I am thinking about selling the old girl. We’ve been together for quite a while but she is not getting ridden much these days. At 207Kg wet weight (or 458lb) She is classed as a middle weight but I am finding her a bit heavy to move about, especially compared to the 97Kg (214lb) Address.
It would be nice to have a bike that I could take on the faster roads two-up, but I don't think my ideal bike exists. I'd need a low seat, ideally a step through, a weight of under 130Kg, a power of 25+bhp and a narrow body and seat.
The Address fulfils all of these apart from the power. It has only 9bhp. All of the more powerful scooters I have looked at are very heavy and usually very wide. I guess the width is because of the strive to fit full face helmets under the seat. The Address will take an open face, but not my full face helmet, but it does have two helmet holders under the seat. This means I can have a full top-box, full under-the-seat storage, and still be able to secure two helmets securely. I'd also still have the compartments and hook on the leg shield for odds and ends.
The BMW has the power, the narrow body and seat, and either pannier will take a full face helmet, but it's heavy (to me) and non step through.
BMW R65LS Dry weight: 208Kg, Power: 50bhp, Seat Height:810mm Max Speed 95mph |
Suzuki Address 110 Kerb weight: 97Kg, Power: 9bhp, Seat Height:755mm Max speed 60mph |
On the Address I only overtake tractors.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Kerb weight: 191Kg, Power: 20bhp, Seat Height:765mm Speed limiter set to 70mph |
Royal Alloy TG 300 S LC ABS Kerb weight: 152Kg, Power: 25bhp, Seat Height:770mm |
But I'm not sure about that airscoop or whatever it on the bottom which looks like it could easily hit a curb. But the stated ground clearance is 40mm more than the Address. I'm also not too happy about the 12" wheels, the sloping carrier, and the lack of underseat storage.
Kerb weight: 173Kg, Power: 26bhp, Seat Height:790mm |
Will be expensive when it comes out and it's heavy, almost twice the weight of the Address. 12inch wheels again.
Lambretta X300 Kerb weight: 165Kg, Power: 25bhp, Seat Height:790mm |
I think my recent hip trouble is telling me that my days of riding anything other than a step through scooter are coming to a close. I suppose a 59 year run isn't too bad.
For pootling about in Cornwall around 45-60mph (70-95kph) the Address is perfect and this is most of my riding. For longer drives on fast roads the BMW will cruise at 70+mph all day. but I have not done these rides for a number of years.
Would I replace the BMW? Probably not. But I may just go down to being a single scooter man - as I was when I began my motorcycle life on a Lambretta LD almost 60 years ago.
Lambretta LD 150 Dry weight: 87Kg, Power: 6.5bhp, Seat Height:760mm |
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