KymcoForum.com
Scooters - 125 to 300 => Downtown 300 => Topic started by: Whisper on January 12, 2011, 02:31:38 AM
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Hello all!
I'm looking at picking up a mid size scoot. I'm down to the Downtown 300i, Yamaha Majesty, or XCiting 500
I'm leaning heavily toward the Downtown 300i - I love the styling, and the insurance and fuel savings will be very welcome! I do have some questions though - Any help, views, and opinions are appreciated!
- How is the Downtown 300i to ride 2 up? Can You ride highway (70mph) 2 up (I'm 160, the wife is... much less ;D)? Does it handle well 2 up?
- How does the Downtown handle at speed - I have a 30+ minute commute on a road with a 70mph speed limit? At 70-80mph is it stable? Are there any oscillation problems or wallowing? Any handling problems at all?
- How is the seating position? I'm about 5'7", and it is a little upright, but not uncomfy. However the forward foot position seemed... odd. - I'm going to sling a leg over the bike at the dealer this weekend, but any opinions are great!
- Are the brakes linked or seperate?
Thanks in advance!
W
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I will let you know as soon as I ride one... I am hoping to ride on in the next month or so.
There are not too many of them at dealers to ride yet. There will be more out there as the weather warms up.
If you ride one, let us know.
My understanding is it is a Maxi-Scooter?(<- I don't like that term) true Super-Scooter closer to the ride of a People 250 and less like that of a GrandVista or Xciting. Faster to 70 MPH than an Xciting 500. It's been called Kymco's best scooter ever made by several riders I have chatted with.
This is third hand information from a very reliable source.
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The brakes are not linked. The seating is comfy for someone about your height, but the feet forward position is not really usable. At least I don't find it practical.
I have encountered no problems with handling. Although the speed limit here is 100km/h (62mph) I have tried riding it at higher speeds. No oscillation or wallowing.
Can't help you with handling or performance 2-up. I've only ridden it solo, and I'm about the same weight as you.
I did a longer post with first impressions some months ago. You should be able to find it in this forum.
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I got lucky - My closest dealer has one and says an order for one can be delivered in 3 days. He has the silver one, and it is sexah. All the accents are a slightly lighter shade and really give it a posh 2-tone look. I am a big fan.
I've owned a Vespa LX150 and a Bergman 650 before - So I have a frame of reference... A very very varied frame of reference. ;) I've also had some cheap 50s and a 125.
- The Burgman was great, lotta room, lotta power, lotta gizmos. It was just... enormous. Like driving the queen mary. Soooo comfy tho. It did however has a strange oscillation over 110! Never spent much time 110+, but it was unnerving.
- The Vespa was fun on a stick! Dead simple, and I could wring it out ANYWHERE. Not near as comfy as the Bergman, but passable - However, not being allowed on highways made it less practical.
I looked at the Downtown 300i and the fit and finish is absolutely on par with Vespa and Suzuki/Yamaha/Honda. The seams were even and tight. The controls were snappy. It seemed like a lot of thought went into the design. I really have no worries about quality and reliability.
The non linked brakes is AWESOME! Loose sand or gravel is no time for front brakes at all - Linked brakes make me nervous.
So far I like the price and styling over the Majesty. From what I'm seeing performance on the Majesty isn't different enough to warrant the extra grand.
- Does the Downtown have 2 triple-trees on the forks like a motorcycle? I heard the silver wing doesn't - It has more of a bicycle setup.
- Are the handlebars steady at highway speeds? How is the stability? Anyone ridden in high wind - Was there much effect?
- Any thoughts/comments on Downtown vs Majesty?
Artig - I've prolly read your review 3 times now. LOL! It is one of the most comprehensive I have found. Thank you.
W
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Hi, W!
Welcome to the forum!!
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I just got off the phone with a local dealer and they have a Downtown that I am going to ride. His comments were that is was one of the fastest scooters he has ridden, faster than the Vespa 300 (his words). We discussed that many have said that the performance of the D300 is similar to, or better than, the Burgman 400 in a 300 cc bike. He was very surprised by the performance by a 300cc bike, how well it handled, and well the brakes worked, especially as compared to the Xciting. He didn't get to ride to much though. I did ask about a top speed and he didn't get to attempt one.
I am pretty jazzed as this one has been ridden 500 miles as a press unit so most of the break-in has been done so it should be ready to ride.
I hope to have a first-hand opinion next week.
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Sounds awesome, TechGuy!
I know you will enjoy that ride!!
Looking forward to hearing about this one!!!
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Thanks for the welcome (^.^ )
I'll REALLY be looking forward to what you think of it, TechGuy.
I'm heading over to some dealers today to sling a leg over some scoots. If I happen to come up with anything profound, I'll post it.
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Turns out, once you put the Downtown on the center stand, and check out the riding position, it is QUITE GOOD for 5'7".
I also found out how to use those forward foot positions - Put your feet up, slide your butt forward, lean back and get your chillax on.
I think I am sold on the Downtown - The only thing left is to get a good price. Being January, it shouldn't be hard (I hope (O.< ))
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Is it very wide? How is compared to a smaller kymco like the people 250 or a vespa? I want to be able to split lanes and am considering a downtown 300i.
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I wouldn't count on getting a deal beyond MSRP -- not with gas prices where they are, and where they are obviously going.
Lane-splitting: Future organ donor. DON'T DO IT.
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I can't help it, i live in the city. When traffic is moving at a crawl, i go between cars or otherwise every car will try to muscle into my lane.
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I live in the city, too (Nashville). I don't lane-split. It's stupid, even where legal.
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I do lane split every day.
It's a matter of course, even where theoretically illegal (France, Italy, Germany, India [where I learnt to drive in "real traffic"], ...) ;D
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I do lane split every day.
It's a matter of course, even where theoretically illegal (France, Italy, Germany, India [where I learnt to drive in "real traffic"], ...) ;D
You worked/lived in India?
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I spend a lot of vacations with my Indian relatives. But I never really suffered from the hard side of live. Anyway, my local relatives are wealthy, having enough to send their children around the world for studies.
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The downtown doesn't appear to be the lane-splitting weapon that a Vespa would be - The Downtown probably has an extra 6" on either side. However, it is probably just as wide as most motorcycles.
For short commutes with HEAVY traffic, a Vespa is really hard to beat. However, if you have any highway runs, the Vespas become less of an option.
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I took an extensive test ride on the D300 this weekend. I started in a neighborhood that opened into an Art Deco aged downtown section with a divided main street. I accelerated onto the main street with no issues, no hesitation. I rode a short distance on the the divided main street then got onto the freeway for a jaunt up a good sized hill. I rode from an altitude of less than 100 to over 2,000 feet at speeds ranging from 60-70 MPH going up the hill, with no hesitation.
I kept up with the flow of traffic and saw the speedo hold 75-80 MPH across the flat and during slight inclines. I rode up the hill to the first crest and then took it on a side road. The side road is a very curvy country road. I slowed down here. I was not used to the bike, the roadway was damp and had off-camber corners, and there were some sections with leaves on the road. But, all that being said, it handled it well. The frame is very rigid and moves side to side quickly. I continued until I came to nice safe place to turn around and rode back on the sames roads.
The interesting thing I noticed during my ride back was how easy it was to ride at highway speeds; 70-75 MPH indicated. During the first half of my ride I was focused on "doing stuff". In this half of my ride, I was just riding... just going some place. I was going back to the store to return the bike. Later, when I got back to the shop, I was asked about the wind and I had not noticed any wind. Seeing as how I had just cruised for the last 15 miles at speeds between 75 & 80 MPH in Saturday morning traffic, wind was not an issue.
After my highway, hill and curvy riding, I decided I needed a little more in-town, traffic riding. So, I drove a couple extra blocks on San Carlos to get a feel for in-town handling. I did split traffic at two lights but they were very easy splits with very generous gaps and short lines of traffic (4 cars or less). There were not any truck or vans in the traffic mix to get a feel for mirror heights (the challenge of my traffic splitting life). I did make a couple u-turns and they were simple to complete.
For those who know the area; I started in San Jose, CA. The freeway was the Highway 17, the grade near Los Gatos, headed towards Santa Cruz with a short ride on Bear Creek Road. The weather was sunny and clear, the air temps were in the 50-60F, a perfect test ride day. The D300 had over 400 miles on it when I started and 499 miles when i was finished riding. It is almost ready for it's 600 mile initial service (assuming that is where is gets done).
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A couple shots from the bike I tested.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_SuCrmBOm6gw/TTXhWiI_S6I/AAAAAAAAJs0/EaL7AJ196X8/s512/IMAG0130.jpg)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_SuCrmBOm6gw/TTXiNQ-YYgI/AAAAAAAAJs4/TRoYW1uzgKk/s800/IMAG0131.jpg)
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Hi Everyone,
I have an agility city 125 and will be upgrading it in two months for the Downtown 8). I use my Iphone's TomTom to get me places as my sense of orientation is not reliable. I have my Iphone attached to my left mirror using a RAM mount (very secure as per pic).
Does anyone here have an idea on how to install a gps unit on a Downtown? I have a suction cup RAM mount but I don't trust it. Any ideas/solution will be much appreciated.
PS. It seems that there is more and more people talking about the Downtown 300i, looking forward to see a dedicated section for this bike on the main forum.
(http://www.topnav.es/images/B-360-3.jpg)
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This is a shot I took of the handlebar section:
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SuCrmBOm6gw/TTZ58tYwXqI/AAAAAAAAJvk/FWfVd6h6Q80/s800/IMG_7974.JPG)
I think this mounting ball will work fine slipped under the rubber boot. I looked at this issue while I doing my test ride.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_SuCrmBOm6gw/TLd78GLo4eI/AAAAAAAAI-0/2a_wgXEBijw/s720/IMG_4045.JPG)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SuCrmBOm6gw/TLd769CWngI/AAAAAAAAI-o/v881N_J76JQ/s720/IMG_4042.JPG)
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I took an extensive test ride on the D300 this weekend. I started in a neighborhood that opened into an Art Deco aged downtown section with a divided main street. I accelerated onto the main street with no issues, no hesitation. I rode a short distance on the the divided main street then got onto the freeway for a jaunt up a good sized hill. I rode from an altitude of less than 100 to over 2,000 feet at speeds ranging from 60-70 MPH going up the hill, with no hesitation.
I kept up with the flow of traffic and saw the speedo hold 75-80 MPH across the flat and during slight inclines. I rode up the hill to the first crest and then took it on a side road. The side road is a very curvy country road. I slowed down here. I was not used to the bike, the roadway was damp and had off-camber corners, and there were some sections with leaves on the road. But, all that being said, it handled it well. The frame is very rigid and moves side to side quickly. I continued until I came to nice safe place to turn around and rode back on the sames roads.
The interesting thing I noticed during my ride back was how easy it was to ride at highway speeds; 70-75 MPH indicated. During the first half of my ride I was focused on "doing stuff". In this half of my ride, I was just riding... just going some place. I was going back to the store to return the bike. Later, when I got back to the shop, I was asked about the wind and I had not noticed any wind. Seeing as how I had just cruised for the last 15 miles at speeds between 75 & 80 MPH in Saturday morning traffic, wind was not an issue.
After my highway, hill and curvy riding, I decided I needed a little more in-town, traffic riding. So, I drove a couple extra blocks on San Carlos to get a feel for in-town handling. I did split traffic at two lights but they were very easy splits with very generous gaps and short lines of traffic (4 cars or less). There were not any truck or vans in the traffic mix to get a feel for mirror heights (the challenge of my traffic splitting life). I did make a couple u-turns and they were simple to complete.
For those who know the area; I started in San Jose, CA. The freeway was the Highway 17, the grade near Los Gatos, headed towards Santa Cruz with a short ride on Bear Creek Road. The weather was sunny and clear, the air temps were in the 50-60F, a perfect test ride day. The D300 had over 400 miles on it when I started and 499 miles when i was finished riding. It is almost ready for it's 600 mile initial service (assuming that is where is gets done).
Are you going to buy one?
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@TechGuy
Thanks for your info.
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Are you going to buy one?
Yes, soon. Waiting on the financials.
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The downtown doesn't appear to be the lane-splitting weapon that a Vespa would be - The Downtown probably has an extra 6" on either side. However, it is probably just as wide as most motorcycles.
For short commutes with HEAVY traffic, a Vespa is really hard to beat. However, if you have any highway runs, the Vespas become less of an option.
I don't see why this would be any less of a splitter than any Vespa would be. Lane Sharing (the legal term in California) requires a limited amount of space. When you are sharing a lane with a cage (car/truck), you really only have ONE wide spot, on most scooters (unless you have a much larger scooter ...Burgman 600, Xciting 500?). This wide spot is the handlebars and the mirrors. Once you get the mirrors past the narrow point in a split, you have your torso, the butt/tail of the bike and you are done.
In my many P250 commutes on the dots, my biggest challenges have become the "mirror dance" I do between my mirrors and the mirrors hanging off the cages. Full size trucks (especially 250 and 350 sized trucks), Dodge Dakotas and most Minivans are the ones I must watch for as my mirrors line up with these mirrors nearly every time. Once I get past the mirror, I have little to no risk of contact with the cage around me unless they move.
The D300's mirrors were in a very different location (one where I could actually see past my hulking shoulders) and did not see to have that same issues. They will have some issues but i am going to guess there will be less issues than I have now.
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Wow, TechGuy, that sounds like one awesome ride!! Thanks for posting all about it. I hope you enjoy your new scoot!! :)
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TechGuy - Thanks for the great writeup! It sounds like you had a marvelous time.
I found a good dealer and a great price! A Silver Downtown 300i is on it's way (est. delivery Thursday) - I'll post pics as soon as I can!
If anyone does find a really good way to mount GPS on the Downtown, please share!
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Recession and crisis are over, may the new purchasing cycle begin! :) :) :)
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TechGuy, when is your new scoot yet going to arrive? I'm looking forward to hearing all about it. Will it be the red one you tested out or another color?
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I am still waiting on the price on the one I test rode. It is a press unit bike that was used by a magazine. So, there is some slight damage to be addressed and a final price has not been agreed to. I have researched two other options.
I liked this bike but I may order up a white one.
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TechGuy - Thanks for the great writeup! It sounds like you had a marvelous time.
I found a good dealer and a great price! A Silver Downtown 300i is on it's way (est. delivery Thursday) - I'll post pics as soon as I can!
If anyone does find a really good way to mount GPS on the Downtown, please share!
TechGuy's solution is quite good, I have checked around and will go for the RAM-B-346, I am not familiar with brake/clutch reservoirs but the mount seems to have plenty of options to fit most bikes.
Had my GPS mount attached to my mirror for quite a while and over time it kind of makes the mirror a bit lose.
(http://www.spydertalk.com/forums/uploads/monthly_07_2009/post-1560-1246927586.jpg)
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I am still waiting on the price on the one I test rode. It is a press unit bike that was used by a magazine. So, there is some slight damage to be addressed and a final price has not been agreed to. I have researched two other options.
I liked this bike but I may order up a white one.
Oooooooh, white is pretty too! Y'all are pretty smart with hooking up that GPS thingy there. I want me a GPS one day. And I do hope they give you a great deal on whichever one you decide to go with!
Can't wait to see pics!
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THAT is the business right there! Thank you, Juan! I think mounting on the brake reservoir would allow me to get the GPS inside the windshield - Away from rocks and those #&^##%*^)_#(# who need to wash their windshields only when a motorcycle is behind them. >:(
Routing the wiring from the onboard charging outlet through the moulding & fairing shouldn't be very hard.
You can't go wrong with the white, Techguy. In the sunlight it is just beautiful. And you don't see a lot of white bikes - Although it may be a PITA to keep looking clean. I just can't bring myself to love the orange ones. They should have gone with a strong, racing pearl yellow, IMHO. That is the cat's pajamas.
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I kind of like the idea of looking like a cop in the rear view mirror of the cage ahead of me. The LEO's and the CHP both ride m/c here and when you are splitting lanes, anything that helps is good. In a rear view mirror, any white bike with dual headlamps and a fairing looks like a cop. By the time they figure out your not one, you're already gone.
Also, if you need to do any touch up paint, a solid color will match easily. A metal flake will not match. If I go with the white, I will add some reflective decals in the front fairing.
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#&^##%*^)_#(#
LOL. Is that one really loooong bad word there?? Looks like one I couldn't even Try to pronounce! :D
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I kind of like the idea of looking like a cop in the rear view mirror of the cage ahead of me.
Ya know, TechGuy, I was really loving that red color, but you make a good point. We don't have LEO's on m/c where I live (they do still ride bicycles, though, lol,) but if you do in your area, I can see where the white one would be preferred.
Also, if you need to do any touch up paint, a solid color will match easily.
I definitely see the wisdom in this. Especially since you know that things happen that are unexpected or not under your control sometimes. I'm also thinking that this one will match any gear or accessories you already own. And I don't think keeping the white clean will be much of a problem for you since you seem to take really good care of your scoots already anyway.
I am curious, though, TechGuy...are you really tall too? I ask because when I look at the pics I really like that seat and I really like the way the floorboard is. I just wonder if it is comfortable for someone that is tall. If you are tall, can you remember how it felt, where your knees were in relation to things when you were sitting on the scoot riding? I would like to know how it felt compared to other models of scoots you may have owned or ridden before.
And is that seat comfortable, or just different and nice looking? :)
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I am not tall, I am about 5' 10" but I am a big guy. I test the suspension more than most... :)
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I've ridden a D300 (and a "Nikita", as the D300 is called in Taiwan). I'm 6'2". I was too cramped to consider buying one. It was OK for a short ride, but I wouldn't think about touring on it. Ergos are very dependent on the individual, of course, but I'd say anyone over 6' may have issues on a D300, or even shorter if your height is "legs" vs. "torso".