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Post by rockinez on Apr 9, 2014 14:28:44 GMT -5
That is a really nice scooter, but $10k is a bit on the expensive side for me.
It is a very nice scoot.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 8, 2014 15:33:25 GMT -5
It was the CDI. I put back the racing CDI and it fired right up.
There may be something to my buddy's idea that the racing coil will damage a stock CDI.
That is an N of 2, so no real proof.
I will be ordering a new CDI without the 4 degree advance.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 7, 2014 23:38:04 GMT -5
Put a nice long ride on it, and possibly killed the oem CDI with a hot coil. It just shut off at a stop light after a 50 mile run up and down the beach highways, and would not restart. I had it towed home.
Hard to say until troubleshooting starts tomorrow.
EDITED:
It is tomorrow, and that was the problem. I put back the racing CDI. The racing CDI kicked right over and the scoot is running fine. For as inexpensive as they are, I think I will keep one in my tool kit. |
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Post by rockinez on Apr 7, 2014 23:34:17 GMT -5
I worked in a large R&D lab with several buildings. Lots of motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters parked in large lots in an industrial campus. We lost 3 or 4 a month. Several of us engineers started locking our scoots to each other. We generally had 2 or 3 machines locked to each other. None of our scoots were taken. One within 10 feet was stolen, but your idea of locking them together works, as long as you are on the same schedule as your co-workers. :-)
This was actually nothing compared to the pick-up truck loss. That place was, and is loosing several newer pick-ups per month. We are 30 miles from the Mexican border.......
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Post by rockinez on Apr 7, 2014 23:22:10 GMT -5
My dad had an independent Harley shop. He had several in his personal collection, and rotated through the machines as interesting deals became available. I rode Harleys as a kid. I learned to ride larger machines on a post WWII 45 cubic inch Harley. I rode quite a few of my dad's machines, with my dad.
Then I rode a Trident, and then a Norton....... I was a Norton fan for 20+ years. My favorite bike was a 1975 850 Norton Commando. I kept that one for 15 years. I even managed to rebuild it so it did not leak, an amazing thing for a Norton, as they were known to leak on the show room floor in those days.
Good luck with your big bike fascination. It should be fun.
I am going the other way. Now days I just want something to run to the store on and down to the beach. I guess I am leaning into getting older. I don't ride anything I can't get back on it's wheels now days.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 7, 2014 22:29:21 GMT -5
Please keep us posted on your experience. I have read a lot about Znen scoots on several forums, but have not actually seen one in San Diego. (CA has some tough emissions laws, and only a few brands get through the tests).
I would like to know more about Znen, and your experience from arrival to first ride if you don't mind posting them.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 7, 2014 21:53:48 GMT -5
I read that informative post earlier. Great info, and I will most likely buy one of those CDI units. I will put the racing CDI tomorrow before I start troubleshooting. If it starts, the original CDI was the problem. If not I start standard troubleshooting 101.
Regardless I will buy one of the non-advanced CDI mentioned in the link.
My buddy told me he had the same problem. He changed out the CDI, coil, wire with one of the new racing kits.
He got kickback he didn't like - changed back to the original CDI - got one day out of it before the scoot stopped scooting. He put the racing unit back in and it ran.
He had nothing to back it up, but his belief was the new coil had something to do with the failure of the original CDI..... me I dono.
I spent most of my motorcycle life on English and Japanese machines, with occasional forced exposure to Harley Davidsons at my dad's shop. (I was slave labor there during high school and for a couple of years after). Those machines make sense. China scoots, not so much, but that is the fun part..... figuring out something you have never seen before. |
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Post by rockinez on Apr 7, 2014 18:59:07 GMT -5
Last month I changed out my CDI with a racing CDI coil and wire kit. The kick-back on start was starting to bother me. I put back the old stock CDI last night.
This morning I decided to see if it would start and run without the kickback on start. It started it, it ran. I warmed it up and adjusted the carb.
I took it on a little ride to test the carb adjustment and CDI. It worked well so I decided to ride it to the beach. I had a great ride. I stopped at the San Diego Hang Glider Park and watched the hang gliders. Very cool.
I was almost home (16 miles) and it died at a stop light. It ran for over 50 miles this morning without issue, and just died. I did get gas about 5 miles before it quit. The fuel in the filter looked fine. Could be the CDI... who knows.
I just called San Diego Motorcycle towing. They charge $20 + $2/mile..... $50+ hit in the wallet. Ouch.
I need to start troubleshooting.... tomorrow. Right now I need a beer.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 2, 2014 3:22:11 GMT -5
I understand, and re-reading my post I was a bit harsh, actually pretty dumb.
I will not use soft metal bolts when I do not have to, but that has nothing to do with the other zillion GY6 riders out there.
Putting together a total kit is a noble effort, and will help many rebuilders.
I would have loved one 8 years ago. Many people will be happy to have the total set available.
Please accept my apology.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 1, 2014 23:53:39 GMT -5
Many years ago I bought a '62 Willis Jeep station wagon. The engine was fried, and I parked it for a few months before I could afford to buy the parts. I was living in Amarillo Tx. The rodents move in. They chewed on every wire, built a nest in the exhaust. It was an expensive experience. The mouse nest blowing out the exhaust pipe was something to see. I feel your pain  |
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Post by rockinez on Apr 1, 2014 19:03:18 GMT -5
The only time I really worry is on long rides. The fill up half way through the ride is the one most likely to be half regular. If an expensive car is around, I do watch to see what grade gas it used. I have actually asked people if I can go in front of them because of the octane issue.
I would hate to burn a piston or valve due to gasoline, especially 60 miles from home.
A local rider known as "Crazy Dave" carries a 1 gallon can of his own gas on long rides. I don't really like the idea of a gallon of gas strapped on my floorboard. I think he got his name due to the gas can.
In California ethanol is the enemy of scooter riders. They change the gas formula between winter and summer. Leave that stuff in your carb for a few weeks and that puppy is not going to start without heroic efforts. a battery charger and a can of 'fart start' are necessary if you parked your scoot for month or so.
The inside of my last carb was covered with corrosion, and the jets were eaten away a bit, enough to change the fuel mixture, and keep the scoot from starting. I suspect the ethanol.
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Post by rockinez on Apr 1, 2014 14:10:46 GMT -5
Only on April 1.... fooled me. |
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Post by rockinez on Apr 1, 2014 4:29:21 GMT -5
I haven't killed a scoot with regular gas, but I killed a GY6 go cart. It ran fine for a couple of years until I started putting regular in it. I burnt a hole in the piston. I was never sure if the gas caused it, but it was the only thing that changed.
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Post by rockinez on Mar 31, 2014 21:36:25 GMT -5
That is an expensive bug. You will know the Harley mechanic by name.
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Post by rockinez on Mar 30, 2014 20:10:58 GMT -5
Something I learned on large bikes.... never make it louder.
In CA it is illegal, and an instant stop.
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