The C650GT at the 2011 introduction in Paris
This did not start out as a midlife crisis purchase, I swear. It was my wife’s idea, believe it or not.
On a recent two week, 5,500 mile trip out west in our RV (which I will try to write up eventually), we hatched this plan.
We didn’t want to pull a car all that way, so we took our mountain bikes on the back of the RV. We weren’t planning on touring around on them, though some people certainly could. We mainly thought they would be handy around the parks, campgrounds and that sort of thing.
And they were, to a point. But everything was much more spread out than we expected. We didn’t have a car for Badlands National Park, or Grand Tetons. But we toured those in the RV just fine (as well as drove it all the way to the entrance of Mount Rushmore).
We did know that we needed a car to get around Yellowstone, and we knew we needed a car to drive the Sun Road in Glacier National Park. We picked up a 2019 Corolla from Avis at West Yellowstone Airport, and kept it for about a week in Yellowstone and Glacier. My wife then followed me down to Great Falls, Montana as we headed home, and returned it at that airport.
“You know”, she said as she hopped in the RV at Great Falls, “we need a scooter on a rack on this thing to tour these parks”. It was a good idea. Though you can dolly tow or flat tow a car, we didn’t like the added length in the places we intend to travel while we are still “young”.
The interstate is one thing, but trying to find a place to park for lunch in Ennis, Montana in a 26 foot Class C RV pulling a car is problematic. Or finding parking for the mock gunfight in downtown Deadwood, South Dakota. Or pulling into the tiny grocery store lot in Dubois, Wyoming. All of these were stops where we were able to park more or less as easily as a Suburban, with nothing behind us.
The swing mount drive of my scooter. The white spring has an adjusting tool for 1 or 2 riders. The bare metal behind it is the CVT. Chain drive encased in an oil bath goes to rear wheel.
So I set about researching scooters. The general defining characteristics of a scooter, as opposed to a motorcycle, are (A) a step-through design (meaning the gas tank is not between your knees), (B) a lack of shifting (via a CVT), (C) a swing-mount drive system that uses the engine and transmission as a stressed structural member, and (D) some sort of “trunk” under the seat, maybe for one helmet and not much else. Aside from that, however, there is a huge variety among what are loosely grouped together and called “scooters”.
If you are like me, your mind goes to a “liquorsickle” when someone mentions a scooter. These are the slow, smoky, two cycle scooters that are a hazard in traffic, not able to go 35 mph unless there is a tailwind. These are available new, usually from China, for several hundred dollars on eBay. Used ones can be found for $200 or so. Though laws vary from state to state, generally they are capped at 50cc of output, and require a license plate (stamped “MOPED” in my state). But, they require no insurance and no driver license, and can be operated by anyone 16 or older (even someone with a revoked license, hence the liquorsickle nickname).
My wife and I did not want one of those, because we wanted to be able to keep up with traffic, with two people aboard, and up some steep hills such as we saw in Yellowstone.
Coleman 50cc scooter at Sam’s Club
Among the 50cc two cycle scooters, there are literally more brands than you can name (Sam’s Club sells one with the Coleman name, even).
Flip flops are not recommended foot protection at any speed.
The Yamaha Zuma was sold in the U.S. up to 2011 and can still be found in some quantities on the used market. It has a 49cc, air cooled, two cycle engine with one cylinder. It is still sold in many other countries around the world, and is a top seller in France where it is known as an MBK. MBK is what Motobecane is known as now, after being bought out of bankruptcy by Yamaha in the 1980’s.
These usually have single digit horsepower ratings, hence the low speeds and lack of insurance or licensing.
Motobecane, as far as I can tell, deserves a lot of credit for birthing the scooter genre in the 1940’s. A well known French bicycle manufacturer by that point, they added engines to what was by all accounts a bicycle (complete with pedals) and a new mode of transport swept over post WWII France. These were made without much modification at all for 48 years, through the bankruptcy and into the Yamaha years.
We actually had one of these, a yellow one, in the mid 1970’s. I asked my Dad what he remembered about how that came about. I just remember him pedalling it furiously down the driveway, trying to get it to start (I was 4 or 5). He says a bunch of guys at work bought one, after the first oil crisis. Some bicycle shop in town started selling them. You needed the pedals for starting, but also to help the engine get you up hills. He rode it to work a handful of times, but it seemed like a hazard in any traffic over 20 mph or so, so he left it parked until it wouldn’t start. He has no recollection of how he got rid of it.
Above the 50cc class, there are two broad categories (I’m greatly simplifying here for brevity):
KYMCO 300cc scooter
(1) One cylinder, four cycle gasoline scooters, of 250cc to 350cc. KYMCO is a big player in this arena. These are the most common scooters in Asia, but attempts to bring them to the US have been halfhearted at best, due to slow sales. Think of them as the Smart ForTwo of the scooter world. Fundamentally great devices, they aren’t suited to US driving needs as much as other parts of the world. Clogged urban cities, they would be great. The other 97% of our roads, not so much. They have one front disc hydraulic brake but may have cable-operated rear brakes, drum or disc. They have a longish seat that can seat two in a pinch. Horsepower is generally in the teens or low twenties.
Suzuki Burgman 650
(2) Two cylinder, four cycle gasoline scooters of 500cc or more. These are called “maxiscooters” and are really are more of a motorcycle with a CVT. Honda had one here but dropped it in 2017 after two model years. The Suzuki Burgman is a big seller in Asia, and has been a consistent seller in the US as well. The Yamaha T-Max is another competitor. Count on horsepower in the forties, or more.
C650 Sport on the left, C650GT on the right
BMW has the best selling maxiscooter in Italy, Germany and Spain with the C650 line, the “Sport” version built more for one, and the “GT” version built more for two. All the BMW scooters are built alongside their legendary motorcycles at the same Berlin factory, lending a little cachet. Fully 75% of the C650’s sold stay in Europe, where I imagine they may serve as one’s primary transportation pretty well in many areas. There is also a smaller C400X one cylinder version…
…as well as a plug-in electric version, the lime green job seen here. I considered the electric version, as the 100 mile range would work for us. They sticker for thousands more than the gas versions, but were discounted to where they were cheaper out the door.
But I can’t plug it in at night if I am at a campground with no connections, like Yellowstone. You can’t run a generator after 8pm generally, either.
So I wound up with a C650GT. Full disclosure: if I knew what I was doing, I would not have bought it. I’m growing into it, but for a first time rider, it’s too much machine. It’s 575 pounds ready for the road, actually lighter than the Suzuki Burgman but still pretty damn heavy. Calling it “just a scooter” is like calling an M3 “just a compact car”. I somewhat fault the dealer for not guiding me more about the appropriateness of it, but I’m an adult and responsible for my own decisions.
It is a great machine, and loaded up with about everything you can pack into and onto one of these: 650cc liquid cooled parallel twin, DOHC engine with 4 valves per cylinder and dry sump lubrication, EFI, 60 horsepower, 49 foot pounds of torque, CVT, ABS front and rear with three meaty hydraulic discs (two front, one rear), traction and stability control, heated grips, heated seat front and rear, electronic parking brake that goes on when you put the sidestand down, power windscreen (it raises and lowers like a power window), tire pressure monitoring…
…and a locking “trunk” under the seat with room for two full face helmets and one riding jacket, with room to spare.
Yamaha T-Max, with a 530cc Twin
Pricing? Well, the C650GT undercuts the Suzuki Burgman and Yamaha T-Max a little. So why not have the BMW, is what I thought. You CAN buy a lot of great machines for less money, though, especially if one was going to ride solo. I would probably get the G310R like in my rider class for a lot less.
And you certainly can buy used for less. I paid about $11,000.00 out the door, with tax, tag, dealer prep, and a couple of dealer installed options I wanted. That was after a $1,000.00 discount for the 2019 model year closeout (this was the last C650GT in the East Coast distribution center in New Jersey). I got 0% for 36 months with zero down through BMW Financial, so you can’t beat that.
The top speed is a claimed 112 MPH, though BMW advises not to exceed 80 MPH with two riders aboard. Not to worry, as 55 MPH thus far is about my comfort level. The power windscreen, which sounds ridiculous, is great in creating a windproof cocoon even at that speed.
Together with the clunky-looking front cheek and leg fairing, when the screen is fully raised there is no buffeting at all. I rode the other day in 40 degree conditions, and I even left the visor open on my helmet. Between a lined, armored jacket, my armored gloves, the heated grips and heated seat, I was more comfortable than any convertible car would have been that day.
My biggest mistake so far was riding it anywhere, at all, prior to taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course. I did not have any mishaps involving traffic in about 100 miles of putting around town, but, it’s a miracle I didn’t. As the old saying goes, “you don’t know what you don’t know”.
The course was great; nine hours a day for two days (Saturday and Sunday) at the local community college. Some motorcycle dealers offer it for free with a purchase, or rebate the course price with a purchase. Some locations spread it out over three days instead of two. It’s just the basics, of course, and you don’t leave there ready to do stunts.
The class was limited to 12 persons; one didn’t show, and three dropped out after taking a spill, so eight of us completed the class. Completion of the class in my state allows you to get your motorcycle endorsement with just a written test, as opposed to completing an obstacle course with a DMV officer.
They had a stable of bikes for the class; everyone ran to the older, cool looking Harleys and Hondas, ignoring a new one-cylinder BMW G310R bike with 200 miles on it. I grabbed it, even though it was numbered “13” for the range course! I figured the controls would be like my scooter, and I knew it had EFI, so it might be a little easier to learn on. Indeed, one of the biggest struggles the other students had as the weekend wore on was stalling and other rough running due to the other “cool” bikes having a carb and a manual choke. So I was grateful for the lack of interest in the Bimmer.
Although, it had a manual gearbox like the others, and so I had to learn that even though I did not need that skill for the scooter. As David explained in his recent MOAL, 1st is down with your left foot, then lifting up with your foot takes you to N then through gears 2 through 5, and vice versa.
There are differences between scooter and motorcycle controls:
Left hand scooter = reach for rear brake
Left hand motorcycle = reach for clutch
Right hand is the same for both: twist grip for throttle, then reach for the front brake
Left foot motorcycle = gear shift
Left foot scooter = nothing
Right foot motorcycle = rear brake
Right foot scooter = nothing
It went fine in the end though, and I admit having a clutch you can slip at low speed maneuvering is an advantage the CVT lacks. I am getting better with “feathering” the CVT, but it takes some very small movements of the throttle to avoid an “on/off” situation which can put you on the ground at the wrong moment.
Speaking of which, the old saying is there are those who have wrecked or “dropped” their motorcycle, and those who have not YET done so. I have done it, so I’m in the club. If you stop without paying attention to the wheel being straight ahead, it’ll go down. I did that prior to the class in an empty parking lot while practicing my panic stops. I got stopped alright, on a dime, but I didn’t have the wheel straight enough. Panic stopping in a curve is one of the topics we covered in the class, so maybe better luck next time.
Turn your head and look where you want to go
I also dropped it in a parking lot due to “target fixation”. A motorcycle will go where you are looking, every time. Like a lot of newbies, I stared at a curb that jumped out of nowhere, instead of turning my head like a barn owl and looking where I wanted to go. Bam, I hit the curb and down I went on my right hand, knee, elbow and shoulder, and my ankle was stuck under the scooter. I was A-OK though, due to the armored jacket and pants, and motorcycle boots. All the gear, all the time, as the saying goes.
My wife and I have practiced riding “two up” at the local community college parking lots on the weekends, and have graduated to riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway before it gets too cold. The BRP is a great place to ride as beginners, since the speed limit is never higher than 45 mph, and at least this time of year there’s not much traffic. The leaf looker traffic is over, and most of the campgrounds and amenities closed Nov. 1.
Yes, that is a player piano. Ran when parked. Free to a good home.
One of the topics covered in the class was why people tend to not see motorcycles. They are smaller and narrower, of course, compared to what we are looking for and expect to see on the road. You should wear a light colored helmet and a high visibility jacket instead of the “cool” all black look.
Many studies suggest that a key problem is the human brain has trouble discerning movement and depth of a single light source. Makes some sense, as you can tell a car is coming towards at night you when you see the two headlights getting closer together. Think about how you do a double take at night, when a car with only one headlight burning comes towards you. At least I do; I can’t quite tell, it is moving? Which side of their car am I seeing? Are they in my lane or not?
So, I added some LED lights front and rear. About $15 each end, and 30 minutes or so to install. It’s worth a try, anyway, and gives me a little more confidence even in the daytime, with the headlight on. It’s just a single bulb at a time on the C650GT, one side low and the other side high beam.
I tapped into the license plate lamp wiring on the rear, positive and negative. The license plate light is on at all times when the key is on, for some reason, even with the headlights off.
Since the fuses were adjacent to the front end (you can see the side cheek flaring removed on the “passenger” side, that’s how you access the battery, fuses, OBD connector, and air filter), I used a fuse splitter in the keyed fuse space for the front running light. That’s the three vertical white LED bars between the headlamps. They are on whenever the key is.
The fuse tap allows you to use one fuse space for two circuits. I removed the 4 amp fuse for the LED DRL, plugged the splitter in, and then plugged the factory fuse back in the first slot. That feeds the factory circuit.
The second slot, with no fuse, is feeding the pigtail for the new circuit. You place a fuse in the second slot according to what you are doing; I used a 3 amp fuse for the new orange LEDs. I connected the positive lead of the orange LEDs to the crimp connector on the pigtail, and connected the negative leads under a screw on the metal bike frame for attaching the front fairing.
I’ll write up some trips we hope to take it along on next year. Who else out there has a scooter or motorcycle they haven’t told us about!?
Gas prices have been creeping up here for a couple of years, so I finally bit the bullet and took the motorcycle beginner course in June. My commute is about 20 miles each way on a multi-lane highway. Yes, there are alternate side roads, but they have quite a bit of traffic to deal with and with the reduced speed limits, it takes me about 15 mins longer to get to work.
I was considering a Suzuki Burgman, since I have a medical (mobility) issue with my feet, so I was concerned about being able to shift a regular motorcycle.
In the beginner course, I was riding a Honda Grom and a Suzuki VanVan 200. Shifting with my foot was much easier than I imagined, and I was able to do it without pain. It was at that point that I started looking at motorcycles instead of scooters.
I now have a 2008 Honda Shadow Aero 750. It’s nice and comfortable, even at highway speeds.
I may still consider getting a maxi scooter instead, but at this point I’ll stick with the Shadow until I can’t anymore.
Wow! I think this may have the highest power to weight ratio of your entire fleet, no?
You may be correct that this is a little big to be starting out on or perhaps even ending up with as a non-constant rider. I too took the MSF class when I got my first motorcycle and it was invaluable in teaching the do’s and dont’s but am still astounded that one can get licensed and then buy and ride whatever horsepower and weight level is desired. Somewhere online is a tutorial for the passenger in regards as to what to do and more importantly, not to do when riding on the back, such as leaning on the front rider, shifting positions quickly etc.
It looks comfy though, just keep an eye out for those that don’t see you, especially in national parks where everyone is looking anywhere but the road. One thing I always did was just to keep the highbeam on all the time during the daytime, anything for a little extra conspicuity. There’s also a flasher mechanism available that pulses the light that some riders seem to like for the same purpose.
When I first started riding a motorcycle, way back in the early seventies, there was no such thing as a training course, at least not that I was aware of. Once simply purchased a bike, rode it around until you were comfortable with it, and then scheduled the test to get the motorcycle endorsement on your license. In my native Kentucky, at least as I remember it, there was no written component to the test, you simply had to demonstrate that you could maneuver (at low speed) through some traffic cones with hitting them or falling over.
The statement that motorcycle riders fall into two classes, those who have fallen/crashed and those who haven’t yet done so, is oh so true. I ended up wrecking my first bike, a Kawasaki on/off road hybrid, when I tried to cross a fallen log at the wrong angle and the front tire slipped. I was literally at a walking speed but I was not able to prevent the bike from trapping my foot between the log and the clutch cover, resulting in some soft tissue damage to my left foot. I essentially gave that bike away as I was tired of it anyway. After not riding for several months I decided I wanted another motorcycle and purchased a Honda CB550. I rode it for several years without any real issues until the day I crashed it. My brother lived in the country then and I had just left his house to return to town when I laid the Honda down on literally the first curve I came to, less than a quarter mile from his house. I was only going about 20 MPH or so but encountered some loose gravel on the road and ended up sliding into the ditch. I wasn’t really hurt and was able to walk back to my brother’s and we were able to load the bike into his truck. Other than some scuff marks the bike wasn’t damaged but I got rid of it anyway; I had met the woman I would marry by this time and she was not a fan of the motorcycle. I have ridden a motorcycle maybe six times since then (1985) and never for any extended period. At this point I’m afraid that my reflexes are not sharp enough for two wheeled motoring, when I need a fresh air experience I can put the top down on my Mustang.
Even though I’ve been driving manual-shift cars my entire life, I could never master shifting on a motorcycle. So I just barely passed my MSF class – it sure helped that we never got past 2nd gear!
So I bought a bike with a manual shift but an automatic clutch (Honda C70 Passport, aka Super Cub) but I couldn’t master that, either!
I’m still looking at “midi-scooters”, i.e. the 150-250cc class. You’re completely right about the 2nd tier Taiwanese/Chinese manufacturers. They can’t seem to maintain US importers or dealer networks. Japanese bike dealers here in Vegas have a virtual monopoly, so a bike with a $3k MSRP will cost over $5k out the door!
So I’m shopping used scooters. Looking for a Burgman 200, Yamaha S-Max, or a Honda PCX150. They’re thin on the ground here, but I’ll find one at some point.
Keep an eye open for either a Honda PCS150 or a Yamaha Zuma 125. Both excellent scooters for what you’re looking for. The Yamaha has a totally flat floor (and will fit a case of beer between your knees), the Honda has a slight spine down the center that keeps your feet separated.
Nice buy. Should suit your needs very well.
I have only driven a scooter once but it was a little 80cc vintage Honda. A fun little unit.
My wife expressed a mild interest in doing a bike trip at some point. She wants more power than my little 250cc bike would offer and something like this might appeal. She is likely not a fan for wind buffeting either so good to know that these don’t suffer from that. Second hand scooters seem to hold their value quite well here I think due to the fact that not many are sold new.
I went for a ride a few weeks ago with two guys I ride bicycles with but had never moto’ed with. I was on my Ducati 900 Monster, one guy rode my Suzuki DR650 dual sport, and the third guy rode his Suzuki 400 Burgman maxi scooter. The scooter had to slow down a bit on some of the bumpier sections (as did my Ducati, though for different reasons I think) but generally hung in with us quite well at some highish speeds on a twisty backroad.
Suggest a look at the Piaggio Mp3. Lots of them used out there, and the way it stays upright without putting feet down at stops might be reassuring.
What an education ! Riding a moped with no licence and no insurance !
650cc and you still call it a scooter !
But what luxury – “oil bath chain drive” !
Back in my day, it was left foot rear brake, right foot “one-up, three-down”.
Aside from standardized left foot shifter and right side rear brake, and the “one-down then everything up” pattern, I’m not sure you can buy any motorcycle with just 4 speeds anymore either. So those old habits have to change.
I believe the Ural bikes only have four forward gears. Cannot be many though.
Good catch! And in fact some Ural’s have reverse as well. They are getting modernized, though; I believe they all have fuel injection now.
Although I’m a lifelong motorcyclist, I’ll confess to not having much interest in scooters. But here in California I’d characterize the market slightly differently. A few, older, sub-50cc scooters either from Honda/Yamaha or Chinese brands. A lot of 150-300 scooters, with a mix of older Japanese brands, a handful of Chinese, and even quite a few real Italian Vespa’s. I’ll occasionally see (hear, and perhaps smell first) an old two-stroke Vespa shifting through its four gears manually.
Finally, the maxi scooters, which I’d observe are less common here than the smaller ones. Almost all the maxi scooters here are Suzuki Burgman’s (Burgmen?), either 400’s or 650’s. I’m not sure I’ve seen a C650 outside of the BMW showroom. If in fact it’s cheaper than the Suzuki, that’s quite a deal.
I’m glad you took the safety course and even got a chance to ride a “real” motorcycle. Stay safe, and have fun!
We have two 50cc Yammies. In Canada they are known as the BWS, otherwise the Zuma, although still offered in 4stroke form. My 2009 2 stroke will hit 80km/h (downhill) and wifey’s 2012 4 stroke is governed to 67 km/h, even if pitched off a cliff.
FYI, used scoots are in two camps, used Honda Ruckus’ and Yamaha BWS/Zuma and then all the Chinese crap. Although less expensive new, the Chinese models are virtually worthless used, while the Honda/Yammy hold value well.
Oh, there may be that Italian thing, but its gone all offshore and blingy, but the older ones had some cachet.
Best of travels! Taking the rider safety course is the only way to learn how to ride safely. I hope emergency braking in turns was part of the course. Locking the rear wheel in turns and releasing the brake will cause you to flip the bike out from under you well before you figure.Antilock brakes are a life saver.!
“He rode it to work a handful of times, but it seemed like a hazard in any traffic over 20 mph or so…”
Although they ‘seem’ like a great, economical alternative to using a car for commuting, one word can sum up what invariably happens to anyone who tries it: rain. Once you’ve been caught in a downpour (or even a normal, steady rain), suddenly, the money you save doesn’t sound so great and you began using it less and less, to the point where, as stated, it just ends up sitting idle. And while the wet road surfaces are bad enough, driving over railroad tracks or, much worse, a steel-grated bridge, can be downright terrifying.
And forget about doing any kind of shopping on a motorcycle. Yeah, it’s possible, but it’s a hassle getting your cargo properly stowed and secured (as opposed to just throwing it into the backseat of a car). So, unless you’re really willing to make some major sacrifices, two-wheeled transportation is mostly just a fair-weather, recreational ride.
Unless you have to go the ‘liquorsickle’ route. Interestingly, one of the more popular alternatives for someone with legal issues is what used to be called a ‘Whizzer’ back in the fifties, i.e., a regular bicycle retrofitted with a cheap, Chinese 2-stroke 50cc engine. But even those have limitations. Besides the low speed thing, running a two-stroke means you have to mix oil in with the gas. And they overheat after about 30 minutes. Of course, I can’t imagine anyone riding one for over half an hour, anyway.
And if they only go about 25 mph, then you’re only going to have a range of about 13 miles. But they are cheap; a DIY, brand-new one using a cheapo Walmart bike and an Amazon engine kit will be less than $300.
Despite primarily being a motorcycle rider, I’ll admit a fondness for scooters having owned two over the past fifteen years: a 2006 Jinan Qingqi 150 (there are good Chinese manufacturers out there, you just have to look closely) and a 2010 Yamaha Zuma 125. Enjoyed the Yamaha quite a bit, they both were excellent commuters. Quite honestly, in rush hour traffic a scooter has it all over a motorcycle, as long as you don’t have to go over 50mph.
Liquorcycles? At the Honda shop where I worked, we called the 49cc Metropolitans “DUI Cadillacs”. And until about 2010, drivers with drinking problems were the main market.
The 150cc GY-6 engine and drivetrain is brilliant! The newer Zumas are fuel injected. Lots of chinese scooters have crude but effective ABS and are solid, reliable vehicles overall, and simple to repair and maintain. The downside is that their electrical systems could def. be better, and the plastic bits are, from my experience, both cheap junk and expensive to replace.
Wow a “scooter” with 60 hp and a top speed of 112 mph. Back in the Day, my 1,000 cc Sportster had that kind of performance. I think that an actual motorcycle would be more stable at higher speeds. I would feel more secure being able to grip a gas tank between my knees, specially over rough pavement or in gusty winds. That BMW sounds like a pretty impressive machine but an 11,000 dollar scooter doesn’t seem like economy transportation. I rode for 35 years and was an MSF instructor for a while. It is a very good class and will help the beginning rider get off to a safe start.
650 eh, well that alone explains one I saw briefly at speed and it was pulling away from me, I figured I could catch him but I need my licence for work and my car has number plates, in the tradition of high speed war against the spped camera he’d removed his one, that told me all I needed to know then, but I think it was one of these BMW 650.
So, are you going to pull it behind your coach on a trailer?
I’ve got an 800 pound capacity motorcycle carrier that goes on your hitch receiver. So a carrier instead of a trailer. The hitch on the RV is a Class III, so 5,000 pounds trailer weight / 500lbs max tongue weight (though the internet says a Class III is usually underrated and can carry more. I might be safe).
I am going to have a hitch/welder person look at the RV and tell me if they think I’m safe, or if we need to/can reinforce it.
The Suburban has a Class IV hitch which is rated at 10,000 pounds trailer weight / 1,000 pounds vertical load. So I have already carried the 575 pound scooter and 90 pound carrier on the Suburban. That worked fine and as you might imagine, the Suburban with rear air leveling suspension drove like nothing was back there at all.
Assuming you have the Navion shown in the photo watch out for payload, that is probably your limiting factor. Sprinter based Class Cs have a GCWR of only 11,030 pounds and are notorious for low payload; I looked at some that had less than 800 pounds payload. That means 800 pounds for passengers, propane, water and cargo–not much. I’m guessing your Navion has about 1200 pounds payload. If so I’m thinking your best bet is a light trailer so that loaded you would put less than 100 pounds tongue weight load on your coach.
I’m also guessing the 1000 pound vertical rating on your Suburban is when using a weight distribution hitch and the rating is lower otherwise. This is common.
That’s GVWR of 11,030, not GCWR. Sorry for the poor proofreading.
One answer to the question posed: A scooter is NOT a moped, and vice versa.
The old Honda Helix from the late 80s seems to be start of maxi scooters. It was a feet forward design with a 250cc twin and good enough aerodynamics to go highway speeds. They were very popular with Gold wing rider’s wives in the early 90s as light comfortable and fast enough to keep up.
A couple of trivia points, the C650 engine is also used as the range extender on BMW i3 electric cars. Also not all scooters have automatic transmissions. The original Vespa and Lambretta designs have a manual transmission shifted by the left twist grip. Modern Vespas, and their Indian Bajaj clones have CVTs.
I haven’t ridden a scooter since I demoed a Honda Helix in 1991 so I would probably find it only slightly less disconcerting than the Can Am Spyder I tried a few years ago. We did look at getting a Honda Ruckus scooter for my wife to commute on but her current job has an unsuitable commute. Personally I’d get a small motorcycle instead of a scooter, but I have decades of motorcycle experience so I’d rather have familiar controls, even forward set controls on cruiser motorcycles are offputting.