I live in suburban Chicago and take a train downtown to work. I live about a mile from the train station and either walk or get dropped off there. I have three cars that are used by my wife, two kids, and me. As a result, my biking needs come down to fun and relaxation instead of a vehicle needed for transportation.
I started thinking about scooters around the year 2005 because my kids just got their driver’s licenses and between them and my wife, the cars we had seemed to always be in use. I did not want to buy yet another car because of space and cost issues. I figured that a scooter would be the ideal solution for the temporary need for transportation around town.
After picking up one of my son’s friends for hockey practice one night, I noticed a yellow Honda Elite 80 across the street from his house with a “for sale” sign on it. The next day I went to follow-up on it and from that point my scooter/motorcycle journey began. Over the course of the next several years I went from a small scooter to a giant 1842cc Honda Goldwing, and now back to a scooter again.
The purpose of this blog is to share my past and future experiences with you.
Roman
My Honda Forza 
Thanks for sharing. I like this site. I am planning to buy a Burgman 400, Lord willing, but I’ve somewhat considered the Forza 300. With your blog, I can give it better consideration!
Thanks Jason. I considered a Burgman 400 and 600, as well as the Silverwing and some 300cc Vespas. Having had an 1800cc Honda Goldwing and the expenses associated with it, price was not a factor for me when deciding on a scooter. The bigger and heavier the bike, the less maneuverable it becomes. My Goldwing quickly started to become a hassle every time I wanted to just hop on and go to the store to pick something up. This experience influenced my decision when considering the Burgman.
Most of the riding I do is either in the city or around my neighborhood. I don’t ride on the highways, but many of the suburban roads have high speed limits. The Forza offered me the right blend of power, maneuverability, and storage.
The Forza is lighter and more maneuverable than the larger Burgmans. It also gets better fuel efficiency. Not that I care THAT much about the cost of gas, but better fuel efficiency to me means fewer trips to the gas station to fill up. If I were to do highway driving or most of my riding on faster roads, I probably would have considered the Silverwing.
Burgmans are very popular and highly recommended on the scooter forums. I am somewhat biased toward Hondas because there is a dealer very close to my house and a lot of them around the country. I drive Honda cars as well and am happy with the brand and reliability.
Good luck with your decision. Whatever you decide is right for you is all that matters. You can’t go wrong with either one.
We had a Honda SUV and I rode a Honda Rebel motorcycle for 3 years. I have a coworker who loves his Goldwing.
I found good photos on flickr of a silver Goldwing next to a silver Silverwing. Here’s the short url: http://flic.kr/p/9TQ83j
I plan to use a maxi-scooter for in town commuting. The Forza with its 300cc is as small as I want to go, although I would consider a super low cost deal on a 250cc like a Honda Reflex.
But the Burgman 400 is plenty of power to allow me to also ride on freeways without any issues. Meanwhile it is still small enough I think to handle in town with enough ease.
I rode a Yamaha 750 Virago for 6 months in my commute. It was bigger than I prefer, but manageable.
I definitely prefer Honda, Suzuki, or Yamaha since those are the ones my two local dealers service the most.
Thanks again.
Nice blog Roman, I have enjoyed all of your posts so far. Keep it up!
I currently own a PCX150 – the little brother of your Forza, and think it’s a terrific bike. Practical, versatile and zippy, and can get a top speed of about 70 mph when pushed. Hard to go past.
That said, I am seriously considering an upgrade to a NSS300 Forza because I’d like to do a bit of highway touring once I move interstate (in about a year), and your blog has been really helpful to me in narrowing my options for the upgrade of my PCX when the time comes. I right now rate the Forza at the top of the 250cc+ scooper pile… it’s very tempting!
Thanks Roman. Nice and informative blog.
I have been thinking of buying a mid size scooter for commuting, going to work and travelling. Currently I own a 150 moped and Versys 650. I really like my Versys, powerful enough for long journey (at least for me..) and yet not too big or heavy for my daily commuting to workplace.
I don’t know, perhaps the comfort looking and the simplicity that really attract me. Your blog and the response of others really help me in understand much better on the scooter.
Thank you.
by the way, it’s about USD8k plus, here in Malaysia.
I just dscovered your site and I want to thank you. Both my husband and I are proud owners of matching Forzas we purchased about a year ago. Although my husband is looking into moving to a motorcycle (wanting to someday get a goldwing), I still am perfectly happy with the Forza. I have no interest in a lot of highway riding, but, I love the forza, knowing that if I have to go highway speeds on occasion I can. Thanks
Hi Katy. Have him read my post about why I bought a Forza. He wants to eventually get a Goldwing. I HAD a Goldwing and downsized. I was using it more as a scooter for shorter trips and decided to sell it. So far I love the Forza. Good luck with your bikes!
Hi Roman, I purchased a Forza about 3 weeks ago. This is my first scooter…and two wheeler. I love it. Since I am a new rider I’m gradually learning to handle to road. Today I got up to speeds of 70 with ease. I’ve been easing into highway driving by hoping off at one exit and getting off the next…I’ll extend the exits gradually. I live in NYS, so sadly I’ll be putting her up soon. I appreciate your site.
Good luck with your new Forza and thanks for the post.
Hello Roman,
Fantastic blog! I am glad I discovered forza blog. I currently ride a Honda CBR 250R here in San Jose, South Bay area (Cali). I am very much considering trading up the CBR250R for a Forza 300 ABS. In your opinion, how’s highway riding on the Forza?
Thanks
Satish
Hi Satish. I don’t do too much highway driving, but when I do the Forza handles very well and is comfortable. I am happy with the purchase. There are some other readers on here who do more highway riding. Read some of their comments to get other opinions. Thanks for your post.
Hey Roman, cool blog and thanx for posting. I’ve had my 125 pcx since 2011 and love it. I noticed a lot of “vibrations ” issues on the Forza but the posts are from last year. Do you know if those problems have been solved yet? I’m hoping to upgrade to the Forza soon. Thanx again
Hi Delfin. Thanks for the post. I don’t have any vibration issues with my Forza, or any other issues. Maybe someone else on here could respond. Good luck if you decide to buy.
Hi Roman. Just bought a 14′ Forza as my first ‘bike’ and appreciate the insight and experiences shared via your blog. 45 years old but always wanted to experience “the ride”. Your site is very well done and has been very helpful to help me validate that a mid size scooter was the way to go. Wanted something smaller and less powerful to ultimately get my full license. Did not want to deal with all that clutching and shifting. Live in Charlotte, NC area and have had a blast beginning to break it in, especially on less busy rural roads. Smooth ride, nice looking, and peppy. Only have 130 miles on it as a newbie but am looking forward to sharing adventures with you as I get more miles on her. Thanks.
Glad I was able to help Roy. For what I need it for, the Forza was the perfect size. Good luck and thanks for the post.
Thanks, Roman
I presently ride a 2010 Gold Wing/ABS, but at age 73 realize that I need to downsize soon. My yearly bike mileage has dwindled down from 15,000 to 5,000 yearly. Most of my rides are less than 200 miles. It seems the Wing is an absolute overkill! One factor in the fewer miles is my pillion buddy, Pugsley is now 9 years old, less tolerating of heat, rain, etc.
You’ve helped make this somewhat painful decision to downsize less painful. Thanks again.
Thanks George. I never regretted getting rid of my Goldwing. The Forza is so much easier to get on and maneuver. It has sufficient power for my needs, but yours may be different. Try to test ride one. I hope I’m still riding when I’m 73.