The wife wanted something that got great gas mileage but did not want a bike so here is what we ended up with:
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That's right, a scooter!!!&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\; It's a 150 and will get 75 miles on a gallon of gas.&nbsp\\; I hate to admit this but it is fun to putt around on.....&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\; It even matches the Road King in color, black of course.&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\; Well it's a start, scooter today maybe&nbsp\\;a Harley tomorrow........&nbsp\\;

I know businessman that ride those around quite a bit for work, but not on weekends. Not everyone who rides a motorcycle/scooter do it for the fun or hobby of it. They do it just for the gas mileage and/or the easy parking ability. More power to them

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Yup, and the scooter sales have skyrocketed over the past few months because of the gas mileage.

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No, I will not fix your computer.

Go Noles!!!

Used to get 60 mpg. with my 93 Springer&nbsp\\;and the&nbsp\\;International gearing.

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JB

Hell nothing wrong with that.
I've got a little Honda PE 250 moped I use when I'm hunting or camping that I swear must get 100 mpg.&nbsp\\; Blessed thing won't go faster than about 25 -30 mph but what the hell.&nbsp\\;
If she's stays happy, it's safe to say you'll stay happy.&nbsp\\; [sm=biker.gif]&nbsp\\;[sm=biker2.gif]

Krusr

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A narcissist resorts to leveling insults, lies, and deceptions for he is but an insecure individual yearning for attention and will do anything to attain it.

Scooters used to seem silly in America. Now they seem smart. Most scooters available in America have been 49cc or 125cc, but that has changed. A 250 or even a 400 can still get 70+mpg.

Of course, so can a Ninja 250.

Good puchase for the wife! We all should be riding scooters when we only need to be carrying ourselves.

Thats what I am not getting about H-D. Their entry level bike is a Sportster XL 883 Low, but thats still a heavyweight displacement (I believe that heavyweight bikes are considered anything above 600cc).

Id love to see Harley introduce a small line of basic starter cruiser style bikes. Create a new branding and have it built in the USA. One or two models, both with minimalist looks on a smaller scale than the Sporster with a new small displacement V-Twin. something that can be run on a highway for commuting to work, but have enough guts to be fun on America's backroads. Make it just small enough and plain enough that it makes the Sporster look like a massive upgrade if the riding bug bites hard and the ride wants to upgrade.

Kinda like how Gibson Guitars has Epiphone as their base brand, I think Harley-Davidson could definitely use one or two 500CC mini V-twin powered bikes for people that want an American cruiser, but dont want a heavyweight fullsize Harley-Davidson. The Buell Blast is WEAK effort for American entry level sportbikes, especially when you consider the new Ninja 250 smokes it in every catagory and has Ninja 600 styling, a paralell twin 250 and truw sportbike handling. Compare that to the Blasts 500cc single cylinder engine, UJM styling, cheap feel ect and take a wild guess what most entry level riders would pick! An attempt like that in the cruiser market would fail, even with the MoCo behind it.

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2007 Fatboy

My wife's old 250 Honda Rebel got between 65-85 mpg depending on how you rode it - and it wasn't a scooter so a bit more "cool" looking than a Vespa lol.

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'05 Electra Glide Classic - 95"/Stage II, Corbin Dual Touring - daily/year around rider - 89,000 miles+
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w...izonaranchman/

I got 56 going to NY last weekend with cruise on. I would have to get off that 70-75mph area to get higher unless my S/O learns to run and push really fast.

I've been thinking the same thing exactly. And given the current swing of things in this economic/energy crisis, American ingenuity is becoming fashionable again, as opposed to merely American buying power. Let's see HD do something bold and appropriate.

HD could make a modern 400-500cc V-Twin (no pushrods...modern engine) that could sip fuel and still be a zippy ride. People would go for it because in America, sooner or later you have to ride a highway, and a 49cc or 125cc scooter won't always cut it. And if they could keep it at $5500 or less.......that would be cool.

I buy an HD like that in a second, and I know a lot of others who would, too.