Behold The Future! By kz1000st (Read 1,302 times)

[kz1000st]

.cycleworld.com/2012/12/03/2013-honda-integra-scooter-first-ride/?cmpid=enews120612&spPodID=020&spMailingID=4964078&spUserID=MjA0MDMxNTY4NzgS1&spJobID=298820658&spReportId=Mjk4ODIwNjU4S0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.cycleworld.com/2012/12/03/2013-honda-integra-scooter-first-ride/?cmpid=enews120612&spPodID=020&spMailingID=4964078&spUserID=MjA0MDMxNTY4NzgS1&spJobID=298820658&spReportId=Mjk4ODIwNjU4S0

Imagine this with all the Big 4 250cc motors in a smaller package and DCT. Kawasaki would let the good times roll for sure.

[wheezy]

As one comment on the story said, "Would you be willing to pay $11,000 for what amounts to an oversized scooter?".

It's a beautiful bike, for sure. And a DCT versus the CVT is nice. Notice the one pic where the rider's knees are only a couple inches from the fairing. It's a nice, sturdy bike. And it's a Honda. But, I can't help but think I could almost get a Concours 1400 for that price. Or 2 Burgman 650's slightly used.

[JR]

Let me tell you something, to me that's the prettiest scooter to come out in a long time IMO. I'm old style and these new machines with the square body styles and the ninja crap look are a big turn off to me. Also the so called motorcycle looking scooters, don't like them at all.

But the first thing I see in this scooter is the smooth build of the body style and if you look close you see old style Reflex in it. The windsheild looks like a carbon copy! Bigger tires and higher off of the ground than the Reflex but the style is similiar IMO.

$11k? Chunk of change but if I had it and the reviews stay good I'd really like to have this baby! I'll tell you one thing, my area Craigslist is small compared to others shopping areas but if I see a steal on one of these I'm shopping!

JR

[bobf]

Being an over the hill person, I would not want to ride this new machine at all. In fact I was disappointed when I bought my water cooled scooter as it no longer had the flat floor board for my feet or any packages I wished to load on it. I had imagined a milk carton strapped to the flat floor when I wanted to carry some things. Anyway, I was able to use the lower area to my advantage as I no longer need to step above my ability.

Contrary to the comments above, I would really like to have something more usable and less of the lookable concern. Problem with something? Flip a few latches and lift off the panels. Functional is my real concern. Glitter is for Hollywood.
.

[kz1000st]

They put saddlebags and top box on this bike for a reason. That's where milk belongs. If I want to carry a hay bale I have a car. Here's the real beauty of this design. You really can tour with it or commute on an interstate without fear of crosswinds, never mind how fast it is.

[bobf]

My daughter has a 1500 Kawasaki. She won't let me near it at all. But she did let my try to sit on it. Too tall, I could barely get my leg over the seat and sit on it. I'm 6'3" but a bit old now at 79. Getting off was worse. My daughter held her machine steady and I more or less dove off the other side and stumbled, off balance, across the garage till I grabbed a stair rail.

My scoot is a 2008 with a vertical engine of 244cc. It has a nice trunk that is big enough for my helmet and a few other small items. I like it well, use it when I can.

But I do remember the early days and how the Cushman could be undressed in just a few minutes. My scoot does take a while to take the puzzle covers off in the best sequence plus remember how they came off so I can put them back on.

My state M/C endorsement test was done on motor cycles. Nearly killed myself on the first bike I was assigned to. It was a tall cross over bike marked 240 and the brake was somehow tucked under the right peg. Was heading right at the instructor and did not get the brake to work as I should have so I grabbed the front brake handle real hard. The pavement came right up and smacked me hard. After that they had me ride a 125 motorcycle that had a real step on it brake pedal. Then things went a lot better. I did this endorsement test before I even ordered my scooter. I did not want to waste $2,000 for something I could not use. So I spent my $150 first.
.

[cruiser]

I don't consider this to be either a traditional motorcycle or a traditional scooter. It's more like a "crossover". Something a motorcycle rider might get if he's thinking about a scooter but not quite sure or maybe something a scooter rider might get if he was thinking about a motorcycle but was not quite sure. I feel that it's an automatic motorcycle with hand brakes like most scooters.

I like scooters for their simplicity, light weight, ease of getting on and off (don't have to swing a leg over the seat) and low price. The Honda has none of these attributes. It sure looks pretty though.

[wolfhound]

At 79 Bobf has me by 3 years but like him, I have a problem swinging my leg over a motorcycle. This is a beautiful scooter(?) and if it is ever offered
in the USA(Honda has no plans for that!!) it will find a market. Personally I see it as a wolf in sheeps clothing.
Cruiser sums it up best, I think.

[kz1000st]

Simplicity is going away fast. Scooters with fuel injection are not simple. Witness the BMS TBX 260 as a coming trend. If it succeeds it will change the way the Chinese do business. Oh, and you can't put a 24 pack on its floorboards either.

Hey, does that make my Helix clone a motorcycle??!!

[JR]

It's like anything you buy, it's what you like. I'm on board with a traditional scooter even though the ones I have except for the 50cc are not totally traditional. The Bali 150 has some traditional scooter traits but not all of them.

Everyone knows I'm a Chinese scooter fan and I actually love them all just some more than others. But the new modern type scooters except this one I don't care for at all.


Hey, does that make my Helix clone a motorcycle??!!

No it's just a ugly scooter!

JR

[bobf]

Well, I just like to think of these larger scooters with higher power to be mostly step through motorcycles.

Those lighter machines with smaller cc engines really are scooters, even without the kick start mechanism. I found those that live with a 55" wheel base to be good candidates for scooter. Most had flat floors. I tried them on for size and on many my knees were right up to the front panel. I felt more like I was wearing the thing rather than riding. So I started to look for a longer wheel base.

Now when there is a step up to the higher horse power machines 150 cc and up with a 65" wheel base and water cooling, the scooter image is gone and we now have a step through motorcycle.

It is all very fuzzy right now except in many states anything larger than 49cc is a motorcycle. I guess I don't really agree with that idea either. So maybe it is me that is fuzzy.
.

[wolfhound]

I guess that my Stella, 35 year old design, metal body, 4 speed gear shift, 150cc, pretty much retro, is a real scooter.

[wolfhound]

PS: The Stella has a real kick starter, hanging out in plain site, it works!! Now if I can just get time to break it in. 2 fuel fill ups=115 mpg. EPA rating
is 140 mpg but I doubt that any one has ever acchieved that. On the Modern Buddy site Stella owners seem to get between 90-120 mpg.
Also has an electric starter and a spare tire. Made by LML in India, it is a retro Vespa L120 design. Wheel base 54".
JR, "Just an ugly scooter" cruel, man, cruel!!! (But true)

[kz1000st]

Hah, not "Ugly", it's Fugly! But darn it, it works.

I hate to tell you guys this but my 86 year old Dad is still swinging his leg over a 2000 750 Kawasaki, not to mention his Cannondale. I think you guys can handle a T-Max.

DCT was first used on Honda's VFR 1400 and now has moved down to a 700cc. When it moves down to 500 and 250s it will truly shake up the industry. Imagine a 300cc, twin cylinder Integra. Vespa will go extinct.

[JR]

Well your dad is a tough old bird! I'm 20 years younger and one foot in a cast so I couldn't even mount my scooter right now very well.

But I do get on the riding mower to go get the mail!

JR