Hi, I've just joined the forum...

...and looking to get some advice for buying my first scooter.

I just passed my CBT course the other week and now looking at getting a 125cc scooter for my commute between Brighton and Haywards Heath.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Cheers

Stevie Mac

 

Only you can decide depending on journey/price/favourite style of scooter.
Basically they all perform much the same.
In heavily congested areas lighter/slimmer scooters are preferred to get through traffic.
On more normal roads if going a distance the more larger superscooter styles may be preferred due to comfort.
I'm sure if you let us know your requirements/type of commuting,new or s/hand etc you'll get some suggestions.
I would recommend going round some local dealers and sit on various scooters as they vary a lot in comfort etc.
You can then form an opinion and give us an idea of what you like.
There seems to be a good selection of dealers in Brighton area so you could easily spend a good few hours looking round.
If you are buying new or good s/hand if you can't do any work/servicing yourself so a dealer somewhere handy for work or home would be good as you could get it serviced etc. while at work.
Once you have narrowed it down to one or two models check out insurance before you do anything else.
If buying new some dealers may offer a helmet/basic clothing or mabe a top box or screen so factor clothing in to your costs.

 

Thanks.

The commute is roughly 13 miles and predominantly on country roads. I'm sure I will use it for other purposes occasionally but the commute is the priority.

I thought it might be best to buy from new and get a decent warranty. My budget is rather low though so I would be restricted to scooters China I guess which I have heard mixed reviews about.

Ideally, I wouldn't want to spend more than £1500 for a scooter and my safety gear but I don't know how realistic that is if buying new and whether second hand might be the way forward.

 

There are quite a few of "better make" far eastern scooters around now. A lot of the "fly by night" dealers have gone.
Makes such as SYM,Kymco,Daelim etc have good dealer networks and a lot of parts are fairly common so are available easily.
Admittedly over a few years they will deteriorate quicker than a good make but there again you are not paying top prices.
Even some Piaggios are made in China these days lol
Find out which dealers locally sell these sort of brands and have a look.
I feel though you'll be pushing it for anything new at that price so good s/hand looks likely.
Check out the local dealers websites and see what they've got also private sales.
If buying a major make s/hand there will be no problem getting a dealer to service it.
The main thing is condition as most 125 scooters are bought by learners so damage is quite common which can be anything from light scrapes to being heavily dropped.

 

Some of these are in your price range but some are high mileage so they either have been used as serious commuters or pizza bikes lol
http://www.onthewheel.co.uk/used-peugeot-brighton-east-sussex?ccto=9999

 

lidi have some motor bike gear at sensible prices its just the timing of the offers , ebay for riding gear but buy a new lid, if you intend to use the a23 you will want a speed of over fifty which a lot of jap 110 s will do. a second hand Honda innover would cope well enough at a sensible price
have a chat to other bikers who do the same sort of journey and see what they use

 

Thanks guys.

This is all really useful advice.

 

Aldi are selling bike stuff on 30th march but I don't think it's especially cheap?
https://www.aldi.co.uk/c/specialbuys/dates/2017-03-30?sort=popular&q=opular:transactionalStatus:transactional:transactionalStatus:nontransactional:Event:Motorcycling&page=0

Nip across here and check out sizes/cost etc. I would always recommend trying helmets on and clothing as sizes can vary a lot even when they list them the same.

https://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/stores/uckfield

 

Most jackets have armour on the shoulders and elbows even cheapish ones.They usually have a pocket on the back for armour if you want it. More expensive makes can come with it all.
Trousers have it on the knees and sometimes hips depending on cost.
Jackets and trousers can have a removable liner for warmth in the winter and cooler in summer.
Gloves come in various grades eg winter/summer and some come with armour on the knuckles. Most people have both seasons.
Boots can either be full motorcycle style or a more casual style. You could wear a doc martens type or combat boot as long as they are sturdy and cover the ankles.
Helmets come in all styles/prices. Just remember even the cheaper ones conform to EU standards or British standards but buy the best you can afford.
Whatever you get remember that clothing/security chains/accessories will be transferred to your next scooter/bike so although expensive to set up once you have it it should last over a number of years.

 

This has all been really helpful guys.

Out of interest, what is the opinion of the Sinnis brand?

My local dealer sells these and is also the scooter I used on my CBT course.

If money was no option I would go Japanese but I'm weighing up 'good used' against 'cheap new'.

Cheers

Stevie

 

I've no actual experience of Sinnis but they have a good dealer network and I did consider a 125 Stealth for my son.
As long as you get it serviced and keep it serviced also wash/clean it regularly especially in winter it should be fine.
Unlike a Honda you can't just ride them in all weathers and expect them to respond like a new bike/scooter for years.
They just need a bit of TLC now and again otherwise no problem.
I see Sinnis is actually based in Brighton so spares shouldn't be a problem lol

 

Thank you.

You have all been really helpful

 

All the Peugeot scooters are Sinnis bikes re-badged.

 

Oh I'd love to buy a Honda but I think for my first scooter it might just be a little bit too pricey for me right now.

 

+1 vote for Sym, had my fiddle for about 6 weeks and has served me well

When working out your commute disregard the estimated mpg for the bike, I do 4-5 trips to work a week (10 miles each way) and a trip out maybe once a week and I'm putting between £8-£10 a week in it. A lot less than a bus pass and taxis mind but not this "you will only need a fiver a week" that some folks would have you believe.

Fiddle iii 125 is pretty decent, a comfy ride though you do feel the bumps and has quite a chunky rear but overall I like my two wheels