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Why do you say that? My owner manual calls for using JASO type oil. EVERY bike with a wet clutch calls for using a JASO type oil. The minimum requirement with a wet clutch that the AK does have is that any oil you do use MUST NOT BE certified as Resource Conserving nor Energy Conserving since those designations indicate the inclusion of special extra slippery additives, over and above any other additives, which WILL destroy the clutch plates/pads over time. Usually the results of this happen within the span of one oil change but sometimes the more severe results may not be seen until the second oil change. In the USA there is an API circle on many oil bottles with an inner circle and outer ring. If the outer bottom ring is blank then it is good for using with a wet clutch. That outer bottom ring is where Resource Conserving or Energy Conserving will be indicated. Those bottles that don't have this circle should have that designated somewhere on the bottle or at least in documentation about the oil. JASO MA or JASO MA2 are simply certifications that indicate the oil is good for bikes with a wet clutch. In my past bikes I've usually used Rotella T6 full synthetic which is certified as JASO MA/MA2. Sometimes I have used SuperTech full synthetic 10w-40 until they changed it to make it a Resource Conserving oil and then I stopped. Sometimes I have used Valvoline when I can find it with the JASO MA certification. Personally I don't care what brand or viscosity oil anyone chooses to use. But if asked I will always say that if you have a wet clutch don't use any oil that is not certified JASO MA or is designated as Resource Conserving or Energy Conserving... unless you want to be doing clutch service in the near future.


So I agree that you don't have to use the oil bought from a dealer (if you do your own oil changes). But do be careful what oil you do use.


Thanks. And no, not a writer. But I am a detail person and a little anal about some things. 

The AK is a CVT there is no clutch. Also you should rerear your manual. There is no mention of the ma Orr ma2 oil. It only lists the weight.

Again CVTs don't have wet clutches!

Ive been saying since I got this that the gauges are all out of wack. And I mean all of them from the fuel, speed-o and even the TPMS.

That being said, pre 15g sliders I was sitting between 63 to 65 mpg. And after I'm getting right around 53mpg. I calculate my mpg myself.

For 10k you'd think the gauges and dashboard would be more useful.

Just a heads up, the US "variant" of the kymco AK550 has its first oil change listed at 600 miles in the manual.

Full on the AK550 is when the gas is level with the metal plate just inside the filler neck. Anymore than that and you'll have a problem on a hot day as there is very little "extra" or expansion in these tanks. Also the gas cap on these take up a lot of the the room between that metal plate and the top of the neck.

Side note, don't put the hose into the hole in that metal plate to fill it. You won't be able to see anything and the pump I was on at the time didn't auto shut-off when the gas reached the hose nozzle.

I'm certainly no mechanical expert, and only toss these thoughts out there with that much weight behind them....

I think roller weights 'cannot' be miss-seated from the factory - unless they have now worn so far (thousands of miles of riding)  that they have shrunken in their seats. A miss- seated weight would prevent the parts from closing properly - and would cause severe issues and be quickly noted on the first ride. (new scooters do not come with Dr P slide weights)
And as for a variator nut not reaching the proper torque: the torque figure is supplied to insure that it does not come loose (or is so massively over-torqued that it destroys something) I'm thinking it is either loose, and finger tight flopping, or tight enough to secure the parts. I don't see that there is any in-between: it is either loose, or it is not....and again it would show itself very, very soon ---within a mile down the road.

I offer these counter-remarks because I think we might be unnecessarily alarming the fellow who is hearing/feeling something on his 550. I for one - do not think there is a mechanical fault at work in his scooter.

Stig

And you very well would be right. But the fact remains that if I used the lower end of the torque spec I got a thump on decel. And just because some comes from a factory doesn't mean it's perfect. That variator cover could be just slightly cockeyed or sticking on one side. Which what result in a weight offset issue.

And again, as I've said on a few of these threads; mine doesn't have this thump or vibration on decel. And I could only create one by creating these two issues. Take it for what it's worth or not.

I ignore my gas gauge, its as bad as the speedo and the dash illumination sensor. I have a dashboard cover screen and I'm tempted to actually blackout those parts along with the bottom part of the mode indicator lights.

As we all have with every other bike. I go by my mileage and my riding style during that tank full. I'm fill up at about 180 to 190 on a normal tank and around 140 on a heavy throttle tank with about 3 gal.

@NomadCF, interesting subject coming up.

How many rotten drivebelts on SCOOTERS have you personally seen and replaced streetsides?

Scooters, zero. I rarely ride with other scooters.

Motorcycles, three times I've seen a belt get shredded. One has just been replaced with in the last ~200 miles. We know that was if you met up with him at the dealer that just replaced it. The second time was just over th boarder of West Virginia. It was maybe damp out and the truck Infront of us didn't have a cover. The short of is that these metal "strips" came flying out and the other rider thought he missed it. But as the rear tires rolled over it. It twisted it up and turned it into a razor blade. Sliced it part way across. And the third, I have no idea the other then the belt let go. It could have been "30 yrs" and dry rotted for all I know.

Again I've also bought bike with a drive shaft. Sure my scooters have all been belts. But I rarely keep them for long. While I enjoy riding scooters, it doesn't last long before I'm looking for a bike again. My avg for a scooter is about 2 yrs whereas my avg for keeping a bike is 8yrs. But maybe the 550 will be different.

And yes I get it, I don't seem to fit into the forum very well. I ride fast, don't gear up and seem to disagree with most of yous about everything.