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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 5, 2018 0:16:32 GMT -5
"If they'd only "Siamese" two of those cylinders on one block, making it a 500cc vertical twin, THAT would be sweet!"I think a 500cc twin in cafe racer trim would be awesome. The Honda CB500 is a great bike, but I can't deal with the insectivore styling. Its still very cool that you can get a shiny new 250cc bike from CSC for a little over 2 Gs. They'd do around 100 and cruise 75 all day long. The appeal of this Chinese 250 to me, is that it's decidedly "old-school" in its no-frills construction, appearance and features. Bare-bones 2-wheel transportation. Within its limited speed range, it truly shines as a welcome step "backward" to where motorcycles came from in my youth.I doubt if there is much of a market in America for such "practical" rides, but what there is of its 250cc design, I really do like it! And it's affordable too... It's small, skinny and light-weight... If my old scoot finally gets too heavy for my aging bones, I might even try one... It really does offer more appeal to me than a 150 scooter... I stay with step-through scoots because of bad arthritis making it hard to climb over and onto a cycle, but this little wheezer is light... similar to the old Kymco "People 200" I rode as a loaner. This one, I could lay over almost on its side to climb on and off... Cheesh… Getting old does suck! Leo (just 'cause you can't ride WELL doesn't mean you don't want to ride at ALL) in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 4, 2018 5:37:42 GMT -5
I'll take the hammer throw... Looks like a holdover from medieval warfare, and that's pretty macho!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 4, 2018 5:33:05 GMT -5
Great looking small cycle. Appears good for most any travel short of highway speeds. That's a shame. If it could actually top out over 80, and cruise 70+ it would be a real "keeper"! However, it's still in the "older generation" Chinese 250 scooter class for speed. My old Kymco 250 has 19.5hp and will do a little better, topping out at 80+ and cruising 70 but ONLY on the flat, with no wind. My scoot could use another 10 ponies and so could this otherwise swell little bike.
If they'd only "Siamese" two of those cylinders on one block, making it a 500cc vertical twin, THAT would be sweet!
Don't know WHEN or if I'll get my old scoot back running. Too many health issues with me and the Missus to fool with it now. Hope to be back riding "Minnie Mouse" next spring!
Ride safe!
Leo in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 1, 2018 1:06:49 GMT -5
Woo-HOO!
Now, with one of these chocolates, even a rider on a "50" can truthfully say: "I can EAT UP a VESPA!"
Ain't life grand?
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 28, 2018 22:27:56 GMT -5
Hmmm... I'm a big Humphrey Bogart fan, and like BOTH characters, but I also go with Sam Spade.One of my favorite scenes was his identifying the murder-weapon used on his partner as a "Webley/Fosbery Automatic Revolver". An AUTOMATIC REVOLVER?
Yup... Such a strange weapon actually exists and it worked well. The entire barrel/frame and cylinder assembly recoiled back on the lower frame, advancing the cylinder and cocking the hammer for the next shot.
Wild, weird and wacky Brit design at its best!  A somewhat useless "factoid" probably of interest to only me, and maybe a couple of senile retired Brit generals, but trust Bogie to add such an obscure weapon to the intrigue of a classic flick!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 27, 2018 0:38:57 GMT -5
This depression-era idea looks mighty "dated" today... However... Consider it constructed from modern aluminum, plastics and such... with proper simple hydraulic disk-brakes on the trailer and a modern Harley, Indian or Honda, etc. big-inch cruiser hauling the mail and you might just have a 21st century biker's RV dream! Some of these old concepts were not all that practical (sort of "boat-anchors")when made from steel, sheet-metal and plywood, pulled by a 20hp 1930's motor. But add modern materials, safety features and a modern big bike and the whole enchilada starts to look quite "tantalizing"...  Food for thought  |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 21, 2018 0:55:01 GMT -5
"To me, a Norton should be an air-cooled vertical twin... with wheels/tires just a tad on the skinny side.."I prefer classic engines too, but Norton must use a high tech, water cooled mill to justify that crazy high price. The riders won't pay the big bucks unless they are really fast. They make the Husky 701 Vitpilen look like a bargain bike. But... Hey, how 'bout THIS? Make it a stone-age pushrod twin off 1970's tooling that only does the quarter in 13 seconds, and tops out at a walking-pace 120... Then cut the price by 75%...
I DO love being a half-Century out-of-date! |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 19, 2018 4:30:28 GMT -5
Nice bike, but, yeah... The Brits are mighty proud of their "Pound Sterling". Didn't go with the "Euro" which may have been a good idea. I guess I'm just too incurably old-school... To me, a Norton should be an air-cooled vertical twin... with wheels/tires just a tad on the skinny side... LOL! Back in the day, I rode the Norton Commando and the Royal Enfield Interceptor. Both great rides, and for competition I'd go Norton. But for everyday fun riding (and cosmetics) I'd go Enfield.
So... Being the all-American boy, I went Harley-Davidson... Neat new Norton though! Good post! Leo (NOT ridin' nuttin' until doing some wrenching on the Mouse) in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 16, 2018 1:53:42 GMT -5
 With Pearl Harbor Day fast approaching, the missus and I thought this incredibly well-executed painting would fit right in.OK, it's NOT a bike, but... THIS warbird has the "You wanna piece of me?... Then Let's dance!" biker attitude in spades, and I don't mean Kymco Spades... LOL!I've been an artist/art-director and biker all my adult life, and the quality of this painting knocks my socks off... Flames from the stacks, white-hot blasts from the muzzles of the P-40's six Browning fifties... Empties streaming back in the wind and the canopy pulled open for a fast exit "just in case"... The fellows who flew machines like this made America secure for those of us who still value our beloved country... And they (and also GALS today) still do! Call them "NATIONALISTS"? Abso-freakin-lootley... And despite the media's bias, there are White Nationalists, Black Nationalists, Brown Nationalists, etc... A "Nationalist" is simply a "Patriot" who may love the world "globally" but loves America first.
They come in ALL colors, sizes, sexes, religions, and whatever "flavor" you might conceive. Many flew warbirds like this over Asia and Europe, or the Persian Gulf... and many rode bikes when they retired their wings. If the valiant warrior portrayed here survived the war, I'll bet he rode a chopper soon after coming home...
You just gotta admire this rendition of a "Zero's eye view" of a "Flying Tiger"... Of course, THIS P-40 would be chasing a Zeke over China, not Pearl Harbor, but y'all get the picture. 
Yee-Ha and Sah-Loot!!!Leo in Texas |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 16, 2018 1:31:19 GMT -5
I do like products from "Genuine". My own dealer handles the whole line.
THIS little bike looks great to me... Maybe not so good... Seems any bike I really like doesn't appeal to many. Hope I'm WRONG on THIS one. There are SO few nice, 500cc and smaller real motorcycles around these days.
Reminds me of back in the sixties when I loved my sweet little Honda 305cc Super Hawk. Seems like either Kawasaki or Yamaha also made a bike VERY similar to this one, but in a vertical twin. Looked so similar though...
Bikes like this bring us back to the basics of enjoyable, everyday 2-wheel transportation!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 14, 2018 1:02:58 GMT -5
Count Chocula. Nothing like having your face on a cereal box. I agree... Sorta like having your ex-spouce's face on a milk-carton...  |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 14, 2018 0:49:17 GMT -5
One terminal on the starter solenoid is factory-wired directly from the positive battery terminal. The other terminal on the solenoid is then wired directly to the starter.
The starter is a simple-looking "ordinary" starter, and I may well be confused about it's being also an alternator. ALL the lights on the Kymco are DC, unlike many Chinese rides. So I may be way wrong saying "alternator"... LOL! This thing is VERY much DC setup.
The Taiwanese shop manual uses a LOT of dubious nomenclature and speaks of the "starter/alt." unit. It also calls the disk-brake pads "hoofs" and the fuel-lines and hydraulic brake-lines "pipes".
For all I know, the starter could absolutely be a "starter/GENERATOR" and all the AC stuff (if ANY) are run through a bridge-rectifier from DC juice... or vice/versa. Electrics are not my cup of tea. I did research a new starter on the Net, and they are always called simply a "starter". They run anywhere from $29 to $200 new. In a pinch, I could replace the starter myself, but arthritis tells me it won't be a fun job... LOL!
If the culprit resides inside the electrics within the engine itself, I'll have to turn it over to my dealer, who, thankfully is very honest and reliable. Just NOT cheap...
I just need some good weather and time, and I will likely find the problem... Could be simple as a "hidden" fuse...
These scoots are fairly simple, but still have a few computer controls. Just "foreign" to me. I did manage to de-bug my Chinese GY6 and it had more bugs than a jailhouse bunk-bed... And this little scoot is far less "buggy" than the Chinese ride... LOL!
Right now, I'm just happy I have a great car to get around in...
Thanks all for the advice!
Leo
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 12, 2018 23:21:08 GMT -5
Does it really have a starter/alternator combo? I haven't seen anything like that in years. If it were me I would disconnect the wires from the solenoid and touch them together then hit the starter button and see what happens. The solenoid just protects the starter button from high tension wear and one hit won't damage it. According to the shop manual, it does have a starter/alternator combo. These scoots are "Greek to me" being an old-school Harley dinosaur... LOL! You're absolutely right about the solenoid only to protect the little pee-wee wired starter button. However, the doggoned solenoid is factory-wired DIRECTLY to the BATTERY. When touching the wires together, the starter spins regardless of use of the starter button. Touching the wires together, or simply shorting across the terminals always engages the starter... Even if there's NO juice to anything else. The only diagnosis I performed so far was to check the solenoid with a resistance meter, and it definitely is "stuck" in the start position. So IT is verified no-good... After only a dozen starts! I'm still at a loss as to why the battery got red-hot. I truly think it shorted out a cell or two. It's seven years old and I should have replaced it... But it was always reliable and held a charge fine, so I got cheap... LOL! When the engine started for that last ride, all seemed normal. I could plainly hear the starter-clutch disengage as soon as the motor fired up. Red "battery" light went out as usual, showing good charge. Then minutes later, the red-light came on and the motor died in seconds, the starter feebly trying to engage until the battery dropped below enough voltage to do anything. Currently, the weather is just AWFUL, keeping me from working on it. I still can't imagine a fuse NOT being blown, or some wires being fried. I think all the fuses are in one place by the battery. I need to be sure there are not others hid away some place... Sure would be nice if a new FUSE, and new SOLENOID and new BATTERY would fix the old Mouse, but... I'm not holding my breath... When it warms up and quits raining, I'll get back to work and see if I can find the gremlin... I also realize even the shop manual is not really clear about the alternator/starter combo. The English translation is little better than Chinese manuals... It's entirely possible that the charging takes place "elsewhere" on the motor. I'll keep posting as I learn more... It seems most Kymcos of various models use a similar system to my old Grandvista, and I may learn some good stuff to pass on to others. Stay warm! Leo |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 12, 2018 2:08:23 GMT -5
The Enfield post got my memories going... I always liked them a LOT. Not common around Chicago in the 1960's... To my eye, they were "everything Brit" on steroids!
Big, brutal, FAST and old-school... HUGE motor exterior that looked "right". External controls on the bars, non-unit motor/tranny... They just smacked of "1940's" And the icing on the cake was that factory-chromed tank!
To me, the Royal Enfield 750cc Interceptor was everything the Triumph 650, BSA 650 and Norton 750 was, only MORE... Much more!Back then, the Norton Commando was deemed the fastest 2-wheel ride extant... An honest 12-second bike that would often turn 130+... However, after riding both the Norton and Enfield 750's back then, I'd definitely opt for the Enfield... It's the only bike back then that might have swayed me from a Harley!
Wonderful machine from days gone by!Leo (reminiscing) in Texas
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Post by oldchopperguy on Nov 12, 2018 1:33:04 GMT -5
Your troubleshooting doesn't seem to match your description of the problem. Its good practice to review recent work when a new problem shows up but... Why do you think a hot battery equals a bad solenoid? Sounds more like a bad battery connection. Could you hear the starter running when it wasn't supposed to? You say you replaced with a good battery. How do you know its good and if it is, the solenoid wouldn't cause "no electrics" I suggest that you carefully clean and inspect your wires and wire connections not forgetting the grounds.
No, I realize the hot battery doesn't likely have anything to do with the solenoid. It just was the first thing I noticed. It does tell me I probably have a dead-short somewhere (probably within the starter/alternator) that fried the battery but did not blow a fuse. I did expect to find the 30 amp "main" fuse blown, but it was not.All connections were pristine. I replaced the bad original solenoid a few days previous, and everything was great. I rode several times with no problem. The minute the motor started, the red "battery" idiot light would go out like it should... The last ride, the scoot started instantly, light went out, and as usual, no indication that the starter was still engaged. Once the motor starts, the starter clutch disengages. However, when the redlight came on, and the engine died, as the rpm dropped to nil, the starter tried to engage feebly. That didn't last over a few seconds, and the battery showed only 5.4 volts of power after removal and cooling down. It is surely shorted out internally and will not take a charge.
From past experience, I know it IS possible to have TWO malfunctions simultaneously... The failed solenoid, and the old battery shorting out internally COULD happen together, and unrelated. I've had such things happen in past years... I had my Chinese GY6 CDI and coil fail simultaneously... Diagnosing drives me nutz… LOL! I got a NEW fully-charged battery, and when connected, the starter immediately began to spin... No ignition on, no starter button engaged. I immediately disconnected the battery and checked across the terminals of the "new" solenoid. The solenoid is DEFINITELY "stuck" in the "start" position. But, there are NO electrics at all. No headlight, dashboard etc. And no blown fuses, or fried wires. Even though the starter was not trying to engage with the motor running, I believe something went wrong inside the starter/alternator due to riding with the solenoid in the start position. Just a guess, but with some effort I should be able to diagnose. What frustrates me is that the only thing wrong originally was the OEM solenoid went bad. I replaced it and all was fine. Now, I have a major problem to diagnose because a defective $20 part failed in just a few days. When I get further into the thing, I'll post results. In the mean time, I have a GREAT car to get around in... LOL! Ride safe, Leo in Texas |
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