I think the best compromise is to get one of both, a scooter and a motorcycle! They both do different things well. I started with my scooter at age 49...loved riding and after the rider safety course realized I wanted just a little more and bought a motorcycle at age 50. I'm a little backwards from Neil with putting about 10x the miles on my motorcycle vs my scoot (maybe I'll grow out of that someday?). The motorcycle provides a level of thrill unmatched by the scoot...the acceleration, shifting through the gears, the sound...all pleasurable.
The scoot is perfect for a leisurely cruise. Simple to operate and comfortable. Less 'thought' required to operate? Storage space so I can run errands with it. Kind of like riding on a Lazy Boy recliner (seating position). still a very satisfying ride.
Unfortunately for every one of us lunatics who gets the riding bug there are probably 5 or 10 people who give it a try for a month (or year) and then put their very low mileage bike away in the garage where it sits for a few years until Kansas Kymco comes along and buys it for a song!
Great idea! But you know, that AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. I'm gonna have to choose one or the other. Will be surprised if it's not a scooter, but want to go through the process with an open mind. I appreciate your perspective and how it differs from Neil's. I am 47, and may well end up in the same boat -- start with a scooter and perhaps evolve into a motorcycle. Or, perhaps I'll just like the scoot. As you said, the scooter offers the added comfort and convenience of built-in storage. Then again, I am sure the pure power of a motorcycle is fun!
And who knows what will become of me if/when I get a bike. Maybe I'll become one of those guys with a machine gathering dust in my garage. Kansas Kymco sure does seem to know where to find a good deal...
