Enough is enough! Safety first...

I was really tired and upset of this "sideview" mirrors. I couldn't see anything behind me for crying out loud...

You can say whatever you want but I think this solution works just perfectly :)

Total cost: 8€ (4€ each), they turn 360º, so you can adjust to better suit your needs...

 

Now I can see, now I have rearview mirrors... :)
Safety first!

Speed it up!

I still drive with some fear, I'm still a rookie... :)

But...for those who need to know, the maximum speed on straight road is ~100kms/h.
In the highway, downhill, with no cars and with care, it goes fast as ~120kms/h.
On the same higway, uphill, goes as fast as 70kms/h :(

Never drove with a passenger... always me on Symone alone...

I don't need much speed on traffic jams, the speed I need is "not stopped, on the move" :)

1st revision / 1000kms

So, has plan, took Symone for it's 1000kms revision...
It was free because it was negotiated in the buying process, the price would be 27 euros thou.
The next one will be at 6000kms, then 12000kms, and so on...

The Sym GTS 125 Evo as an alarm for revision set to 3000kms, but the oil is supposed to hold for the 6000kms.

I ask for the average price on the next revision and the owner of the bike shop told me it will be something about 60euros.

Nice :)

A-lot-of-videos :)

List of videos from youtube, the beautiful machine :)
[some are about the 300 version, but the design is the same...]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_TAl9fZ-WI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRKsDN6Xb1o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmFxyz6IFBA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcdd17vdMP0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcDmHpz0VOA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqVIzVHpZvI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x9E6e4Q0Jg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSW66FFm1Dk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15u3YJbz9Js

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNu0MmCOty0

Tips:
"How to access headlight bulbs"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D56-KVzOZiQ

Fuel tank and fuel tank cap

"The fuel gauge doesn’t come on when the main switch is at “OFF” position.
When key switch is turned to “ON”, and the “pointer” indicates above “E” position, it shows how much fuel in the tank, and also the fuel indicator light keeps coming on. When the “pointer” is below “E” position, the fuel indicator flashes, and the fuel warning indicator(orange) will come on. It means there is only approximately 1.2 liter of fuel left in the tank. Refuel octane 92/95/98 unleaded gasoline immediately." - from the Sym GTS 125 Evo owner manual

 

Honestly there's one thing about the fuel tank cap that I dislike, and it is the open mechanism with the start-up key. Many times when I want to block the wheel I turn the key and open the cap, probably it's my lack of ability to understand the mechanism... I don't know...

Still in love with my Symone :)
In these last two weeks the back to work inferno commuting went smoothly... :)

Muffler\exhaust protection

When I was a kid I fell off my bike and made a serious injury, I had to go to the hospital and get stitches. While waiting in the room came a teenage girl who was with her boyfriend, she burned her leg on the exhaust of his scooter. I always thought it was stupid that the bikes do not have at least a minimum protection.

This is what the engineers at Sym made for the Sym GTS 125 Evo...

Rear view mirror angle - not good

Not all is good in my Sym GTS 125 Evo :(

Since day one that I don't feel comfortable with the angle of the rear view mirrors.
They look good, they retract... but I cannot see what's happening behind me...

If I put them pointing inside I only see my arms... if outside they point too side ways and I cannot see right behind.

Normally I've to move my arm inside my body and stretch my head a little to view anything on my back. This is an issue for my rookie driving skills...

Questions... ask me some...

In a previous post someone ask:

"então man , e mais novidades? comportamento na estrada nas curvas , travões , consumos , médias? revisões , falta mais informação"

Which can be summarized as:
a) road behavior;
b) curve behavior;
c) breaks;
d) consume;
e) revisions;

For a), b) and c) I must remind my readers that this is my first ever motorcycle, and I'm still a little rookie on the road, and since I have no comparison terms I must say I'm very satisfied with the behavior of the maxi-scooter. I'll try to ask a friend who drives bikes for years for an expert review, any time in the future...

For d), unfortunately I've not rode my Symone has I expected to, because of the lousy weather and because I'm at home taking care of my recent born baby, so I only fill up the gas tank twice. So far consume is what expected prior to revision, it's something about 4lt/100kms. After that it supposed to be less, I will post information as soon as I have it, in a few months time...

Regarding e), the first revision is free :) - it was a benefit from the motorbike store. The first revision is at 1000km, I'm still at half of that :(

Feel free to ask me something, I'll try to answer...

Front wheel, brake and tyre

What a nice wheel hein?

Some pics

Just some pictures of my Symone :)

[the weather has been the worst these past months, almost didn't ride...]

Another good Sym GTS Evo blog

Found this great Sym GTS Evo blog the other day:
http://gostodescooters.blogspot.com/

It's in portuguese so use the Google Translator if needed.
Translate link

There is some valuable information, take a look...

Lets talk storage #4 - at last but not least

To finish the storage posts here is the last one you can find on the scooter.
It's in the main structure right in front of the knees.

Yes, you can see a 12V plugin, very useful to charge the phone, pda or the mp3 on the move... nice... :)
This storage compartment has a lock, so it's a "little" safe to store some items.

Lets talk storage #3 - another compartment

In the right we can find another useful compartment to store smaller stuff. I keep my garage keys when going out so I don't need to store them in the jacket, when arriving I then get then from that little handy place.

(click to enlarge)

The commands : right hand

And here are the pictures of the right hand commands...

The commands : left hand

Here are the pictures of the left command and it's description...

The passenger's pedals

So you need to take a back rider passenger?
Well, he or she must put the feet somewhere...

Here are the back pedals (view from above):

Close pedal

Open Pedal

Never took a passenger thou... :(

[I guess everyone still afraid of my driving skills... ]

Time saving machine

It's been a few weeks now that I ride my Symone to work (not all the days thou, I still have no confidence at rainy conditions).

But I can now make some analysis of the difference between riding a car and riding my Symone.


It's a really time saving machine! 
I'm so glad I've decided to buy a maxi-scooter :)

Still feel like a rookie on the road, still very afraid of cars and other motorcycles, but even so I still can make better times than ever by car.

Best time ever by car, mid summer when the city was empty and didn't stop on red lights, took me some ~16 minutes. Average time by car going to work ~20m, going home ~30m .
Best time ever with Symone, in a normal day, took me 12 minutes.
Average time by scooter going to work ~16m, going home ~15m.

These results are on the "normal" conditions...

Since the start of using the scooter I've faced 5 major traffic jams...
If I've drove the car those days none of those traffic jam could be made in less than an hour.
With Symone... It's been smooth... :)

Lets talk storage #2 - secret hideout

This is a small compartment but quite handy.
It has no lock so it's no good to keep valuable stuff.
It's where I keep a simple cloth to clean up the seat from dust and humidity.

I took the photos with a tissue packet and a 50 cents euro coin to give the perception of the dimension.

Kick start

For those who might ask about it... yes, the Sym GTS 125 Evo comes with a "kick start", even if the manual said little about it :(

(click to enlarge)

A video of the fearest machine

Took some time but finally I made a little video... enjoy!