Post by oldchopperguy on May 1, 2013 0:40:49 GMT -5
Well, riders...
It's all been said before, but after removing all the front plastics from "Lil' Bubba" to work on the brakes, I now have a totally new respect (or, more correctly, LACK of respect) for the complete absence of "weather-proofing" of the electrics on these Chinese scoots.
It's a miracle that I got away with spray-washing mine for 5 years before toasting my CDI.
I'm used to old-school over-the-road motorcycles that traditionally were sealed against weather, washing or whatever. Beneath all the plastics on the handlebar area of my scoot, resides a plethora of THE WORST quality plugs, connections, switches, etc. I have EVER seen.
The instrument panel lens just sits there with no sealing at all. The little nylon "plugs" with locking tabs are loose, crumbly, and the hooks don't lock at all. Everything is absolutely CRAP. If a direct shot from a spray-wash wand ever penetrated up under the plastics, the scooter would be out-of-service 4-evah...
The dashboard design depends TOTALLY on any water coming straight-down, and running over these AWFUL connections, and on out the bottom. I wouldn't even rate the electrics as suitable for "indoor light-duty" let alone outdoor, all-weather vehicle use.
Just gentle handling will sometimes break the connections. Many of the hookups are made of material not much more durable than graham-crackers. AND, there is NO effort made to seal any of them from moisture.
It's a real tribute to "Rube Goldberg" engineering that rain or gentle washing seems to run OVER the electrics and out, but any pressurized water shot up from BENEATH would penetrate EVERYTHING.
We've all been well-advised on the dangers of spray-washing Chinese scoots, but now that I've gotten "up-close and personal" with mine, I'm appalled at just how bad they really are. The fittings and plugs are every bit as awful as those fifty-cent Chinese flashlights found in the bottom-feeder dollar-stores.
I know third-world riders ford streams, ride through monsoons, etc. and apparently, it works because of the "stacking" design of the electrics and lenses which will repel water coming straight down. But these are DEFINITELY not suitable for spray-washing.
I'll still spray-wash the nasty parts like wheels/tires, engine bottom, etc. but never NEVER again will I let a spray squirt upward into the dash area, or the flywheel/stator, or under-seat electrics.
For a vehicle used as daily transportation, these designs are atrocious. WORSE than "unacceptable". They have NO waterproofing WHATSOEVER.
Just one more friendly warning from a guy who got away with spray-washing more than I deserved to.
Leo (wettin' and a wipin' the scoot) in Texas
It's all been said before, but after removing all the front plastics from "Lil' Bubba" to work on the brakes, I now have a totally new respect (or, more correctly, LACK of respect) for the complete absence of "weather-proofing" of the electrics on these Chinese scoots.
It's a miracle that I got away with spray-washing mine for 5 years before toasting my CDI.
I'm used to old-school over-the-road motorcycles that traditionally were sealed against weather, washing or whatever. Beneath all the plastics on the handlebar area of my scoot, resides a plethora of THE WORST quality plugs, connections, switches, etc. I have EVER seen.
The instrument panel lens just sits there with no sealing at all. The little nylon "plugs" with locking tabs are loose, crumbly, and the hooks don't lock at all. Everything is absolutely CRAP. If a direct shot from a spray-wash wand ever penetrated up under the plastics, the scooter would be out-of-service 4-evah...
The dashboard design depends TOTALLY on any water coming straight-down, and running over these AWFUL connections, and on out the bottom. I wouldn't even rate the electrics as suitable for "indoor light-duty" let alone outdoor, all-weather vehicle use.
Just gentle handling will sometimes break the connections. Many of the hookups are made of material not much more durable than graham-crackers. AND, there is NO effort made to seal any of them from moisture.
It's a real tribute to "Rube Goldberg" engineering that rain or gentle washing seems to run OVER the electrics and out, but any pressurized water shot up from BENEATH would penetrate EVERYTHING.
We've all been well-advised on the dangers of spray-washing Chinese scoots, but now that I've gotten "up-close and personal" with mine, I'm appalled at just how bad they really are. The fittings and plugs are every bit as awful as those fifty-cent Chinese flashlights found in the bottom-feeder dollar-stores.
I know third-world riders ford streams, ride through monsoons, etc. and apparently, it works because of the "stacking" design of the electrics and lenses which will repel water coming straight down. But these are DEFINITELY not suitable for spray-washing.
I'll still spray-wash the nasty parts like wheels/tires, engine bottom, etc. but never NEVER again will I let a spray squirt upward into the dash area, or the flywheel/stator, or under-seat electrics.
For a vehicle used as daily transportation, these designs are atrocious. WORSE than "unacceptable". They have NO waterproofing WHATSOEVER.
Just one more friendly warning from a guy who got away with spray-washing more than I deserved to.
Leo (wettin' and a wipin' the scoot) in Texas
