Scooters - are they cost effective?

Backmarker

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In 1999 I was commuting from North to West London (40 miles per day). Used a K75S but had a Honda C90 for really bad winter weather. I hated it (the C90). In 2001 I was going to replace it with something more modern (Piaggio SP180 & ItalJet 180's topped the list, but I looked at everything available) but having done the maths, (servicing/repair costs, tyre wear/costs etc) I bought a Yamaha DT 125R instead.

In 2003 I was commuting Sevenoaks to North London (100 miles a day) on an 1150 GS - considered buying a scooter once again for the depths of winter - did the maths and ended up with a 1997 VW Golf Estate.

2009 I was commuting Sevenoaks to Stratford (East London) (60 miles per day) same GS - looked at the MP3 for when it got really slippery - did the maths and bought a 2002 R1100S. Even the dealer didn't want to sell me an MP3 when he heard I wanted to do that sort of mileage on it.

Now commuting Sevenoaks to Eastbourne (110 miles a day) on the same GS & S - I am thinking of a scooter once again. So before I do the maths again, (and I realise that fuel has gone up far more than tyres/servicing etc - so a scooter might make sense), I thought I pose the question here.

Has anyone done 6k on a scooter recently, and what did it cost in terms of tyres servicing and repairs (or depreciation if bought new/nearly new)?

(I was considering a C1 until I saw one that had cost http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-BMW-...8626794?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item19d6d774ea)
 
I've got a Honda PCX 125 for my commute. Brought new, at £99 desposit and 0% over 3 years. What I'm paying per month is about £10 less than what I'm saving on just fuel (from running my Forester). And if anything goes wrong, it's under warranty.

Insurance is an extra few quid a year (added to my GSA policy), however a few years stand alone policy was only about 60 quid (so paid for in about 6 months)

Servicing in going to be a few hundred extra a year (until out of warranty then I'll do it myself), however because I'm using the scooter it means that the car only needs one service a year, rather than one a half (if that makes sense).

In terms of tyres etc, two new tyres I can get fitted for about £100, no idea how long they will last, but every mile on them is a mile I'm not putting on 4 car tyres.

All in all, I worked out that give or take, it'll pretty much break even over the next 3 years. Then I'm into savings.

The big thing for me is the time savings. Even with getting dressed/undressed in bike kit I'm saving about 1/2 an hour a day, over driving in and out of work. And for me that's worth it.
 
theoneandonly said:
ever tried getting a job near to home ?
Click to expand...

Strange you should ask that - but my first 'proper job' (1983) required a 44 mile round trip to Leicester (we lived in a small town, no jobs unless you wanted to make underwear for M&S or pack Frozen Peas - and yes, I did try both). So I bought a very elderly Yamaha RS 100. And I have been commuting similar distances (or more) ever since (barring a few years dispatching, and a couple working as a Riding Instructor). Actually, now I think about it, I had a pretty decent commute to work when I was working as both a dispatch rider and as an Instructor.

And the consequence of this is I have probably spent more time riding a bike than doing any other single activity in my adult life.

So why would I want a job nearer to home??
 
Well, I was an early Apple adopter (1991)- before going to Acorns (1994), then PC's before returning to Mac's (still have an iBook G3 from 1999).

So...PCX125 devotees....what is the service interval, what does a service cost, what do tyres cost, what sort of mileage do you get. Have you done 6k? If so, what repairs (ok, being that you are probably all on new machines, unlikely), but what do you think the depreciation is currently at.

Come on now, lets have some facts to back up your ascertions.
 
I bought ...

... an '06 T-Max nearly 4 years ago; I've done about 14k miles on it in that time, shortish (<15 miles) commute and use around town. It's had one major dealer service in that time which was about £450 inc. the drive belt, intermediate oil services I do myself every 3k at about £40 a time. Tyres, 1 front and two rears average £100 each. I get mileage money and it now costs around £15 to fill up every 135 miles. I paid £2600 and I could probably get around half that back, but the saving in time has been worth that and I rarely use the tube now.
 
Backmarker said:
So...PCX125 devotees....what is the service interval, what does a service cost, what do tyres cost, what sort of mileage do you get. Have you done 6k? If so, what repairs (ok, being that you are probably all on new machines, unlikely), but what do you think the depreciation is currently at.

Come on now, lets have some facts to back up your ascertions.
Click to expand...

Service interval is 2.5k. Major servicing I should be able to get for about 150/200 quid (once out of warranty, I'll do it myself, then it's oil/air filter etc (£19.99) and my time. However the flip side is that I'll only need one service a year on my car, as to 1 1/2 (so that 1/2 is prob around the £100/£150 mark a year)

Tyres I can get fitted for around the £100 mark, how long they will last, given the little power going through them, and from experience of friends 125's I can't see them wearing out that fast. At the moment I'm getting about 115mpg.

The extra cost of insurance was about 50 quid to add to my existing policy (of which £25 was admin).

I have based my calculations on that fact that at 3 years old, it is worthless. In reality it will have some worth. However like I've said before, for those 3 years, I'm pretty much breaking even over running my car to and from work. The time I save is what is important to me at the moment.

Then at 3 years old, my plan is either to kept it and service etc all myself and just use as a cheap and cheerful runaround. Or if parts etc start getting expensive, chuck it in against another new one and do the same again.

That said, who knows what my (or anyone's) situation could be in 3 years time.
 
Ok, so over 6k Miles:

Fuel (1.32pl - as paid yesterday) GS (at 9.2mpl) = £861, PCX (at 115mpg) = £313. PCX up £548

Tyres: GS one set Tourances £220. PCX: An average of reported mileages online (4k rear, 5k front) = £270 GS up £50

Servicing: GS £260 (average big/small at independent). PCX (at £175 - average of your figures, and generous based on the reality of actual figures I have seen- every 2.5k) = £420 GS up £160

I'll ignore the insurance - I'm old and tired - putting the DT on my policy decreased my premium by a few quid, as did removing it a few years later. Changing my car policy to business cost £0 inc Admin Fee. So adding a scooter isn't a cost issue.

Tas would be £15, so that leaves a saving of

Assume the GS is going to depreciate by at least as much as the scooter using it through the winter (unlikey given the age/condition of the GS), then the bottom line is that it I have £338 to lose (plus it could be argued, whatever the depreciation is of another 6k on a 100k cosmetically challenged but mechanically perfect 1150GS - either by buying something for x amount and then selling it 6k later for £338 more than I paid, or I buy something
 
There is one advantage which has not been factored into the equation here, and that is the amount of fun and smugness you will have riding to and from work.

Ok in the piss pouring rain and dark icy mornings it aint going to be ideal but u will arrive feelling in a much better frame of mind,if its only the relief of getting there in 1 peice.:clap
 
BlueBird said:
There is one advantage which has not been factored into the equation here, and that is the amount of fun and smugness you will have riding to and from work.

Ok in the piss pouring rain and dark icy mornings it aint going to be ideal but u will arrive feelling in a much better frame of mind,if its only the relief of getting there in 1 peice.:clap
Click to expand...

Good point :thumb2

Im not sure on the whole running cost vs a GS as its more impt to me to keep my GS salt free and ready for next season as opposed to sitting outside all day and slowly rotting. Also my PCX is way more managle in tight traffic so is even more stress free in any commuting scenario.

Trev
 
My PCX was last serviced at 8,000 miles. It's done 15,000 now and working fine but the variator belt is going to snap real soon.

So cheap, just service it yourself. Only reason to keep to the silly 2.5k interval is for the warranty.
 
love My T Max 500 . Had 4 of them and they are handy for a big guy like me . Twist and go , cruise at 80mph in Germany :D Hard to fault in town , keep their value these days now more people get them . The french love them , use them instead of a second car. Easy to look after Comfortable and can out handle . out pace most of your summer only riders ,love my 1200 , but if I could only have one bike it would be a T Max. :thumb2
 
Yeah...T-Max is something I have been seriously considering for years. But they do hold their value, too well for me (cheapest on ebay currently £1,200 for a 95k 'sold as seen'). Not fuel efficient enough for me to justify the capital outlay I would need for a decent one, especially as I figure running costs would be higher than the GS.
 
Ive owned a 2003 bergy 400 for 2 years, it was serviced before i brought it, ive done nothing to it in 2 years, and that includes cleaning it, its being serviced next week by my mate, new belt etc.£60 for the parts and a good drink for him.

i do 25 miles a day in all weathers good for 75mph and i get 70mpg.

i must be honest and i ride it in the rain but dont like riding it when it's icy but that is the same for any bike.

It is the longest i have owned any second bike :thumb2
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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