Compagno 110i - Are they out? Anybody Eyeballed/Sat On It?

[redhandmoto]

Hello, first post here.  Have had many different scooters over the years, and am very interested in the Kymco line.  My local Big Four dealer ostensibly handles Kymco, but never has anything on the floor except the 50s.

I do a lot of errands on crowded urban/suburban streets and occasional daytours out in the sticks - been looking for something with a little more pep than a 50, and came across announcements for the new Compagnp 110i.  I like the 'traditional' styling, but can find nothing on the 'Net by way of reviews except for the usual maker's press release stuff and bare specs.  A search here availed not.

Hasd the Compagnos been shipped?  Has anyone seen one?  Has anyone sat on one?  Has anyone bought one?  What's it like in the flesh?

Any and all info very much appreciated.
Thanks

[redhandmoto]

Ok , howsasbout anybody overseas?  Any of the breathren from Taiwan have one?  Somebody must have one.

The deal is that I'm an old man and new health issues have forced sell-off of the motorcycle.  There are now  limits to what I can physically handle, but not riding at all is bad for you, all we all certainly know.

So my replacement short list (having had PGO/Genuines, Vespas, Hondas, Yamahas, and wanting to try something 'new') is for a mostly-around-town, traditionally-styled scoot with a little more snap and top-end than a 50.  Considered the Symba Cub clone, but...nah.  Also looked hard at the Like 220i, but I really think - if the plastic bodywork is halfway decent - that the Compagno 110i might be just the ticket.

My poor google-fu does not so far find any Kymco user forums based in countries where the Compagno 110 is already on the street - if anyone has a link or a pointer, I'd appreciate that as well.

[bleys]

The Compagno is new for 2013 I believe and may not have reached dealers in the US yet.  Also several models never make it to the US or are delayed by a year.  I have sat on the Like 200, but not the 220i....If you are taller than 5' 10", you may want to consider the large frame scooters like the Like.  I seriously considered it, until I started checking out the non-traditional styles like the Peoples, Downtowns, and Xcitings.  Unless you are caught up in the traditional looks these scoots in the 200-300cc range offer good performance and still handle well in the city.  You might also want to consider the Super 8, which is a lot of value for the money.  Good Luck with your search.

[redhandmoto]

Thank you, bleys.

Actually, whilst at the Big Four dealer today horsetrading on another machine, I called Customer Service at Kymco US Intergalactic Headquarters, and left a message asking what the ETA was with the Compagno.

Very nice lady called me back witin the hour and advised that the Compagno would be hitting showroom floors in April, 2013.

Ah'own hold mah horses - Southern, for abiding with patience.

I am, oh, 5'11", and being old and traditional-looking myself, I prefer that style in scoots.  Because the Like 50 and Like 200i share the same platform style/size, I sat on the 50 to see what the fit would be like on the 200.   S'ok. 

Health issues dictate that I'm gonna have to go smaller-framed scoot for now and maybe always.  Styling of most maxis is not to my taste, but they are wonderful perfomers.

[streido]

If you want traditional/retro/classic styling then why not look at the upcoming Vespa 946? This is going to be THE best looking new scooter of 2013. Im saving for one 

[redhandmoto]

Oh, for lotsa reasons, I'm sworn-off anything from Piaggio USA. 
 
The Quarantasei (946) is a beautiful machine, but at it's price point, a hyperexpensive limited-production fashion accessory, proudly advertised and sold as such.  Got no quibble with anybody buys one: why not?  Some people can afford expensive things of ordinary usefulness but very high fashion; Omega watches, Mercedes autos, like that.  I can't; might if I could.  At a (rumored) production of 10,000 units worldwide in two flavors (125/150cc), there'll be plenty of folks with the geetas to keep 946 prices high.  Jay Leno will have two.

Horse-traded my wife's Honda Met yesterday -  she didn't ride it enough to keep the fuel system clear of condensed water.  Even with adding adding Sta-bil, I still had to purge the carb/lines once a month); got her a 2013 EFI Yamaha Classic Vino 49.  Niiiice, much peppier machine - whipped it around town all afternoon.  Excellent for her - I just need a touch more power, whence the Compagno 110i interest.

[streido]

Yeah i know what you mean on Piaggio prices. In the old days i could accept paying more because the older Vespas are far superior to other scoots of that age and have/had a much better build quality, i heard several horror stories of folk buying new classic Vespa px's recently which were thrown together tho so maybe the quality control has gone now.

If its like you say and limited to 10,000 then i wont be buying one, at least not new. I wouldnt pay over £5000 for it myself, no matter how purty they make em  . I'll wait and pick up a 2nd hand one in a year or so if the overprice them new.

For me its not a fashion accessory, it just happens to be the best looking scoot i seen in years so thats why i like em. I also love the nod to the past vespa lineage with the styling, heard last week they wanted bar-end indicators like the 70's Rally Vespa but had to abandon that idea due to vehicle laws here. I'll wait and see the prices.

For my own tastes all the other "retro" look scoots made today just dont look right, they certainly dont look classicly styled, more like thise retro cars they make (new "mini", new "beetle", new "mustang", etc). Maybe that just me tho    I like my cars and scoots either real classic and old or really cutting edge modern.

[redhandmoto]

I hear you, Sir.  The 946 is simple gorgeous, the best of Italian design.  Butttt...the Piaggio problem is somewhat greater in N America because we are less than 1.5% of Piaggio's global sales.  They don't give a crap because they don't have to.  When I had a GTS 250ie, I watched my local dealer throw a clipboard across the room after calling Piaggio trying to get parts. 

They still have production fumbles - when the GTS 300s first came out, complaints were heard about rust coming throught the paint, inadequate priming & sealing.  Then there were the endless recalls for fuel pump faults, the designed-in unfixable headshake, etc., etc.

Some rumors have it coming out in Britain at 8,500 quid.  Whatever, it won't be had for five.

I actually thought about getting a P200E from a recognized restoration company, but I can no longer do even the minimal wrenching needed to keep a 2T in proper form and would like to have the reliability of fuel injection.

There are the Genuine scoots (re-badged PGOs from Taiwan); I once had a carbed 150 and they are quite good bikes.  They now have an EFI 170; the styling is...not quite, as you say, and because we've already "done" PGO, would like to give Kymco a try. 

[streido]

Well i guess you may well be right then, at 8 and a half G's i def wont be buying a new one 

I tried several times to get a price out of Piaggio uk but the answer was always "we dont have one yet" or "its to be arranged", wouldnt even give me a ballpark figure, s'pose i know why now. I wouldnt pay anywhere near that for a new scooter, i could buy 2 classic GS's fpr that and still have change left  . If it is such a limited run then the collectors wil snap them up and they will rarely see many mikes, trailer queen scoots. To make it worse its not even geared so its not a "real" vespa. I'll stick with my kymco and T5 for now.Lambretta did the same with their new model, over £5000 here when they came out, nobody bought one and the price got slashed.

Best thing is just to have plenty of research and test rides of potential scoots till you find one that suits best and is reasonably priced. The parts and servicing is a big part of it, if Piaggio dont support their buyers then no wonder they will lose business over there. Scooters still seem quite cultish in the US compared to here so maybe things will improve as more riders buy more scooters?

There was a few companies selling old restored classic vespas here with all new components and brand new Indian engines, best of bith worlds, but if its a ride with minimal maintenence youre looking for a 4t twist & go is probably best.

[redhandmoto]

Scooters still seem quite cultish in the US compared to here so maybe things will improve as more riders buy more scooters?

Yeah, the US never had a culture wherein scoots were simply basic transport as in Europe.  A bit of one has developed around urban centers where many new immigrants buy inexpensive Chinese 49s for getting around.  For most of the "mainstream" population, they're recreational/style/occasional-use things, though consideration is slooowly turning toward them as 'alternative' main transport, and more use them consistently that way.