The Honda Scoopy-i, a 110cc Fuel-Injection Buzzy Scooter
No. No, we're not turning into a Honda Scoopy-i cult site or Scoopy-i modify madness or any other variation now detectable around the Honda Scoopy-i scooter. But this is indeed about a cute little 110cc scooter with a modern fuel-injection system and as Eco-friendly as a four-stroke combustion engine can be. It's not as crazy as it sounds: don't click away!The idea for trying out the Honda Scoopy-i came to me when I was riding my regular 1000cc motorcycle. It was a wet and windy morning, complete with the usual traffic jams, and I realized that an 1000cc sportsbike was just not the best thing to be on in that sort of weather. I didn't get out of second gear and I doubt if I used a quarter of the motorcycle's power or revs. Truly, ask yourself, what's the point?
If I take the most direct route from house to office, it's about 7 kilometer. To be honest 7 kilometer on a 110cc Honda Scoopy-i? That might be entertaining. Or certainly less stressful than riding a big bike loaded with horsepower which I wouldn't use. I'm not a big fan of public transport, I cannot read Thai so have often no clue where a Song Thaew (pickup car which functions as bus) is going to, so I need a daily fix of 'powered two-wheeler', no matter what form it takes. A raining season car hack was always an option, but what's the sense of riding an extra 10 kilometer and a hour in the traffic jam if I can do it so much faster on a two-wheeler. So, I thought, why not try a scooter and join the thousands of untouchables of the Thai roads, those riders who hardly need to stop for anything on the road.
I was at a Honda dealer and hopped on the Honda Scoopy-i. Wow. The stylish Spoopy-i felt like a amazing toy. Tiny and light and, well, lacking in 'grunt' away from the lights. But I enjoyed it, the manic desire to hold on to momentum at all costs, the thrill of zero engine-braking and the evocative whiff of a 110cc small size combustion engine...
Every ride turns into a mini adventure. Will I get the run of the lights at the end of one particular straight? Will I bog down fatally halfway across my first junction of the morning? Will I lock up the front wheel this time? (Very unlikely with the Honda combi-brakes) Will I manage a higher top speed if I tuck my arms behind the fairing?
I suppose, when it boils down to it, this sort of scooter will only work for you if your commute suits it. This'll do somewhere between 50 to 100km/h once it gets going, which is enough for my commuting roads. The question is, is an investment in a small scooter like the Honda Scoopy-i a value for money? At what point would you need to buy something bigger – either a larger-capacity scooter or a 'proper' motorcycle? And some of the bigger scooters are not that much higher in purchase cost compared to the Honda Scoopy-i, so what's the point?
Hmm. After my experience, all I'm saying is that if your commute is on the 'right' roads and is the 'right' distance, you really don't need to spend a load of cash to save your motorcycle from the ravages of the raining season. And this Honda Scoopy-i is a buzzy riot. I think I'm going to buy it...
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