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Post by payneib on Apr 20, 2013 2:45:09 GMT -5
I've been a scootard for three months now and have clocked up over 5000Km. I loved my little 125 to start with. Great fun to ride, cheap to run, and it gave me some independence over sharing a car.
But it's officially died now. I replaced the exhaust muffler straps and down pipe two weeks ago, because they had rotted through and snapped. I started her up and had it idling while I checked for leaks. There was a clunk, and the engine ran down. I pulled the valve cover off and the inlet tappet had snapped, half of which lodged in the rocker gear and snapped the timing chain.
I called my dealer who said they'd check parts and warranty. A week later they said that my warranty was void due to the second service being 200Km over the limit. So I ordered the parts myself and set to it.
As I worked my way in, I found more and more wrong with it. The bracket between air box and CVT cover had snapped. One of the fan splines on the outside of the CVT had snapped off, the recess for the end of the kick start had sheared. All this on top of the timing chain, tappet, exhaust and various electrical issues, all fixed at my expense, resulted in a phone call to the dealer, a phone call to the manufacturer, and a check of the Citizens Advice Bureau website, before emailing the dealer demanding my consumer right to a replacement. Fortunately, he's agreed to it. So no need for legal action.
The question is, do I risk it again? Or when the replacement arrives, hopefully this coming week, do I sell it off for as much as I can and buy a used Honda motorcycle? Will the replacement, at a year old, but a fifth the mileage, be just as bad? Or was I just unlucky?
Is it worth it? Cause I'm not sure I can afford to go through this again.
Ian
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Post by domindart on Apr 20, 2013 3:02:24 GMT -5
Hope you get everything worked out and you remain on a scoot!  |
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Post by spandi on Apr 20, 2013 3:04:05 GMT -5
Hiya Ian, sorry to hear about all your difficulties and I can sympathize, To make my machine a workable proposition I ended up taking it almost completely apart and rebuilding it. What I was wondering (since you sound like you really love scoots) is how about you split the difference and buy a better quality model? You would still have all the fun (not to mention the inexpensive operating costs) associated with a scooter. I was thinking a SYM or Kymco 125 just might do the trick.
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Post by hank on Apr 20, 2013 8:22:28 GMT -5
Hi Ian
So sorry to hear of your troubles
I say try again and leave you with these words of wisdom
""Nothing that's worthwhile is ever easy"
¯ Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle
You have my best wishes that you get this fixed easily and swiftly
Take care and ride safely dear friend
Yours Hank
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Post by carasdad on Apr 20, 2013 8:43:49 GMT -5
keep it!! Enjoy the riding..ya may have gotten a Lemon is all. Last year I sold a Tank Urban Sporty with 12,800 miles on it. ALL ORIGINAL...plug and belt even! The kid put about 2,000 on it and the belt broke. Put a new belt in for him and he still rides it. 2 of our Sunny 50's have 7,000 and 8,000 miles on them...with a BBK even! Still going! Bought a Roketa from a kid to fix up for my nephew...only had just over 1,200 miles. Exhaust valve keeper let loose and ate the top end. So ya never know. New top end..and being 19 years old..of course he wanted the 100cc (83cc) BBK. Last week he dropped by to have me order him a new lower side panel he had busted when sliding off the road riding in the snow. His is just over 4,000 miles now...which surprises me cause well...being a kid...he really beats on that BBK scoot and seems to know only 2 speeds.. STOP and WOT...  So keep it..you enjoyed the ride before...so enjoy it again!  |
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Post by nulldevice on Apr 20, 2013 8:50:20 GMT -5
It took me three chinascoots, 25,000 miles and seven years to fall out of love with these scooters. My wife finally ordered me  to get what she called a "real scooter". She even gave me money for a down payment. I now have a TMAX. If three months and 3,000 miles is enough pain for you, you learned faster than I did. Get a Honda, Yamaha, or Suzuki. Get a used one if you can't hack the price of a new one. New or used, they are worth every penny. You will be much, much happier. At least I am. |
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Sophomore Rider
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Post by payneib on Apr 20, 2013 8:51:59 GMT -5
Hello Hank, where have you been old man?! We were getting worried you'd wandered off in your senile old age! It's good to see you back.
I expected jobs with it. It's a £1000 125cc that does a 90mile round trip, 4 days on, 4 days off. Most of which is on 60mph roads, so it's at full throttle a lot of the time. So I've looked after it. It's had four full, official garage, services since new, in three months. It's had six oil changes in that time (including the ones at the garage). It's been washed after each and every shift rotation, and stored in a proper garage at home, or under a bike shelter at work. I did the full PDI when it arrived. And it's still been sat in my garage for nearly two weeks, in bits, not running. While I'm still paying road tax and insurance on it. This is the second shift rotation where I've had to drive to work with the wife in the car, and then her drive the car home as she needs it to get around (she's seven months pregnant, and we live in a very rural area). It's embarrassing, emasculating, and down right wrong, for us to be doing this, just because they sold me a turkey. If the next one is just as bad, I'll be down there having words with the guy.
Spandi: I do love those Kymcos. I'm looking at the Downtown 300i as a "permanent" scoot, but that will have to wait. It means doing a full bike licence in the UK (not sure if you're state side or UK based), which would be around £500, and then I'd have to buy it as well.......but my local motorcycle guy is a Kymco dealer, so I'll probably go with that. Do my licence in September for my birthday this year, and then get the bike for my birthday next year.
I just hope this one was a "one off" that slipped through the net, and the replacement is more reliable.
Ian
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Post by waterboysh on Apr 20, 2013 9:21:08 GMT -5
[replyingto=payneib]payneib[/replyingto]If you're considering the Downtown 300i, make sure you check out the People GT 300i as well. They are nearly identical; just different bodies. I'm actually going to be giving the People GT 300i a test drive later today if it stops raining.
I'm torn between the Kymco People/Downtown GT 300i and the Piaggio BV 350. Just from reviews I've read I'm leaning towards the Piaggio. I really like the long maintenance intervals. Oil change every 6k miles (10k kilometers), belt and sparkplug every 12k, and don't have to adjust the valves until 24k miles. I believe Kymco recommends oil changes every 3000km, so I'd be doing maintenance three times as often on the Kymco.
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Post by DaveC on Apr 20, 2013 9:45:46 GMT -5
I had a 1966 Ford Cortina, Lic# POO604D. I loved that little car. When it wouldn't pass the MOT, I got another Cortina. I stayed with what I knew.
But, I think for longevity and less maint, I'd go with the big boys (Honda/Suzuki/Yammy).
I really like (men can't LOVE a pice of plastic) my chinese trike, and I really do enjoy it. but, when it becomes for of a pain to maintain, I'll get a Burgman and trike it, or a Honda trike.
Main tihng is, to enjoy what ya got.
Ta
Dave
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Post by hank on Apr 20, 2013 10:03:18 GMT -5
Hi Ian
Check out Aprilia's offerings
From their Sr 50 on up to their SRV850 they are all top notch high performance scoots
^ Dave why would you say that?, as I LOVE MY SCOOTS and am proud to declare it for all to hear
Take care and ride safely dear friends
Yours Hank
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Post by mrpalmetto on Apr 20, 2013 10:24:59 GMT -5
Once in love...........i would have to give it a second chance at least.
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Sophomore Rider
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Post by payneib on Apr 20, 2013 10:39:54 GMT -5
I must admit, when its great, it's really great! There's nothing better than getting my wiggle on and shaking a tail feather through some nice twisty roads. But it all seemed to go horribly wrong pretty damn quick, despite all my effort. It just seemed to snowball. As soon as those exhaust straps went, it was done. I kind of feel sorry for the dealer actually. It's not really his fault (IMHO) and he's been left in the lurch by the manufacturer, who's given him absolutely no support what so ever. But I had to stick to my guns and claim my consumer rights, otherwise I'd be building this damn thing from scratch. And I'm sure his business is more capable of taking a £1k hit than my bank balance is. I think a warranty is better suited at protecting the dealer than the consumer, as its the dealer where the buck stops in the end. I'll get this replacement sorted out, and then draw a line in the sand. Hopefully I'll never have to speak to that dealer again, and can just move on with my local guy who I trust. Ian |
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Post by spandi on Apr 20, 2013 14:29:22 GMT -5
It took me three chinascoots, 25,000 miles and seven years to fall out of love with these scooters. My wife finally ordered me to get what she called a "real scooter". She even gave me money for a down payment. I now have a TMAX. If three months and 3,000 miles is enough pain for you, you learned faster than I did. Get a Honda, Yamaha, or Suzuki. Get a used one if you can't hack the price of a new one. New or used, they are worth every penny. You will be much, much happier. At least I am. I would LOVE to be ordered around like that!  |
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Post by spandi on Apr 20, 2013 14:40:58 GMT -5
Hello Hank, where have you been old man?! We were getting worried you'd wandered off in your senile old age! It's good to see you back. I expected jobs with it. It's a £1000 125cc that does a 90mile round trip, 4 days on, 4 days off. Most of which is on 60mph roads, so it's at full throttle a lot of the time. So I've looked after it. It's had four full, official garage, services since new, in three months. It's had six oil changes in that time (including the ones at the garage). It's been washed after each and every shift rotation, and stored in a proper garage at home, or under a bike shelter at work. I did the full PDI when it arrived. And it's still been sat in my garage for nearly two weeks, in bits, not running. While I'm still paying road tax and insurance on it. This is the second shift rotation where I've had to drive to work with the wife in the car, and then her drive the car home as she needs it to get around (she's seven months pregnant, and we live in a very rural area). It's embarrassing, emasculating, and down right wrong, for us to be doing this, just because they sold me a turkey. If the next one is just as bad, I'll be down there having words with the guy. Spandi: I do love those Kymcos. I'm looking at the Downtown 300i as a "permanent" scoot, but that will have to wait. It means doing a full bike licence in the UK (not sure if you're state side or UK based), which would be around £500, and then I'd have to buy it as well.......but my local motorcycle guy is a Kymco dealer, so I'll probably go with that. Do my licence in September for my birthday this year, and then get the bike for my birthday next year. I just hope this one was a "one off" that slipped through the net, and the replacement is more reliable. Ian Ian after reading how fast you take your scoot on a regular basis (it's no wonder about metal fatigue issues) I would urge you to get at the very least a 250. 60 mph is steak and eggs to such a machine. BTW, I'm not in Europe, but pretty much on the other side of the world, SoCal...Palm Springs... Swimmin' Pools and Movie Stars (don't I wish) ...Well at least Patrick MacNee is enjoying his retirement ten minutes down the road. California doesn't quite whack you 500 quid, but it's bad enough. (must be the highest fees in the states)  |
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Post by chihuahuas on Apr 20, 2013 17:16:48 GMT -5
These Chinese scooters are toys.
To play the game either run a new one 3000 miles sell it get a new one or tear it down when it breaks.
Mine is way beyond it's service life so I don't care if it decides to Explode. That's my attitude.
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So keep it..you enjoyed the ride before...so enjoy it again! 
