revtothelimit - motorbike forum

I've had a look at a couple of BMW C400s today and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one this side of Christmas. As long as the insurance pays up soon from my stolen Xmax. I had a look at a GT and the other one, the X. Both look like the ideal commuter for me. I'm the other side of 50 now and don't quite smell of wee yet. Although I looked at almost new ones today, I'm looking for one a couple of years old with a few optionals already fitted. Top box is a must and an alarmed one would be great. I've not had an alarm on a bike since the turn of the century when I had a Datatool fitted to a TDM850, it drove me mad! Went off at the slightest gust of wind. Are modern alarms better now?

If you like one buy one, but do expect a fair amount of piss taking.

But I'm 56 and don't see the need to ride round on what looks like a toilet with wheels.

Mr Nozzle wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:31 pm I've had a look at a couple of BMW C400s today and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one this side of Christmas. As long as the insurance pays up soon from my stolen Xmax. I had a look at a GT and the other one, the X. Both look like the ideal commuter for me. I'm the other side of 50 now and don't quite smell of wee yet. Although I looked at almost new ones today, I'm looking for one a couple of years old with a few optionals already fitted. Top box is a must and an alarmed one would be great. I've not had an alarm on a bike since the turn of the century when I had a Datatool fitted to a TDM850, it drove me mad! Went off at the slightest gust of wind. Are modern alarms better now?

Factory fitted ones are. I won't bore you with tales of how I bought a bike with a an alarm/ immobiliser fitted that would switch the engine off at random and the trouble we had exorcising it. Just don't go anywhere near an aftermarket one.

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:47 pm If you like one buy one, but do expect a fair amount of piss taking.

But I'm 56 and don't see the need to ride round on what looks like a toilet with wheels.

The C stands for Commode.

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:47 pm If you like one buy one, but do expect a fair amount of piss taking.

But I'm 56 and don't see the need to ride round on what looks like a toilet with wheels.

Yebbut. You only ride for fun.

Mr Nozzle wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:31 pm I've had a look at a couple of BMW C400s today and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one this side of Christmas. As long as the insurance pays up soon from my stolen Xmax. I had a look at a GT and the other one, the X. Both look like the ideal commuter for me. I'm the other side of 50 now and don't quite smell of wee yet. Although I looked at almost new ones today, I'm looking for one a couple of years old with a few optionals already fitted. Top box is a must and an alarmed one would be great. I've not had an alarm on a bike since the turn of the century when I had a Datatool fitted to a TDM850, it drove me mad! Went off at the slightest gust of wind. Are modern alarms better now?

I had a C400GT last year for 5/6 months, used it for commuting mainly. I then sold it to someone in work, who is still using it. They're great fun. You'll need to get a topbox because the underseat storage is terrible. Great when stationary, you can get a couple of helmets under there, but you can't ride with much storage at all. The heated seat and grips were very good and handy as well.

Do I miss it, not really. I now have a '23 plate Xmax 300 which I think is better, better handling, therefore to ride, less power than the C400, but you wouldn't know it. Storage is much better and I have handguards which seem to keep a lot of the cold off the hands. I'll probably fit heated grips at some point though.

Scooters are so good, I've sold my motorbike as it just wasn't getting used, the go to became the scooter, so practical.

Mr Nozzle wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:31 pm I've had a look at a couple of BMW C400s today and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one this side of Christmas. As long as the insurance pays up soon from my stolen Xmax. I had a look at a GT and the other one, the X. Both look like the ideal commuter for me. I'm the other side of 50 now and don't quite smell of wee yet. Although I looked at almost new ones today, I'm looking for one a couple of years old with a few optionals already fitted. Top box is a must and an alarmed one would be great. I've not had an alarm on a bike since the turn of the century when I had a Datatool fitted to a TDM850, it drove me mad! Went off at the slightest gust of wind. Are modern alarms better now?

Since the thieves where you live seem to like scooters,are there any measures in place to keep them away from whichever scoot you buy next?

I'm in the camp of binning any aftermarket alarm too,but I recognise I'm not in the same positions as you.

I like scooters and greatly enjoyed commuting on mine back in the day.

Count Steer wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:51 pm

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:47 pm If you like one buy one, but do expect a fair amount of piss taking.

But I'm 56 and don't see the need to ride round on what looks like a toilet with wheels.

Yebbut. You only ride for fun.

Very true, tbh all of the big scooters look very practical and would make great touring bikes, but I'm far too shallow and vain to ride one.

Oh, and to mention now the theft thing has been bought up. When I bought the C400, the seller advertised it on autotrader. After I got it, I started to receive many council tickets for cameras in that London place, despite me living 150 miles away.

They'd obviously cloned my plate, I got pics and luckily the twat put my plate on what was probably a stolen C400X. I sent photos of mine to prove it wasn't the same scooter, the styling is very different.

It became such a pain in the arse, I put a private plate on it, solved the issue of me getting the tickets anyway.

Skub wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:29 pm
Since the thieves where you live seem to like scooters,are there any measures in place to keep them away from whichever scoot you buy next?

I've ordered a ground anchor and will be laying that into the driveway, using an old but massive and solid chain with padlock, thinking about fitting a cctv camera also.

Nordboy wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:03 pm
Do I miss it, not really. I now have a '23 plate Xmax 300 which I think is better, better handling, therefore to ride, less power than the C400, but you wouldn't know it. Storage is much better and I have handguards which seem to keep a lot of the cold off the hands. I'll probably fit heated grips at some point though.

Scooters are so good, I've sold my motorbike as it just wasn't getting used, the go to became the scooter, so practical.

I'm replacing a 2021 Xmax 300, it was a great scoot. Used purely for commuting and storage was perfect. I had genuine Yamaha bar muffs fitted, I've taken them off as the salvage people are collecting the remains today. I'll put an ad up here next week to see if there's any interest. They'll be going on ebay too.

It's only scooters for me now, I've loved riding big bikes all my working life, for work and long distance commuting. No more though, it's only 6 miles from my house to the train station and 30 / 40 mph roads. Having fun doing it rather than doing it for fun

As someone who's been through TMax I'd say get a tracker fitted. My first TMax didn't have one and when it was stolen it didn't reappear until five months later when the Police busted some guy riding it. When I saw the pictures of it on the salvage company website it looked like it had been down the road on its side.
The second TMax had a tracker on. First time it was stolen the police recovered it within the hour and I walked down the road and rode it home. The second time it was taken the bastards went through an Almax chain with a petrol-powered angle grinder and had the scooter away in a stolen van! I didn't think that would be too bad, but they didn't bother to secure it in the back of the van. The damage was bad enough for the insurance company to write it off.
I'm now in the market for another big scooter but won't be buying a TMax.

Nordboy wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:03 pm ... underseat storage is terrible. Great when stationary, you can get a couple of helmets under there, but you can't ride with much storage at all. ...

How does that work??

Rockburner wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2023 11:47 am

Nordboy wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:03 pm ... underseat storage is terrible. Great when stationary, you can get a couple of helmets under there, but you can't ride with much storage at all. ...

How does that work??

The bottom of the under-seat tray pushes downwards, you can't ride it with the bottom down. Apparently when it is down, you can get two lids in under the seat.

Mr Nozzle wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2023 1:36 pm

Rockburner wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2023 11:47 am

Nordboy wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:03 pm ... underseat storage is terrible. Great when stationary, you can get a couple of helmets under there, but you can't ride with much storage at all. ...

How does that work??

The bottom of the under-seat tray pushes downwards, you can't ride it with the bottom down. Apparently when it is down, you can get two lids in under the seat.

OK - I see - "clever" idea I suppose for increasing the ease of wearing helmets - they have big issues with that in Southern Europe.