I ride a Piaggio X8 400ie scooter, which whilst bikers may snigger is actually pretty good fun to ride. It doesn’t look like it should be as it looks like a big soft barge… but I really love the way it rides. I can ride the scoot pretty much to it’s limits and I ride it quite hard. You don’t often get the change to ride a bike to it’s limits and it does add another dimension to riding. Riding a less capable machine to it’s limits makes it quite fun - I guess I’m not a sportsbike type so that’s good enough for me.
I’m way too practical, and that’s another reason I love the scoot, it’s just so easy on my commute in heavy traffic and I can chuck loads of stuff under the seat, no need for a rucksack or panniers or top box on most days - Add them and you have extreme two wheeled luggage capacity.
However, now I have sold my classic bike and now have no access to a “real motorcycling” experience - i.e. gears and a rigid frame between my legs (ooo err) I do have a kind of an itch to try a “proper” bike when the X8 gets a bit long in the tooth which probably won’t be for another year or two now.
However my practicality means that I know I can’t have the SV650 that I so like the look of as a top box would look a bit silly on it and I’d miss being able to chuck stuff under the seat (including my helmet!) and I know I’d probably miss the comfort of the scoot even though the SV would be fun fun fun… sad I know. LOL
The Deauville has been slated as boring, but actually that’s the bike I’m kind of thinking of. Twice the power of the scoot and about 50kg heavier but would it be as much fun?.. I don’t know it might actually be less fun to ride. But the built in storage and practicality (and shaft drive) appeals to me. I guess I’d have to test ride and find out…
The Dullsville is the girl next door… she’s responsible, she knows how to cook and clean, she doesn’t waste your money, not ugly but not pretty either, a good choice for marriage, but dull in the sack.
For some reason though, at first everybody goes for the crazy self harming psycho b!tch with the drug habit that dances on the table with her top off when she’s drunk showing off her tattoos and piercings (read Kawasaki ZX9R). At least a sports bike won’t be bedding your mates though.
So, live it out, young man, and get something more exciting, because unlike women, the Dullsville will still be available when you wise up.
LOL, I know what you mean but I guess I’m not really one to judge anything by its looks and I’m not a poser so I don’t care if I have something that looks the mutts nutts or is cool or not (or I’d be riding an R1 instead of an X8…!)
I’m not an adrenaline junkie, though I do have my moments even on the scooter, of trying my best to beat that BMW car from the lights and scratching round corners with the sportsbikes, usually I do keep up fairly well unless they try very hard, and normally I do beat that BMW away so I do ride quite hard within the limits of the scoot and that’s another thing I’m scared of, if I got a more capable bike I’d probably get myself into trouble more easily as the limits would be so much further away from reality of everyday roads…
Oh and by the way, I am a woman… and I’ll have had my bike licence for 13 years on 14th June so I’ve been around a while, never really had a big bike though and never had that much desire to have one. the X8 400 is actually the biggest cc and fastest two wheeler I’ve owned… it was faster than my old 350cc honda by quite a long way.
yes quite sad, but I decided I was never really going to ride it that much round here, and I got scared everytime I did ride it in case I damaged it. It was just too special to be scratching with the traffic on the A10 - much more suited to bimbling along country roads in Dorset where I used to live.
It went for £2100 on ebay which was a brilliant as some people said I wouldn’t get more than £1400 for it, but in the end it went to a very good home with a guy who’s dad also has a 350 Four. He road it all the way down to Chichester from Waltham Cross when he bought it and then emailed me to say that he was completely in love with it. He’s been very busy on it and obviously has much more time and money for it than me. Apparently he took it to the Ace the other weekend for "Honda " day.
That’s amazing how cheap these classics are going. They also cost far less to insure too. Guess there should be a revival of the traditional cafe racer bike!
The Deauville isn’t that ugly in its modern incarnation. It is business-like and will get you around but it is underpowered on motorways for its size. On smaller roads, unless you like being overtaken by mobility vehicles and milkfloats, you’ll have to work her engine
One of the guys on the forum recommended this brand which I didn’t even know about. I’d seriously think about getting one, once I get a bit better at making my mind up…
I had one once for a few days as a courtesy bike.Can’t think of a better bike to ride to and from work on - it’s so boring all you concentrate on is the traffic.
No pesky chain to keep lubed - another commuting plus.
But for anything else - it’s the biking equivalent of mogadon - apolagies to anyone that’s got one - it’s a brilliant bike that does exactly what it was designed to do commute/tour.
I guess I’d check out the service intervals if I got close to thinking of buying one.
Even my X8 has 6000 mile service intervals which is really quite good for a scoot.
I’m not the highest of mileage crunchers but I have put nearly 6000 miles on the scoot since I got it in July last year so not too bad going, a few >120 mile rides in there too.
Honda’s generally are a bit bland in the does everything so well way aren’t they. At least my old honda had the rarity and “OMG four exhausts on a tiny bike” factor!! Still remarkably efficient and reliable even at 35 years old.
Well… I am used to riding a 33bhp 198kg scooter on the motorway. I commute about 8 miles on free(ish) flowing motorway every day, and I have done some longer jaunts down to Swanage from Herts. The X8 copes admirably with cruising at about 80mph so I would imagine that a bike with another 33bhp or so on top and not too much more weight would be OK - compared to what I’m used to!! Though I gather you have to work the gearbox a bit to pull away which is where the twist and go efficiency of the scoot may have an advantage.
I find long motorway riding bloody boring though, the X8 is so comfy that you can virtually fall asleep as there’s not much to keep your attention. I tend to dive off the motorway to find a more interesting route usually anyway.
Interesting. Not sure I have a decent dealer near me… but it is italian like my Piaggio - so I guess it’ll have character unlike the Deauville, but possibly not be as dependable… LOL
what do you want ? a bike that will go around the clock with clockwork reliability or a bike that has “character” ? do you want a bike with built in storage ? and is it an 1100 or 750 Breva? the Deuville sits between them on power, although it might not get the juices flowing as much as all that Italian style, at least you will get a head start while the Brevia rider is still admiring their reflection in the shop windows either will do the job, but the Deuville will do it with weather protection and storage your choice oh and if you go to the Ace there used to be a guy who would regularly wheelie a Deuville :w00t:
**oh and if you go to the Ace there used to be a guy who would regularly wheelie a Deuville [w00t]
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That is so gross. That would put me off going to the Ace! :w00t:
The Breva looks like such a cool fantastic bike. In fact all the Moto Guzzi bikes look so cool and fantastic! It’s amazing how we pick the crappiest, ugliest, boring-est bikes and then justify it for personal use. That’s how I ended up with a CBR! That’s how the OP might end up with a Dull&Vile!
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Interesting. Not sure I have a decent dealer near me… but it is italian like my Piaggio - so I guess it’ll have character unlike the Deauville, but possibly not be as dependable… LOL
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That sounds about right…but Moto Guzzi look like they’ve reinvented themselves a bit like Aprilia with Piaggio taking over. Their electronics and finish are way up there with the best of the rest. If anything, Ducati are now looking like the most unreliable bike manufacturers to come out of Italy
Get a Moto Guzzi - guy i know bought a used minter - it looked and sounded like the ******** and was a bargain. Plus it has a stong motor - like the BMW Boxer - been around for donkeys years and slowly perfected.
If it’s for going to work:
Get the Dullvile - will always start and get you to work on that rainy monday morning when you really, really don’t want an Italian bike with fair weather electrics. . . That kind of Honda dependability and reliability is priceless for this type of scenario in my opinion.
The other point against the Moto Guzzi is the lack of weather protection. Piaggio have upped their reliability etc, and I’m guessing so have Moto Guzzi as a result (aren’t they owned by Piaggio now??). Also storage is a must so that also rules out the moto guzzi - and I don’t think a top box would look too good on it.
Funnily enough I do ride the scoot for pleasure as well as commuting and do look like this when riding, so I guess I don’t need that much in the way of performance to keep me happy. At the moment I attend rideouts with maxi-scooter clubs, I think I’d still be OK on the Deauville, I see it as a big wheeled scooter with gears…LOL
Until I own a Moto Guzzi, I don’t think I’m qualified to diss it!
The Guzzis are lifestyle choice bikes. They aren’t designed to be utilitarian and boring. My guess is that they also see less rain in Italy than North Wales
Looking around the internet, there is a Moto Guzzi forum somewhere with a Moto Guzzi club. They have a lot of praise for some of the obscurest bikes made by MG!
Yes - they are mostly naked/cruiser/street/unfaired bikes. Many use naked bikes in British weather. I’m sure a BMW C5 type umbrella protector could be custom made for a biker who wants the BMW jeers
'Guzzis have come on a lot in the past few years, my personal experience is based on a friends V1100 which he had for 3 years untill last year, so reasonably up to date, it handled OK had a reasonable amount of go, a superb gearbox and lousy electrics (he ended up removing the sidestand,clutch,ignition interlock wiring) they have some well known(in 'Guzzi circles) foibles, and are not that practical as a tourer, although they like most bikes can do that too.Unfortunatly scooterassasin I think you will find specialist forums for bike brands tend to do two things well, 1) they “big up” the brand letting everybody feel good that they are a part of an elite,2)if you check out the “bitchin section” they make you wish you had never bought the damn thing in otherwords they are biased (surprise) as to the BMW comment I have no real idea what you are on about ,but I would suggest you take your own advise about dissing bikes you don’t own oh and by the way, the other bike was a Dueville (last time I checked made by Honda)
something else to consider is running costs, is one bike more expensive to insure than the other? I’ll bet the rear tyre on the 'Guzzi is more expensive than the one on the Honda (and probably a softer, more quickly wearing compound) what is the difference in purchase cost? and the possible resale value? what are the service costs ? these are all questions that should be asked and considered when buying “transport”
I seriously considered a Deauville but went for the Honda CBF instead (initially a CBF600 and now a CBF1000). I chose it over the DV becuase the four cylinder engine is smoother and the gearing was better for town driving - I found that I had to change down to 1st for tight corners on the DV whereas the CF could take them in 2nd with a bit of clutch.
I think the DV is very attractive for motorway and longer, more rural commutes. It gives better weather protection and better luggage capacity.
The Honda CBF is also tarred with the boring label by the bike magazines and other bikers. Exciting bikes it seems need the following characteristics:
seriously uncomfortable - a girl’s bike unless it breaks your wrists and slips your spinal disksnoisy - the louder the betterskittish - uneven throttling, weak brakes, poor handling all boost the adrenalin levelspoor build quality - rust, rattles and failures add to the thrills as you never know if you will get homedepreciation - paying more for you biking makes you appreciate it moreNone of these appeal to me so I take pride in being boring.
when riding, so I guess I don’t need that much in the way of performance to keep me happy. At the moment I attend rideouts with maxi-scooter clubs, I think I’d still be OK on the Deauville, I see it as a big wheeled scooter with gears…LOL 
in otherwords they are biased (surprise) as to the BMW comment I have no real idea what you are on about ,but I would suggest you take your own advise about dissing bikes you don’t own 
oh and by the way, the other bike was a Dueville (last time I checked made by Honda)