Now that SilverWing is discontinued in US Market

Now that SilverWing is discontinued in US market:

Some thoughts based on 2 new SilverWings and near 80,000 miles=they are good machines, perform well left alone, biggest minus buffeting even with GIVI Adjustable windshield and short belt life @ 16,000 miles. Future will be only used as I think left over 2013's are about gone...my black one is one of these with now 26000 plus miles....I plan to run it to 50,000 miles, but I know from past experience at 40,000 I get the itch for something different.

SilverWing is heavy, overweight and top heavy especially loaded for touring. Performance is ok----gas mileage based on throttle hand.

Handling fine for scooter. Maybe tire sensitive....following HONDA recommendation works best? Right now I have matched Michelin Power Pure....think IRC front better feeling.

Honda big dealer network nice to have around. Last year I rode to 49 states, using SilverWing for 46 of these. No troubles,got over 10,000 miles out of Michelin Power Pure on return from AK
Dealers do not seem to stock scooter tires so problem on trips.

I think Maxi-scooter market dead in US, so used SilverWings cheap. Trade in sucks.

I do not make mods to scooter other than throttle top (NEP), GIVI rack & box and windshield, this bike added electric plug on but seldom use-----If scooter does not suit me, better to buy something else.

At 76 I am planning on another new bike/scooter.....and do not plan on being trailer biker or cruiser rider! Having had over 75 new bikes/scooters I do not have purchase stuff to get experience....already wasted money!

Thoughts?

Have you looked at the latest SYM and Kymco John? . I just got back from a holiday in Spain, and was surprised how they are taking to the Maxi-Scoots, after usually only seeing the little pop pops. The Burgman 125 and 400 seem to have appeared in large numbers . Maybe because they now have Motorways(Expressways) they need a little more speed to keep up with traffic. My 2014 Silverwing I bought in July 2014. Just got a letter from Honda saying possible fault with Starter Magnetic Switch and to take it to my Honda dealer for checking. They cannot have a look for three weeks. They say 1. if it is okay it  could take an Hour. 2. If it needs wiring and repair about 3-4 days. 3. If it needs replacing it could take up to 10days. Also once they have it in the shop it cannot leave until it is fixed. Good job I've got my Burgman 400.     I recently saw a Kawasaki 300 scooter that looked okay. There is still the Yamaha TMax.

Well at 78 I'm just pinkled tink to be able to ride and the S'Wing fits the bill perfectly for me, my 05 just turned 10,000 miles this weekend, I've put 2,000 on it since I bought it in January, there would have been more but for our real wet spring summer. I'm keeping mods to a min and enjoying it for what it is, the Givi wind screen and a brand new Givi Monokey ( uninstalled and probably won't be ) are it so far. New tires and a new drive belt will be installed this winter and possibly new brake pads to to have everything up to snuff for spring. Would I by another? sure would.

I'm disappointed that Honda doesn't market the new Silverwing in the US. I'm very happy with my BMW C650GT but would probably have stayed with the Silverwing if the US hadn't been eliminated as a market for the SW.

We don't get the SW-T Silver Wing 600 in the UK either despite the fact it's been out about 5 years and there's probably a bigger market for maxi scooters here in the UK than in the US and this shortsighted practice of getting an Auto Only motorcycle licence limits many riders to twist n' go scooters and semi-automatic motorcycles.

Over in Europe I've only ever spotted a few SW-T Silver Wings, one in Innsbruck, Austria, surprisingly only one in Milan, Italy, and there was one always parked up outside a department store when I was staying in Bremen, Germany recently.

It's hardly surprising the FSC Silver Wing has been discontinued in the US as most new owners seem to buy old used ones off the internet rather than new ones from a Honda dealership so sales figures for the last few years would be almost zilch.

It's hardly surprising the FSC Silver Wing has been discontinued in the US as most new owners seem to buy old used ones off the internet rather than new ones from a Honda dealership so sales figures for the last few years would be almost zilch.[/quote]


Thinking back I count a total of 2 bikes I've bought new from a dealer all the rest were local and or from people I knew. All were low mileage and good bikes Honda Suzuki for the most part. Unless it were to be my main transportation no sense paying for the the depreciation as long as it was the bike I wanted.

If weight and dealer presence mean a lot to you I would look to a Burgman 400 next. I've heard good thinks about the Kymcos as well, but don't even know where my closest dealer is. My first scoot was a 2004 Burgman 400 and it was light, nimble, peppy and highway capable, followed by my second scoot the 650 Executive, which was very heavy, but very powerful as well. I actually put more miles on the 400 because it was so easy to maneuver around by hand and in parking lots. I would another one if my used SW didn't come up for a good price.

Then if the importer isn't making money on an ageing maxi scooter that they hardly sell and are gathering dust in warehouses and showrooms it makes perfect sense for them to discontinue their sale. It doesn't make economic sense to bring in the face lifted version to have them gathering dust either

Honda UK had the Honda CN 250 Helix in their range from 1989-91, they didn't sell many because to the the average British biker it was just a weird looking scooter. Scooters to them were Italian junk like Vespa and Lambretta forever associated with the 1960’s Mods and Rockers era and the film ’Quadrophehia'. The Helix cost £3500 back then too, which was a lot of money for a weird looking 250 single cylinder plastic bodied scooter, with a digital speedo and a boot (trunk).

My next bike will probably be the new Honda Africa Twin--if my shortish legs can manage it. Plan on keeping the SW until it falls apart, though. Only 160 miles on it so far--need to get out more!

Scoots are not alone in setting in the show rooms there are 2 to 4 year old new bikes and trikes there and in some cases not even out of the shipping crates.. One popular place has a second floor area devoted to nothing but used bikes and scoots.

To answer Old Limey-----I have already had 2 new Burgman 400's= ok, less to buy than Silverwing, dull colors, heavy but about 100 lbs less than SilverWing, over 50,000 miles experience with them. worked fine for me,tire sensitive.

Had new TMAX500=fast, maybe best handling Scooter, but expensive to keep as miles pile up.

Daelim no current US importer---had 125cc Daelim scooter when I last lived in Korea=Wonderful, took wide open running with no trouble, no troubles otherwise great and cheap service net, air/oil cooled, Puig Windshield

My Honda dealer has the redesigned VFR800 on the floor. They haven't sold one in the two model years that it's been out. Not one. I know that some of the other Japanese manufacturers let the dealer 'have' the bikes for three months - then they have to start paying interest on them. That must get expensive fast.

I don't get why people buy the bikes with the DCTs, but a scooter with a CVT is not a motorcycle to them.

My first Silverwing was a 2007 model I bought new. I've traveled in all but two states with it (no trailering) and logged a little over 130,000 miles. No mechanical problems other than replacing the clutch. Recently I bought a new 2013 Silverwing of which will probably be the last two wheeler for me I've cut down on traveling long distances now that I'm 75 years old. I've always done all the tire changing, drive belt renewal and other maintenance required on the Silverwing. I can't say enough about the reliability and comfort of my 2007

Dealerships can make or break a particular brand. When I had my Burgman 650 I stopped by the closest Suzuki dealer in Grants Pass about 30 miles from here. I asked what I should do if my 650 ate its transmission and was told that I'd have to truck it down somewhere in California for any kind of major repairs. He only did routine stuff like tires, brakes, etc. You got a problem, ship it to CA.
The local Honda dealer has really griped a lot of Honda motorcycle owners. I had a problem with my '08 GL1800 and took it to them. I called them every few days for six weeks but they "hadn't gotten to it yet". I finally gave up on them and went to get my bike back. It had spent the entire six winter weeks outside in the blowing dirt and rain. It was difficult to see what color it was. I'd told them there was a cover in the trunk but they didn't bother. My first inclination was to go inside their store and kick some butt physically but luckily my wife had driven me over to their shop and cooled me down a bit. I took it home and did what was needed after taking half a day to de-crud a $13,000 bike. It's too bad about Honda here but the store sells Honda and Kawasaki as well as a few other brands. They're more interested in selling dirt bikes and ATVs than Honda motorcycles.
Buying the BMW C650GT was a good move for me because we have an excellent dealership here. They treat people right, their prices aren't sky high and they'll work on any BMW ever made, none of that "we don't work on bikes over ten years old" stuff I got from some Honda dealers.

exavid wrote:

Dealerships can make or break a particular brand. ...
Buying the BMW C650GT was a good move for me because we have an excellent dealership here. They treat people right, their prices aren't sky high and they'll work on any BMW ever made, none of that "we don't work on bikes over ten years old" stuff I got from some Honda dealers.

How true. I'm still astounded at all the new parts I can still buy at the dealer for my 45-year old (it was made 10/70) Beemer. Don't use the dealer for service, though. We're lucky to have a specialist Airhead Beemer repair shop locally.

Bash On! wrote:

 We're lucky to have a specialist Airhead Beemer repair shop locally.

Is this Airhead repair shop in downtown "Recalculating" ?

Yes you can get lots of  parts for old BMW bikes from the factory but they take months to arrive and as usual you must Bring More Wallet !!!

Meldrew wrote:

Bash On! wrote:

 We're lucky to have a specialist Airhead Beemer repair shop locally.

Is this Airhead repair shop in downtown "Recalculating" ?

Nearby--right at the end of the rainbow.