Priller
Well-known member
So after a long thread elsewhere where I hemmed and hawed about actually buying a scooter for my Hamilton to Etobicoke commute, I've now spent about a month and a half on the rubber banded dark side, and figured I'd share a few impressions for anyone thinking about doing the same...
First off, I went with a scooter for four primary reasons: fuel economy, comfort/weather protection, storage, and ease of use in traffic. No proper motorcycle could tick those boxes without some compromise without also being an NC700 or 750. I ended up with a very low mile 2007 Burgman 400, which wasn't quite as porky as the 650 version for urban cut and thrust, but still has lots of storage (70 litres including the glove box) and can handle highway speeds.
Here's a summary:
- The highway windblast is LOUD. L.O.U.D. I thought maybe the huge windscreen would be better than my Tuono, but I've never experienced so much wind noise, even after getting a Givi Airflow. On my Tuono, if I forget earplugs, it's not a big deal. On the Burgman, forgetting earplugs on the highway is a recipe for ringing ears for days. I'm terrible for forgetting to put earplugs in, but on the scooter, I will take a 10 minute detour to get them in rather than suffer the consequences. Nothing else can be heard, including the motor. If I set the screen at the top and then hunch right over, I can get into a quieter bubble, but it's not a practical solution for any length of time. Maybe it's worse because I'm 6'1" with a long torso, so others may not struggle as much...
- The flip side is good weather protection, which keeps me mostly dry even in heavy rain. I get a bit down the back of my neck, gloves get a bit soggy, along with the outside third of each pant leg. Otherwise, I stay surprisingly dry.
- Storage is incredible, with the trunk easily swallowing a full-face helmet, jacket, gloves, airbag vest with back protector and a laptop bag. After years of carting my gear around with me, it's such a luxury to pop it all in there and walk away with only the key and my wallet.
- Fuel economy is good but not great, probably as a product of my unwillingness to keep speeds down. I'm averaging about 3.8-4.2 l/100km, but that would come down a lot if I didn't spend big chunks on the highway at 120+. At those speeds the rpms are hovering just over 7000, which is a lot for a motor that redlines at 8500, so I'm going to try some heavier sliders to see if it helps.
- Speed is enough, but not much more. Merges and lane changes need to be planned differently, as the rubber band acceleration takes some time to kick in. Tops out around 150, I think, but you wouldn't want to spend too long there...
- Handling is fun, especially as the low CG makes direction changes easy. But the small wheels and suspension built for comfort, not speed, mean dragging hard parts comes fast. Does the job, though, and zipping through traffic is easy.
Overall, it's pretty good. The windblast is by far the biggest issue, and I might try the slightly longer (just over an inch) Givi fixed screen, but it's a relatively expensive gamble if it doesn't help. Otherwise, I'm hoping the 19 gram sliders will knock a few hundred rpm off at highway speeds, both to make things easier on the motor and to help mileage.
Most importantly, my commute is typically 20 minutes quicker each way. Between the HOV lane and generally being able to slip into gaps, it makes a huge difference at rush hour. I actually enjoy the back and forth of urban riding, so it's making the commute a lot less painful overall. Not literally, though, and I hope to keep it that way .. (knock on wood!)
First off, I went with a scooter for four primary reasons: fuel economy, comfort/weather protection, storage, and ease of use in traffic. No proper motorcycle could tick those boxes without some compromise without also being an NC700 or 750. I ended up with a very low mile 2007 Burgman 400, which wasn't quite as porky as the 650 version for urban cut and thrust, but still has lots of storage (70 litres including the glove box) and can handle highway speeds.
Here's a summary:
- The highway windblast is LOUD. L.O.U.D. I thought maybe the huge windscreen would be better than my Tuono, but I've never experienced so much wind noise, even after getting a Givi Airflow. On my Tuono, if I forget earplugs, it's not a big deal. On the Burgman, forgetting earplugs on the highway is a recipe for ringing ears for days. I'm terrible for forgetting to put earplugs in, but on the scooter, I will take a 10 minute detour to get them in rather than suffer the consequences. Nothing else can be heard, including the motor. If I set the screen at the top and then hunch right over, I can get into a quieter bubble, but it's not a practical solution for any length of time. Maybe it's worse because I'm 6'1" with a long torso, so others may not struggle as much...
- The flip side is good weather protection, which keeps me mostly dry even in heavy rain. I get a bit down the back of my neck, gloves get a bit soggy, along with the outside third of each pant leg. Otherwise, I stay surprisingly dry.
- Storage is incredible, with the trunk easily swallowing a full-face helmet, jacket, gloves, airbag vest with back protector and a laptop bag. After years of carting my gear around with me, it's such a luxury to pop it all in there and walk away with only the key and my wallet.
- Fuel economy is good but not great, probably as a product of my unwillingness to keep speeds down. I'm averaging about 3.8-4.2 l/100km, but that would come down a lot if I didn't spend big chunks on the highway at 120+. At those speeds the rpms are hovering just over 7000, which is a lot for a motor that redlines at 8500, so I'm going to try some heavier sliders to see if it helps.
- Speed is enough, but not much more. Merges and lane changes need to be planned differently, as the rubber band acceleration takes some time to kick in. Tops out around 150, I think, but you wouldn't want to spend too long there...
- Handling is fun, especially as the low CG makes direction changes easy. But the small wheels and suspension built for comfort, not speed, mean dragging hard parts comes fast. Does the job, though, and zipping through traffic is easy.
Overall, it's pretty good. The windblast is by far the biggest issue, and I might try the slightly longer (just over an inch) Givi fixed screen, but it's a relatively expensive gamble if it doesn't help. Otherwise, I'm hoping the 19 gram sliders will knock a few hundred rpm off at highway speeds, both to make things easier on the motor and to help mileage.
Most importantly, my commute is typically 20 minutes quicker each way. Between the HOV lane and generally being able to slip into gaps, it makes a huge difference at rush hour. I actually enjoy the back and forth of urban riding, so it's making the commute a lot less painful overall. Not literally, though, and I hope to keep it that way .. (knock on wood!)
