Best scooter to buy for 2 passengers

[Travelling]

Hi,

we‘re looking at buying a scooter, but we’re not sure which one.

So a bit of background we have both a trailer, and a motorbike rack (150 kg) to tow it with. We want the ability to be able to use the rack occasionally but would use the trailer on long journeys or if going abroad. My husband has a full bike license as we have mainly owned larger bikes, our last was a Suzuki 900 rf, which we sold as it was too old with all the new emission requirements .

We’ve had a 125 scooter in the past, but it was a lexmoto and it was hugely under powered, so this time we want to try and get it right . We want something nippy enough to get around a city, but that would have a bit of power if we got lost leaving said city , we will probably be doing a max of 20 miles on it, and probably more like 5 to 10 depending on where we were.

We‘ve narrowed it down to a 125 (due to weight), and probably a piaggio medley or a Honda, but we wondered if anyone has any experience of either, or a different suggestion.

Thanks

 

[Hettie's Crew]

I’d be looking at the Honda SH300 not a 125 for two up. Only 170 ish Kg.

 

[David and Sally]

We have an Xmax300. Heavier than a 125 but 125 is not a big bike for two up. Depends on what sort of biking you intend to do. Pootling around you might be ok but higher speeds over longer distances in hilly areas and a 125 will struggle. We have a trailer so it was easy.

 

[suavecarve]

I’d be looking at the Honda SH300 not a 125 for two up. Only 170 ish Kg.

I ve got a honda Forza 300 at home. I use it for commuting A3 in the summer.
Sits quite comfortably 2 up at 70-75. Mph.
Wife loves the ride on the back.
If I were towing that would do me for abroad.
I don't tow and if taking a scooter I put the Suzuki address 110 in the garage. Only missing comfort and speed v the Forza !!!!

 

[Burgo]

We've got a piaggio medley and IMO it's superb. Sufficient power for us two up with shopping up the hills around here. Room under the seat for two helmets plus odds and ends, so no need for a top box. I can get a decent supermarket shop under the seat, plus a couple of bags on the "hook" inside the fairing. Usb phone charger, abs brakes. No hot bits on the outside to burn your legs on so ideal for zooming around in summer in shorts and t shirt. Highly recommended.

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[Manic]

We had a Sym HD200 , a Honda copy, great scooter ,went well even two up.

 

[WESTY66]

We have a Honda SH350 it’s a lot of fun, great two up plenty of storage and with top box and mirrors removed fits nicely in the garage

 

[CaptainPaul]

We had a Vespa 300 gts supersport weighing in at 148kg (although it felt a lot lighter to me) but a great wee scooter very comfy for rider & passenger and went like the clappers we called ours the flying banana but would definitely recommend them, we have 3 Harleys at home but always took the banana with us for the fun

 

[daveandsan]

We've got a piaggio medley and IMO it's superb. Sufficient power for us two up with shopping up the hills around here. Room under the seat for two helmets plus odds and ends, so no need for a top box. I can get a decent supermarket shop under the seat, plus a couple of bags on the "hook" inside the fairing. Usb phone charger, abs brakes. No hot bits on the outside to burn your legs on so ideal for zooming around in summer in shorts and t shirt. Highly recommended.

View attachment 754543

I wouldn’t recommend zooming round in shorts and t shirt unless you want to leave half your flesh on the tarmac.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

I wouldn’t recommend zooming round in shorts and t shirt unless you want to leave half your flesh on the tarmac.

First time we set off south on an R1100RT we had all the correct gear on and looked scornfully at those not dressed appropriately.
After a day in 40 degrees South of France we were riding locally in shorts and tea shirts. I insisted on keeping my gloves and ended up with white but leather dye stained hands.

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[Westbarn1]

I started of with a Honda SH300 and its a very good scooter, but it was a big/heavy lump to get in the garage, so changed it for a Honda 110, much better size for my garage and is good on the road for local travelling. If I want a big bike with me, I can tow one of my other 2 on a trailer. Not tried one, but I understand the Suzuki 110 is a good choice too, but for stability I'd suggest you go for a 'big wheeled' scooter.

 

[L' Hobo]

Hi,

we‘re looking at buying a scooter, but we’re not sure which one.

So a bit of background we have both a trailer, and a motorbike rack (150 kg) to tow it with. We want the ability to be able to use the rack occasionally but would use the trailer on long journeys or if going abroad. My husband has a full bike license as we have mainly owned larger bikes, our last was a Suzuki 900 rf, which we sold as it was too old with all the new emission requirements .

We’ve had a 125 scooter in the past, but it was a lexmoto and it was hugely under powered, so this time we want to try and get it right . We want something nippy enough to get around a city, but that would have a bit of power if we got lost leaving said city , we will probably be doing a max of 20 miles on it, and probably more like 5 to 10 depending on where we were.

We‘ve narrowed it down to a 125 (due to weight), and probably a piaggio medley or a Honda, but we wondered if anyone has any experience of either, or a different suggestion.

Thanks

What about an old Honda 90, I've seen them carrying a family of 4 on some of these far eastern documentaries?

 

[Burgo]

I wouldn’t recommend zooming round in shorts and t shirt unless you want to leave half your flesh on the tarmac.

I know, I know, "dress for the slide not the ride" etc etc; I've ridden motorcycles daily since my first in1968 - a BSA C11G and my last full size mc being a HD twincam88.
What a lot of people base all that in is northern Europe road temperatures, cooler running tyres, wet leaves and manhole covers on corners, etc. The tarmac temperature here is much, much, hotter in summer and tyres run a lot warmer. Granted we have a bit of loose gravel in the sticks, but if I'm rorting around up mountain roads I'm leathered up. Around town and going down to be beach when it's 30c plus, leathers are simply inappropriate.
Also, here pretty well everyone - male & female - has ridden a moto at some point in their lives. As a result when (if) they do start driving they are hugely more "bike aware" than the majority of, especially, UK drivers. And that makes a massive difference to our two wheeled accident rates. Add in a 20kph (that's 12mph) speed limit in town and it's a totally different environment.
And that's why so many people can commute in their suits and shirts, or just wearing a dress, every day without problems in the towns and cities.

 

[suavecarve]

I know, I know, "dress for the slide not the ride" etc etc; I've ridden motorcycles daily since my first in1968 - a BSA C11G and my last full size mc being a HD twincam88.
What a lot of people base all that in is northern Europe road temperatures, cooler running tyres, wet leaves and manhole covers on corners, etc. The tarmac temperature here is much, much, hotter in summer and tyres run a lot warmer. Granted we have a bit of loose gravel in the sticks, but if I'm rorting around up mountain roads I'm leathered up. Around town and going down to be beach when it's 30c plus, leathers are simply inappropriate.
Also, here pretty well everyone - male & female - has ridden a moto at some point in their lives. As a result when (if) they do start driving they are hugely more "bike aware" than the majority of, especially, UK drivers. And that makes a massive difference to our two wheeled accident rates. Add in a 20kph (that's 12mph) speed limit in town and it's a totally different environment.
And that's why so many people can commute in their suits and shirts, or just wearing a dress, every day without problems in the towns and cities.

Have to agree.
Bang out of order in this country without leathers or similar, appropriate in shorts and t shirt on certain rides in certain conditions in south of France.

You do your own risk assessment and appreciate the downsides versus the plusses

 

[Stealaway]

Hi,

we‘re looking at buying a scooter, but we’re not sure which one.

So a bit of background we have both a trailer, and a motorbike rack (150 kg) to tow it with. We want the ability to be able to use the rack occasionally but would use the trailer on long journeys or if going abroad. My husband has a full bike license as we have mainly owned larger bikes, our last was a Suzuki 900 rf, which we sold as it was too old with all the new emission requirements .

We’ve had a 125 scooter in the past, but it was a lexmoto and it was hugely under powered, so this time we want to try and get it right . We want something nippy enough to get around a city, but that would have a bit of power if we got lost leaving said city , we will probably be doing a max of 20 miles on it, and probably more like 5 to 10 depending on where we were.

We‘ve narrowed it down to a 125 (due to weight), and probably a piaggio medley or a Honda, but we wondered if anyone has any experience of either, or a different suggestion.

Thanks

Not a scooter but a great bike for a motorhome

Yamaha MT 03 -158kg - 42hp.

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[Blackrose]

Hi,

we‘re looking at buying a scooter, but we’re not sure which one.

So a bit of background we have both a trailer, and a motorbike rack (150 kg) to tow it with. We want the ability to be able to use the rack occasionally but would use the trailer on long journeys or if going abroad. My husband has a full bike license as we have mainly owned larger bikes, our last was a Suzuki 900 rf, which we sold as it was too old with all the new emission requirements .

We’ve had a 125 scooter in the past, but it was a lexmoto and it was hugely under powered, so this time we want to try and get it right . We want something nippy enough to get around a city, but that would have a bit of power if we got lost leaving said city , we will probably be doing a max of 20 miles on it, and probably more like 5 to 10 depending on where we were.

We‘ve narrowed it down to a 125 (due to weight), and probably a piaggio medley or a Honda, but we wondered if anyone has any experience of either, or a different suggestion.

Thanks

 

[Blackrose]

Hi we have a Honda Vision 110 weight 110 kg not bad with two up just as nippy as the yamaha vity 125 we had before picked it because it fits the garage.
not the fastest on the planet but with two up underseat and rear box full with shopping and the wife had a full rucksack this included a few bottles of wine and it still ran at a steady 45

 

[daveclare]

Another vote for the Vespa GTS 300. Here's it's in Denia carrying 50 litres of water, the chicken and bread is under the seat.

If you change the speed sensor ring, it'll do a GPS indicated 84mph on the autobahn. Two up with the 56 litre top box full of wurst and sauerkraut

ABS, traction control and automatic. According to Mrs daveclare, comfier than the previous Ducati, BMW and Yamaha.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

If you change the speed sensor ring, it'll do a GPS indicated 84mph on the autobahn. Two up with the 56 litre top box full of wurst and sauerkraut

Would that be some after market part I could surreptitiously install on the wife’s Vespa GTS 300 whilst she’s at work?

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

we have 3 Harleys at home but always took the banana with us for the fun

At a guarantee of getting home

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[Guigsy]

I had a Sym Shark 125 several years ago. Not sure if the previous owner had tweaked it, but it had no issues keeping up with traffic on dual carriageways. When riding two-up, the front fork was a bit squishy when braking firmly, but it was still nippy and easy to turn and stop.

 

[Folkranger]

S

Have to agree.
Bang out of order in this country without leathers or similar, appropriate in shorts and t shirt on certain rides in certain conditions in south of France.

You do your own risk assessment and appreciate the downsides versus the plusses

Same with push bikes. People frown when I say we don't wear helmets but we do most of ours in The Netherlands and you're hard pushed to find anyone there in helmets, and Lycra would get laughed at unless you were in a race.

 

[daveclare]

Would that be some after market part I could surreptitiously install on the wife’s Vespa GTS 300 whilst she’s at work?

Yes, it's even German tuv approved. As standard the Vespa Speedo over reads and as such shows as much as 20% over. So 30mph is as low as 24mph true speed.

The Germans make a machined ring to replace the Italian one. It then reads near as dammit the true speed. Therefore stopping the speed limiter cutting in too early. It fits onto the rear wheel. Takes about 20 minutes to fit.

It comes with clear instructions on how to reset the ECU (which reads the ring output). Which takes about 3 minutes. Company called PM tuning from Morecambe sells them here.

 

[Stoosal]

Honda vision 110cc. Not the fastest but we choose our routes for minor roads. Will sit two up at 50-55 until you hit a hill then it’s down to 35-40. Helmet under seat and a top box for the other.
We just pootle along as that’s what we want to do but if you really want to have capacity for two up and sit on a main road at 60mph then I think you really need a bigger motor such as a 350cc etc.
We like our wee Honda but no doubt it’s underpowered for sitting on a main road!

 

[ivorantony]

Another plus for the Honda110 vision, two up it’s not the fastest but managed going up porlock hill with shopping, I did change the variator to give more low down torque and it fits the garage easily ,

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[RowleyBirkinQC]

Company called PM tuning from Morecambe sells them here.

I remember them from my misspent youth, they used to sell a drop down ‘racing’ headset and an ‘over the top’ exhaust which required panel modification for the now old P-series Vespas.

 

[daveclare]

I remember them well. I used to race against Paul when I still had a fringe.

 

[denisejoe]

Honda pcx125 great bike had one sold it bought it back

 

[jongood]

I have an Aprilia sportcity 300cc, same engine as the 300GtS but a better brake and suspension package, telescopic forks, double disc on front single disc on rear. Great bike for mountain roads. If I had a wish list it would be a longer seat, trouble is most with a longer seat are then a bit too big for garage so I would either have to tow or hang on the back.

 

[Travelling]

Thanks everyone, we’ve gone for a piaggio medley 125cc, assuming it comes in at the dealers . Hopefully it’ll do whet we want pretty much.

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