I dunno ... maybe ... but my surface thinking at the time was "not as expensive as a car, and we have a family SUV to haul stuff in, so why not something I can just get around on?"
After deciding I liked the scooter, the "bigger/faster" impulse was based on being able to take longer trips and drive faster (50cc is fine in town, but it's five miles to town on a highway with a 60mph speed limit -- the thing will do 40mph, slightly downhill with a tailwind).
And now, of course, the "there may be something wrong in your colon" probably is plucking the "mid-life crisis" strings in my heart.
I'm resisting the "sell everything you have, buy a Harley, and ride to Sturgis" impulse. I'm still caught in the range that has "ability to ride to Key West in a timely manner even if I have to avoid freeways" at the low end and "ability to cruise at 70-80mph on that trip to Key West, but probably on something which wouldn't fit in at Sturgis" at the high end.
The details devil is, of course, money. I figure getting into what I want is going to come to at least $2,000 including the bike, taxes/tags, and the required school to get the license endorsement, unless I settle for the very low end of the aforementioned range -- I can probably swing a 150cc scooter and the other stuff for $1,500. The $2k would get me into a 250cc scooter or maybe an older used 400-500cc motorcycle.
I have to say that I like the scooter profile -- lower to the ground, wants to stay upright, no need for manual shifting, etc. -- a lot and am a little skeptical of sitting up high on something with bigger wheels and a manual transmission (I have no problem driving a stick shift car, but I've never done the motorcycle thing). But I'm also feeling a little of the Marlon Brando vibe lately.
Advice from any riders out there? I know Thane is big on scooters, and his advice has been valuable. But while I wait for Bitcoin to start going back up in price so I can swing $1500-$2,000, I'm gathering opinions.
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