Scooters

[Coxster]

How's your baby Yam?

I'm lovin' it! Rode a bit slow the other morning when it was very heavy rain, fog preventing you seeing parked cars with passing cars without headlights on, but I guess I'll get used to it One thing I was wondering was the best way to stop your visor misting up. My helmet is one of the Nolan types and has a little air flap by the chin (and another on the top of the head area) which are fine after about 5 minutes or so. Before that you can really only ride with the visor up one notch which can get a little breezy sometimes!

Also, what kind of speeds can you comfortably get out of the bigger TnGs? Anything near motorway cruising speed (realistic traffic moving wise - not official speed limit wise )?

 

[O L Leigh]

The 500cc scooters are well capable of motorway cruising with quite a bit to spare, and should all top out somewhere around the magic "ton" (some more comfortably so than others). The real biggies like the 650cc Burgman should manage a bit more than that, but to my mind the trade-off is too great. It's nice wafting around the big roads serenely, but a quarter ton scooter is a big lump to weave through London.

Even some of the sub-500cc class should be fine for the motorways. The 400cc's are not far behind the 500's with a good 90mph+ on tap. The 250cc's can generally manage 80mph, but you've not got very much in reserve for overtaking or getting out of trouble.

Your visor fogging problem is normal. It's caused by your warm moist breath coming in to contact with a cold surface and the water condensing out. Having the visor open a tad is helpful but, as you've discovered, it can be a pain in the ass sometimes.

There are many anti-fogging products and even more tricks of the trade to help. One of the simplest is to coat the inside of you visor with a detergent (a couple of drops of washing-up liquid or shampoo applied with a cloth should suffice) which prevents water droplets forming. However, if you ask a roomful of bikers about anti-fogging remedies you will probably find that each one has a different answer and there will be a fair bit of argument and disagreement.

Because I wear glasses which can also suffer from fogging, I use a Respro Foggy mask. It's a neoprene mask that fits inside a full-face helmet using velcro tabs. The idea is that when you put the helmet on, it forms a seal across your cheeks and nose so that, when you breath out, your breath can only escape downwards out of the bottom of the helmet and not upwards towards the visor. It takes a bit of time to get it fitted just right to be comfortable and give a good seal, but it works OK for me.

HTH

one TN

 

[Coxster]

Thanks for that one TN - useful answers to both questions.

Now I just need to think of something more to say rather than responding in one simple line to your very throrough and informative reply

 

[O L Leigh]

What sorts of speeds are you wanting to achieve?

Even within the 125cc learner-legal class there is a huge spread of performance. The smaller air-cooled scooters like your Cygnus, together with some of the older spec liquid-cooled scoots, are really only fit for about 60mph. However, some of the more modern liquid-cooled scooters should be good for up to 70mph and maybe just a bit more if the conditions permit.

One of my riding buddies has a Piaggio B125 which is a bit of a girly looking machine, but it don't half shift. Me and him were coming back from Rutland Water last summer with another guy on a Piaggio 125cc scooter. Because these two still have "L" plates on, we couldn't use the A1(M) so were on the old A1. Even though I was on my Aprilia 500cc scooter, I wouldn't have contemplated going any faster than they were riding. Admittedly, they had the throttles open to the stop and I had a fair bit in reserve, but it didn't seem to slow them down any. I've also been behind him coming back from Lowestoft along the A12 and had to keep a close eye on him because he kept overtaking all the cars.

Have you any intentions to take the test at some point? If you are considering it, I recommend that you get it out of the way before October because the test will become an awful lot tougher from then.

one TN

 

[class 313]

Well as far as 50/70cc peds go. I'm looking at the Paggio NRG or the Aprila SR 50.

 

[Coxster]

What sorts of speeds are you wanting to achieve?

Just thinking ahead in the future should I wish to travel long distanced via the motorway. Obviously something that can even do 70mph is not really going to keep up with other traffic.

Have you any intentions to take the test at some point? If you are considering it, I recommend that you get it out of the way before October because the test will become an awful lot tougher from then.

Planning to next year once Winter and early Spring has passed us by. It wouldn't make sense for me to get a car quite yet as it would cost a lot more in the long run.

Well as far as 50/70cc peds go. I'm looking at the Piaggio NRG or the Aprilia SR 50.

Aren't you limited to a 50cc (30mph) until you're 17?

 

[class 313]

Aren't you limited to a 50cc (30mph) until you're 17?

Officially yes.

 

[O L Leigh]

Does that mean that you won't be respecting the law in this respect?

If so, may I respectfully suggest that you don't crash into any of my vehicles. As soon as your insurer gets wind that you've modified your scooter and it no longer complies to the definition of a "moped", they'll drop you like a hot potato. In which case, you can expect the Police might want to charge you with driving a vehicle for which you are not licenced and driving without insurance. As for me, I would take you to court to recover all losses as a result, including (but not limited to) the costs of repairs, costs for the hire of replacement vehicles and compensation against the loss in value of my property as a result of being accident damaged.

Might be best to wait until you're 17.

Anyway, I think that either the NRG or the SR50 would be a good purchase. There isn't much to choose between them technically, so you might as well just go for the one that you like the look of best or the one you can get the best deal on. Just leave some money over for a decent lock so that it doesn't go walkabouts.

one TN

 

[haloatco]

I've got a Vespa GTS125.... and it rocks!! Tops out at 87mph apparently and blasts along like a demon Plus I can strap all my photography kit on the back and go to cool places

Check it out on www.travelswithavespa.co.uk

Kind Regards

Mark
www.halophoto.co.uk

 

[Coxster]

See - I'm not the only L-plated 125 on here That rideout thing would be a laugh. Thing is, even heloatco's has a name - mine on the otherhand... well, I didn't get much to work with! See http://www.railforums.co.uk/blog.php?b=96

 

[O L Leigh]

Just thinking ahead in the future should I wish to travel long distanced via the motorway. Obviously something that can even do 70mph is not really going to keep up with other traffic.

I agree.

If you're looking to do some decent mileage, I recommend you take the test and then look at getting something in the 400cc category. You can ride one of these straightaway because they make less than 33bhp. Once you get into 500cc territory you would be looking at either waiting 2 years or getting a restrictor because the power output exceeds 33bhp. I reckon you should be able to get a decent used 400cc scoot like a Burgman for not much more than £2000.

Planning to next year once Winter and early Spring has passed us by. It wouldn't make sense for me to get a car quite yet as it would cost a lot more in the long run.

Might seem a bit early, but if you're serious about taking the test before October you should start making enquiries ASAP. There will be a lot of people trying to beat the deadline, so the test centres could be busy and getting a convenient test slot might be tricky. The sooner you book the better your chances of getting in before October on a day that is convenient.

one TN
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I've got a Vespa GTS125.... and it rocks!! Tops out at 87mph apparently and blasts along like a demon Plus I can strap all my photography kit on the back and go to cool places

Hi Mark,

Very inspiring. I've also read Vroom with a View which got the old creative juices flowing. Unfortunately, life has a habit of getting in the way and preventing me from doing stuff.

The GTS is a nice scoot and a design classic. I've never ridden one, but I've heard good things about them. I wouldn't put too much faith in your speedo, though. Italian speedo's have a habit of over-reading by a quite alarming degree. A true 87mph is 400cc territory and probably beyond the reach of most 250cc's. I would imagine that a GPS check would show you getting up to 70mph and maybe a bit more if the conditions are favourable.

Safe Roads!!

one TN

 

[Coxster]

Might seem a bit early, but if you're serious about taking the test before October you should start making enquiries ASAP. There will be a lot of people trying to beat the deadline, so the test centres could be busy and getting a convenient test slot might be tricky. The sooner you book the better your chances of getting in before October on a day that is convenient.

Ah right, will bear that in mind. Just out of interest though, what is being added to the test that will make it tougher? Do he figure-of-eights play a big part - I wasn't what you'd call 'fantastic' at those

 

[O L Leigh]

The new test includes a series of manouvres that you do away from the road. These include emergency stop, slalom, obstacle avoidance and suchlike.

Click for the full horror.

Incidentally, naming scooters is overrated. I've never done it (though the missus thinks up names that she uses).

one TN

 

[Coxster]

What's the test like at the moment then?

 

[O L Leigh]

Um, dunno. I did mine a few years ago.

Assuming it hasn't changed, you get the "read the numberplate" eyesight test before you begin. You then ride to a convenient location to do the emergency stop. Providing you don't fluff that, you ride around a bit more while the examiner assesses you. There are manouvres you have to do. These are (were) turn in the road, both riding and pushing the bike, pulling away from behind a parked vehicle and getting the bike on and off the stand.

The best advice is to get a few lessons. If nothing else, an instructor will know what the manouvres are and be able to teach you how the examiner expects you to do them. However, they should also be able to assess your riding, highlight any bad habits you may have and tell you how the examiner expects you to ride.

one TN
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Gah!! Just seen the time.

Off to bed. Will pick up any further questions and comments later.

one TN