Considering a scooter

leo~saphira

hopefully I got the right place.

Right, I am considering a 125cc Scooter next year when the debts are paid off. Reason I am doing this is the fact driving 40miles to work and home 4 times a week is considered for me to be very un-green (now you can tell I am a eco greenie hippy lol) So I am looking for another way to lower my footprint

Now I will keep my diesel 1.4l car for them times when its needed or (let mum use it should she need to)

But anyhow, I am a lad of 28 - driving for 10 years (with no bumps) and have 4 years of HGV Class C+E as well. Can anyone tell me what do I need to do and power outputs am I allowed to ride on? I know I have to do a CBT. Also - any recommendations on scooters please? (the higher the MPG the better)

droodle

Im looking into this myself, if you hold a full driving license and do a CBT you can ride a 125cc with L Plates for two years then you must either sit a A1 bike test or retake you're CBT, from what i have read on various sites. I dont know about a scooter, but i am looking a Honda CBF 125 which is just over £2k brand new, and honda are supose to be the most reliable, i would stay well clear of Chinese bikes i have been to see a few and there made of cardboard!!

leo~saphira

right, thanks for that.

So are scooters a reliable source of transport or do they break down very 5000 miles or so (as 12k miles a year to and from work)

I think the honda engines are spot on - got a lawn mower and petrol tiller with honda engines, all working like a dream

forgotmyname

A scooter will probably do less to the gallon than your 1.4 diesel.

CBT every 2 years unless you go for your test, It was fairly cheap but the price is
creeping up. Brother in law paid £50 for his 1st one, Over £100 for his last one.

Gilera Runner got my vote and my money, It was brilliant. I cheated & went for a 50cc
so no CBT and no L plates required for me.
Wouldnt fancy doing 40 miles on it. And you wont be able to use motorways.

missile

I would suggest a Honda would be reliable and Aprilia might not be.

Where is your commute? Riding any two wheeler in traffic is dangerous. An inexperienced rider in rush hour increases your risk.

leo~saphira

Traffic - well I don't do rush hours as I am a night worker. I go through 2 country towns to work.

50mph speed limit on the open A roads (welcome to Nottinghamshire) - no duals or Motorways

BUt reading the comments I am now having second thoughts about the 2 wheel thing and carry on using the the citroen.

boyse7en

A Gilera Runner 125 (mine was an 06 model) will do at least 80mpg. I used to hammer mine (60mph road to work) and got that, so at 50mph you should get close to 100mpg. A Honda CBF125M will give you slightly better (Honda quote 127mg, but I'd think that 110mpg is probably more realistic). I used my scooter every day (summer and winter) for a 17mile each way commute and it was fine.

I'm not going to get drawn into a "bikes are dangerous" argument, but I've been riding for about 10 years now and haven't had an accident, and only a couple of 'near misses'. Treat all car drivers like blind idiots and you won't be far wrong.

As well as savings on fuel, RFL is cheap (i think £15 for a 50, and £35 for a 125cc)

If you enjoy the scooter, you can always take your test and get a bigger-engined scooter or a 'proper' bike, but you don't have to.

Remember to budget for helmet (about £100 for a reasonable one), gloves and waterproofs (don't need to be expensive, Lidl does a waterproof one-piece for £12 which does the job)

forgotmyname

I would not fancy taking the the roads for the 1st time on a scooter, Learning what stupid car drivers are
like can be painful.
Have many years of experience driving a car, towing and a HGV, I was in a better position on what to look out for.

boyse7en

forgotmyname wrote: »

I would not fancy taking the the roads for the 1st time on a scooter, Learning what stupid car drivers are
like can be painful.
Have many years of experience driving a car, towing and a HGV, I was in a better position on what to look out for.

But its not his first time on the roads - he is already driving, possibly having had a license for 11 years.

Car drivers can be stupid, but their actions can usually be predicted, or at least evading action can be taken well in advance if you ride with plenty of observation.

Coveredinbees!!!!

Sod the environment pass your test and buy a GSXR, you know you want to.

babyshoes

Have you considered other fuel sources? I know it is a minefield with arguments about how 'green' they actually are, but there are a lot of choices out there now, including electric scooters. (which I personally think are dangerous because drivers won't hear you coming...)