NT, Scooter or Motorcycle?

[Chucksklrst]

Some of my Colorado riding buddies say my NT looks more like a scooter than a motorcycle. So today when my scooter buddies said lets go to breakfast, I rode the NT so as to fit in. Well is it a scooter or a motorcycle?

 

[Ripshod]

I would say it's a motorcycle but I'd also say that it depends on your definition. In your picture I see - what is that, a couple of Bergmans? If you consider a scooter to be a genuine step-through, then it could be debated that they don't qualify either.

 

[jackgermain]

Honda sold it as a motorcycle. My registration says it is a motorcycle. I have never had anyone ask if it was a scooter !! Looks like a motorcycle to me but then again maybe my wife's Honda Accord is really a pickup truck and I have been fooled at this time.

 

[JeffR]

I don't know how others can say it looks like a scooter. I have had many m/c's but decided to get a Silver Wing 600cc scooter and the NT is not a scooter. It looks just like the ST1300 to me. It is probably my next bike. I have always wanted one and they finally came to the states a couple of years ago. Looks nice to me.

 

[tawilke46]

Looks like a motorcycle, rides like a motorcycle, sounds like a motorcycle.........hmmmmmmm
Must be a motorcycle.
Now my Pacific Coast.......everyone thought it was a scooter!

 

[Ripshod]

My best friend rides a PC and for a while I used to tease him by calling it a scooter. Of course it didn't take long to outlive the humor of it all.

 

[Wanda P.]

It's a motorcycle, you silly Rabbit!

Wanda P.

 

[Warren]

It's looks as much like a scooter as your ST1300 does. Anyone that thinks the NT looks like a scooter clearly doesn't know much about motorcycles or they are just pulling your leg.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I would not wanted to have been riding a scooter on the last 30 miles of today's ride. Check the pending ride report when I get it up.

 

[Jaster]

riding in ny city you get very close to the other cars, and it is amazing how many times I am asked if my NT is a scooter.
they obviously don't know much about motorcycles, but you must admit the similarity.
cheers,

 

[Comanche]

Seeing those two Suzuki Burgman 650s parked next to your NT, me thinks they was just yankin' yer chain!

As some of you know, I am in the process of buying a new NT - a change from my Burgman 400. I just finished a trip from deep south Texas to Las Vegas and back on that 400 - and constantly got "You rode from Texas on that?" comments.

 

[charlie b]

The line between scooter and motorcycle performance is a narrow one and sometimes overlaps. The larger scooters can tour better than some mid range motorcycles.

But, the definition of a scooter, as far as I understand it, is a step through design. You can argue about other things but that is the one difference, and it gets muddied, like on the Burg's. Are they really step through or just kinda

There are now motorcycles with a drivetrain from a scooter. "Gas tanks" are now storage compartments and gas is under the seat (like some scooters). Automatic trannies are more common on bikes now days.

So, what is the real difference?

I don't care if someone calls my motorcycle a scooter. Heck, sometimes I refer to the Guzzi as my scooter.

 

[RedNigel]

had a new 1989 Honda PC800 and had people tell me that it looked like an overweight scooter. It is still one of the best bikes I ever had and I wish I still had it.

Sam
The Honda dealer down the street from me has two PC800s for sale with what seems like low mileage

 

[tawilke46]

When I was riding the '97 Kawasaki 1500 Vulcan to bike night at Miss Goldie's burger joint, invariably someone would walk up to me and ask "Is that a Harley?"............Kawasaki written all over it. A lot of folks don't know much about motorcycles.
If it is a motorcycle it must be a Harley, right? Got to admit, their advertising works.

 

[androu]

Clearly not a scooter by the usual definition. However, it does have some "scooterish" characteristics. lots of plastic, integrated storage, and from the rear, it does look a bit like a scooter. But no, it's not a scooter, not at all.

 

[suvcw04]

Kind of like the continuing discussion about Harleys. Are they motorcycles, or just noisy farm implements?

 

[Bear]

Harleys get a bad rep because of what the riders do to them. There have to be tons of Harley mufflers all over the US. Stock Harleys sound quite nice--not too loud. I would not mind having a Sportster with stock pipes to ride around town.

 

[Chucksklrst]

They are gasoline to noise converters. 100 years of converting gasoline into noise.

 

[androu]

BTW, there's nothing wrong with scooters, I think they're really cool. I'd love to have a restored old Lambretta or Vespa.

 

[charlie b]

Harley's are good bikes. I wish Icould stand to sit that way and I'd probably have one.

We in the Guzzi world (sometimes known as the Italian Harley) have ongoing discussions about the "loud pipes save lives" thing. My Guzzi will probably get some stock Harley mufflers soon as mine are about done in. Will probably make it quieter as my current ones are straight through type. THey are also cheap, which fits my GUzzi mindset