KymcoForum.com

Shuttlebug, I own a Chinese made Kymco Like 200i that I think for its size is great. I also just bought a new 2008 Diamo Turista 300 by Linhai/Yamaha. I have put on over 5000 miles on the Kymco with no problems and I did a few mods for performance and longevity.  I have put on 500 miles on the Diamo in 3 weeks and I am pleased to say that it is a fine performing 275cc scoot. I have had over 80 bikes and scooters in my 52 years of riding and every one made me smile. I believe that scooters are more a product of how you treat them and the service you give then where they were made. Like any tool you would be wise to buy the best you can afford, but down' t think you can' t get the job done just as well for less. Jeff

Sting, You should take one shock apart and take the spring to a truck spring shop to have it tested. They put it in a press that measures the pressure needed to compress it over its range of motion. They can then make a new spring with the compressive properties you need. I have seen off road vehicles with shocks with a progressive spring rate that  has more resistance the farther it is compressed. Check for off road. Or stock car or truck spring shops in any larger city near you. I bet it would cost less to make springs than buy the correct shock. Good luck. Jeff

Mscmkr, I have had my Like 200i for over a year and I now have just under 5,000 miles on it. It is a joy to ride and other than normal service I haven't had to do any repairs on it. I have redone the seat adding 1 1/2" of memory foam and reshaping the seat and seat base to remove pain full obstructions. I have made a few modifications from reports on this site that have given me at least a few extra miles per hour. At this time I am happy with the performance and economy of the Like, with the seat redo I can now ride over a 100 miles without any discomfort. I would buy this bike again, especially at the $2499 price I paid. If I had had more to spend originally I would have bought one of the Kymco 300's for the extra speed and carrying capacity. My top speed is about 62-64 and I weigh about 220 lbs. I wish you luck with whichever bike you chose. Jeff

 Vivo, I'm sure that if you removed your wife's clothes from your closet that you could hide your scoot there to weather the storm. its the least you can do for a close relative. Ha Ha Jeff

Stig, I finished my seat rebuild on my 2012 Like 200 Saturday and have taken 3 rides of 25 to 75 miles and it is much better. I removed the old seat cover and replaced it with a heavier cover made of marine grade Naugahyde cut about two inches larger using the original cover for a pattern. I shaved the stock foam to a flat surface with a  rotary wire brush on a drill. I then used 3M spray adhesive to attach the 1 1/2 " thick memory foam ( a twin mattress memory foam pad from Walmart) to the stock foam. I used the wire brush and drill to contour the memory foam and then reattached to new cover. There are no seams just like in the original seat. I shaved the front hump down to give me more leg room and that is the only real telling feature. See attached picture for finished product. I got the idea from a video on u-tube.

I ride a Like 200i and I average 70 mpg, my best has been 82, and my worst (120 mile trip against a 20-30 mph headwind) 45 mpg. I tend to ride very aggressively. Job

Stig, If you come up with a longer shock with more travel please post it as I would be very interested myself as I am note a light weight. Ha Ha! Jeff

Stig I have read these sites and I am surprised at the parking and other problems that scooterist face in the Big Apple. Makes me glad I live in a smaller city in the Southwest. I was also surprised to see the market dominance of Vespa. Out here there really isn't a dominant brand. I do like to see the different points of view on scooters and our lives. Jeff