Riding a light big-wheel scooter

[Stig / Major Tom]

2018 KYMCO People S 125/150  (standard 2 wheel ABS, front & rear LEDs, twin discs, dual rear shocks, avail, color matched case....the 150 is only € 100  more than the 125 !)


I had the occasion to ride my 155cc big wheeled scooter on a posted 55mph state route the other day. The difference in the ride compared to my 12" wheeled scooter is very, very apparent. No magic, I guess, just simple physics of that 16" front wheel spinning to give a stable motorcycle-like ride. Very secure feeling.

If you don't need highway speeds - these big wheeled 125/150cc scooters are a treat to ride. No wonder they seem to be the overwhelming favorite of urban European scooter owners.

I noticed that the 2018 Honda SH125 has all the attributes of the above Kymco - plus it comes standard with Michelin City Grips mounted! Vespa has been fitting them as standard for years - but this is the first time I've seen another manufacturer do the same!


I had very little to choose from when I went shopping for a mid sized big wheel scoot with ABS last summer.
Sure wish Kymco and Honda would sell their great looking scoots here in the USA!


Drop that new 4 valve LIKE engine in a big wheeled People ONE for a winner!


Stig

[Snoopzilla]

Yeah I would’ve probably got one of these instead of the Like 150i.  (Provided it was the same engine, which I think it is).  Now that my first 500 miles is up and can go more on the throttle.  I kind of gave it the beans as they say (not all the way) from a stoplight, wasn’t paying attention to the speedo until I saw a cop a block or 2 ahead and holy crap, speedo said 50 mph, tapped the brakes and luckily for me the cop didn’t budge. Man this things got some power and it’s smooth.  Really love how this handles, even on these 12” (will wait til 1000 miles to hop on a little 55 mph road). But to have the option of the big wheeled people would’ve been great.  Oh and of course when I go to pick up oil for my first service from the dealer....they had a Liberty on the floor.  Said what happened to the next shipment being sold out?  Well someone backed out.....oh well wasn’t an S model (not that that’s a big deal). But very happy with the Like 150i. But I also saw they just started carrying Benelli, and they had one of their Cafereno 150’s, which is a big wheeled, liquid cooled scooter, though I think it’s carbureted, but only $2300 or something (supposedly designed and engineered in Italy, but built in China, but I like the liquid cooled part, and not a bad looking bike)


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[Snoopzilla]

The Benelli Cafereno 150
Also on the website says it’s chain drive?  Not sure if it’s a typo....

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[leomagnus]

Both are very nice looking bikes. You can add the Honda SH-150 to the big wheel scooters. Mine in Rome was very stable and fun to ride.

[Stig / Major Tom]

The Benelli Cafereno 150
Also on the website says it’s chain drive?  Not sure if it’s a typo....

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A Benelli is a little too far down the food chain for my consideration.
I gotta have a dealer in my state. I may have lost my local Piaggio dealer, but there are 6 more in my state.
Benelli is a nice old firm....but I live in the USA.
Stig

[Tromper]

Of course there's also the HD200, big wheel form factor with a top speed of 70ish....
Yamaha had one in Europe with what looked to be that solid little 155 they use in the SMAX around here.
Not sure if it made the cut for E4, but I always had a wan hope they'd import it to the U.S. but I think the failure of the SH150i scared most of the Japanese producers away from big wheel scoots in the U.S.

[jeeves]

Very nice scoot, but it's only about 300$ cheaper then a Piaggio Medley 150 here in Croatia.
The difference is to low for almost anybody to go for the People S.

[Snoopzilla]

The Benelli Cafereno 150
Also on the website says it’s chain drive?  Not sure if it’s a typo....

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Well stopped at the dealer again and these are fuel injected.  So I took a closer look and the build quality looks really great.  Curious to find out the reliability of this “new” Benelli now.  I may have considered this scoot had they had it in stock when I got my 150i.  I like the big wheels, fuel injection, and the water cooling.  They also had the new Benelli motorcycles and they looked quite nice as well

[Stig / Major Tom]

Well stopped at the dealer again and these are fuel injected.  So I took a closer look and the build quality looks really great.  Curious to find out the reliability of this “new” Benelli now.  I may have considered this scoot had they had it in stock when I got my 150i.  I like the big wheels, fuel injection, and the water cooling.  They also had the new Benelli motorcycles and they looked quite nice as well

ABS??
No ABS has become a deal breaker for me....and many others.
SYM also no ABS.
+watercooling in a small lightweight scooter is a deal breaker for me  (Old VW nut here)
Stig

[PaulF]

After riding my big wheel Medley I don't think I could go back to a Like again as the ride difference is amazing.  Must admit though the Vespas that I have ridden may be small wheeled but are very good on the roads but I suppose for how much more they cost this is to be expected. 

[Stig / Major Tom]

After riding my big wheel Medley I don't think I could go back to a Like again as the ride difference is amazing.  Must admit though the Vespas that I have ridden may be small wheeled but are very good on the roads but I suppose for how much more they cost this is to be expected. 

I generally swap out each day between the Liberty and the LIKE.
I want to share the miles - and keep the Liberty 'new'.
The difference is significant!
The 'operation' of the 5yr old LIKE200i remains very smooth - though the ride is different. My hugely padded & rebuilt 'bench' seat insulates me from the worst of the LIKE's harsher ride.

I like both scoots.
Stig

[Snoopzilla]

After riding my big wheel Medley I don't think I could go back to a Like again as the ride difference is amazing.  Must admit though the Vespas that I have ridden may be small wheeled but are very good on the roads but I suppose for how much more they cost this is to be expected.

I really recommend if you get the chance to take the new Like out for a test spin.  If you asked me a month ago what scooter I was planning to buy I would’ve said Piaggio Liberty or Vespa sprint.  Wasn’t even gonna look at anything else.  But then just for the heck of it I took the Like 150i out and was blown away by how planted it feels.


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