Ditching my dying car for a 125cc scooter? Some thoughts.
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
My experience with a scooter was being a great driver myself, but nearly being killed on a daily basis by inattentive and/or highly aggressive car drivers.
I found that without basically a snow suit, you cannot ride a scooter when it's 16 Celsius or cooler - you'll just freeze your ass off.
No matter where you go you look like shit, your face is wind burned, your hair looks like garbage. Your clothes are rumpled and covered in the road grime or insects.
Edit: there is no such thing as going anywhere without meticulously researching the weather and checking radar. Even a very light sprinkle makes it so that you are a drowned rat, all of your clothes completely soaked after 90 seconds.
Scooter is an ok idea but don't go into it thinking it's going to be all happy. It's miserable.
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My experience with a scooter was being a great driver myself, but nearly being killed on a daily basis by inattentive and/or highly aggressive car drivers.
I found that without basically a snow suit, you cannot ride a scooter when it's 16 Celsius or cooler - you'll just freeze your ass off.
No matter where you go you look like shit, your face is wind burned, your hair looks like garbage. Your clothes are rumpled and covered in the road grime or insects.
Edit: there is no such thing as going anywhere without meticulously researching the weather and checking radar. Even a very light sprinkle makes it so that you are a drowned rat, all of your clothes completely soaked after 90 seconds.
Scooter is an ok idea but don't go into it thinking it's going to be all happy. It's miserable.
Thank you for your input. Yes, safety is another valid concern. That's another reason why I wouldn't go for a 50 ccm ever. Here they are turned down to drive 45 km/h MAX. You can't go drive any faster, even when the motor could. This makes you a traffic obstruction in 50 km/h zones for some of these drivers. Quite a few modify their 50 ccms to go faster, so the police likes to watch carefully and makes traffic stops to weed these out.
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
You could go for an electric brand like NIU or Silence and save more on fuel
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Thank you for your input. Yes, safety is another valid concern. That's another reason why I wouldn't go for a 50 ccm ever. Here they are turned down to drive 45 km/h MAX. You can't go drive any faster, even when the motor could. This makes you a traffic obstruction in 50 km/h zones for some of these drivers. Quite a few modify their 50 ccms to go faster, so the police likes to watch carefully and makes traffic stops to weed these out.
You are pointing out some valid issues with the speed regulation, but I'm trying to say that other drivers disrespect you, and they treat you like a pylon. It's not that they don't see you, and no matter how much you command the road and understand how to pilot the vehicle and coexist with other traffic, they will not let you. You will be continually bullied out of lanes, sideswiped, honked, yelled at
Just get ready because the dream isn't what you hope.
Edit this is actually the underlying reason that I got rid of my scooter. I was in a general sense, very pleased with the positives, the mobility, the ease of parking, the inexpensive operating costs. But all of that was completely overshadowed by a feeling that came over me that it is not a matter of if I get seriously hurt by a driver, it's a matter of when.
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
How's public transit in your area? If you had a plan b for bad weather days, that'll make it a lot easier.
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
I looks like you have most of the details worked out, I just want to ask, are you all-in on a new ride, or would you consider a lightly used model? What you're looking for might be an exception, but generally there are good savings in going after a lightly used vehicle as little as 2 years old.
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
I don't ride a scooter, but I do ride a motorcycle. As you budget don't forget about safety gear. A decent helmet can be expensive. A lot of people ride scooters in normal clothes, but certified riding gear is much safer. Everything adds up though - I probably spent $2000 on jeans, boots, helmet, jacket, gloves, Bluetooth kit for the helmet, phone mount for navigation, ear plugs, visors, etc.
Once you get to where ever you are going, if you do wear your gear, it's definitely not as comfy as normal clothes. Weather can be rough too. Riding in rain is not fun, and cool weather is surprisingly cold when you're moving 60km/h through it. And drivers of cars can be really, really clueless.
Good luck! As much as I love riding my motorcycle, it was more expensive than I would have guessed, and less convenient than I thought it would be.
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How's public transit in your area? If you had a plan b for bad weather days, that'll make it a lot easier.
It's alright ! I can count on it as fallback or even take my bicycle!
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
I never got rid of my pickup truck, but I have owned a few small displacement two-wheelers that I used for commuting year-round for several years in my 20s. Mind you I live in North Carolina, so A. I'm going to use miles per hour and miles per gallon, B. the climate here is warmer year round than almost all of Europe, and C. when I talk about any legalities like licensing, that's what I'm talking about.
I owned a Yamaha Razz (an ancient 50cc 2 stroke scooter), a modified Aprilia RS50 (rare bike to find in the US, by the time I got it this is a 75cc 2 stroke motorcycle, 6-speed manual transmission) and a Kawasaki Ninja 250F (250cc 4 stroke 2 cylinder, 6 speed manual). The scooter I mostly stuck to roads with speed limits of 45mph or under, and still that was pretty sketchy as in most cases I could not keep up with traffic. The other two bikes I've driven all over creation on every kind of highway we have.
Performance
The Aprilias 75cc two-stroke was just barely capable of pushing the bike to about 80 mph; it is my understanding that the RS50 is often limited to 30mph in the UK, and wide open it could do about 50. A two-stroke engine with nearly no torque isn't great for stop and go traffic; this bike was best on the backroads where you would stay at 45 to 55 mph. It made around 60 miles to the gallon, it did consume oil, wasn't that easy to start in the winter, etc. Cruising on divided highways and interstates was asking a lot of an engine that size. I did occasionally carry a passenger, which was a LOT to ask of that bike.
The Ninja 250 is a perfectly adequate machine for highway use. The chassis wasn't quite as sporty as the Aprilia, with a more upright riding posture, which just made it more comfortable. It was easily capable of over 100mph, it held nearly 5 gallons of gas and made 70 mpg, so it had tremendous range. I still haven't found a motorcycle that can do what that bike did. It was easy to handle in traffic and quite capable on the freeway. Carrying a passenger on this bike could be a challenge with any cargo; it was kind of a choice between saddlebags or a passenger, not for weight but for space.
I would estimate that a 125cc four-stroke with a CVT would perform about like the Aprilia or worse, probably more torque but less horsepower, you're probably locking yourself out of long distance commute by major divided highway.
Practicality
I only really started doing things like grocery shopping by bike when I got the Ninja. I had both a tank bag and saddle bags for that bike, which were frequently used. If I could do it again I would do permanently mounted and weatherproof saddle boxes. Some scooters come with trunk space under the seat but others are full of fuel tank since they often keep the space in front of the driver empty.
Weather
I rode bikes through 100 degree summers and in freezing rain. None of my bikes were really equipped for shielding the rider from the weather. The coldest I've ever been was in the saddle of that Ninja. If you don't like being rained on, commuting by bike isn't for you.
Riding gear is essential. I would budget about $1000 USD (about the same in euro) for a helmet, jacket, boots, pants, gloves and rain gear. I actually wore a jacket that was designed for summer weather, a nylon mesh jacket that breathed very easily, year round. IT had an internal rain liner I could put in which warmed it up a little, and I wore a fleece under that in winter, and still froze my ass off. For most of the year I didn't bother with the armored pants I bought because they were cumbersome; for commuting you might look into "steel jeans" or similar. Your gear is there to keep you comfortable when moving at speed and to keep you in one piece while crashing. Which you WILL eventually do.
Maintenance
Bikes need more maintenance than cars. Tires don't last as long, especially the tiny ones thy put on scooters. Those smaller, simpler engines are fussier. They might take less oil, but they often take expensive synthetic oil specifically designed for motorcycles, and it requires changing more frequently.
Everyone in cars is trying to kill you
No seriously everyone who drives a car including you and me are ignorant and malicious dipshits when it comes to the safety of those on two wheels. You will be pulled out in front of, you will be swerved in front of, you will be merged into. Much more so than in a car you will have to defend yourself. Keep your horn working, keep your eyes working, learn karate, install a Phalanx CWIS system if it's within your budget.
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You are pointing out some valid issues with the speed regulation, but I'm trying to say that other drivers disrespect you, and they treat you like a pylon. It's not that they don't see you, and no matter how much you command the road and understand how to pilot the vehicle and coexist with other traffic, they will not let you. You will be continually bullied out of lanes, sideswiped, honked, yelled at
Just get ready because the dream isn't what you hope.
Edit this is actually the underlying reason that I got rid of my scooter. I was in a general sense, very pleased with the positives, the mobility, the ease of parking, the inexpensive operating costs. But all of that was completely overshadowed by a feeling that came over me that it is not a matter of if I get seriously hurt by a driver, it's a matter of when.
Which country/ area are you from if u don't mind me asking?
Sorry to hear that this is why you got out. Sounds like you faced seriously tough struggles with other drivers bullying and being assholes. That sucks. Will concider, as health is the most valuable.
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You could go for an electric brand like NIU or Silence and save more on fuel
wrote last edited by [email protected]Concidered that but I'm living in a apartment. Charging them up would be a big struggle, thx though.
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I looks like you have most of the details worked out, I just want to ask, are you all-in on a new ride, or would you consider a lightly used model? What you're looking for might be an exception, but generally there are good savings in going after a lightly used vehicle as little as 2 years old.
Thanks for your question. A used model with below 10-15k km chould be fine, what do you think? Could take a look if I find anything. Could make it easier to switch away again, if I don't like riding...
Also, it's seems like it's not extremely uncommon here in the city from what I see and hear but usually as a 2nd or 3rd vehicle. I myself know a co-worker with a brand new Yamaha NMAX 125 and one with a 2022 model or so.
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My car is on its last breath, at least according mandatory safety inspection results anyway. Repairs are supposed to cost more than its worth. Though, I'm getting a second opinion from another workshop soon. I only commute about 6 km a day, get groceries and doctor visits, entirely within the city.
So I’ve considering switching to a 125 ccm motor scooter instead of getting another used car. The idea of no more parking costs, looking for parking spots, low fuel usage and low fixed costs (insurances, maintenance and taxes) are very appealing.
I'm on the fence due to the one true downside, though. Winters. At least 3 months of likely cold weather, rain and wet snow. The kind that could make you question your life choices when having to ride to work at 6 am. I'm located in Northern Europe with winters with avg +4 to -4 °C. Since I have an alright public transport connection to work and in the city as fall-back it will be best to put it in hibernation. That I can do under a cover in a courtyard, if I'm lucky half covered under a balcony. What do y'all think?
Moving larger or a bunch stuff in one go will be more complex too. Even with services like car sharing, rentals or asking a buddy here and there in exchange for gas money and take-away food.
As for specific scooter, I'm looking for high reliability, durability and at best ABS and disk breaks for both the front and rear wheel. A high permitted weight would be great too. Models that fit my criteria are Yamaha NMax, Honda PCX, Honda SH125i and Piaggio Medley. Going to Dealers for test drives soon.
For a new one, all in all I'm calculating 6000 to 6500 EUR initially including extra features (top case, windscreen, heated handles), taxes and insurance. There are decent used cars for comfy winter rides. Though, perhaps I can score a lucky deal for a barely used motor scooter one as season is going to an end. By the way, a 50 ccm scooter is out of question for me personally, I'd want more power under my seat.
Anyone here made the switch? Regrets? Is micromobility really a year round solution?
I only ride bikes and sometimes skateboards, but micromobility can be a year round solution in a lot of places as long as you dress for the weather and the weather isn't too extreme (though even in extreme weather, sometimes people still do it).
I have no regrets except for trusting a shitty budget bike and breaking my arm last year (ENGWE EP2 Pro had a faulty front fender with no safety features, good times :(). Just allow for adequate time, wear protective gear, and ride with a visible camera. Those are my main suggestions.
Having good infrastructure makes this a lot more doable, but it's still possible with shitty-to-no infrastructure at least sometimes.
Good luck!
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I only ride bikes and sometimes skateboards, but micromobility can be a year round solution in a lot of places as long as you dress for the weather and the weather isn't too extreme (though even in extreme weather, sometimes people still do it).
I have no regrets except for trusting a shitty budget bike and breaking my arm last year (ENGWE EP2 Pro had a faulty front fender with no safety features, good times :(). Just allow for adequate time, wear protective gear, and ride with a visible camera. Those are my main suggestions.
Having good infrastructure makes this a lot more doable, but it's still possible with shitty-to-no infrastructure at least sometimes.
Good luck!
wrote last edited by [email protected]Hey, thanks for getting into the question and I hope your arm healed up alright.
Camera suggestion is a good one! I'm using a dashcam in the car, so why not do the same on a motor scooter!?
Decided to go for some test rides at some dealership, when I have the time. Good luck too and be safe.
