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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #1  
Old 25 Mar 2018
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Best bike for offroading...its a Scooter!!!

I enjoyed scooter riding in Asia and India so much. They are light, easy to repair if needet and just cost 4 Dollars per day. At home people cant imagine how much fun they are and how good they actually are for offroading so just check out this (not my) Video. Introducing the best and lightest bike for offroading: http://www.facebook.com/Ronny.Family/videos/1343343849059979/
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  #2  
Old 25 Mar 2018
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you know, when riding I need to have fun as well...
no scooter will give me that.
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  #3  
Old 25 Mar 2018
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tremens View Post
you know, when riding I need to have fun as well...
no scooter will give me that.
It shurly will it did for me. Better then any big bike. Just try it or watch the middle of this Video: https://youtu.be/d-9ObbvZmlU
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  #4  
Old 25 Mar 2018
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Great, fun video! Good to see those young guys "going for it". Oddly, my very first off road "bike" was a Vespa Scooter. I did a lot of what is shown in that video ... but not as well. (I was learning!)

Quote:
Originally Posted by tremens View Post
you know, when riding I need to have fun as well...
no scooter will give me that.
Did you actually LOOK AT THAT VIDEO? You don't think those guys are having FUN! I'd say YES ... X 10!

From my Vespa I went to a Honda 50 (The Vespa was better ... everywhere as it was a 150cc vs 50cc on the Honda)

I later bought a Bultaco 250 Pursang (pure Race Bike). Raced Motocross and Flat Track at legendary Ascot Park in SoCAl. I did not go far!

Years later (in my 40's!) raced AMA Enduro on Yamaha 250cc Two Stroke race bikes. 8 years of that.

But it all started on the Vespa, in retrospect ... it was AWESOME! I would not hesitate to rent one in Asia or India. In the past I rented 125cc two stroke dual sports in Thailand ... and in the mud, girls on 100cc scooters PASSED ME RIDING 2 UP!
They just know how!
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  #5  
Old 25 Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by mollydog View Post
Did you actually LOOK AT THAT VIDEO? You don't think those guys are having FUN! I'd say YES ... X 10!
Your so right. These days people say scooters are not fun but have actually never tryed it. Its just what everyone says so people who dont have any knowledge go to buy what everyone buys and thats not what is good but what is good advertised...a big difference...

Last edited by ta-rider; 26 Mar 2018 at 04:29.
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  #6  
Old 26 Mar 2018
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Scooters are maybe not the best for offroading but they are much better than any +200 kilo adventure bike because they are so much lighter and easier to handle when the going gets a bit rough....watch to the end and wait for it...

https://youtu.be/Ot1ajnveRk4
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  #7  
Old 26 Mar 2018
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Big bikes will have continued popularity. Fact is, most stay on paved roads on their big ADV bikes. And when they do go "off road" it ends up being more of a well traveled and maintained dirt road, not a "trail" or enduro course.

There are millions of such roads round the world. Many are scraped and gravel is added to stabilize them. Maintenance can vary country to country, and once it gets muddy, those 200 kilo guys are done. And ... IMHO, would be foolish to continue.

But plenty are perfectly happy to stay on paved roads all the time. It's all good.
20 years ago I was still racing dirt bikes and loved off road. Now? Not so much.
But I'd rather be on a Scooter over my DR650 if traversing deep mud. (I think I would just put my Scooter on a Bus, sit down and rest up! )
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  #8  
Old 26 Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by mollydog View Post
Did you actually LOOK AT THAT VIDEO? You don't think those guys are having FUN! I'd say YES ... X 10!

ok, I thought for a moment that OP is serious

On the other hand when I was in Morocco struggling on our big bikes with steep, rocky climb, we met local guy on the top on small scooter indeed...

p.s.
BTW after such "fun" scooter would be destroyed, so end of the trip
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  #9  
Old 27 Mar 2018
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My needs as an over landing (“adventure”) rider are significantly different from the local guy riding a scooter. I want to cover a lot of ground, often quickly, and I want to carry an unreasonable amount of luggage while I’m doing it. I’m also not interested in spending much of my limited holiday time having maintenance done, parts bolted back on, and occasional major rebuilds—all of which are common events if putting on major mileage with those wee little toy machines.

I know that’s not always true, and I acknowledge the reports from scooter, moped and Chinese 125cc riders who claim thousands of miles of carefree performance (and $5 per day rental pricing). But basically in choosing bigger machines, I’m selecting roadworthiness, cargo capacity, decreased maintenance, and comfort for the riding I’m most likely to be doing. In other circumstances I’ve had a blast on little disposable 125s and scooters, but not when I want to cover significant mileage.

Plus I’m finally old, relatively fragile, and suffering from a surplus of money in relation to time—not the way my life used to work. Mileage varies, as we all know.

Mark
(Currently touring Vietnam in a hurry, on my huge, manly, 250cc Honda)
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  #10  
Old 27 Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by tremens View Post
BTW after such "fun" scooter would be destroyed, so end of the trip
That just wrong. People should not talk about something they donw know. We went all over India on rented $5 per day scooters...we did not manage to destroy them. Even the Indians dont manage with 5 people on them.

Also 28.000 km around South America with 125cc was not a problem but lots of fun. Waaaay better then to ship bikes around the globe looking and treated as money on legs: http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/?report=goa
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  #11  
Old 27 Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by ta-rider View Post
That just wrong. People should not talk about something they donw know. We went all over India on rented $5 per day scooters...we did not manage to destroy them. Even the Indians dont manage with 5 people on them.
well, exactly - so don't. And good luck with your scooter, you will need it.

p.s.
I see fun has different meaning for different people.
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  #12  
Old 27 Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by markharf View Post
My needs as an over landing (“adventure”) rider are significantly different from the local guy riding a scooter. I want to cover a lot of ground, often quickly, and I want to carry an unreasonable amount of luggage while I’m doing it. I’m also not interested in spending much of my limited holiday time having maintenance done, parts bolted back on, and occasional major rebuilds—all of which are common events if putting on major mileage with those wee little toy machines.
exactly
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  #13  
Old 27 Mar 2018
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf View Post
My needs as an over landing (“adventure”) rider are significantly different from the local guy riding a scooter. I want to cover a lot of ground, often quickly, and I want to carry an unreasonable amount of luggage while I’m doing it. I’m also not interested in spending much of my limited holiday time having maintenance done, parts bolted back on, and occasional major rebuilds—all of which are common events if putting on major mileage with those wee little toy machines.

I know that’s not always true, and I acknowledge the reports from scooter, moped and Chinese 125cc riders who claim thousands of miles of carefree performance (and $5 per day rental pricing). But basically in choosing bigger machines, I’m selecting roadworthiness, cargo capacity, decreased maintenance, and comfort for the riding I’m most likely to be doing. In other circumstances I’ve had a blast on little disposable 125s and scooters, but not when I want to cover significant mileage.

Plus I’m finally old, relatively fragile, and suffering from a surplus of money in relation to time—not the way my life used to work. Mileage varies, as we all know.

Mark
(Currently touring Vietnam in a hurry, on my huge, manly, 250cc Honda)
Fair enough that - but Im not so sure you will need to spend more time at the mechanics repairing parts using a scooter than a big bike. Theres probably not ever made a more undestructible bike than the Honda Wave/Dream/C90/C110/Postiebike or whatever its called around the world. As a rentalshop owner once told me - «they are f***** indestructible! You can throw 10 handgrenades on it and it will still work»! He should know as he have rebted them out for 10 years.
Im riding a big adventure bike 650 cc around the world and Im have been constantly overtaken and bypassed by locals on small scooters and bikes all over the world - so whats fastest Im not sure?
Carry a lot of luggage? Yes a big bike can handle that better but I thought it was all about the art of packing light when you go for long travels? Although its an art I will never learn....
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  #14  
Old 28 Mar 2018
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There's only one problem with scooters - they look so damned ugly!
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  #15  
Old 28 Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by brclarke View Post
There's only one problem with scooters - they look so damned ugly!
They are not made to ride to Starbucks

If you ride a scooter right, you dont see them anyway



http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/?re...aos_pakse_loop

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