HD200 vs LX 150

[mispoken]

Hello,

I was going to purchase a Kymco People S 200, but just missed out.  Now its between a new Sym HD 200 and Vespa LXi 150.  Everyone here seems to have some good knowledge of the HD 200.  How do the two compare?  Is one harder to work on than the other? Any and all opinions would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[juice]

all of the reviews of the sym hd200 I have seen have been positive . The only negatives I can see are that the us sym distributor is said to be out of business and the hd200 has no backup kickstarter . Good luck .

[mispoken]

Out of business you say?  What does that mean for Sym owners?

[scootermaven]

Out of business you say?  What does that mean for Sym owners?

First of all, it's really difficult to compare those two scoots...one's retro and one's more sport bike-like...completely different scoots with completely different feels.  If you're lookin' for a sport bike look and probably the best performance for the money, go with the SYM HD200.  I have owned one and they're nice scoots.  If you are lookin' for nostalgia, retro-styling, prestige and "good" performance, then go with the Vespa.  The resale value, dealer support and longevity will all be much better on the Vespa...with all due respect to the SYM.  I feel sure SYM of Taiwan will eventually select a new or an additional U.S. distributor for their great scoots, meanwhile, I have heard SYM dealers are getting there parts from SYM Canada.  You should be able to get a "steal of a deal" on an HD200 right now, especially on the pre-owned market.  I have seen 2009 HD200's w/very low miles for 2,000.00 or less and that's a lot of scoot for the money in my opinion.  I haven't ridden the new fuel-injected Vespa LX 150's, but I have owned the carburetor version of the same scoot and I liked it very much.  I imagine the fuel-injection is a marked improvement in performance, not to mention it likely gets better fuel economy to boot.  I doubt you will ever look back and second guess yourself if you purchase the Vespa, but I'm not absolutely CERTAIN the same will be true for the SYM HD200 if they don't get an excellent U.S. distributor up and running soon.  I hope my perspective helps you in some way.  Good luck!

[birdmove]

    When my wife wanted a bigger scooter after riding a Honda Metro (totally trouble free!) for a few years, I did the research, and did a test ride on a SYM HD200. We bought that scooter (It's a 2008). We have zero regrets. This thing can easily do freeways. It's a four valve water cooled motor, and it's a sweet running (compartative) powerhouse. Yes, it doesn't have a kick starter.But then, I understande the Vespas have a problem of cracking the engine cases if you use the kicker, and they are removing them from the fuel injected models, because, with FI if your battery is dead (which is why you are using the kicker) you can't use a kick start anyway. That's because you have to have battery current to operate the fuel pump before you start the engine.

    I have seen leftover 2008 and 2009 HD200s for $2600 out the door.The 16 inch wheels are really nice handling too.We are getting in the 70s as far as gas mileage.It's just an awesome scooter. Just read a message from a couple that have two HD125s (same as the 200 but bored and/or stroked engiens) that just relaced the first belt at 26,000 miles. They said it was in such good shape that they kept it for a spare. I haven't needed any parts yet, but they say you can get parts out of Canada or Taiwan fro Scooter Assasins.

    Nothing against Vespas.I like the S150. Just bought myself a new Kymco People 150 as it was a deal I couldn't refuse.

    Good luck in your choice. I suggest you test ride an HD200 (and even the HD125 is pretty fast).

   jon