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Post by jam0459 on May 31, 2014 0:12:45 GMT -5
Looking to purchase my first scooter looking at a 250cc sized scooter. What are some recommendations my budget is about $2000. Looking at a Roketa/Jonway 250cc mc54 model scooter it fits my budget and most of my needs. I am somewhat mechanically inclined so not afraid to work on a Chinese scooter if needed. Also I am a Cop so I may want to put Police lights on it so i can use it for local police escorts in my free time. I am located in Houston so any help with a local or online dealer would be great as well.
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Post by DaveC on May 31, 2014 10:57:30 GMT -5
I dunno.
I think I'd look at a used Burgman, Silverwing, Reflex, Helix, or my favourite, a Big Ruckus.
(And a Big Ruckus would look sooo much kooler leading the parade/escort)
It may cost a little more, (but not much) and I think you would be much happier.
Not dissin Chinese scoots, I got one, but I paid just over $4000 for it, which is double your budget.
Just giving food for thought.
Used ain't always bad.
I know, I like new too, but no one makes a trike, not even for what I paid for mine, so I had little choice.
Just saying...
Dave
Your local CL has a couple scooters/Roketas you might be interested in also.
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Post by ltdhpp on May 31, 2014 12:21:21 GMT -5
You can get a used Reflex for under 2,000 easy, and will be 10,000x better off than on a Chinese clone. The Reflex has more bells and whistles, on top of better quality everything.
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Post by ramblinman on May 31, 2014 14:04:09 GMT -5
You will be 10,000x better off than on a Chinese clone exaggerate much? while we're tossing numbers around i'll say 1.5X better off with a name brand scoot... i don't know much about the 250's. i have a 150cc jonway that i am very happy with. only problems i have had so far is carb need rejet and front brake light switch broke. 2,500km with no other problems so i don't mind a chinese scoot but i would buy a new honda if i had the cash. from what i have read the roketa 250cc 54 is a good choice on a 2k budget. |
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Post by alleyoop on May 31, 2014 14:41:55 GMT -5
Yep, see my 150 Ice Bear Trike, bought it in march of 2009 one of the first units to be brought in to the U.S I have 11K miles on it, runs like a raped ape 1-2 hits on the start button and ride off not a problem. All I do is adjust the mixture for drastic temp changes hot and cold, cold 60(fall and winter richen it up) and summer 60+( lean it out) and all it takes is about 1/2 turn.
Alleyoop
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Post by triker on May 31, 2014 14:54:12 GMT -5
I dunno. I think I'd look at a used Burgman, Silverwing, Reflex, Helix, or my favourite, a Big Ruckus. (And a Big Ruckus would look sooo much kooler leading the parade/escort) It may cost a little more, (but not much) and I think you would be much happier. Not dissin Chinese scoots, I got one, but I paid just over $4000 for it, which is double your budget. Just giving food for thought. Used ain't always bad. I know, I like new too, but no one makes a trike, not even for what I paid for mine, so I had little choice. Just saying... Dave Your local CL has a couple scooters/Roketas you might be interested in also. Yep, used ain't always bad. I got my 2010 magnum 300 in early 2011 off of craigslist. It only had 83 miles on it, new was $4300. I got it for $2800. Roy |
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Post by skyrider on May 31, 2014 18:34:23 GMT -5
I'd vote for a used Honda over a new clone any day, I made the mistake of getting a Jonway YY250T and had troubles from the start. At 10,600 it quit, needed a complete rebuild. I replaces it with a used Reflex with 15,250 miles on it. I now have over 31,000 and all it has ever needed is oil change and tires. Also have a much stronger electrical system for those added lights you speak of. Skyrider
Oh, yes, I did have to change the variator recently. One of the roller was installed backwards and wore the guide. And I put in a new belt while in there. Original looks like new but I already had a new one and I went ahead and installed it.
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Post by spandi on May 31, 2014 18:48:37 GMT -5
It depends, for all out reliability it's hard to beat a Japanese made scooter. On the other hand if you're mechanically inclined, a Chinese scoot with the proper setup (pdi) can serve you well as any. As one rather knowledgeable poster pointed out "frankly, whats wrong with most Chinese scooters is their owners" Good luck with whatever you choose.  |
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Post by ltdhpp on Jun 1, 2014 7:26:05 GMT -5
You will be 10,000x better off than on a Chinese clone exaggerate much? while we're tossing numbers around i'll say 1.5X better off with a name brand scoot... i don't know much about the 250's. i have a 150cc jonway that i am very happy with. only problems i have had so far is carb need rejet and front brake light switch broke. 2,500km with no other problems so i don't mind a chinese scoot but i would buy a new honda if i had the cash. from what i have read the roketa 250cc 54 is a good choice on a 2k budget. ok ok, 10,000x is a bit much. More like 5,000x Just take a look around at all the nightmare threads regarding Chinese scooters, specifically the Reflex clones. This forum is only a year old, and It is full of them. Sure, I guess some people have good luck with them, or know enough to nurse them along and claim 'no troubles'... and there are also people with severe cases of denial that their scooter is a rattle-over-every-bump piece . Maybe they just have never ridden a Jap scoot and don't know that they aren't supposed to sound like they are going to fall apart over every manhole. I've ridden at least 6 China scoots and they ALL did. But how many nightmare clones DON'T get posted about? It take balls to admit you bought a piece of junk and ask for help on the internet. I could go on and on and on... HANDS DOWN - the quality, assembly, and longevity of a China scoot is pale in comparison to a Jap scoot. This is indisputable fact. The clone versions of scooters have less options/features (replacing good brakes with a shitty cheap stereo doesn't make up for it). Like I've said before, there's nothing wrong with buying/riding a China scoot, but you better like to, want to learn how, or have a buddy that can turn a wrench, because your gonna need to. Guaranteed. I know my rants may sound like I'm poo-pooing on China scoots, but I fee like its tragic that people are buying these things when there is something USED that is so much better just around the corner for just a little more money. One of my buddies bought a used Yamaha Vino 50cc for $1,100 - almost twice the price of a crate China 50cc, but in 3 years he has had to do NOTHING to it, besides get me to clean out the jets after he let it sit one winter. His buddy bought a China scoot at the same time, it would barely take him up a hill. He is now on his THIRD China scoot currently. |
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Post by ltdhpp on Jun 1, 2014 8:30:36 GMT -5
I keep forgetting to mention Taiwan scoots... If you must have new, and money keeps you from a Jap scoot, A Taiwan Kymco or SYM is the way to go.
My buddy has a Kymco Agility 50 that he drives across town and back to work everyday. Once I replaced the broken torque sheave, it quit eating belts and has given him more than a year of trouble free riding. (at least he hasn't called me to fix it) Breaking belts and going through cheap headlight bulbs like candy have been the only trouble he's had with it, and the thing had been dropped a few times.
Don't be tempted to buy the box of 10 cheap headlight bulbs on eBay, they are junk. I had two break in my hand when I tried to install it. 4 blew immediately when I installed them. The others lasted anywhere from a week to a month. Finally I went to the Honda dealer and matched up a $20 bulb, and it's still burning.
One thing I noticed about Kymco, they stamp their name on most of their parts... that and the fact that you can find an actual Kymco dealer that will work on it says a lot.
China scoot 'dealers' do not exist, at least as far as getting warranty repairs from folks familiar with the scoots.
There are plenty of enterprising individuals who open a scooter shop to sell China scoots, but they don't last long. They might offer to work with you of fixing things under 'warranty', but that's no good next year when the place is out of business.
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Post by spandi on Jun 1, 2014 13:45:05 GMT -5
exaggerate much? while we're tossing numbers around i'll say 1.5X better off with a name brand scoot... i don't know much about the 250's. i have a 150cc jonway that i am very happy with. only problems i have had so far is carb need rejet and front brake light switch broke. 2,500km with no other problems so i don't mind a chinese scoot but i would buy a new honda if i had the cash. from what i have read the roketa 250cc 54 is a good choice on a 2k budget. ok ok, 10,000x is a bit much. More like 5,000x Just take a look around at all the nightmare threads regarding Chinese scooters, specifically the Reflex clones. This forum is only a year old, and It is full of them. Sure, I guess some people have good luck with them, or know enough to nurse them along and claim 'no troubles'... and there are also people with severe cases of denial that their scooter is a rattle-over-every-bump piece . Maybe they just have never ridden a Jap scoot and don't know that they aren't supposed to sound like they are going to fall apart over every manhole. I've ridden at least 6 China scoots and they ALL did. But how many nightmare clones DON'T get posted about? It take balls to admit you bought a piece of junk and ask for help on the internet. I could go on and on and on... HANDS DOWN - the quality, assembly, and longevity of a China scoot is pale in comparison to a Jap scoot. This is indisputable fact. The clone versions of scooters have less options/features (replacing good brakes with a shitty cheap stereo doesn't make up for it). Like I've said before, there's nothing wrong with buying/riding a China scoot, but you better like to, want to learn how, or have a buddy that can turn a wrench, because your gonna need to. Guaranteed. I know my rants may sound like I'm poo-pooing on China scoots, but I fee like its tragic that people are buying these things when there is something USED that is so much better just around the corner for just a little more money. One of my buddies bought a used Yamaha Vino 50cc for $1,100 - almost twice the price of a crate China 50cc, but in 3 years he has had to do NOTHING to it, besides get me to clean out the jets after he let it sit one winter. His buddy bought a China scoot at the same time, it would barely take him up a hill. He is now on his THIRD China scoot currently. "severe case of denial?.....OH PHULEEEZE! I have a Chinese scoot, but of course I did a proper pdi (what those without ability pay a dealer to do for them.) and can guarantee the only way you are going to hear rattles is if you have a can of marbles taped to your helmet. As far as turning a wrench, well, most folks here are GOOD at it, AND IF YOU CAN"T COOK STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN. oh btw, if you go to the blogs of some of those brand name machines you are so enamored with you'll find they of their share of "Horror stories" as well. Your rants don't "sound like" you are poo-pooing Chinese scoots YOU ARE and on a mostly China scoot forum it is insulting and amounts to Trolling. |
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Post by bnc on Jun 1, 2014 16:45:16 GMT -5
I used to belong to the Yahoo Honda Reflex group, but there is a significant difference between the posts there and here. It's rare to see a post over there about broken switches, cables, etc. especially on newer bikes. Here it seems much more frequent. I do recall a guy blew up his motor, but most posts are more like I bought a used Reflex and it idles poorly, etc. or how do I change my belt, or my water pump is leaking (the most common response being that if a silicate based coolant was used, the mechanical seal will be destroyed).
I thought about buying a Chinese made bike first but I wanted true ABS. There were a lot of stories on the Internet that ABS on Chinese bikes was not really ABS but just a pressure limiter to prevent maximum brake pressure from ever being applied. The Reflex ABS works just like on cars with sensors that measure the speed of the front and rear wheel and a separate computer to prevent traction loss.
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Post by spandi on Jun 1, 2014 17:31:51 GMT -5
I used to belong to the Yahoo Honda Reflex group, but there is a significant difference between the posts there and here. It's rare to see a post over there about broken switches, cables, etc. especially on newer bikes. Here it seems much more frequent. I do recall a guy blew up his motor, but most posts are more like I bought a used Reflex and it idles poorly, etc. or how do I change my belt, or my water pump is leaking (the most common response being that if a silicate based coolant was used, the mechanical seal will be destroyed). I thought about buying a Chinese made bike first but I wanted true ABS. There were a lot of stories on the Internet that ABS on Chinese bikes was not really ABS but just a pressure limiter to prevent maximum brake pressure from ever being applied. The Reflex ABS works just like on cars with sensors that measure the speed of the front and rear wheel and a separate computer to prevent traction loss. I'm not saying that Japanese aren't well made and will have fewer problems than a comparable Chinese scoot. (I'm also happy not to have the pseudo "ABS" on my machine) But to tar with the same brush, ALL Chinese scooters is silly. Remember, there is no dealer set up or prep on a crate scooter (that's your job) but after the "bugs" are worked out, you can find yourself on a very nice ride (and more in keeping with a modest budget) It comes down to what fits you, the Reflex is a very nice machine, but not the only option for everyone.  |
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Post by ltdhpp on Jun 1, 2014 17:49:54 GMT -5
How is it insulting to state that Chinese scooters are vastly inferior to Japanese and even Taiwanese scooters? These are facts, and people insulted by truth are often the ones in denial  and it's impossible to debate with people clouding their own judgement, so I don't even try. I'm sorry if me stating my feelings about different scooters offends you, but the OP asked for advice, and that's what I'm giving him, based on my personal experiences with several examples of each. Some people don't even realize that you can get good looking, low mileage used quality ORIGINALS to the inferior clones people are buying for almost the same money. This to me is tragic, so I make a point to let them know. |
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Post by bnc on Jun 1, 2014 17:51:34 GMT -5
I never really considered a crate scooter. I was looking at them at dealers and was planning on paying their prep charges but I never got any further when I found out about the "pseudo" ABS. That creeped me out so much that I abandoned the idea altogether. I also have no doubt that Chinese scooters will improve with time and that some brands may be better than others. I have Chinese made Nikon binoculars and they seem just as good as my older Japanese ones.
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..BAD TO THE BONE..
