Scooter Woes/Why I Shouldn't Buy a CG125?

[ChrisFilter]

Yeah, imagine it can't be that dissimilar to a car (in concept) so I'm not too concerned.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Hmm, popped in to my local scooter/bike shop. They're selling a bike called the Sym XS125. Essentially a Taiwanese copy of the CG125. I know, I know... conventional wisdom says to avoid like the plague, but it comes with a 3yr parts and labour warranty and is on the road at £1400. That seems like a pretty good deal. Would I be mad?

http://www.symscooters.co.uk/xt.htm

It's this, a CG125 or a CBR125R. Might just go with the cheap CG125 option for starts.

 

[Jambooboo]

Spot on, gears left foot, clutch left hand (usually anyway) - it's all about the revs...

Something that really helped me (I always struggled to remember which was up and down when training) - when you're coming to a stop, you're pushing down on the gear pedal, as in to slow down. So as you're slowing, keep going down through the gears until you hit 1st, at 2/3mph pull the clutch in, once you've stopped give it a little kick UP into neutral. Then your left hand is free to fidget about while you hold the bike with either front or back brake.

To pull off, pull clutch in, push the gear DOWN into first, gentle revs and slowly release the clutch until you're comfy with the bite point. From then on it's toe under the gear lever and you're going UP through the gears, remember, speed up, gears up.

I found this out the hard way hitting 2nd at 60mph in my training, all was fine but it's a bit of a shock if you're not expecting it...

I'm sure they'll go through it all in training, it's a pain in the arse if you're not used to clutch control but after a while you forget all about it and it becomes second nature...

That's how I understood it - doesn't sound that hard but going from a auto scooter it'll probably take a few hours to get used to it.

Hence I'm gonna take some lessons. Just phoned the place where I did my CBT and my best bet financially is just to do the whole cbt training day again - about £80 all in given that I don't need to pay for the actual certificate again. I'm calling back tomorrow and hopefully getting a cancellation on Friday - otherwise they're pretty much booked up till the beginning of next month.

Seen a Varadero near me - 2003 with 14,000 miles on the clock for £1,500.

 

[Jambooboo]

Fuck it - the bike school where I got my CBT are all booked up for the next two and a half weeks. I think I may just take a week of work and do either the Restricted Access or Direct Access course & test some place else. Would need to book my theory and hazard perception tests but I've don them online without reading so much as a guide and passed them both.

Would be nice to be able to disregard my L-Plates, have a pillion passenger and ride on the motorway. I'd probably still get a Varadero 125 or maybe something a bit quicker while being under the 33bhp limit. I'd love either a Honda Pan European 1300 or the Yamaha FJR1300 but I'd get stung for insurance and would maybe end up dead within the space of a week; I like the combination of speed, luxury and a decent seating position though. Could pick up a nice example of either for between £4,000-£6,000 though and give all but the high-engined superbikes more than a run for their money.

 

[gentlegreen]

 

[Jambooboo]

No need for the rolleyes!

I'm not gonna go get a 1300 anytime soon having done my time on a 125. Not because of fears over the ridiculous leap in performance, but because as someone in their 20s with only a years or so experience I'd be paying four figures for the insurance. But within the next year or two I'd like to get a sports tourer, stick a GPS on it and go off places for the day, travel round Europe on it...