I've been in Essex over Xmas - at least it gets light occasionally there - and whilst I was there I spotted a Vectrix scooter! Which is a first for me. It looked, shall we say, well used, and was basically white but the owner had slapped some rubbish blue and yellow stripes on it making it look rather too much like a Police vehicle, but its clearly still running!

Googling Vextrix scooters......weren't they on the market around 2010 Mr G? I remember a few slab-sided scoots but I don't recall the manufacturer.

Edit: Cripes, time flies. I probably saw a few around after 2010, here in Plymouth. They were more bulbous than slabby - fugly though and now lost in time.

I saw a couple in Australia back then as well. Vectrix set up one of those pop up shops for a few weeks in my coastal town. Don't know if they ever sold many here.

Bit of a write up here about them from back in 2009. https://www.bikesales.com.au/editorial/ ... oter-15804

Aaron

Capt. R Swipe wrote: Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:01 pm Googling Vextrix scooters......weren't they on the market around 2010 Mr G? I remember a few slab-sided scoots but I don't recall the manufacturer.

First introduced in 2006 apparently!! Time does fly....I think the one I saw was a 2007, though not sure why I thought that! I first noticed it because the rear side panels were quite scuptural, but it looked a little odd as the wheels were quite small, so I took a closer look. Impressed that the old-tech batteries are still functional! Unless something else has been retrofitted....

I test rode one and wrote a review back in 2008

http://www.maxi-muppets.co.uk/forum/vie ... it=Vectrix

There are 45 licensed and 78 SORN'd here in the UK. The peak licensed was about 110 so it looks like they are pretty much all still around - impressive.

I recall seeing one or two in London but haven't seen one for years now.

That's an awful lot that are SORN'd! I know its winter, but we are talking commuter scooter not sportsbike here!

MrGrumpy wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:43 am That's an awful lot that are SORN'd! I know its winter, but we are talking commuter scooter not sportsbike here!

Most will be SORNed as a prelude to getting scrapped due to the prohibitive cost of replacement batteries.

Jaz wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2020 12:45 am

MrGrumpy wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:43 am That's an awful lot that are SORN'd! I know its winter, but we are talking commuter scooter not sportsbike here!

Most will be SORNed as a prelude to getting scrapped due to the prohibitive cost of replacement batteries.

The batteries are NiMH. Given what we (well me anyway) were being told about NiMH batteries, it's astonishing that any at all are holding their charge enough to work, given that most Vectrix scooters were sold in 2006-7. In truth, NiMH cells have proven quite robust, and many have been rescued from being killed by undercharging, even when supposedly completely discharged.

Li-Ion replacement of the cells used in the Vectrix came in at less than £1000 4 years ago, which was the last time I checked. They are likely to be cheaper now, and/or better quality.

There is a blue Vectrix that commutes past my dog walking route every morning. I was offered one, locally, about 4 years ago, fully working and properly maintained with al the software updates for around £1200. I mentally kick myself for not buying it, and wonder if this one is the same one.

I fancied one at the time too. It was tantalisingly close to be a decent commuting proposition for my 30 mile each way journey.