Buell XB9SX and the Yamaha Vity 125

Yamaha Vity 125 – Streetbike

Buell XB9SX - Stratstone Harley Davidson

So after having two very different bikes last week, with the Harley Road King and the Yamaha XJ6, I thought I would continue the trend, and round off my last weeks worth off riding before I start the Video updates from Monday with which I am planning to try and update these blogs daily…….if i get the time being such a rock ‘n roll superstar that I am……..ahem!

So this weeks two wheeled delights were to come in two very different styles and sizes, namely the rather menacing looking Buell XB9SX and the rather cute looking Yamaha Vity 125 scooter, and while they couldn’t really be much more different from each other if they tried, they both thrilled me almost equally!!

I’ll start with the Buell, having already ridden and loved the outrageous racing twin that is the 1125R, and after the armchair ride from the Harley Road King the week before, I couldn’t wait to jump on the back of this rather sexy looking yank beast. I mean look at it, I love the Street fighter look (as long as its not taken too far!) and this simply squats on the road, with its short wheel base, stunted body, hand protectors, massive front brake, that front screen and the cool underslung exhausts simply screaming aggression and power to me…….which I rather like!

The 984cc V twin engine is pretty lively too! While it didn’t have the simply breathtaking buzz saw like power of its bigger racing brother the 1125R (read my review of this bike here), its not exactly slow, although it does need a bit of winding, and warming up, when its up to temperature, it has a raw kind of edge to its power that I loved. That V Twin with those underslung exhausts creates a pretty unique burble, which I really liked, the closest thing I could probably compare this to would have been the Triumph Street Triple, but without the lovely pops you get on the British bike when you come off the throttle.

Being a Buell, and just like the 1125r, the petrol is actually stored in the chassis of the bike, and the oil in the swingarm, so the centre of gravity is very low, allowing it  to really handle pretty well, and in fact for a Street fighter, you could definitely have some fun with it in the twisties.

That big front brake means you can stop blooming quickly as well, and I liked the lay out of the instruments, nice and simple, with analogue Speedo and Rev Counter, and all the usual warning lights etc etc.

There is almost something raw and basic to the feel of the bike, similar to the 1125R, but without the racing pedigree, and although the power can be a bit lumpy, with the V twin engine nowhere near as smooth as a triple or four cylinder, it kind of matches the bikes image!

It’s also pretty comfortable to ride, having a nice upright position that doesn't get tiring, and the suspension is set just right, soft enough to not crush your private parts each time you hit a pothole, but stiff enough to give you a good feel for it in the corners!

I actually ended up doing quite a lot of miles on the Lightning City, as this model is known, and yeah, I had a lot of fun, it definitely stands out from the crowd, not only because of that lovely V twin engine, but its styling is pretty outrageous, and I found it be equally at home nipping into work quickly or scooting around Brum’s a and b roads and I even took it for a nice blast on the Motorway, where it acquitted itself rather well!

In other words I really like it, and it comes in at a very impressive price of around the £6k mark, which actually surprised me, even more so when you consider at Stratstone Harley Davidson they have a Start to Ride package that at £7595, will pay for all your direct access training and license, and also they will chuck in £1100 worth of gear to get you on the road…….which is pretty blooming sweet as you get a lot of bike, and everything you need to get started……..all YOU need is to have passed your theory test! If you fancy a bit of this, head down to Stratstone Harley and pop in and see James and the team an they will sort out everything for you!

Okay, now onto my next steed for the week, and probably the bike that has surprised me the most out of all of the two wheeled machines i have been on……….the Yamaha Vity 125 scooter……..yes that's right a little flymo sounding scooter…….have I gone mad??

Why yes back in 1987 to be exact about it, but not when it comes to this bike! It must be the most basic thing I have ever ridden, on a par with the VanVan, and while it may not have the visual looks of the Suzuki 50cc monkey bike, it certainly delivers value for money, and made me smile every time i got on it.

In fact, there is the first good point for the Vity, how easy it is to just jump on and go for a ride, although it did take me a couple of miles to get used to having both my legs in the middle of a bike, but once i was used to it, well I loved it! For nipping into work and around the centre of the city, I don’t think there could be anything better even, I mean it gets up to 70mph, is a twist and go, so its fully automatic and there is even a hook to hang your shopping on!

Handling is pretty damn good considering it only has 10 inch wheels, although if your used to riding sports bikes like me you might want to not try and lean too much, as then you realise how small those wheels are and how little contact they give you to the ground!!!

That plucky little engine is not only one of the most reliable in the world (made in China don’t you know), but it actually gives this thing enough juice to pull away at the lights, and the great thing is, with the tiny size of the engine, and the fact its automatic, you can juts cock your right wrist to fully open and your off!

It really is that simple to ride, and as I said, even a hardened biker like me, more turned on by BHP than MPG, had to admit to really enjoying nipping between the traffic and throwing this thing around. It actually made me feel a bit guilty, as it makes you realise, what with all of these 2.3 litre engine Triumph Rocket 3’s, and Yamaha R1’s…….you don’t actually need anything bigger than this little beauty……although of course i am glad that we do have them!!!!

Seriously though, every time I got on this bike I was smiling, and there were many occasions when I could have taken out a bigger bike in my garage, but I instead i found myself jumping on this (especially for short journeys), putting the key in and simply twisting and go-ing!

Obviously you are not going to take a Vity to Wales and back on a ride out, or do a track day, but if your looking for a practical, cheap and incredibly fun and easy way to get about on, you could do a lot worse than this!

You simply have to get over the fact that its not exactly a snorting beast of a bike, and while you might expect to see 16 year olds wearing Burberry normally on the back of a scooter, I think that this misconception of these bikes is meaning a lot of people aren't getting turned onto the simplicity and fun that they can provide! It’s also a great way to learn your road craft, before deciding to step up to something bigger, and you simply wont find anything better at getting through rush hour traffic, in what I must say is a lot of comfort!

It is pretty basic (did I mention it was made in China?), with literally indicators, headlights and an oil service light along with its Speedo, but that is half of it’s appeal, as it just makes it so simple! Oh and a nice touch is the ability to get a full sized helmet under the seat……no mean feat for a bike this size, and having spent two weeks riding this thing, I can tell you the MPG (around 100MPG) is simply amazing, two weeks on it, and I haven’t used half a tank yet….that’s a bit different from the Harleys I have been riding!

Its also priced incredibly cheaply, with Streetbike currently doing a Get On deal, where you get the bike on the road, £350 quid of gear, and third party insurance for just £1800……….and with Streetbike offering a CBT for just £100 (£40 off), that means you can go from having never ridden, to going home on the back of one of these, in one day……..for just £1,900………WOW!!!! Pop in and see Jason or any of the team at Streetbike now if you fancy a bit of this!

It may not have the sexy macho image of some of the bigger bikes (that’s probably an understatement), but at that price why wouldn’t you? Especially when everywhere you go you will arrive with a smile!

I forgot to get some Buell quotes from my esteemed Sponsors Express Insurance but here are the ones for the Vity:

Motorcycle	Year of Manufacture	Value	Age of Rider	Licence Length	NCB Level	Premium	Excess
Yamaha XC125 Vity	2009	£1800	21	1 Month	0	£842	£500
Yamaha XC125 Vity	2009	£1800	30	5 years	3 years	£200	£150
Yamaha XC125 Vity	2009	£1800	55	20 years	6 years	£106	£150

 

* Based on Motorcycle garaged in a Birmingham postcode.

 

So as you can see, both these bikes have genuinely provided me with a lot of fun, and they are both great examples of how cheap it is to Get On two wheels, even if they offer completely different experiences.

Up next, I will be riding a Honda CB1300, and an absolute belter of a bike from Harley, the awesome Porsche designed V Rod Muscle, so check back from Monday to catch the all new Video diaries………I’m excited!!!!

Until then my illustrious compadre’s, ride safe!