More kymco impressions

It's the third day that I've owned my new scooter. I'm still taking everything in, but despite the two minor issues I've mentioned before (storage space, Kilometer odometer), I'm more than pleased with my purchase.

Aside from the obvious factor of engine displacement, there are some noticeable differences between the Kymco People 150, and the Yamaha Vino Classic. It's not exactly fair to compare the two, since, for what it is, the Yamaha Vino is a quality machine, designed specifically for low speed, urban commuting. The Vino does that job very well. That said, I wasn't riding the Vino as an urban commuter. I rode the Vino for extended periods of time, which could become very uncomfortable on my posterior. In addition, bumps in the road, particularly the occasional pothole, were terribly jarring. Fuel economy wasn't always the best either since I had to ride at full tilt much of the time, just to avoid getting run off the road.

On the other hand, the Kymco People 150 was designed to be ridden. I've sat on it for two hours straight now with no discomfort. Fuel economy is amazing, but I don't need to ride anywhere near full throttle, so I'm not taxing the engine at all. Road irregularities are no problem at all, since the 16 inch tires just roll over potholes like they aren't there.

Now that I've compared things that are apples vs. oranges issues, let's look at apples vs. apples issues.

Mirrors:

The mirrors on the Vino were small, but even with a heavy coat on, I could see behind me very well. The People's mirrors are a little wider, but don't seem to give as good of a picture of what's directly behind me. I'm sure in time that this can be adjusted, or I could always replace them with something better.

Headlights:

The headlight on the Vino was great on low beam, but visibility dropped dramatically with high beams. I think the high beam was aimed a little too high. The People's high beam is very bright and illuminates the road very well, as does the low beam.

Maneuverability:

The Vino and the Kymco are both very maneuverable. It's hard to compare them on this aspect, but I'd say there's little difference between the two; however, the Kymco's larger wheels make it feel much more stable. This might be of interest to anyone in the market for a 50cc since Kymco does have the People 50 and People S 50, both of which have 16" wheels as well.

Conclusion:

If you want a 50cc scooter, the Vino 50 is not a bad choice. On the other hand, if you get one from a Yamaha dealer, they will try to nail you with tons of additional fees. I hate to admit it, but that is what happened to me. I paid more than $300 in dealer fees for a 2006 Vino with a sticker price of $1599. I still highly recomend the scooter as a daily commuter, if that is all you are going to use it for, and I think mine is still available at Trans-Am Cycle Sales in Lititz PA. If it's no longer there, they do sell other scooters, and the Kymco Agility 50 gets high marks from what I've read.

If you're doing more riding than just a short commute, I can't stress enough that a 50cc scooter may not meet your needs. I'd really recomend a 125 - 150cc scooter, or even something faster. Yamaha and Honda are both fantastic brands, but dealer fees are a big problem. They aren't necesary, but the dealers and salesmen tack them on to make a little extra. If you can't talk them down, go elsewhere. Kymco, Aprillia, Piagio, and a few others, make great scooters are either a comparable or less costly price-point over Honda and Yamaha, and their dealers aren't as likely to tack on extra fees.