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Bikes Republic’s Top five scooters to zip around town 2014

Some of our friends were inspired by Keshy’s conversion and are really going down the same route. But one last hurdle to them is the question “what do I get after they pass their license, is Vespa the only choice?” and we have a feeling a few of you feels the same way.

So we went to town to list down the top 5 scooters that we would like to have in our garage, either one of them or better yet all five. Each comes with its pros and cons and we will try to list them to help you pick the right one.

Some of the things we look for is weather protection, comfortable seat, handling, ease of riding and use, controls, looks and maybe if it comes with add ons. And all five are brought in by official importers or manufacturers which means they come with local support.

2010-Vespa-LX150-ie-Front-Angle-View

Vespa LX150

Pros – stylish, gets you and other people smiling, zippy engine and transmission, very manoeuvrable, comfortable seat and riding position, solid build and riding feel, flat floor means you can wear a dress though we don’t recommend the ladies to do so for safety reasons.

Cons – limited underseat storage space (one helmet), meter display looks like an after thought, no windscreen but available as accessories, size wise it feel just nice for city but a bit small for the big open highways.

Price: RM10, 988.15
Engine: Four -stroke single cylinder SOHC 149.5cc
Power: 11.66hp @ 8000 RPM
Torque: 11.50Nm @ 6250rpm
Seat height: 785mm
Weight: 110kg
Starter: Electric and kick

Yamaha Nouvo 135 LC

Yamaha Nouvo 135 LC
Yes its not really a scooter, its a scoochai, but still a good contender

Pros – very slim, nimble and bike like handling. Though the smallest engine capacity in this list, we dare say its one of the quickest off the line. Futuristic looks, very easy to maintain as any Tom, Dick and Harry workshop can repair it.

Cons – a lot on the road which means not the one you’d want if you want to be special. Limited under seat storage (one helmet and a bit more) and legroom. No windscreen. Kinda small for big guys.

Price: RM6,028
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 4-Stroke, SOHC 132.6cc
Power: 11hp @ 8500 RPM
Torque: 11.6Nm @ 6500rpm
Seat height: 770mm
Weight: 105kg
Starter: Electric and kick

Honda PCX

Honda PCX

Pros – Very green with the start stop feature, smooth acceleration but not overpowering, big underseat storage space. Low centre of gravity and nimble. Feels generally ok on the highway but could be better due to the lack of a windscreen.

Cons – though light, size wise it’s a bit bulky, looks needs a bit of getting used to, chromed handle bar hub looks a bit too tacky.

Price: RM10,688
Engine: Single-cylinder, liquid cooled, SOHC 4-stroke 2-valve 152.9cc
Power: 13.6hp @ 8500 RPM
Torque: 13.8Nm @ 5250rpm
Seat height: 760mm
Weight: 124kg
Starter: Electric

Sym VTS 200

Sym VTS 200
Our Adam’s pick for a scooter

Pros – big frontal area including windscreen and a capable engine make this the main choice of most commuters to use on short highway jaunts and city riding. Big and comfortable seat with big underseat storage.

Cons – slightly on the heavy side, a bit bulky to squeeze and lane split between cars, not so quick off the line compared to the first three.

Price: RM9,600
Engine: Single-cylinder, liquid cooled, SOHC 4-stroke 4-valve 171.2cc
Power: 14.5hp @ 8000 RPM
Torque: 13.7Nm @ 6500rpm
Seat height: NA
Weight: 165kg
Starter: Electric and kick

BMW C600

BMW C600 (or C650 GT)

Pros – if your budget is big, like 65k kind of big, then go for this. Good looks, high performance as in the German autobahn kind of cruising speeds and Stelvio Pass kind of cornering capability with acceleration that could put some sports bikes to shame.

Big and comfy seat, big underseat storage with expendable section when parked (C600 only, the C650GT doesn’t need this as it can hold two helmets and some). Though its 237kg, most of the weight is at the bottom which still makes it manageable to most riders.

You might just end up going touring with it especially with a good frontal coverage thanks to the adjustable windscreen. Yes it’s that good.
Cons – its big, and heavy, and did we mention its priced at the high end of the scooter spectrum.

Price: RM65,000
Engine: 2-cylinder 4-stroke liquid-cooled engine, 4 valves per cylinder 647cc
Power: 60hp @ 7500 RPM
Torque: 66Nm @ 6000rpm
Seat height: 800mm
Weight: 237kg
Starter: Electric

Co-founder of Bikes Republic and a motoring journalist by night. He is a self described enthusiasts with a passion for speed but instead rides a Harley and a J300. A man of contradictions, he is just as passionate about time off in the quiets as he is about trail braking into turn one at Sepang Circuit on two or four wheels.

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