Fly Scout?

[steve_rolfeca]

I was following reports about Flyscooters' Chinese-made competition for the Symba with interest, but lately, the news seems to have dried up.

I can't find any updates newer than April 2010, and my searches for user reviews, dealer locations, photos (aside from the catalog shots), etc., are coming up empty.

I was particularly intrigued by one teaser that indicated that the US model might be getting a twin-clutch transmission, presumably similar to a late-model Honda Super Cub.

Has anyone seen one, or heard what's happening with Flyscooter these days?

[cplschnapps]

Not sure what you mean by "Fly scooter" - Piaggio sells the Fly 50 and Fly 150, which my local Vespa dealer says are made in China for Piaggio. Plastic body work instead of steel like the Vespa, but supposedly good quality mechanics.

[cplschnapps]

Also - the Piaggio Flys are regular small-wheel motorscooters, not light weight motorcycles like the Symba.

[WayneF]

I spoke to a dealer in Penn. today who sells Fly scooters.  He has not seen the Scout yet.

[leo.urbis]

To Clarify:

Italian Piaggio Fly 150
http://www.piaggiousa.com/scooters.php#/home/Piaggio FLY 150

Chinese Fly Scooters Scout based on the Honda Super Cub
http://www.flyscooters.com/scooters/scout

[Uncle Burger]

Thanks for the clarification, Leo I was getting a bit confused there for awhile ... cos the Piaggio Fly (aka Vespa 150) is also available in the Malaysian market. Pricey though ... but well- put together.

OMG ... the Flyscooter Scout is a dead ringer for the Honda C50/70 of yore!

Used to own one (the Honda) a decade back ... am not too excited about the leading-link front suspension, though. Gives a traditional motorcyclist a real scare during hard front braking as the front will rise (and "bottom out") instead of dipping ... has the feeling that the front tire is going airborne (and many times, it does go airborne!)

Am not a big fan of the single centrifugal shoe-type clutch, then. Downshifting has always been an art on semi-auto clutches, but upshifts are herky-jerky affairs, too And the Honda used to have only 3 gear ratios! So, you can imagine the amount of rev-matching we had to do ...

The modern dual-clutch setup in semi-autos virtually eliminate upshift shock, of course helped by the more evenly-spaced 4 gear ratios.

[evilscooterkitty]

http://www.justgottascoot.com/scout.htm

[steve_rolfeca]

Interesting article.

Typical Chi-Scoot problems right out of the box. I guess they're to be expected, given the price difference compared to the Symba.

Still, I'm curious to hear what he will have to say about the riding experience, once he gets the thing fettled and (hopefully) running reliably enough for a valid comparison with the Sym...

[Uncle Burger]

Having experience with both models of which these bikes are based on (the Hondas) ... I will say the Symba will trump the Scout anyday, anytime, in every aspect. Cos the Scout's design is based on a much older Cub; the Symba has the running gear, chassis, and suspension of the modern Cub.

[brianjkirk]

I second Uncle Burger, especially for the suspension.  Symba has a modern telescopic front setup, Fly looks like old leading link.  Symba looks easier for modding, too (if you're into that) with regular motorcycle style handlebars, Fly is all plastic enclosed.