Bye, bye SWing!
It was a bit unfortunate that my fellow traveler didn't have the chance to get accustomed to the bike due to his shoulder injury. And so, I had to split my attention between my Ladyhawk and the SWing, which didn't work out to well for the scooter, and my moving to Vancouver didn't help much either. After 13 months in our possession it had only 1,200km more on the clock.
What a waste of a wonderful two-wheeler, because there is a serious touring bike hidden behind the scooter face. The fairings and a proper windshield offer good weather protection, and it has lots of inbuilt storage room. 600cc gives it enough umph to keep up with the big guys. I have never tested top speed but acceleration is awesome, and it does make up to 140km easily before the bike begins to feel a little wobbly. The automatic shifting is smooth, and the ABS breaks guarantee a safe stop. Fuel consumption could be better, but a full tank (16.3l) would get me between 350 and 380km distance.
With 250kg the bike is fairly heavy (like all Honda's) but the weight will help keeping it straight in cross-winds, and it moves surprisingly easy into corners. Other nice features worth mentioning is the center stand, the shaft drive, and the stylish design that makes it look like a 'real' bike.
If we kept the SWing the upgrades would have included heated grips, a throttle lock, and a top case to make it the perfect touring machine. All in all I have gotten to know this scooter as a comfortable and reliable (solid Honda technology) two-wheeler good for commuting, shopping or cruising, and it is one of the few scooters that would actually fit my husband's size of 6'7". If we were to have another scooter, we would seriously consider buying another Silverwing.
The distinction between bikes and scooters as serious distance vehicles is really blurred now. A Yamaha T Max scooter did the round NZ in 5 days endurance ride I was on and he was in better condition at the end than many of the big bike riders, not to mention that he got in ahead of many of them too!
ReplyDeleteRemind me never to upset Mr M!!!! :-)
The SilverWing is a wonderful ride. Maxi-Scooters aren't my cup of tea. That said, I find the SWing to be the most attractive of the big Scoots. I'm more of a minimalist, but I've been getting the urge to move up a little, maybe to 220cc's. Yep, I've got a Genuine yearning growing.
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad you were able to sell the SWing in Calgary. Simple is good, and it sounds like it worked out just about as simple as it could.
~Keith
I have a couple friends that ride larger cc scooters. And they keep up with all of the "big" bikes nicely. And like Geoff says they seemed more relaxed and refreshed at the end of the day. And when fellow traveler heals up, there could always be another one in the future. :) -Lori
ReplyDeleteThe big scooters are becoming more and more common. I see a lot of them here in Texas.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that large engined scooters existed. All I've seen have been the under 200cc models. It sounds like a good touring bike.
ReplyDeleteIf you had the option, would you have ridden it on your summer road trip?
@Geoff: Indeed, scooters are on the rise, and they are doing pretty well.
ReplyDelete@Keith: All scooter experience I had was exposure to a small Vespa. I was never into maxi-scooters until I test-rode the Silverwing, and got convinced otherwise.
@Lori: Maxi-scooters certainly have become a serious alternative, and they are relaxing, too. No shifting gears, limited exposure to wind and weather, plush seat… very much like cruising… without the chrome.
@motoroz: I am surprised that there seem to be a change in trend happening in North America.
@Richard: Million Dollar question… I never considered it before, but my recent trips in Alberta convinced me that the Silverwing is indeed a mature touring bike. I still would have taken the Beemer though, not knowing what roads (gravel?) to expect. There is a glutton for inconvenience in me that would always go for a motorcycle instead of a scooter I guess.
SonjaM et al:
ReplyDeleteI have had both. I have ridden both a Maxi-scoot and a motorcycle to Oregon on multi-day trips. I suppose that it would depend upon your style of riding. I am not a speeder and both are adequate for the job. I have ridden a 250cc scooter over the Coquihalla highway to Kelowna and also my prev bike (SV650) along the same route.
I get more enjoyment from shifting gears and winding the engine which you cannot do with a CVT transmission. Both are adequate for the job but I feel that a scooter is more relegated for Urban areas. I also like the larger diameter wheels of a bike as being more secure over rough roads. IMHO
bob
Wet Coast Scootin
A few years ago while riding to the Yukon I had a maxi-scoot blwo by me like i was standing still on my R1150R. And he had a trailer! He was the only vehicle in 5,000km that passed us on rural roads.
ReplyDelete