Motorbike and scooter owners.

[StuAff]

I nearly bought a Pan European today, silly really as I only do a 15 mile round commute.................talk about overkill! No way could I filter through Bradford on that (unless it was a white one........), + with the wacky racers, it's just not nimble enough to avoid the regular "near misses".

But I am looking for a belt/shaft drive commuter "something" as I no longer have the free time to do any other motorcycling, seen a Honda Silverwing today, looks c.o.m.f.y and b.i.g. I've had 2 maxi-a scooters before, a Majesty 250 and a Burgman 400 and they were great fun. Any input on the Silverwing?

Must have been an old one- the nearest thing Honda do these days is the Integra (NC 750 DCT disguised as a scoot). The Silverwings on eBay are either pricey considering their age or big mileage (says someone who's done 39,000 miles in four years....). Might I suggest looking at a Forza 300 (I think the older version's a bit blobby, but still a great bike) or Xmax 300? I'd have gone for the latter were it eligible for taking the A2 test on (silly regulations...). Easily fast enough for motorways, 80+ mpg, huge stowage under the seat, and about thirty kilos lighter than my 400 so rather lighter on its feet. The 400 is awesome, and more power in hand for motorways, but the 300s are a better bet most of the time.

 

[Drago]

I've looked at both the Silverwing and Burgman big bore scooters. Very tempted, but Mrs D's one-in-one-out motorised vehicle policy is inviolate. I only snuck the Volvo past her because that was a gift.

 

[MarkF]

Must have been an old one- the nearest thing Honda do these days is the Integra (NC 750 DCT disguised as a scoot). The Silverwings on eBay are either pricey considering their age or big mileage (says someone who's done 39,000 miles in four years....). Might I suggest looking at a Forza 300 (I think the older version's a bit blobby, but still a great bike) or Xmax 300? I'd have gone for the latter were it eligible for taking the A2 test on (silly regulations...). Easily fast enough for motorways, 80+ mpg, huge stowage under the seat, and about thirty kilos lighter than my 400 so rather lighter on its feet. The 400 is awesome, and more power in hand for motorways, but the 300s are a better bet most of the time.

I've had a 250 & 400 maxi scooter, if I am going to get another then I want a much bigger more powerful one. The weather isn't so bad here in the UK, it's strange they haven't got on? When I got the 250 it was an epiphany, luggage space, no gears, weather protection, they are such useful vehicles.

 

[MarkF]

I've looked at both the Silverwing and Burgman big bore scooters. Very tempted, but Mrs D's one-in-one-out motorised vehicle policy is inviolate. I only snuck the Volvo past her because that was a gift.

The Burgman doesn't do it for me, a tad too lardy and I can envisage Pan European type filtering problems & I can remember taking the pee out of my cousin for owning one...............and now I am the same age that he was then....

My first choice would be a T-Max but they are really holding onto their value, the Silverwing I've seen is a 2008, 1 owner, at a good price, bikes don't sell at this time so I think I will make an offer

 

[StuAff]

I've had a 250 & 400 maxi scooter, if I am going to get another then I want a much bigger more powerful one. The weather isn't so bad here in the UK, it's strange they haven't got on? When I got the 250 it was an epiphany, luggage space, no gears, weather protection, they are such useful vehicles.

Not too many bigger maxis in the UK....Tmax (A2, but the new one has the category-maximum 47 bhp), Kymco AK550, Burgman 650…that's about it. Shame Honda can't or won't stick their rather splendid 500 twin in a scoot, or just do a DCT version. Problem for the bigger-engine scoots, IMHO, is that you end up with lower range and/or less luggage space and/or something that's the size of a Gold Wing. The Xmax 400 won't be leaving the fleet when I finally get the A2 licence done, but I wish it did more than 67 mpg- I won't get a full week's commute out of a tank.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Only ever ridden a scooter once think it was a Vespa 100 or something like that. Absolutely hated it the most unstable thing I have ever driven & that includes horses

 

[MarkF]

Not too many bigger maxis in the UK....Tmax (A2, but the new one has the category-maximum 47 bhp), Kymco AK550, Burgman 650…that's about it. Shame Honda can't or won't stick their rather splendid 500 twin in a scoot, or just do a DCT version. Problem for the bigger-engine scoots, IMHO, is that you end up with lower range and/or less luggage space and/or something that's the size of a Gold Wing. The Xmax 400 won't be leaving the fleet when I finally get the A2 licence done, but I wish it did more than 67 mpg- I won't get a full week's commute out of a tank.

I get 100mpg out of the Van Van but have no weather protection.........I think as you get older value/cost & intrinsic values change. I don't think Silverwings are over priced at all tbh, they are good and like other good things I've let go and now want again, z900, 4L Jeep Cherokee, Kwacker Spectre, 2CV..........prices are rocketing.

 

[StuAff]

I get 100mpg out of the Van Van but have no weather protection.........I think as you get older value/cost & intrinsic values change. I don't think Silverwings are over priced at all tbh, they are good and like other good things I've let go and now want again, z900, 4L Jeep Cherokee, Kwacker Spectre, 2CV..........prices are rocketing.

You're not wrong. I'd have preferred to get a licence on a geared bike- it would have made life much easier, and something like a CBR500R would have been a great commuter. A colleague at work commutes on an R1– the R125 is an absolute hoot despite being fairly practical, but there's no way he's having eight times more fun on big brother. MCN's online editor ran an Xmax 400 as a long term test bike and loved it. In response to a tweet showing her filling up, 133 miles before reaching the last bar, some bloke with a CB500 tweeted how his bike did 90 MPG 'and more street cred'. Hmm...and where will your luggage go on that, sir? She could get three bags of shopping or a load of gear for touring under the seat, you need a big rucksack and/or top box and panniers to match that. More expense and higher MPG than stock. And you've got a naked bike, so no weather protection. I've done a few nights out and a weekend away on the PCX, and it more than handles the job. Motorways no real bother- just take a bit longer on the 70 mph bits!

 

[Smudge]

I remember the first Silverwing, which was a mini Goldwing tourer based on the Honda CX500 and 650.
I had one of the CX500's back in the early 80's, they had the nickname of plastic maggots, but they were popular with the dispatch riders. Its the only time Honda has used this twin cylinder engine configuration, which is the same configuration as Moto Guzzi still use today.

 

[Smudge]

You're not wrong. I'd have preferred to get a licence on a geared bike- it would have made life much easier, and something like a CBR500R would have been a great commuter. A colleague at work commutes on an R1– the R125 is an absolute hoot despite being fairly practical, but there's no way he's having eight times more fun on big brother. MCN's online editor ran an Xmax 400 as a long term test bike and loved it. In response to a tweet showing her filling up, 133 miles before reaching the last bar, some bloke with a CB500 tweeted how his bike did 90 MPG 'and more street cred'. Hmm...and where will your luggage go on that, sir? She could get three bags of shopping or a load of gear for touring under the seat, you need a big rucksack and/or top box and panniers to match that. More expense and higher MPG than stock. And you've got a naked bike, so no weather protection. I've done a few nights out and a weekend away on the PCX, and it more than handles the job. Motorways no real bother- just take a bit longer on the 70 mph bits!

The luggage capacity under the seat of these large scoots, is undoubtedly handy to have. But its no bigger than a large 50L topbox on a motorcycle. With adding 36L or 40L hard panniers, a motorcycle can treble the carrying capacity of scoots.
But i get why people like scooters and use them.

 

[StuAff]

The luggage capacity under the seat of these large scoots, is undoubtedly handy to have. But its no bigger than a large 50L topbox on a motorcycle. With adding 36L or 40L hard panniers, a motorcycle can treble the carrying capacity of scoots.
But i get why people like scooters and use them.

Swings and roundabouts- you can get just as large a top box on a scoot, a console bag (the scoot alternative to a tank bag...), throw-over panniers work just as well as they do on a bike...

 

[Smudge]

Swings and roundabouts- you can get just as large a top box on a scoot, a console bag (the scoot alternative to a tank bag...), throw-over panniers work just as well as they do on a bike...

I was commenting on that MCN tweet claiming how much luggage capacity you'd need to match the underseat storage on a scoot.
Its just one topbox.

 

[StuAff]

I was commenting on that MCN tweet claiming how much luggage capacity you'd need to match the underseat storage on a scoot.
Its just one topbox.

You misunderstood- the tweet referred only to filling up, the guy with the CB500 referred only to his claimed MPG & 'street cred'. The rest was all me.

 

[Smudge]

You misunderstood- the tweet referred only to filling up, the guy with the CB500 referred only to his claimed MPG & 'street cred'. The rest was all me.

The underseat storage on a scoot, is equivalent to only one motorcycle topbox and not even the biggest topbox you can get.
Where you seemed to claim you'd need topbox and panniers to match it.

 

[StuAff]

The underseat storage on a scoot, is equivalent to only one motorcycle topbox and not even the biggest topbox you can get.
Where you seemed to claim you'd need topbox and panniers to match it.

OK, I put 'top box and panniers' when I should have said 'top box or panniers'. A typo, nothing more. My bad. Big difference in capacity, of course. I can't find a measurement of the Xmax's underseat storage (nothing in the manual), but it is at least 50L (EDIT: No, MCN review of the Xmax 300- same body- says 45L)....my lid won't go in the front section, but fits in the back easily. Shots from MCN.

And then there's two little cubbyholes in the fairing (another couple of litres), you can get a centre storage bag if you want, 50L top box available (my bike has the rack ready for that)....I've done weekends on the PCX with a mere 29L top box and a much smaller underseat area, I think I'd only need a box for a Euro tour