Motorcycle to Maxi ?

There are big wheel scooters. My SYM Citycom is a 263cc scoot with 16 inch wheels, a 60 inch wheelbase and an upright riding position. if I was a more normal size person I could have got a SYM HD200 a smaller 16 inch big wheel scoot that is a real pocket rocket; being as quick and nearly as fast as my larger machine.

I have found my SYM to require much less repair (almost none) than my bikes.

I owned a RT-80 for 10 years and the riding position of my scoot very much reminds me of my 84 BMW. If the Beemer is still good; why not keep it for the longer trips and get a nifty agile mid-size scoot for blitzing the twisties. There are deals to be had on noncurrent scooters. If money is really tight a used SYM HD 200 would be very inexpensive. I found that once I got used to my Citycom which didn't take long; my big bike has pretty much been gathering dust.

The handling on my scoot is outstanding. I often find myself cornering faster than I would have on my V-Strom 1000 without even trying.

Pardon my ignorance , but what the heck is a SYM ?
Never heard of the brand, where do you find them , and what about parts/service ?

SYM is a Taiwan company that competes with Kymco. They have been making bikes since the 50's as well as cars and bikes for Honda and cars for Hyundai. there is a new distributer in the US that is doing a very good job. They are in fact where my Canadian dealer is getting his SYM parts these days.

I have owned 16 bikes over the last 44 years and so far after 11000 miles my SYM Citycom has been the most trouble free bike I have ever owned. My back tire was still looking pretty good at 15000 km but I picked up a nail so it was time. The stock brake pads were cheezy, the front lasted 8000 km and the rear 15000 km. EBC organic pads improved braking greatly. My fronts now have 10000 km on them and are 25% worn.

The original battery was an el cheapo and after two years it was time. I swiped the Yuasa AGM battery out of my DL1000 which fit and now the bike starts instantly. It's way cheaper to run than my big bikes and good for long day trips. I doubt I'll ever buy another big bike.

I went from MC's to scooters and Maxis a few years ago and cant ever see going back. I'm not a top-speed guy but enjoy the twisites and my Burgman 400 satisfies. Not brilliant in anything, but all things combined, make it much more desirable to me than a motorcycle. I can scrape the centerstand but only when really cranked over. If you can remember its not an R1, which shouldnt be too hard, you'll be OK. You will still be able to keep up with a nu-Gen sportbike kiddie though. Riding an automatic bike takes some getting used to but I cant see ever going back to a shift bike as a daily rider after time on the maxi.

SYM, Sanyang Industry Co., LTD is the 2nd largest scooter manufacturer in Taiwan. Kymco being the largest. They started out as a joint venture with Honda in 1962. They made the Honda Cub for Honda for many years. A couple of years ago their US distributor Carter Brothers in Alabama had a ware house fire and lost every thing. There is a new distributor now that is trying to build the brand back up and add dealers.

SYM is a solid scooter with a good rep. The new distributor is Alliance PowerSports. They don't have all the scooters in their line up that Carter Brothers had but they are working on it.

http://alliancepowersports.com/

More on SYM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SYM_Motors

I will be with some oTher scooter riders. I will be on the Silverwing if you want to swap rides for a bit. Check your private messages for my phone number.

Hi,
no new private messages as of yet ?

I am meeting some local grey haired old guys @ 7:30am riding up to Pilot Mountain for breakfast at Cousin Gary's just off 52 if you would like to join us. We should get there around 8:45--9:00 am.

Doug

I bought a Majesty last year and have had a blast on it. Great gas mileage, easily capable on the highway (105mph gps confirmed top speed), and tons of storage under the seat.I suggest you ride every type of scooter you can bum a ride on, my bike included, and settle on the top 2 or 3. Then wait until prime shopping time to start cruising Craigslist for a killer deal on a gently used model. My prime shopping time is between the week before Black Friday for people wanting Christmas shopping money and the middle of January when the Christmas shopping credit card statements come in the mail. I scored an '05 Majesty with less than 6k miles for well less than $3k.

Older motorcycles become needy. If you're not able or not inclined to do the tinkering needed to keep them going, you're better to look for a newer bike with low mileage.

There is no comparison between those and these. Modern maxis are sophisticated, capable motorcycles that do not always invite tinkering (thinking of the Burgman). It can be done, but it requires more than a screwdriver and crescent wrench. For the Burgman, at least, there are excellent resources online that detail how things are done. Check out the BUSA Forum and LeDude's site, linked from there.

So. My son has a Scarabeo 200 and my wife and I have 125 Vinos and 650 Burgmans. The Vinos are good for around town, but they are not freeway-friendly. We ride the Burgmans on the highway, sometimes on 700 mile weekenders and in the summer, on lengthier tours of two or three weeks that range up to 4000 miles. We have 16000 miles on our Burgmans now in (almost) three years. Our riding season is May to October, so that's an average of 900 miles per month, not bad for newbies...

We also have cruisers: mine is a V-star 1100 Silverado and hers a Vulcan 900 Classic LT, both very nice bikes that don't get the miles the Burgmans do. The Burgman is as big and as heavy as my V-Star, but outperforms it easily with regard to acceleration, top speed and handling. The fact it is a scooter is an advantage in terms of comfort and convenience. It is smoother and quieter than a V-twin. The storage is phenomenal, as is the weather protection, both of which are important when riding through the rain. The electric windshield is my favourite option, while my wife likes her heated seat.

In general terms, I have had no problems with Suzuki parts or dealer support, although many of the OEM parts are ridiculously priced. I've had no problem getting parts for my Yamaha or Kawasaki, either. My son, on the other hand, has been waiting ONE YEAR (and counting) for a replacement dipstick that Piaggio's North American distributor seems unable to supply. I don't know whether it is them who are incompetent or Piaggio in Italy, but I would never buy another Piaggio product again. My dealer has told me that he would not handle them again, simply because their abysmal parts support makes his dealership look bad. YMMV.

Regarding the Burgman: the engine braking is different, but quite manageable once you get used to it. It works like a charm to slow the bike smoothly and evenly and the shift point can be controlled by feathering the throttle. I use my brakes to stop the bike, only rarely to slow it. The CVT keeps revs in the optimum range, between +/- 3800rpm to 4500rpm, while the engine redlines at about 7800. The "Power" button shifts the CVT regime to float around 6000rpm, providing torque at the expense of economy, otherwise mileage is about 60 miles per (US) gallon, maybe 220 miles on a full tank. There is also a button that invokes a manual shift mode, something I've tried but find is largely a waste of time. The bike does well enough on its own.

In terms of comfort, the Burgman is smooth and quiet, with minimal vibration. The seat has been criticized by some, but we find it quite comfortable after installing an aftermarket backrest. The adjustable windshield allows you to minimize wind noise by redirecting airflow exactly where it needs to be without interfering with visibility (I look just over it). We ride all day, with short breaks every hour or two, without getting cramped or stiff. (I'm 5'9" with a 34" inseam.)

An aside: I find it interesting that the reviewers of the new BMW scooter who come from the motorcycle world are all blown away, whereas those who come from the maxi world are much less enthusiastic. Sure, it's a BMW, so it will be solid and overpriced, but is it as good as a Burgman?

The T-Max and Majestic and Burgman 400 are all good bikes, lighter and smaller and perhaps better for your needs that the Burgman 650 Executive. That hinges on how comfortable you are hefting a 650 lb bike around, whether you plan to ride two-up and/or how much long-distance highway riding you plan to do. I like my Burgman, obviously, and have ridden it in all weather and sometimes in very strong crosswinds. I have seen 110mph (indicated), although buffeting gets progressively more uncomfortable past 90 mph. From 60mph it has more than enough oomph to pass quickly and easily, even uphill.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Try them all, see how they fit you, how they handle and how they suit your needs. One of them will.

Regards
Scott Fraser
Calgary

Hmmm... IMHO the best time to shop for motorcycles is in the fall, when owners are faced with the challenge of storing them over the winter. Bike storage here averages $100/month for the six months of winter, which can be a strong incentive.

JM2¢
Scott Fraser
Calgary

Down here in our neck of the woods winter storage is not a big deal. We have nice riding days through October- November and start again in March. Most folks roll the bike to a corner of the garage and crank it once or twice a month during the winter or, like me, just ride year round.

Same in Houston, I've seen snow 6 times in 24 years and it never lated more than a few hours. Another roughly a dozen days with ice on the road (once for 4 straight days which closed the schools for 3 of them driving parents nuts) but that's not much. Our Colorado scoots are stored in a garage with stabil and a trickle charger. One of the women near me in Colorado does store her m/c over the winter in a rented space but she stores other stuff there too since she has no garage or storage at her home for less than $100 a month. She pulls the battery and takes it inside her apartment.

Today I searched out the local SYM dealer, seemed like pretty nice people they claim to have been around for 5 years so I guess they must be doing some things right.
The owner came in and let me test ride a SYM Sport City 300 he had previously sold and bought back . Said the buyer went back to motorcycles. The machine had about 400 miles on the clock.

Only took it down the road and back , first impression; pretty gutless motor :huh
the whole machine felt a bit unsteady at low speed , kind of darty for lack of a better term. I think I would feel more confidant with some more miles riding it and this was my first time on something like that since a loooonngg time ago.

Fit and finish were a lot less quality than i had expected, the riding position was bolt upright and that was ok, but the seat slid me forward. Something i would have to learn to deal with, or maybe replace the seat.

He wants around $4400.00 for the unit,

The search continues.
Doug

Hes a little high on that scooter. Asking price on new left over CityComs is $3900 or less. Keep looking.

I've always thought my scooters did fine below 45mph but become darty once you hit 55 or so. Minus the T-max or the new BWM's don't expect motorcycle like handling. They are generally marketed for utility so suspension, seating position, weight will not hold up to a motorcycle manufactured for sport. Expect good gas mileage, weather protection, storage and a plush seat, but you won't be keeping up with a competent rider on a modern sport bike, it's not where scooters thrive.

This may be true but most riders of modern sport bikes are not very competent. Just ask the R1 rider I passed or the Ducati 1198 rider I chased down on an uphill curvy road......on a 250cc scooter.

BTW, my Sport City is perfectly stable all the way up to it's 80+ MPH top speed. The only place where it's handling seems to be lacking is on bumpy curves. With better rear shocks this could mostly likely be fixed.

The biggest shortcoming that I see in many scooters is lack of cornering clearance. I general, the big wheel scooters seem to be better in this area than the smaller wheel scooters.

There are a number of scooters out there capable of being ridden quickly on winding country roads.

The OP is an X AMA and WERA racer so I think it's safe to say the budget suspension, brakes, and lack of clearance are going to be more noticeable to him than your average street rider. His assessment of the SYM 300 tells me that unless the T-max or the BMW's are a heck of a lot more capable than the Sym 300, a scooter is probably not going to provide him the level of performance he is looking for.
I've never ridden a Sport City but both my previous Honda Elite 250 and my current Daelim are far from what I would consider safe back road burners. That's not a big deal to me as I ride them how they were meant to be ridden but I'm not sure the "enjoy the ride" mentality is going to completely satisfy an X racer with one bike in the stable. I can say that at similar speeds my Buell is way safer than either of my scooters on back road spirited rides due to its vastly superior suspension, brakes and tire technology.

Good thoughts Tastroman;
I do appreciate better tuned suspension , it often time compensates for power and ability of the pilot.

I remember a conversation with Eraldo Ferraci many years ago when Jimmy Adamo was riding his well prepared Ducati in our old AMA Superbike days.
He said something to the effect
"it's a not a so mucha da machine as a da piloto "

I do not often "get on it" as they say, but sometimes the moment just overcomes me and i gotta show the youngsters i can keep up.
I always enjoy the looks on their faces when we get to the top of the mountain and i take off my helmet, they see all the grey hair , vs their bald heads ( what's up with that look :huh)
Plus i am riding a basically stock 28 year old machine ( few minor suspension upgrades) and they have spent their last dollar on an exhaust system

Imagine the looks on their faces when an old grey haired guy on a SCOOTER keeps up to the top of the mountain. Soboy, another inmate on this forum claims that his T max handles better than his old GSXR.

There is no doubt that my Sport City is slower than either of my two motorcycles, but it is fast enough to have some fun on, even when riding with guys on motorcycles. Some of my experiences riding my sport city in the sport mode are here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=694932

BTW, the triple disc brakes on my Sport City work as well as those on any motorcycle I have owned.

I think that the Kymco GT300i, with significantly more power than my Sport City and a claimed 54 degree lean angle, would make a great back road blaster. The new BV350, with even more power might work well too. I did ride one. It seemed to handle very nicely but I did not have the opportunity to push it on a curvy road.

I'm not sure about the cornering clearance of the other Maxis. The problem with scooters is there are no footpeg feelers to warn you when you are approaching your maximum cornering clearance so having good clearance is very important.

I've never been super fast but I can appreciate the satisfaction one must feel from piloting a lesser bike past a superior machine. Toss the age factor in, and I bet you are grinning in your helmet.