So farewell the Brick

[ffutures]

The Brick has driven off into the sunset - somewhat later than planned since the buyer gave it a mini-service in my front garden first, but he'd already paid for it so I didn't have any problems with that. It feels odd to be bikeless, and have no immediate plans to buy one, for the first time in 35+ years, but I'm not sure I will be looking for another bike for now, and if I do in the future it'll probably be something lighter and more appropriate for city use and an occasional run to places like Cambridge - a 250cc scooter seems the most likely choice, there seem to be some nice ones around. What I definitely want is something that is still in production / has servicing readily available, a lot of my problems over the years have been made worse by the age of my bikes.

Suggestions for models etc. gratefully received, but I think I probably won't be buying until the new year at the earliest, if I buy anything at all. One model I'm definitely ruling out is BMW's C1 and derivatives, possibly the ugliest and stupidest-looking scooter ever...




It's ugly, ridiculously heavy, and illegal to use in the UK without a helmet, which takes away one of the few reasons why anyone might possibly want one.

update: I've had to remove the original picture, which showed a woman in ludicrous clothes (high-heeled strappy sandals!) riding the thing, since the site disabled cross linking.

Comments

[johnreiher.livejournal.com]

I've seen three other variations on that design, one from China that was convertible to a roofless mode. Ugly is right.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

So the roofless one presumably forfeits the C1's claim to sufficient structural integrity to make a helmet unnecessary, in countries that allow it.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Good gods, one of the variants was seriously named the 'Family Friend'?!

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't surprise me - I cherish my ignorance of the things, except to say that I've rarely seen one that didn't show signs of having been dropped on its side at some point - they are so top-heavy and awkward it has to be a question of when it happens, not if.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Also, it must be a very small family - it's a single-seater.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Apparently I'm wrong - it was possible to add a pillion - sort of hanging out at the back with no protection and the passengers weight messing up the handling and potentially tipping the whole thing backwards!