GUILTY SECRET
I was comforted to read Glendon Franklin’s letter in the latest issue as I have the same ‘guilty secret’, though I think that, as he points out, the ‘bikes good, scooters bad’ mentality has largely gone with the advent of maxi-scooters. I also share his abhorrence of the A17!
In my case, having passed my test in 1962 riding my Lambretta Li 125 around St Albans and avoiding hitting the examiner in the emergency stop, my wife (as she later became) and I did many happy miles on it touring round southern England. We were aided and abetted in this by the Lay reader at our local church and his wife, who rode a Vespa and with whom we shared many miles. This was of course in the ‘Swinging Sixties’, with Mods vs. Rockers on the go, though in rural Bedfordshire things didn’t seem to be very ‘swinging’.
Fast-forward to west Norfolk in 2017. I had a GS 1200 in my garage, needing company. I spotted a local 2006 Yamaha X-Max 250, showing 9k miles and reasonably priced. It looked to me a potentially useful tool, not least for the daily commute (I didn’t retire until I was 77), so I bought it. I’m glad I did. The mileage seemed genuine, it had been well maintained, and was already Data tagged.
I’ve now put another 10,000 miles on it, some commuting but mostly just as an alternative to the big bike. Though ‘only’ a 250 making about 22hp, the way the CVT transmission delivers it makes it very nippy. It’s far better than a big bike in town traffic and will beat most things away from the lights. Out of town it tops out at just over 85 (allegedly) and will happily sit on the motorway at 70 all day. It gives between 80 and 85mpg in all conditions, the 12.5-litre tank being good for comfortably over 200 miles.
Thanks to the large wheels, handling is extremely good, and you can ride the twisties with considerable aplomb. Its light weight also helps in the ‘flickability’ stakes.
The only big jobs, apart from routine servicing, have been new rear shocks early on; a new belt and cones at just over 12k miles as a routine service issue; and recent new steering head bearings.
It has the large Givi full-width screen, but far from causing turbulence, all is calm on the road, though I suspect a pillion might suffer, as I get a chilly back in the winter. And the pillion gets a set of full-size fold-down footrests and large grab rails. Under the large, comfy seat there is storage for two helmets or one plus a sizeable bag of shopping.
The only niggle is the frequent oil changes, as it has no filter, bu t I’ve fitted a magnetic sump plug just in case.
I keep thinking I’ll get a bigger one, but why would I? It does everything I need, is cheap as chips to run, and being a Yamaha, is very well built and reliable (I do hope I won’t regret saying that). I took it across to the bird reserve at Rutland Water last weekend to see the nesting Ospreys, something like a 150-mile round trip. It was ideal, and with space for the binoculars and more under the seat.
The only downside is that the relatively short wheelbase and light weight make the ride rather bouncy on poor roads (which, here in Norfolk, means most of them!).
It will probably keep me on two wheels long after a heavy bike has become too much for me, though I am hoping to ride my Guzzi V7 down to the factory on Lake Como next year for my 80th birthday treat.
John Gudgeon