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Post by oldchopperguy on Sept 26, 2016 0:35:41 GMT -5
Thecollector,
For a die-hard Kymco fan, I find I know very little about Kymco offerings other than my own, and those I've ridden. You DID get a real bargain! Big wheels, big brakes, long wheelbase and fuel-injection... THAT is a HIGHLY capable road-bike, as well as a fine in-town ride.
That scoot is about 40% more advanced from my old Grandvista, and I love that oldie... You are in for some SUPER times on that one!
Ride safe,
Leo
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Post by thecollector on Sept 26, 2016 22:57:52 GMT -5
Thanks, Leo. ... Aw, who am I kidding? I blow away anything on four wheels from a stop.  No one asked, but if you are wondering after the shop graciously took my Chinese Junk as trade-in I paid $600 for the Xciting 250Ri. You bad boy you. Get you together with Leo and you'll make a scootie-gang! $600 sounds like a great price! How many miles did it come with, before you started road hogging on'n'on? >'Kat Good question. Since the speedometer is not working properly neither is the odometer. It read just under 8000 miles when I got it, but considering how long there has been an issue I would say the real mileage is at least twice that. Last week during a scooter group ride and bowling night it rained a bit. When I started it up the LCD clock/odometer at the bottom of the speedo was practically invisible. Today after cleaning it up, just around the engine, the LCD came back as vivid as it has ever been. The speedo needle moved around a bit more, too. This leads me to believe that there is just an electrical issue: not enough juice is reaching the speedometer. I'll continue to check on it as it gets cleaner. Apparently, everyone at the shop rode it but none of them cleaned it. You should have seen the old fluids.  I guess the speedometer deserves its own thread now. |
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Post by spandi on Sept 30, 2016 9:13:59 GMT -5
Thanks, Leo. When I got started on the 150 I became familiar with speed ratings on tires and upgraded to Pirelli SL 26's. More than enough rubber for that bike. The Xciting has a Shinko up front (120/70 15inch) and an Avon Viper Stryke on the rear (150/70 14inch). Both appear to be in good shape and are S rated. I think I am set for awhile. It has a long wheelbase like my buddies' Burgman 400's and Majesty's but is about 150 lbs lighter. The one thing I knew was off was the speedometer, which kinda waves at me occasionally. I am getting used to guestimating my speed by the tach, and riding with the flow of traffic. Aw, who am I kidding? I blow away anything on four wheels from a stop. I plan on getting a mount for my phone and using that as my speedometer until I get that fixed. No one asked, but if you are wondering after the shop graciously took my Chinese Junk as trade-in I paid $600 for the Xciting 250Ri. Your tires should be fine. My "problematical" Shinko turned out to be VERY old when bought "new". It handled great, and, I chanced a new identical one, but checked to see it was made THIS year... LOL! I doubt you'll be "Jonsing" for wide whitewalls on your sport scoot so you're free to choose any tire you like... Now, maybe a light-up goose on your scoot's nose might be cool... EEEWWWW! Hoo-HAA... Probably NOT so much...
 Tires make such a difference. The speedos on most of these are a tad "optimistic". Mine reads 3-4-mph fast across the board. I just subtract 4-mph to get a true reading. It doesn't matter much since most traffic on both local surface streets and freeways runs from 15 to 30-mph over the posted limit. I just try to keep up! Anything up to 70 is no problem, but on freeways, sometimes you absolutely MUST run 80-mph, to  -mph to avoid becoming road-kill. That's big-bike territory, and that's when I go back to the surface-streets. "Minnie Mouse" is a terrific scoot, a great 65-mph cruiser, but, a crotch-rocket she ain't...I knew the "Exciting" had a longer wheelbase, but I had not noticed the 15 and 14" wheels. That combination should make for excellent riding at any speed she'll run! I'm thinking the CVT and final gear setup is likely identical to the Grandvista. If so, that larger rear wheel should give a little higher top-speed and that would be great!
Again, CONGRATULATIONS on getting a GREAT scoot at a GREAT price.You'll have many, MANY happy mile on that one!!! Ride safe, Leo PS: As a "benchmark" for your reference, my Grandvista purchased new in '07 was used by its original owner for touring. He said she's been from New York to Los Angeles and Canada to Mexico... All riding done near WOT riding 2-up with his missus, and loaded down with luggage. She had 15K miles on the clock with the only repairs done by the dealer before I bought it. They included battery, belt, muffler and brake pads. That's it! And all that good riding on itty-bitty 12" wheels... I've put another 2,500 miles on the mouse, and there is absolutely no oil-consumption, no coolant used, no problems. All electrics, hoses, clutch, variator, CDI, coil, etc. are original and in fine shape. All rubber parts still supple, even the SEAT UPHOLSTERY looks like new, and it SURELY took a beating for 9 years!
That seems the norm with these Kymcos. They last 4-ever...I'm an old die-hard Harley guy, but I'm now also a MAJOR fan of Kymco scoots!
PPS: I just looked closely at your picture. It looks like the badge says "250I". Is it FUEL-INJECTED? If so, that is a major perk. If not, they run great with a carb...Thanks Leo for sharing stories of your ratfink past, from those crazy wonderful days of the 60's |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Sept 30, 2016 13:23:04 GMT -5
Spandi,
You're most welcome... As old as I am (I turn 70 in a few weeks) I still JUST got into the LAST days of traditional America. As a kid, a joint was a place to have a beer... A screw was something you put your bike together with... A hoe was something to dig in the garden with.
The "N" word was something we called our black buddies in jest, while they called us "crackers" or "honkies" and NEVER did any of us mean any offence. A man (or woman) could get any old job and support a family.
We left our houses unlocked while on vacation. We left our cars and bikes unlocked. Most vehicles had an "off" and a "lock" position on the ignition, so it could be left "off" for anyone needing to drive, to be able to do so without a key.
My old chopper had only "on" and "off" on the ignition. No lock at all.
In 3rd grade, we brought guns to school for "show and tell" day and no raised eyebrows by teachers of parents.
There were still only two sexes... Cheesh!
Those were good days which will probably never again be seen. Too bad.
Ride safe!
Leo
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Post by wheelbender6 on Oct 2, 2016 19:37:07 GMT -5
When I drove a my 1964 chevy down the road, you could remove the key and it just kept running anyway. Different world.
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Post by SylvreKat on Oct 3, 2016 7:15:40 GMT -5
When I drove a my 1964 chevy down the road, you could remove the key and it just kept running anyway. Different world. I parked my Taurus once and that happened--turned off the ignition and took out the key, and he kept running.... >'Kat |
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Post by spandi on Oct 25, 2016 17:30:26 GMT -5
Spandi, You're most welcome... As old as I am (I turn 70 in a few weeks) I still JUST got into the LAST days of traditional America. As a kid, a joint was a place to have a beer... A screw was something you put your bike together with... A hoe was something to dig in the garden with. The "N" word was something we called our black buddies in jest, while they called us "crackers" or "honkies" and NEVER did any of us mean any offence. A man (or woman) could get any old job and support a family. We left our houses unlocked while on vacation. We left our cars and bikes unlocked. Most vehicles had an "off" and a "lock" position on the ignition, so it could be left "off" for anyone needing to drive, to be able to do so without a key. My old chopper had only "on" and "off" on the ignition. No lock at all. In 3rd grade, we brought guns to school for "show and tell" day and no raised eyebrows by teachers of parents. There were still only two sexes... Cheesh! Those were good days which will probably never again be seen. Too bad. Ride safe! Leo Yep, and grass was what your dad had you mowing on weekends LOL! |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Oct 26, 2016 22:37:44 GMT -5
Spandi,
Yeah... and Coke was a favorite soft drink, too... It WOULD rot your TEETH, but NOT your BRAIN...  And a goose was, ah, well, that's a different subject... LOL!
Ride safe, and have a bone on the old chopper guy!
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Post by 4950cycle on Dec 6, 2016 1:05:18 GMT -5
JCL MP250A Lihai 257cc powered / Kymco is where I'm heading too. I want a Down town. Now, If I can just get the illfitting scooter to fit my 6'3 body comfortably once I land one. Theres a 2011 with 6000 on the clock for $2500 . And excellent silver paint. What do you guys think ? Little to old for the $ ?
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 8, 2016 20:14:39 GMT -5
JCL MP250A Lihai 257cc powered / Kymco is where I'm heading too. I want a Down town. Now, If I can just get the illfitting scooter to fit my 6'3 body comfortably once I land one. Theres a 2011 with 6000 on the clock for $2500 . And excellent silver paint. What do you guys think ? Little to old for the $ ?
I guess I'm the "resident used Kymco fan" these days... LOL!
A 2011 "Downtown" with only 6K miles for $2,500 sounds very good to me. And, with riding season over, and Christmas just around the corner, I'll bet you could snag it for $2K cash. A handful of 20 "dead Benjamins" is mighty tempting to someone trying to sell a scoot in the winter! My ride is a 2007 Grandvista, and the riding position is worse than the more contemporary "Downtown". Still and all, it only took a few days of riding to get used to it. If you slouch down a little against the lumbar support, you may find like I did that it's downright comfy! You WILL get used to the far-forward seating position.
These Kymco scoots appear to be nearly "bulletproof"... My well-used and much-loved "Minnie Mouse" Grandvista 250 is 10-years old, now with 18K miles on her. I've had her for 3 seasons and put on the last 3K miles myself.
The original owner used her for touring, loaded-down and 2-up with the wife. (He traded her on a new 300cc fuel-injected Kymco). He said the old girl's been from Canada to Mexico, and New York to Los Angeles... Only maintenance needed was done by my dealer before I bought her... Tires, brake-pads, belt, battery and muffler. Amazingly, even the SEAT-upholstery shows ZERO wear after all that use!!! The old gal is as reliable as the family car.
All hoses, CDI, coil, electrics, variator, clutch... everything original and still working fine. The "Darth Vader" digital dash all works as new, even the electric folding mirrors. The little 250 doesn't use a drop of coolant or oil and she'll still hit an honest 80-mph+ on the flat, and gives 70+ mpg. The final drive IS up-geared one tooth by the original owner who rode 99% freeway, which seems to make a little increase in top-speed and gas mileage. It doesn't seem to hurt acceleration any, and I love the great gas mileage.
I really love the "Downtown" Kymcos. My problem is at 70-years old, I have BAD arthritis and can't easily climb over the semi-hump of the Downtown. The stone-age, outdated FLAT-FLOOR Grandvista works perfectly for me...
Years and miles just don't seem to be a problem for Kymco scoots!I'd go for it...Ride safe!Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldcoot on Dec 29, 2016 14:18:45 GMT -5
Love your Kymco. I'm going to look for one when it's time to replace my Aprilia. Enjoy! Snip...
Ed Roth was one of my early-on weird-art heroes. I once met him and Norm Grabowski back in the day, at a hot-rod show. Norm is the "father" of the Model-T pickup roadster. And, of course, the ever-present star in every hot-rod teenage exploitation movie made in the sixties! It's said that drag-racer/fellow teenage TV star, "TV" Tommy Ivo actually sneaked into Norm's garage and took clandestine spy-pix of the yet-to-be Kookie car with his Brownie and fabricated one for himself. Tommy surely DID have one almost identical to Norm's in short order.
When the supply of Model-A's got short, and the Deuces totally dried up, Norm built the original Model-T pickup roadster for Ed "Kookie" Burns in the TV detective show "77 Sunset Strip". I could pass on the show, but I watched EVERY second of it hoping to just catch a glimpse of that incredible Caddy-powered T-roadster! (or Connie Stevens in a mini-skirt"...) LOL! Remember, NOBODY had EVER seen a car like THAT before, and, it was WILD! Many of us called it "a chopper on 4-wheels"....snip.
Leo "Big Daddy" in Texas Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I had to look up the "Kookie" Model T roadster from 77 Sunset Strip to be reminded... I used to watch that show for the same reason, but it was so long ago this old coot forgot about it... Not sure I can post the photo I found, but I'll try...  |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 29, 2016 21:48:41 GMT -5
Oldcoot,
Welcome to the site! Have a bone on the Old Chopper Guy!
No worries about looking for a Kymco when your Aprilia wears out... I don't think Italian scoots ever do wear out... LOL! Of course, because they didn't sell all that well, those incredible Kymco "My Road" 700cc road-burners can still be found NEW on the floor for HALF-PRICE... Hmmm... Good thing I have too much arthritis to climb on them... LOLOL! I managed to get on one when they first came out a few years back and that big twin makes plenty of giddyup for cruising any speed you want, and it rode like a Harley... But still, too much arthritis and too little budget for the 9-grand masterpiece!
Thanks for posting the Kookie T-Bucket pickup roadster! It is my all-time favorite street rod, and the FIRST of the breed! Norm got every angle, proportion and styling que just right on the first try!
Only change I'd have made would probably to have powered it with a blown flathead... Just old-school me!
Ride safe!
Leo in Texas
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-mph to avoid becoming road-kill. That's big-bike territory, and that's when I go back to the surface-streets. "Minnie Mouse" is a terrific scoot, a great 65-mph cruiser, but, a crotch-rocket she ain't...
