2010 Honda Elite Scooter Review

Honda Motorcycles recently invited Motorcycle USA to ride and review the new 2010 Honda Elite Scooter. Read the full 2010 Honda Elite Scooter review at www.motorcycle-usa.com.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/127/4394/motorcycle-article/2010-honda-elite-sc...

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 2010
• honda
• elite
• scooter
• review
• motor
• scooters
• reviews

[dkw12002]

@schoolyardboy1 Bigger tires would hit the mud guards and change center of gravity and seat ht. They do design scooters with larger wheels. I have a 100 cc Scarabeo with 16" wheels. There is no storage compartment under the seat and the seat ht. is higher, but the ride is much smoother and stable. In rain or wind the 10 in. wheels are really bad and if you hit a pothole it is really a problem. The small wheels do make the scooter more maneuverable though even if it is less stable.

[schoolyardboy1]

@dkw12002 I dont know squat about scooters so take that into account with this question, if 10 inch wheels are no good, why not just throw 12inchers on?

[dkw12002]

10-inch wheels are too small. Rain and wind can make for an unstable ride. You can dart just fine with 14-inch wheels. This is very similar to the Vino 125 but not quite as fast. I would buy it if it had 12-inch wheels though.

[jetskier111]

Well, I just got mine almost a week ago- its great thus far! No worries from me and its maint should be easy.

[0mcgl]

id rather it look similar to a ruckus

[TheGizmo4382]

I saw a previous generation Elite yesterday at a Honda dealership. It is very "uniquely" styled. It reminds me of the boxy 80's styling. I'm hoping to buy it soon as I am working on getting my m1 license. I think the Elite would be the perfect mode of transportation for me since I don't have a car and I currently use a bicycle to get around.

[Whitehorze]

@neothespian The Thai built Ninjas (the 250 / 500) are commuter bikes with fairings, they are not "sportbikes", and with so/so quality control, they are far from perfect. The bigger, Japanese built ninjas (with fuel injection) are capable sportbikes but cost almost double.

My point is a question of value, or better yet "Return on investment". For the same or slightly more money you can get a far more capable machine that you'll have alot more fun riding outside of and between towns.

[neothespian]

@Whitehorze

First off, the Elite 110 does 55mph, which is perfect for any non-highway speed. Second, I would hardly call the cargo tie-downs "useful" on a Ninja. There's over 30 litres of storage under the Elite, and you don't need to tie things down or wear a backpack for that. And, in urban driving, you may not like low speed maneuvering, but that's what you're doing. The Ninja is either a full on or wannabe (depending on your opinion) sportbike, and is NOT a "perfect" bike.

[Whitehorze]

@neothespian Yes and NO...

1) My 500 will putter around town in both 2nd and 3rd gear with little to no problem. The same can't be said for the 250cc however.

2) The great feature of the Ninjas are the cargo tiedowns that fold away under the tail. I simply run the straps of a cheap backpack under the seat and use that for 90% of what I haul including groceries.

3) True, a higher center of gravity is only a problem at very low speeds.

4) 100 mpg gets really old at 45 mph...

[neothespian]

@Whitehorze

The problem is that the Ninja is NOT a good heavy traffic bike for many reasons:

-Manual shift means you'll be up/downshifting more than doing any other task. CVT eliminates that

-No cargo hold, or mount points (such as the handy rack)

-Heavier weight and higher center of gravity (since the engine is in a different location) means more grunt to maneuver. Might not seem like much, but after a 45 minute commute it matters!

-60mpg vs 100mpg. That's a huge fuel difference