Newbie needs help with a beginning.

[InKaiser]

Hi guys,

 

I'm new to this place, been trying to search for answers to my burning questions but it's still all like foreign language to me.

 

I'm planning to get my bike license and I'm really interested in know more about scooters like vespas and all that, but i'm new to everything here, so hopefully there'll be some old bird around to help me out...

[ninja86]

im not an old bird exactly but what issit that u wanna know?

[InKaiser]

what is the recommended kind of scooter to get here in sg that is affordable (2nd hand or 1st hand?) and practical.

[taxico]

might be better for you to set a budget, then look for what is available to you and choose one that speaks to you from amongst them.

 

having said that, if you've never ridden before prior to passing your singapore 2B license, i recommend you buy a used bike.

 

that way, when you scratch your bike (and you probably will), there's less heart-ache involved.

 

also, a new scooter will depreciate the moment you hand the money over to the dealer... might as well save for something special down the road.

 

do note that cheap (old) auto scooters can be problematic and uneconomical to repair. especially the italian ones... (i'm thinking of piaggios here)

 

...not that there are many old auto scoots around for your choosing anyway... which i think is a good thing!

 

if you want an old (2-stroke) cheap scooter that you can throw around and abuse but still somehow (i don't know how also) work for you, look for an old honda cub or vespa clone (stella, bajaj, indo vespas).

 

as long as you give it oil, gas, check the brakes and clutch, they can give you many many years of service (look at those ah peks and postmen!)

 

however compared to auto/new scooters, old manual scoots are slightly slower off the mark, so if you want to do rabbit starts, this option is out.

 

if you want a reasonably priced pre-owned scooter with plenty of torque, storage space and braking power (by 2B standards), look for an X9 (older) or X9 evo (not as old).

 

they are maxi-scoots with twin disc front, single disc rear, 180cc/200cc. cruise quite well on the highway too.

 

naturally they come with a list of kinks you need to acquaint yourself with before handing over any money.

 

other similar (perhaps less endowed) maxi-scoots are the grandink, x8, atlantic, etc... you can check the sales section for prices. most have comfy seats for your pillon.

 

for new'ish smaller auto scoots, you have many to pick from (italian, japanese, korean, china - no!). too many to list.

 

some look girlish. some have nasty seats. some have no storage space. some have awful brakes. some just break down for no reason other than they are not well made.

 

also, most are 150cc or 125cc. not as peppy as a young hot blooded singaporean male would ideally like.

 

the fastest 4-stroker would probably be the 200cc (198?) gilera runner ($$$). 2-stroke runners are also pretty darn fast but quite fussy and need constant care ($$).

 

if you're not mechanically or technically inclined, i suggest you give the 2-strokers a wide berth.

 

i've gone off a tangent. you need to be more specific. "practical" is very vague. what is practical for you might not be practical for me.

 

finally, don't buy or ride a bike until you have an actual license on hand.

 

many young men have done so and eventually given in to temptation... to disastrous consequences...!