Next new Bike

Fact---in a couple of years I will be 80, with no interest in not riding, as it has been a way of life for me since 1955, over 75 new bikes, always my prime transport.

So as you get older---heavy bike loaded for travel can be handful...and SilverWing loaded for travel can be heavy pig, Burgman 400 although about 150 lbs lighter than SilverWing can still be heavy pig at times. Both seem to be rear end heavy.

Not much in US available in around 250cc Scooters...made in Japan, with wide dealer net. Honda Forza not made in Japan may not even be on 2017 market. 200cc too slow for as you might get run over on highway.

Now comes Vespa---no wide dealer net work, Italian parts service, but for me easy handling=lighter. Had 3 new ones, one junker in past, lot of necessary accessories available----AND maybe only scooter with wide selection of windshields, that put your nose close to tip of shield-----I hate buffeting on long rides----based on past experience Vespa can be made buffet free!!-----8-10,000 mile belt changes=minus.

Past, living in Europe, my Px150E was my choice for Stella Alpina
Rally in Italy.....simply easier to get around mud and rocks.
Took it to Elephant Rally a couple of times-----good in snow, packed and new.

Soon I am riding to Atlanta to look---closes big dealer.

I think GTS300 would match my riding style. Pain, seat has to be lifted to fuel and small tank.

Plan on riding my SilverWing to 50,000 miles----yes I know they will go to over 100,000 miles----but getting a new bike is interesting.
50,000 miles in the past has been good time to trade/sell......before little things start going wrong

Can-am Trike?

Trike?? I rode sidecars for 40 years would rather have sidecar outfit than trike. But no bikes really ex factory made to handle them anymore.

Can AM open belt drive---not cheap----but handle well.

I think the CTX700 is about 474 pounds wet and has a low seat height (about 27 inches). With the DCT option and higher wind screen, it might be a good fit for you. It has a small gas tank (3.7 gallons), but it's supposed to get about 60 mpg. It's a Honda, so you know it's reliable.

John, I can understand your frustration in looking for a replacement for a SW, when the time comes. When I lost mine in an accident, I could not find a suitable replacement in Oz. Ended up with an Aprilia Scarabeo 500. It has reasonable storage space together with the Givi box, big wheels and a good power to weight ratio. And it still has got that classic Italian scooter look. I decided against a Vespa because they are overpriced, have small wheels and even the 300 engine only has 1 hp more than the 200 engine.
Couldn't get a Honda SH300i anywhere and the Piaggio Beverley 350 is not yet available secondhand for a good price. Both of these seem to be excellent performers and not too heavy.
Both Honda and Piaggio seem to have a policy of withdrawing their popular models from the markets for obscure reasons ( $$$$$ ).
I had both a Honda Forza 300 and a Burgman 400 and in my opinion they are too heavy for their power output and I totally dislike the Yamaha Tmax and the Honda CTX, because if I want a scooter, I also want it to look like a scooter and not a motorbike.
But I am on the opposite scale to you when it comes to miles done; since a major operation I can't do long distances anymore; but do daily short ones on most days of the year.

Isn't Honda CTX open chain, feet forward?=Cruiser, never for me. Engine ok

Have you thought about the Kymco 300gt. It is 29 hp and a littler smaller than the SW. I hear they are nice scoots and are full fairing bikes like the SW.

Kymco fine, after all their engines are used by BMW, I think Suzuki, too, 200 scooter......but strong national dealer network?---I ride my scooters far away from home, two years ago 49 states,this year Canada as far as Nova Scotia and I have to think what happens if I need dealer/parts under way.

Now that I think of it Dealim. In Korea, Daelim uses Kymco power train in their 250 scooter. Dealers are important to me. Stuck with breakdown can get expensive. I am not brand loyal when it comes time to buy.

Getting harder to find something that will work for me and my riding needs.....and I will not buy anything that has no centerstand----I rode my TU 250 10,000 miles (worked fine) but got tired of NO CENTEREDSTAND. I have had over 75 new bikes/scooters so some brand experience with lots of miles ridden

john grinsel wrote:

Kymco fine, after all their engines are used by BMW, I think Suzuki, too, 200 scooter......but strong national dealer network?---I ride my scooters far away from home, two years ago 49 states,this year Canada as far as Nova Scotia and I have to think what happens if I need dealer/parts under way.

Now that I think of it Dealim. In Korea, Daelim uses Kymco power train in their 250 scooter.   Dealers are important to me.   Stuck with breakdown can get expensive.    I am not brand loyal when it comes time to buy.

Getting harder to find something that will work for me and my riding needs.....and I will not buy anything that has no centerstand----I rode my TU 250 10,000 miles (worked fine) but got tired of NO CENTEREDSTAND. I have had over 75 new bikes/scooters so some brand experience with lots of miles ridden

I am curious as to why the emphasis on the center stand? As a former, until a TIA in March of '13, "American big iron" rider (no center stands as no normal human could hump it up onto one) one of the first things I did on my "new-to-me" '06 S'Wing in May of this year was to remove it and hang it from a hook in the garage only to be used when needed for servicing.

In everyday riding it has no value to me--am I missing something?

No, you are not missing something apart from the fact that we are all different in what we want. What works well for one rider might be an obstacle for another. I also wouldn't buy a motorbike / scooter without a centre stand. Simply because I had a few fall over on the side stand when not parked on level ground; but I have never dropped one on the centre stand. Luckily most maxi scooters have both.

I wouldn't even consider a maxi scooter or motorcycle without a centre stand fitted.I always park up on it, refuel with it on the centre stand it so I can rock the scoot to get the maximum amount of fuel in and I don't have gloves, filler cap etc falling off the seat. I don't have to push a 550 lbs plus Silver Wing around enough to get the tyre valves in a position to check pressures or add air, or buy one of those roller gadgets to put under the wheels to rotate them.

I can do visual checks for tread depth and damage with it on the centre stand, it was doing this that I spotted the blister on my rear Hoop that made me get a set of new tyres. When the Silver Wing needs cleaning I can easily rotate the wheels to spray on Muc-Off before cleaning, then give them a thorough cleaning, again by rotating the wheels.

I've even heard of rows of motorcycles being knocked over in rough seas on ferries because they were 'secured' on their side stands. Riders will always argue that the three points of contact of two tyres and the side stand are safer than using the centre stand, but they're usually on a large custom or sports bike that isn't fitted with one. I've always used the centre stand on ferries and never had a problem.

A couple of days ago I installed Puncturesafe in my ContiMove 365 tyres easily because the scooter was on the centre stand, in fact the only disadvantage of using the centre stand is marking the tarmac/asphalt parking place outside my garage, so I move it onto the flagstones nearby.

The only time I use the side stand is getting on and off the Silver Wing, especially when I'm using a tank bag, or on the rare occasions I'm on a grassed camping area and it's more convenient to use the side stand (with a puck under the foot of the stand to prevent it digging in and the scooter toppling over).

Then there's been posts on here about Silver Wings falling over on soft ground because the side stand has been used, resulting in scratches, broken screens and whatever. Plus there's the silliness of deliberately disabling the safety cut out switch on the side stand for whatever credible excuse you can think for doing it.

I rest my case for using the centre stand in preference to the side stand, or am I missing something.

Add---checking oil,washing, working on bike to need for center stand need.

Yes, checking oil, coolant, brake fluid etc, and you really wouldn't want to be opening a brake fluid reservoir with the scooter on it's side stand. Of course it's a lot simpler if you don't have to spend time bolting on the discarded centre stand first.

Nearly agree Meldrew, I use the sidestand each time I stop, but only till I dismount, and put it on centre stand. Always prefer centre stand from the first days of riding in the fifties, when a sidestand was an ADD on (well it was was on my BSA 250). You know I disconnected the sidestand cut out switch for my reasons, I have never had a problem remembering to raise the sidestand  after using it.

Meldrew wrote:

I wouldn't even consider a maxi scooter or motorcycle without a centre stand fitted.I always park up on it, refuel with it on the centre stand it so I can rock the scoot to get the maximum amount of fuel in and I don't have gloves, filler cap etc falling off the seat. I don't have to push a 550 lbs plus Silver Wing around enough to get the tyre valves in a position to check pressures or add air, or buy one of those roller gadgets to put under the wheels to rotate them.

Meldrew,
I have and use one of those roller gadgets when washing my bike even on the centre stand. The front tire stays on the ground and is too heavy to rotate when on the centre stand. I am OCD when it comes to cleaning my rims and tires. I used to use brut force rotating the front wheel when cleaning/inspecting, but that caused unsightly black tire marks on my driveway. The majority of times I use the side stand. And yes, I disabled my side stand switch. Just easier to warm up the bike while putting on my riding gear. Since you always use your centre stand, warming your bike with the side stand up should not be a problem for you. Anyway that is my 2¢. Ride safe U-all!

Now that we're totally off topic I'll join in.
I thought the mechanics concensus was to start and ride off, ticking over to warm up is not good for the engine (2 strokes excepted).
For me it's side stand for general use but mainstand for easy fettling. And I'm with whoever mentioned ferries, on the mainstand, strap the front brake on and strap it down. I hate so see a bike been torqued down onto a sidestand, I keep expecting the stand or bracket to fold over.

In my 55+ years of riding (again mostly "big-iron") I have only owned three or four bikes that have had center stands, and have never had any significant issues maintenance or otherwise. After a mildish stroke in early 2011 that messed up my left side I got a Burgman 400 in May of that year.

Prior to that I was riding a dressed out 42 year-old '68 FLH--over 800 lbs of American iron and not something lending itself to a center stand or a messed up left side...

I believe I now own the last bike I'll ever have. I've had my GT for almost three years and still think it's about as good as they come. Very good performance, comfortable, even more so with the Corbin seat and everthing except a cruise control. I might yet get around to doing something about that this winter if my arthritis doesn't decide otherwise.

exavid wrote:

I believe I now own the last bike I'll ever have. I've had my GT for almost three years and still think it's about as good as they come. Very good performance, comfortable, even more so with the Corbin seat and everthing except a cruise control. I might yet get around to doing something about that this winter if my arthritis doesn't decide otherwise.

+1 on the Corbin seat. Paul, I would get a throttle lock. I put one on my Silverwing. Good to go.

I put my 850 Goldwing up on the center stand when I park it in my garage. It allows me to check the air and do a visual check of the rear tire for damage without having to move the bike.

I have owned bikes without center stands. Ba humbug.

John, you had a Helix before. You might be able to find a very low mileage Helix. Reliable, comfortable, great mileage, and designed to go forever. I know you like new. A few years ago, there were still some new ones at the dealer ships. I saw one on ebay a year ago, with no mileage on it from a dealer.

I had 4 new Helix----total 175,000 miles---I don't buy used bikes---Liked built in trunk, hated high handlebars,buffeting, afraid of J rated (62mph) tires, having had one fly apart after long freeway run in Japan, no damage to me or bike....but nice scare.

Centerstand---Harley, had 4 Big Twins----center stands were available as accessory, three new Sportsters---accessory stand on new XL-1966 model.

For serious riders I feel centerstand complete necessity or convenience.

Modernman, I'm ahead of you. I put a Kaoko throttle clamp on my scooter right after I got it. Friction locks actually work better on a motorcycle with manual shift. The problem with CVT bikes is that holding the throttle might tend to keep the engine rpms the same or close but the CVT is always shifting up or down a wee bit unless you're running wide open. That shifting allows the bike to vary its speed more when the throttle is held. At least noticeably more variation in speed than a manual tranny.

Opposed engined bikes such as the Goldwing and BMW boxers do better if parked on a center stand instead of a side stand. Mainly because if you tilt a hot, opposed engine for awhile residual oil will collect in the lower cylinders. Often causing smoke on starting. Vertical cylinders don't have this problem, a slight tilt won't allow oil to remain in the cylinder. Aircraft engines whether radial or inverted usually are turned over by hand or by starter a turn or two to insure no cylinder can be hydro locked with oil. Parking a motorcycle with the tank petcock can cause cylinder flooding and hydro locking on any bike with carburetors. I always parked my Goldwings on the centerstand if they were going to be sitting for any longer length of time. I did the same with my BMW K1100LT with it's horizontal cylinders because the heads were on the left or lower side when parked on the side stand.

Agree on boxer bikes like centerstand-----one time parked my BMW R75/5 on side stamd in Wyoming, went to eat, came out, started bike------really lots of smoke, killed lots of bugs. I remember my K-75, with lay down cylinders, preferred center stand, parking them on side stand could also yield smoke on start up.

I've had two K1100LTs and always wondered why BMW didn't put the cylinder heads on the right side it wouldn't have taken much to build them that way. Neither of my K bikes would smoke unless it was parked on the side stand after a hard run and left sitting four a couple of days. But after four or five days they'd smoke just like all the Goldwings would in the same situation. On the older four cylinder Goldwings it was usually caused by old, hardened valve stem seals. I replaced several sets in my old shop. After that the smoking was pretty much gone.
But we maxi riders don't usually have that problem. But I still highly value the center stand and wouldn't want a bike that didn't have one. Now that I'm too old for a dirt bike that is.

Must admit i am the same as meldrew i dont buy a bike if it does not have a ctr stand.
I also have a aprilia mana gt 2011 that has a ctr stand and is rev n go just like the sw its a bit more complicated though with different drive modes you get rain, touring, sport, and sport gear 7 speed like tiptronic dont ride it much prefer the sw