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The Gilera Nexus 500 is on my short list for next scooter purchase (along with several other Maxis with capacities from 460cc to 638cc).  My previous maxi was a Majesty 400 and I don't really want to ride a machine with a higher seat than the 750mm height common with the Maj, SWing, and Big Burger.

Noticing that the Nexus' seat is listed at 795 mm - 780 mm (that last at bikez.com) and that its adjustable for height- Do you think its possible to either, modify the linkage or fabricate a replacement strut that´s shorter, to lower the rear end of the Gilera Nexus 500 to a point that (in concert with lowering the front-forks through the mounting clamps) a 750mm seat height is achievable? 

Put the Scarabeo 500 on your list to have a look at.

 peugeot satelis 500 also uses the same engine.

seat height is 784mm

Dakoda:

Put the Scarabeo 500 on your list to have a look at.

It already was due to its favorable power-to-mass ratio, but its 780mm seat height and swingarm-mounted exhaust (and engine) do count against it. 

silverflyer:

peugeot satelis 500 also uses the same engine.

seat height is 784mm 

That height is 35mm higher than my preference. Are the motor & muffler mounted motorcycle fashion, or scooter fashion?

I live in a semi-rural area with poor roads.  A maxi having plenty of unsprung weight rides badly here, and maxis with 15" (or larger) front wheels are high on my list with motorcycle-type engine mounting preferred.  My former mount was a Maj 400 and its scooter-type engine & muffler/catalytic mounting meant that the rear wheel responded poorly to these rough roads.  The Nexis 500, SWing, & BurgerKing feature a fixed engine.  The last two have a 750mm seat height & feet clearance, for feet down, cutouts in their bodywork.  The Bergman 400 (pictured) has the cutouts, an even lower seat but scooter-type engine & muffler/catalytic mounting.  The Nexis 500 & BurgerKing have 15" front wheels.

 Unless the rider can hold up his/her ride when stopped partway out a driveway (one wheel on road & other on footpath) that seat height is too high.  Can YOU stop with foot down in gutter?

 you don't say how tall/inside leg" you are? I'm only 5'6" with 30"leg and have no trouble with 1 or 2 foot/feet down on the Nexus...

The seat height is only adjustable by that suspension rod adjustment, not a great deal noticeable on the seat but the ride handling is more noticeable.

If you like the Nexus you can always modify the seat to suit, there's plenty of craftsmen out there that do it... and, like others above have said, there's also other scoots in similar engine size to choose from as well...  

the twin tube frame will offer good road holding and if your roads are that bad you can always change the shocks to something more exotic to work for those conditions, although having adjusted the height and the shock mine handles more than happily on the cruise or hard on the throttle on our wonderfully (not) paved Sydney area roads.... I do find my front end a little soft, but that having no adjustment is a pity. I have considered some fork mods but haven't started on them yet....

it's been a while since you wrote your thing, have you chosen one yet?

Havn't measured it but I always have to have the trouser legs shortened on new pairs.  Only exception is riding apparel where the extra length keeps the end over boots with legs in the 'bent knee' position.  Seriously, I could not flat foot a Majesty (750mm) with arch supports inside my boots.  The S'wing & Burger-king (750mm) are easier due to their cutout straddling profile.

The thumbnail is of a Burgman 400 (710mm seat height) but the 650 & S'wing share this indentation.  Even so, with the 650 I'd still be happier with a slight seat reduction.

Its only the MP3s (including Gilera Fuoco) that, due to their 'nil lean-lock', make no demands on legs to over-reach when stationary.

Since the Nexus has a 'bum-in-the-air' attitude like a sportsbike, I imagined that it could safely stand to loose some 'guard-to-tyre' wasted space if the linkage was modified.  The initial post was seeking some confirmation, or negation, to that idea.

No - no buy as yet.  Waiting for a sale on my Shadow.  I prefer (MP3s excepted) to be able to come to a stop, if required, with one wheel on road and other on footpath --- when entering road and feet have to find purchase in gutter ramp.  The Shadow is good in this regard! 

 sorry, must've misread your initial post. I would think - if you shorten that rod on the Nexus would you change the wheelbase? I'm not feeling intelligent right now, but thought, the lower you go on that rod the longer the wheelbase....and it scrapes a little more when you do this too... as well, the 'nippy' handling goes when lowered. If you speak Italian, or even if you don't, the It Nexus website might have some useful information for you? LINK

Despite my love for the Nexus, I still very much feel like getting a Fuoco one day, have you considered one of them and taken a longer test ride??  I took one out although only for a short time and found it more than amazing....much similar performance to the Nexus although takeoff a little slower, the ride, comfort and 'feet-up' at stops was more than fun...and one can ride in the rain while maintaining some fun thanks to its design.....mmmm... (here we go again says my little dream cells LOL )

Good luck... hope you get  the right scooter and enjoy the ride :)

Matter of fact the MP3 400 & Fuoco were already high on my short list due to a problem associated with road maintenance in my locality. The connecting roads here are quite prone to disintegration with any continuing rainfall, and the repair crews have this obnoxious habit of leaving fine, loose, gravel over the surface of the places they attend to.  Even to turn out of my own street requires a dead-slow speed if the rider doesn't want the laws of chance to determine their actual path and bearing!  Then, that Lean-Lock mechanism does somewhat lessen the anonyance of the 775 mm seat height on the Fuoco.

Interesting, that the current price difference of $2,000 between the 400cc & 500cc is similar to the diff between S'wing & B'king with Honda dealer at Springwood dropping current-stock S'wing price by $2,000 or so!

The trouble is that I have to weigh up all factors, including gross vehicle mass, size of fuel tank, cost of maintenance, and distaince to commute when servicing is due. High weight on the 400, Fuoco, and Bergman - 12 litre tank on MP3s vs 16 litre on S'wing - dealers one hour distant on continentals & half hour away with Japanese machinery . . . . etc, etc.

But, if the seat height problem of that Nexus could have been solved I could have included it, and weighed its lighter mass against the heavier Bergman Executive!

Still time before I make my final decision - my current mount, a '06 Shadow VT750C, is yet unsold.

 The seat width will make a big difference in whether you can reach the ground or not - not just the height

True - and the lower bodywork (Tupperware), where I have pointed out a few scooters that feature "Concave-design floorboards for easy footwork when stopping and starting."

But returning to seat width - most maxis exceed the average motorcycle in this dimension.  Among motorcycles of a single series- BMW Type 247 Airheads- I found comfort & good fit on the original short-wheelbase /5, but the flatter /6s were slightly worse, and the firmer, flat, S & RS seats very marginal for my leg span.

As I pointed out, only by not having to keep a 'wheeler upright with the legs is seat height far less relevant.

http://home.people.net.au/~vortexau/Pics/MSc_Seat_Hts.png

 wow, did you survey all those seat heights???

One of my recent rides was a BMW 1150GS, the seat came up past my hips when I stood beside it, hopped on like a horse in a western movie LOL... used to slide off to the left when I came to stop lights.... as well, on occasions I actually couldn't get the bike upright after parking it on the side stand (laughing as I remember these times!!!!) But, I managed to get 120,000 very happy kms out of it and had only two drops, once when a car penetrated my left side, the other along a long dirt road... all alone, slid out for over 40mts, managed to lift it and continue without blood....

now, one of my rides actually weighs about 45KG heavier than the BMW !!! (but is ever so much quicker  ) and I treat it like a horse when stopped...

and of course I have the Nexus... always such a joy to ride, the wide seat is evident, but adds to the comfort I think!! 

just a point, don't wait too long to enjoy a scooter than 'might' fit your leg/seat requirements...  get out an enjoy the ride!!!