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Post by johnnyr on Jun 29, 2005 13:03:22 GMT
just a quicken to say i've had one of the Baotian 'retro' scoots since begining of jan(2005) - bright kawasaki green !! i'm 100kg and this little scoot has taken me to work everyday (12 mile round trip) for just £2 a week come rain or shine - at a cost of £500 inc dvla reg, 12 mths roadtax and 12mths comp insurance with CIS i'm well happy  ps good luck with the new forum... |
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jun 29, 2005 13:09:54 GMT
Cheers Johnny!!  It wasn't until I'd paid for my Taishan that I discovered Baotian scooters and to be honest I prefer the look of them. I guess that a Baotian and a Taishan are pretty much one & the same but the Baotians I've seen on eBay always look slightly better.  The £500 you paid sounds good, I paid £370 for my Commuter plus £100 delivery plus a further £53 for reg & tax so about £523. I've only done a couple of hundred miles but I love it to bits!! ;D |
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Post by jules30 on Jun 30, 2005 12:39:48 GMT
hi all
i have had my boation now for about 3 months and its great. its so cheap to run i'm amazed at the money its saving me.
jules
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jun 30, 2005 12:57:46 GMT
hi all i have had my boation now for about 3 months and its great. its so cheap to run i'm amazed at the money its saving me. jules I'm the same as you Jules, I bought my scooter as a daily commuter to get me to work & back and with 100 miles per gallon you can't go wrong. Tony Blair has successfully done what he set out to do and that is to price motorists off the road. My missus passed her driving test about 6 weeks ago and we've got our first kid due in September and if I'd have bought a second car it would cost a bomb to insure the missus (around £1000 I imagine) add to that the cost of petrol, road tax, MoT's etc etc it all adds up.  To save ourselves a few quid I let the missus have the car and I bought myself a Taishan Commuter, got it on the road for a little over £500. Welcome aboard Jules by the way!! ;D |
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Post by jules30 on Jun 30, 2005 13:16:22 GMT
i know and with petrol prices expected to go up again i have to say at 100mpg i'm not too bothered, not like i would have been if i still had my car. i became a student nurse and just needed a cheaper option to get to and from college and its great, dont have to worry about parking in a limited car park.
jules
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jun 30, 2005 13:20:29 GMT
I find driving my car seems boring now. Until the missus passed her test I was a bit of a petrol head - I loved cars and never thought about owning a scooter. Since looking into things and realising I didn't need to take a CBT I thought I'd give this scootering malarky a go and I'm glad I did. I find myself just riding around on it when I'm bored, I couldn't do that in a car as it would cost too much.
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Post by jules30 on Jun 30, 2005 13:23:56 GMT
i too find it strange to be behind the wheel of a car now. i also didn't need to take my CBT but decided it may be safer if i did, and have to say it was a great but very long and tiring day, still gave me loads of experience and boosted my confidence. also made me safer as i can now go round corners!!!! don't ask
jules
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jun 30, 2005 13:33:06 GMT
I'm glad you said that as I'm still scared to go round corners, I'm frightened to lean over too much. ;D If I come to a 90 degree corner I keep myself fairly upright and just turn the wheel, the only problem is Taishan Commuter's have a really large turning circle so nine times out of ten I nearly ram into the curb.  |
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Post by jules30 on Jun 30, 2005 13:51:56 GMT
i know exactly what you mean, my first go before the CBT i found myself not going round the corner at all, but instead i was still heading towards this terrified old lady, luckily i knew where the brake was ha ha. the trick so they told me at teh CBT is to have your back brake on slightly and i found this works well.
jules
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jun 30, 2005 14:03:35 GMT
the trick so they told me at teh CBT is to have your back brake on slightly and i found this works well. Really? I'll have to give that a go. My user manual say's to always apply both brakes and not just one but what do they know?  ;D Being a bloke I can't be bothered taking a CBT as I already know everything.  No doubt in a year or two from now I'll want to progress onto a bigger engined scooter so I'll have no choice but to take a CBT but until that time comes I'm happy to learn by experience. |
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Post by jules30 on Jun 30, 2005 14:36:30 GMT
the CBT instructor said you shouldn't have front brake applied whilst going round a corner as you will fall off as it locks front wheel.
i too will have to take it again once i've stopped being a student as already decided want a bigger engine scooter.
jules
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jul 1, 2005 12:44:26 GMT
Jules30 you're a bleedin' star!!!!!!!!!! I went to work & back on my scooter today (8 mile round trip) and did what you suggested about applying the rear brake a little when cornering and it works a treat!! Before when I'd corner I'd be on & off the throttle but today my cornering was a hell of a lot smoother, I don't fear corners anymore. ;D Got any more things that I need to know? |
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Post by beefjurky on Jul 3, 2005 8:01:54 GMT
can you get the stand to scrape on the floor going around left hand bends?
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jul 3, 2005 10:57:52 GMT
Not yet and to be honest I don't think I want to. ;D
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Post by beefjurky on Jul 3, 2005 11:03:19 GMT
no its not clever at all DONT TRY IT AT HOME KIDS !!!!! but i have had a full bike licence for ten years and a big bike,so i might have picked up a few skills(or maybe not)
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jul 3, 2005 11:13:56 GMT
I suppose a 49cc scooter isn't a bad way of learning the rules of the road. I think if I could've gone straight onto a bigger engined bike I'd be dead by now!!  I keep hearing on another scooter forum about how someone has got their scooter to do over 60mph - I wouldn't like to crash a car at 60mph let alone fall off a scooter. |
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Post by beefjurky on Jul 3, 2005 11:29:49 GMT
i have had my speedo needle past the end of the gauge,about 55- 60 i guess not adviseable on these little scooters they get a bit of a wobble on and also will knacker the engine in no time at all, they are a good way to learn how to ride on the road, the only thing that i will say is dont let the cars push you into the gutter, ride well away from the grates and stuff and if cars want to overtake make them drive around you properly. if they sound the horn just ignore them or as in my case give them the two fingered salute, then wait until they have to stop in traffic(and they will)and ride passed them real slow with a smug look on your face thinking that didnt get you far did it.anyway they are brilliant little scooters if you dont expect the earth from them, just travel at a nice speed(i keep between 35-40mph)and they will do inxs of 100 miles to the gallon,i have had mine since jan 05 and have used it every day and had no problems(even when i had to ride home in a monsoon last wednesday night)
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Post by Ginger Phil on Jul 3, 2005 11:51:09 GMT
I know what you mean about not letting cars intimidate you. On my first outing out on the scooter I kept pretty tight to the curb, I mentioned this on another forum and someone told me to ride down the middle of the lane so that a car can't squeeze past - like you said if they want to go past they'll have to wait until the opposite lane is clear. What I do find surprising as a new scooter rider is how many thick people will just walk out onto the road in front of you. Numerous times I've had to slam the brakes on or slow right down and wait for some moron(s) to get the hell out the way. All in all though, I'm loving my little scooter!! |
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;D
No doubt in a year or two from now I'll want to progress onto a bigger engined scooter so I'll have no choice but to take a CBT but until that time comes I'm happy to learn by experience. 