super 9 has a better motor.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[AMAC1680]

BV500.
Then I remembered I'd be at the mercy of the Piaggio Group again and ran for the nearest anything else dealer.

AMAC

[CROSSBOLT]

Wife loved her Vino 50 when we started out in 2009. It was well made and was reliable. Woulda made a nice 125 or 150!

Karl

[ScooterLar]

I'm fortunate enough to have purchased every scooter I've wanted to own....from a 50cc Honda Metropolitan to a Burgman 650 and everything in between. Hence the reason why I own 7 scooters (down from 10 a few weeks ago). I can't get enough of these machines, plus I like riding different ones for different "missions".

[blue]

Almost got me a Honda ruckus..backed away from it when I found out the dealer says it needs to be reg. as a motorcycle. I ride mopeds so I don't have to do that. So now I shop right from a scooter dealer that will let ya reg. 50 cc like you should beable to..............

[Forbes1964]

My story is a little different. I had ZERO knowledge of scooters when I got bitten by the scooter bug . So I had no standards. I had TWO requirements: 1. Fuel injection. 2. Capable of at least 65 mph.
I had no knowledge of the various physical sizes other than very small and small.
I searched the Internet for what was in my price range and came up with the following: a used Burgman  400. (Still didn't know it's size) But it was several hours away. And the dealer fees were ASTRONOMICAL . So I didn't even look at it.
 A Jonway 250tt. But it was carbureted (glad I didn't buy it, I heard they're not very good)

All the following were at the dealership where I purchased my Xciting 250:
A piaggio BV 250. But it was already sold, so I didn't even get a chance to see it. (That's the one I actually was trying to see since the price was attractive)

A Sym city 300cc -- Seemed a little battle worn. And the seating position was a little tight.
The salesman must have noticed my facial expression. So he directed me to the Xciting. (It was a little more than I wanted to spend. But I made the "mistake " of falling in love with the big oversized beast.) and that's the one I bought.

Again, an example of God looking out for babies and "fools" .

[Scooter Dan]

Nearly bit the bullet on a Honda Helix except the battery was dead when I arrived for a test drive. And what did I expect for a 30 year old scooter that was scratched and battle worn. Those darn scoots are way over priced too despite the fact that it's a great scooter. Thought about the Morphous but too much a George Jetson futuristic space machine. I've lusted over the Little Buddy, the Stella, the Genuine Rattler 110, Vespa's and now Kymco's. This scooter bug is contagious. It's all your guy's fault.

[boo]

Aprilia BV 350
Lack of availability

Same for me.

[klaviator]

Back in 2010 when I decided to get my first scooter I was really leaning towards a People 150 or People 200s.  The local Kymco dealer had both on sale.  But after spending some time in the showroom and doing some research online the super 8 150 caught my eye.  I took both the S-8 and P200s for a test ride and I went with the S-8 because it was just way more fun to ride.  The P200s handled like crap although looking back I think the tires were probably underinflated.

Then in 2011 I was looking to get a scooter suitable for riding two up.  I had pretty much decided on a Piaggio BV250.  Then I happened to visit an Aprilia delaer where they had some Sport City 250's on sale.  I couldn't resist the huge saving and bought the Sport City.

[TroutBum]

Back in 2012 I was all set to buy the Vespa 150LX, but having come from big street bikes I wasn't sure if small displacement scooters were for me. The 150LX would have been around $6,000 OTD. When I saw I could get the Like 200i for a song by comparison I jumped on it. Admittingly I do have some regrets. It's hard not to want a Vespa, but I am really happy with the Like.

[MJR]

After no longer having a Honda Helix for years I almost purchased a Honda Reflex then almost a Honda Silverwing sometime between 2001-2002. Not being able to finance them at the time kept me from buying either but as luck would have it I was ready to go when the Burgman 650 came out in 2003 and promptly bought it.