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Topics - shawgb

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1
Technical | How To / How to inflate tires? GV 250
« on: May 16, 2011, 10:41:46 PM »
Hi all -

My biggest mystery is currently - how the *heck* do you add air to Grandvista 250 tires?
I've been to several gas stations and haven't found an air pump with a valve I can fit over the filler - so I went and purchased a hand-type bicycle tire pump - but even that won't fit!

What do I need and where do I find it?
Why is this so difficult (rhetorical...)?

Lastly - my owner's manual has some crazy metric reading for recommended pressure. I've tried to convert online unsuccessfully...just what is the right pressure for U.S. people??

Any help would be most appreciated...y'all always come through!
Thanks -

2
Technical | How To / Repair shop screwed up my brakes! GV 250 1500 mi. Advice?
« on: April 19, 2010, 07:20:27 PM »
Once AGAIN I need to say how totally impressed I am with the responsiveness and quality of information on this forum...and so I'm giving it another go...!

So - I posted several weeks ago about Kymco dealer wanting a pile of money to rebuild my carb after only 1500 miles. Well, according to replies - I felt fine about paying that bill, since I had no idea I needed to add something like "Sea Foam" because I ride rather infrequently and for very short trips.

They had my scoot for close to 3 weeks. They said it takes 2 weeks to get Kymco parts. Whatever.
Anyway - I was so jacked to get it back, I paid to have it towed back to me - since the forecast was calling for rain for the next several days. So I FINALLY get it back - and here's the killer...

My left brake handle does ABSOLUTELY nothing! No resistance at ALL. Might as well be flappin' in the wind!
There was NOTHING wrong with my brakes when it went to the dealer.
Now...I noted it said on my paperwork "rear brake seems a bit soft. Bled system but did not seem to help".

RED FLAG! Like I say - there was NO issue with my brakes.
But okay - maybe to an EXPERT the brake felt soft. To me as a RIDER, it was fine. If the dealer, as an expert, want to bleed the system - fine.

So of course I call the Service Manager and he says that's the way the scoot came in. BULLSH*T!
I was like - uhh...no sh*t "bleeding the system didn't seem to help" - in fact, YOU BROKE IT! It's completely INOPERABLE.

So we're at an impasse. They maintain it came in that way.
Does anyone have insight on what could have happened? As it was towed in - could something have happened in towing?
I guess my main confusion is that the shop took it upon themselves to address what they identified as a soft rear brake - tried bleeding the system with no improvement - and then delivered it to me with a TOTALLY inoperable rear brake!

Gawd - I dunno...any insights?
THANK YOU!

3
Technical | How To / What? Dealer wants to basically rebuild carb after 1600 mi?? GV250
« on: March 26, 2010, 06:13:46 PM »
Okay, fabulous forum...I've been SO impressed with you so far, don't fail me now! (I don't expect you will...)

Here's the story:
My scoot developed an issue where like 5 minutes after starting, it'd start idling rough - but after another 5-ish minutes, would settle down and run fine. That went on for several months.

Then it got worse. After the 5 minute warm-up, it started totally stalling. I could immediately restart it, but would have to futz with the throttle to keep it idling thru the next 5 or so minutes - then fine again.

Well...whaddya know. It got even worse! After warm-up it'd quit and the only way to restart it was at full (or nearly full) throttle! That's when I had it towed to the dealer.

They just called and said the jets were clogged and something else about a "balloon" or something. I said "how can this be with only 1600 miles?" They said that's exactly WHY this would happen. If ridden rather infrequently - and mine is, being an '06 with 1600 miles - they said gas (and especially the new gas with ethanol) will evaporate from the carb and leave behind gummy junk. I asked how to prevent this and was told to use an additive called "Sea Foam" (maybe it's "C-foam" - I dunno...)

Anyway - that's like $250 worth of repairs and a TWO WEEK wait for parts!
I mean, now I'm totally screwed - I have no choice but to authorize the repair - but I wonder if this makes sense, or if it sounds shady...
Depending on feedback, I'll decide if they'll ever work on MY scoot again!

Any insight will be MUCH appreciated, as always.

Thanks!

4
Technical | How To / Battery charging advice, please!
« on: March 22, 2010, 07:26:04 PM »
Hi all -

Well, I've had SUCH amazing responses using this forum in the past - I'm giving it a shot again...
So - the battery on my '06 Grandvista 250 didn't hold a charge thru the winter.
I've got the battery out of the bike, and I have a charger (it even says "smart charger" on it!), but I don't have the instructions for the dang thing.

Okay - first, it wants you to select the type of battery. The 3 choices (obviously abbreviated) are WET, GEL and AGM. Then you select charging rate, and the 3 choices are 2, 10 and 15 amps.

Sadly - I DUNNO EITHER PIECE OF INFORMATION! And I'd like to keep from causing an explosion, if possible.  ;D

Of course I realize the battery may have had it - but since I have this charger I'd like to give it the ol college try.

Any help will be HUGELY appreciated!
The users on this forum totally RULE!

Thanks

5
Technical | How To / Courtesy light in luggage compartment? '06 Grandvista 250
« on: February 18, 2010, 12:57:59 AM »
(FYI - I've also posted this same message under the Grandvista 250 tab...thought I might get more exposure posting here...)

I have a 2006 Grandvista 250, bought used in 2008 with like 2500 miles. I now have around 3000 miles. Believe it or don't, but I at least feel like I ride it all the time (and can, most of the year here in Dallas...), but it's ALWAYS for short trips.

Anyway - when I bought it, I noticed in the under-seat luggage compartment, there was what looked to be the lens cover of a light along the side and near the top - an obvious place to put a "courtesy" lamp. I was curious that this light didn't work - and my initial reaction was to look for a switch that should activate it when the seat is open. I couldn't find ANYTHING remotely looking like some kinda switch. Okaaayy. So maybe it's some hidden switch.

For my next trick, I pried the thing outta the socket, and it came out intact with wires leading inside the chassis. Now I separated the lens from the assembly - and SURE ENOUGH - there appeared a socket (the plug-in kind, not the screw in kind...) but no bulb. Eureka! THAT'S why it doesn't work!
I emailed my local Kymco dealer, asking what type bulb this called for. He said he wasn't aware of any such courtesy light in the luggage compartment of a GV 250 - but he'd check it out and get back to me.

Yep, he emailed back - they happened to have an '06 on the lot and he checked it himself and saw the very same light (or at least, light assembly...) I was referring to. What was strange was that not only was this apparently new to him, he told me their service manuals made no mention of any light supposed to BE there! Even so - he got his service manager to look at it - and they thought they worked out what bulb should be there – which happens to be a yamaha bulb.

I still haven't had my GV in for service, but I'm about to - and plan to have them put this bulb in the "mystery socket".

I've searched this and other Kymco forums for postings asking about this mystery bulb - but have yet to find ONE.

Assuming we've found the correct bulb for this mystery socket, I still don't know if it's even meant to HAVE a bulb - or if there's a switch that turns it on automatically or not.

But my biggest mystery of all...AM I THE ONLY GV 250 OWNER THAT HAS THIS FEATURE? If not - how is it POSSIBLE THAT I'M THE ONLY PERSON TO POST ABOUT THIS ON SEVERAL KYMCO BOARDS??? I'm just so confused...

Any insight would be HUGELY appreciated!
Thank you!!!

6
Grandvista 250 / Courtesy light in luggage compartment? '06 Grandvista 250
« on: February 17, 2010, 02:46:27 AM »
I have a 2006 Grandvista 250, bought used in 2008 with like 2500 miles. I now have around 3000 miles. Believe it or don't, but I at least feel like I ride it all the time (and can, most of the year here in Dallas...), but it's ALWAYS for short trips.

Anyway - when I bought it, I noticed in the under-seat luggage compartment, there was what looked to be the cover of a light along the side and near the top - an obvious place to put a "courtesy" lamp. I was curious that this light didn't work - and my initial reaction was to look for a switch that should activate it when the seat is open. I couldn't find ANYTHING remotely looking like some kinda switch. Okaaayy. So maybe it's some hidden switch.

For my next trick, I pried the thing outta the socket, and it came out intact with wires leading inside the chassis. Now I seperated the lens from the assembly - and SURE ENOUGH - there appeared a socket (the plug-in kind, not the screw in kind...) but no bulb. Eureka! THAT'S why it doesn't work!
I emailed my local Kymco dealer, asking what type bulb this called for. He said he wasn't aware of any such courtesy light in the luggage compartments of a GV 250 - but he'd check it out and get back to me.

Yep, he emailed back - they happened to have an '06 on the lot and he checked it himself and saw the very same light (or at least, light assembly...) I was referring to. What was strange was that not only was this apparently new to him, he told me their service manuals made no mention of any light supposed to BE there! Even so - he got his service manager to look at it - and they thought they worked out what bulb should be there - it was a yamaha bulb.

I still haven't had my GV in for service, but I'm about to - and plan to have them put this bulb in this "mystery socket".

I've searched this and other Kymco forums for postings asking about this mystery bulb - but have yet to find ONE.

Assuming we've found the correct bulb for this mystery socket, I still don't know if it's even meant to HAVE a bulb - or if there's a switch that turns it on automatically or not.

But my biggest mystery of all...AM I THE ONLY GV 250 OWNER THAT HAS THIS FEATURE? If not - how is it POSSIBLE THAT I'M THE ONLY PERSON TO POST ABOUT THIS ON SEVERAL KYMCO BOARDS??? I'm just so confused...

Any insight would be HUGELY appreciated!
Thank you!!!

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