CRUISER or MOPED?

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by a_ominous
@Ricardo
If you go for a 50cc moped, you won't need an A/A1 licence. Car will do. Bike will be cheap to buy and insure. Also goes on a whiff of petrol.
That is probably best option for commute you suggest. But don't go trying to drive to Cork on it. Or use it on the motorway. Or get in from of me on my bike

Are there any non boy racer or granny shopper 50cc mopeds?

MojoMaker

The Vespa ET4 125 is a decent stylish machine but it is pricey, still cheaper than a 125cc cruiser though. I agree on the mopeds, not good, not good at all, and I guess I can sort of understand why someone might buy a 125 cruiser - bad advice for starters, or maybe a desire to be regarded as a 'rea' biker. TBH - a low cc cruiser rider sits lower on the bike scale than a 'proper' scooter rider. Mopeds are lower again of course, especially rice boy mopeds like NRG's or Aerox's.

Rymus, you always take the bait. I'm beginning to think you're a bit ashamed of your piddly cruiser roots dude No offence anyway. But seriously, how anyone could recommend an Intruder or Virago over a Shadow?? Have you been on a Shadow? Most powerful engine in its class, and that's what counts. Also nicest style, and largest frame, which is always good IMO.

Seriously when you move up the ladder to real bikes you will look back and think "wtf was I doing on a 125 cruiser?". Honestly, I swear, you WILL think this one day. I was a massive cruiser fan for a long long time, Shadow 750, Vulcan 800, Vulcan 1500, 1450 Fatboy, until I realised what a real bike was. No Reno Raines impressions for me no more, lol.

It does pass, just hang in there man.

Get a scooter unless you want to be ridiculed on the road by other riders, cagers, pedestrians, couriers, bus drivers etc...I always keep a couple of coppers spare to hand to the Virago/Marauder/Rebel riders that pull up beside me. :cool:

davidclayton

if going for a 125cc scooter, with styling aside...
which would be preferable:
[only examples]

-new age style [eg. aprilia ATLANTIC 125]
-old skool [e.g. aprilia HABANA 125]

[both 4 stroke]

dave

davidclayton

mojomaker...
have to say the vespa et4 looks a bit like a bitches bike!
check the pic...

there's better looking ones out there. [aprilia HABANA]

dave

rymus

Originally posted by MojoMaker
Rymus, you always take the bait.

Ahh thats only since the presciption for the anti-psychotics ran out

I've been on a shadow 125. Theyre nice and seem bigger than they actually are (if that makes sense) but I still don't like em much. Personal preference maybe? Could be that I was driving my sisters crashed shadow too? I dunno. Never see many of them round these parts anymore. In fact ive only seen one in about the last 6 or 7 months. Are all the shadow owners selling up and buying something decent?

MojoMaker

Believe me I'm only defending it in terms of 125cc cruisers, against anything else it too is cack. But if you absolutely *have* to ride one the Shadow is the best. How much you wanting to spend Ricardo? You could also look at the Varadero but again being a Honda it's pricey too. Don't suppose you like the DT125 or the KMX125? Trail bikes are an absolute hoot, strokers nonetheless.

Virago 250 might be worth a look while you put the miles in en route to your Blade I suppose. Don't expect to pull though.

RicardoSmith

Theres way too much Reno Raines in this thread. I just want something easy to get to work on. Anytime you get advice about bikes around here all you get is fashion advice. Which colour leathers are in this season anyway and does my arse look too big? Seems at bit over the top to get an R1 and matching leathers just to go 7 miles at 30mph (or less) for 20mins every morning.

There was guy at work say mid 40's who went back to bikes recently. Bought a Harley, the right helmet, the saddle bags everything. Tassles everywhere. Would even have been cool only for he got it ALL in white. :eek:

My time for going the bike route has passed. I've a couple of mates who have bikes just for fun. I'll do that another time. For now its just for the commute with the least hassle and expense. I dunno but if need a bike to pull a bird thats a bit desperate. Besides the wife wouldn't be that pleased. Git to find space at the bar with a bike too.

deecom

Scooter if all you do is town riding. Cruisers, not really sure there a great idea. I ride a big bike, but to be honest i am thinking of a scooter, Burgmann or the likes for riding around the city. Go with what your wallet can hack, both price of bike, and insurance wise. You can always go for the bike of your dreams in the future. As regards the long journeys, aer arann have cheap flights!

batman_oh

one of the first replies said a 125 cruiser would beat a 2 stroke 125 moped
a long long time ago a friend of mine had a virago125 and another had a gilera runner 125
the runner walked all over it thru the rev range, mauled it off the line, would stay close to my rs125, and would do near 80 flat out
just somethin a bit stupid i saw there

MojoMaker

Agreed. I have a heavily modified ZX-9R and am considering getting a small trailie or 125 scooter to use purely as a commuter, particularly during the winter. Never in a million years would I consider a 125cc cruiser but would nonetheless ride a big cruiser again - just not as my main bike. Cruisers are fine, but small cruisers are just laughable. AS RS bloke says, the Gilera Runner would eat a 250 cruiser for breakfast, lunch & tea.

Have a look at the Aprilia Atlantic, no sports machine, but a decent option all the same. The Runner is a bit of a boy racer yoke so perhaps not what you want. The 125 Burgman will be an excellent medium distance commuter and has excellent weather protection. Plus you don't look like a wannabe pratt riding one.

Samba

Have to agree with Mojo,

On the other hand it is good to have a year driving a 125 Under your belt.


Mopeds are unreliable, crap, and they make a pathetic noise but they get you from A to B.

The newer models even have bloody fuel injection , the 50 cc bikes have come a long way since the Honda Vision!

Been Drying them since I was 12 (in europe), geuss I just have a soft spot for them

The Nrg, or Gillera would be probably be the best ones to buy performance wise and for reliability(Watch out for crap getting into the carb on all piaggios <--their only major fault), they are both boy racer style tho, take all the crap off the nrg and it does not look too humiliating

batman_oh

id say the burgman or somethin similar,i have an rs250 as my road bike, and while brilliant for traffic and short trips to town, it is a pain after a few hours and hammers wrists legs etc, im considering a supermoto or an sv650 as an everyday workhorse(i really like the ktm duke)
definitely go for a larger moped over cruiser, because any cruiser under 650 will be too feable for long distance

Fabritzo

Yeh cos what you need for long trips is a rattley scooter, they don't call the crusiers for no reason, are you familiar with the Honda Steed V4 400? A nice smooth cruizor.

D!ve^Bomb!

anyone who even considers gettin a moped is just a scumbag, cos thats who has them, scumbags!!

so wot if a 125 cruiser looks pathetic compared to others, its still better than a ****in moped,,

i cant believe someone would even ask this question!!

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by newband
anyone who even considers gettin a moped is just a scumbag, cos thats who has them, scumbags!!

so wot if a 125 cruiser looks pathetic compared to others, its still better than a ****in moped,,

i cant believe someone would even ask this question!!

They use them in F1 to get around the track, the scumbags.

MojoMaker

Children, children. We are not talking about 50cc mopeds here. Not every moped rider is a scumbag and while we're at it very few scooter riders fall into your category either. Have you seen the prices of decent 125cc scooters? lol...

Another stereotype reinforced here on boards. Oh joy.

I've had several big cruisers and none of them were particularly comfortable for long journeys. Certainly not when compared with a VFR800 or a CBR600, ZX9R etc..

Very few sportsbikes are uncomfortable to ride. Sure the 998 is a little heavy on the wrists and I don't think I'd take it to Cork and back on a regular basis but most sports tourers are built for starship mileage. A decent tourer like the VFR, Futura, Sprint, ST4 etc will be a million times more comfortable than any cruiser.

Anyway, back to the scooter/cruisers debate. A 125 Burgman would be a significantly smarter buy than any 125 cruiser. Although they are about €5k so start saving now. I've seen '02s this year for €3500 so maybe worth a look? Vespa's keep their value well and the PX200 model is reasonably nippy if you're into that whole retro look. Personally I think they look ok, but they ain't cheap either. I think a new one is about €3500 compared to €2k for a 50cc moped.