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Post by wolf39us on Apr 23, 2013 17:33:18 GMT -5
I currently own a Kymco Super 8 150 which has been pretty much annoying me from the start. It was purchased at a local Kymco dealer for $1,500 (less the TTT and reg/transfer etc). First thing I noticed was a "pulsing" issue with the rear brake. According to the Kymco dealer, the rear brake was a drum and it is not "uncommon" for the drum to not be "perfectly" straight. So I paid someone to have a look and try their best to reduce the pulsing.
The bike ran great for about 1,000 miles, and now the pulsing issue is back -- so I ignore, whatever.
#2 Went to start one day after work, and the battery was dead. No big deal right? New Battery!
#3 Bike starts "tapping", got valve adjustments -- problem still exists.
#4 CDI stopped working and left me hanging incapable of starting... Towed to the shop...
#5 The bike has now a new issue. The idle is rough and it is randomly stalling whilst coming to a stop. Took it to the Kymco dealer today, and all he did was adjust the idle. The bike doesn't stall, but you can really hear it struggling!
I've put a solid 2,500 miles on the bike so far... and I'm at about $400 in repair costs already. I've reached my limit on this bike and was at a Barney's Motorsports today. They pitched me a 2009 Aprilia Sportcity 250 with 1,000 mile (NEWSED). They will buy my bike on trade in for $950. At the end of the day the bike will cost me $2,400 (after trade TTT and reg).
I test drove it and really loved the smoothness and accelleration! The turning radius was "slightly" disappointing considering the Kymco's but nonetheless wasn't a breaker for me. Disc breaks on both front and back ensure no more "drum" issues and finally fuel injected!
Based on everyone's experiences, how are you all liking your "similar or same" vespa/aprilia? Would this be a worthy investment?
I forgot to add, a 3 year unlimited miles warranty is an additional $750... which covers mechanical AND electrical with $50 deductible (is this something I should get as well?)
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Post by urbanmadness on Apr 23, 2013 17:44:58 GMT -5
The Aprillia is tons more bike the then Kymco. I can't speak about the warrenty, but the bike sounds like a good deal. I belive that Aprillia and Vespa (Piaggio) use the Piaggio drive train. I think you will happy with the bike.
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Post by ridecheap on Apr 23, 2013 17:54:14 GMT -5
Yes I would make the trade sounds like you got a lemon anyways.
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Post by rockynv on Apr 24, 2013 4:21:05 GMT -5
The 2009 Sport City 250 sold for $2,999 new until the new year started so and extra $2,400 after your trade in seems a bit high for the out the door price as with your $950 trade that brings the used bike to $3,350 out the door. If you are talking $1,450 cash and $950 trade then it would be an OK deal. You should just be transferring registration and applying for title here.
Sport City is a great bike. I have 15,000 trouble free miles on mine. Just have them run the VIN to verify the free fuel pump service has been taken care of before you take delivery.
Which Barney's are you taling about? The one in St Pete also had a Scarabeo 500 with a few more miles on it for about the same money.
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Post by SylvreKat on Apr 24, 2013 6:14:20 GMT -5
I agree with rocky, they should at least start at something less than $3000. It's used (albeit not much used--"like new" ha!). It should NOT be going for the same as a 2009 new-new bike.
I love my Piaggio, rides nice and has offered zero issues despite sitting way more than going. But I also haven't driven any other scoot so can't say how it compares.
>'Kat
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Post by wolf39us on Apr 24, 2013 6:55:23 GMT -5
Yeah the one in St Pete. I'm also looking at the Honda PCX150. That bike is super impressive
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Post by scootnwinn on Apr 24, 2013 8:58:00 GMT -5
That price to include TTL is really not all that bad. We tend to forget the new ones come with all that plus delivery and set-up fees. MSRP means nothing
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Post by jwalz1 on Apr 24, 2013 9:18:41 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about a bad experience. The sport city 250 is a better bike than the Super 8 but I have a couple concerns about your dealer.
The Super 8's are considered to be, out of the very reliable Kymco line, one of the weaker ones because they are China built and not Taiwan. That said they are still considered pretty reliable. The dealer's answer to your brake problem sounds a little dismissive.
If the bike was tapping and you got a valve adjust and that did not work, well then it sounds like the mechanic did not know how to do it correctly and that could be part of your stalling issues. For $1500 I take it the bike was used? Hard to say how the previous owner treated it. And if it was used, with some miles, losing a battery or cdi would not be unheard of.
Would I take the Sport City? Sure, but I would not rely on that particular dealer to fix any problems with it. With either bike, learn a little about the mechanicals and get a couple decent tools and you will probably find yourself much better off.
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Post by wolf39us on Apr 24, 2013 9:32:20 GMT -5
I'm at a different dealer. I do not wish to deal with the original kymco dealer Action Wheelsport
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Post by hank on Apr 24, 2013 12:15:19 GMT -5
Hi
Imho
You cant go wrong with an Aprilia, all of their motorbikes are very high qaulity and very high performance
Take care and ride safely my friend
Yours Hank
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Post by rockynv on Apr 25, 2013 4:35:54 GMT -5
Hi Imho You cant go wrong with an Aprilia, all of their motorbikes are very high qaulity and very high performance Take care and ride safely my friend Yours Hank I can vouch for the performance. I have had people on 600cc sport bikes, Harley Sportsters, etc catch up to me at stoplights to ask where I got a 600 or 750cc scooter and are quite surprised when I tell them it is a 250. The 250 lags a bit off the line but then at about 5 mph the porting of the air box takes effect and it pulls like a much larger bike to about 60/65 mph getting there in very short time making merging on the Interstate easier than with most 250cc bikes. I am told that the Ducati FatDuc attenuator is plug and play compatible with the Sport City and will increase in-town fuel economy along with get you better off-the-line and low end acceleration. Meeting the Euro3 polution standard tends to have the bike set a tad lean which is what causes the latency. |
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Post by wolf39us on Apr 25, 2013 18:06:51 GMT -5
I did end up purchasing the PCX150. Yesterday's short trip on the highway yielded a GPS verified 62.9 MPH with most of my acceleration being VERY fast up to about 57mph... Acceleration dropped, but it was MORE than satisfactory in my eyes.
The bike is SO quiet and smooth! I can't wait to test out my average mpg.
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Post by wolf39us on Apr 26, 2013 14:18:25 GMT -5
So excited! I got approved for a loan under my name only AND I got approval for a credit card $1,500.
Honda turned me down originally... and I've had a lot of problems finding places that will approve me for a loan on much of anything because of some bad history.
My girlfriend wanted one and she wasn't able to get a 2nd loan from Honda, so I decided to try to get a loan at a credit union (GROW FCU)!
So excited that I can finally put some good marks on my credit report!
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