Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Bill G

Pages: [1]
1
Grandvista 250 / Re: Steering stability issues
« on: June 08, 2016, 04:58:44 AM »
I will let some air out and see if that helps.  I will check back in tomorrow with the results

2
Grandvista 250 / Re: Steering stability issues
« on: June 07, 2016, 05:58:07 AM »
Check your stearing head tube bearings. Also is the brake dragging or scalloped tire tread pattern. Top box should not make that issue!

Steering bearings seem to be good.  Checking with the scooter on the stand and the front elevated off the ground, it is entirely free with no binding and while I pull and push on the handlebars, there is no play at all.  No scalloped pattern on the front tire, and as far as I can tell, no real brake dragging.  Again, with the front tire off the ground, it spins fairly freely by hand, with a very slight amount of brake pad drag,  but something I would consider to be normal.   It has no wheel bearing play that I can feel or detect.  I didn't think the box being there or not would have any effect.  Just to check, though I took the GVI box off and have the same results.

Maybe I should ask a shop what they think.

@ Crossbolt:

With over 18k, of course the tires are not original, nor are they Kymco tires.  I live in a town of 35,000 and there is no Kymco dealership within 150 miles of here, so a local shop ordered the tires the last time I needed them.  Off-brand "Avon"  size is what is called for, 120/70 - 12, and I am pretty good at maintaining 40# of pressure.

3
Grandvista 250 / Re: Steering stability issues
« on: June 05, 2016, 03:10:41 AM »
Never mind, I see I asked the same question about a year ago.  Sorry, folks for the repeat.  The remove button does not seem to allow me to delete my message.

Having now gone back and re-read the post from last year, I will try to take the box off the back and see if it helps, as suggested.

Thnaks

4
Grandvista 250 / Steering stability issues
« on: June 05, 2016, 01:12:02 AM »
I have a 2006 Grand Vista that I have owned since it was new  It has 18,000 miles on it.  Never in a wreck, but the steering has become very unstable over the last few years.  It pulls to one side, and if I take one hand off the handlebars, with one still on, it starts shimmying pretty badly.  I would not even attempt to take both hands off.  This makes me feel very hesitant to go out on the freeway any more.

Is the steering something that can be aligned on a scooter? 

-Bill

5
Grandvista 250 / Re: Overheating
« on: October 13, 2015, 05:50:12 AM »
Thank you for your reply.
I can understand a leak causing the overheating, but why is the overflow tank "overfilling" and draining, or are you suggesting that the cooling system is over filled?

No.  I was only saying that over-filling the oil can cause overheating,  I made it a point to say this might not be your case.

6
Grandvista 250 / Re: Overheating
« on: October 13, 2015, 03:21:02 AM »
Normally, overheating is caused by some sort of leak in the cooling system causing it not to be water-tight.  Here is something to consider, although it may not be your problem, I am just offering this because it happened to me once.

I measured the oil level once while the bike was on the kickstand rather than the stand that holds the bike level.  (Big mistake)  Since the bike was not level, it appeared to me that the oil was low.  I added a bunch of oil to get it to show full.  In reality, had I checked it with the bike on the level stand, it would have shown that I very much over-filled it with oil.

It would not overheat while idling, but did overheat and boil over when I went out riding, similar to your experience.

So, I am just offering this for what it's worth.  If that is not the case, then good luck because I know from working on cars that cooling system leaks are sometimes hard to find!


7
Grandvista 250 / Re: Spark plug assessment?
« on: September 13, 2015, 07:11:01 PM »
Oh, and another question: what's this bit of transparent tubing hanging off the opposite side? Fuel filter related? Kinda weird it just dangles there.
It's just a vent tube.

8
Grandvista 250 / Re: Spark plug assessment?
« on: September 12, 2015, 03:27:31 AM »
Plugs are pretty inexpensive, so as long as you have it out, you might as well replace it.  You need a gap tool to adjust or to check the gap.  Since you probably don't have one, go to an auto parts store to buy your plug, and ask them to check the gap for you.  Most plugs come pre-gapped, but you want to check even a new one to make sure.

9
Grandvista 250 / Re: Oil change - order of filter, etc.?
« on: September 04, 2015, 06:01:20 AM »

Oh -- one other question: that washer I found, it's not the 'O-ring' mentioned in the manual p. 4-3, is it? "Install the oil filter screen, spring, O-ring and filter screen cap." They must be referring to the rubber ring that's part of the mesh screen...?

I believe they are referring to the rubber O ring that is imbedded in the bolt cap assembly that holds the spring and the screen.  Not the rubber ring around the screen,  At any rate, NO the flat metal washer is not any part of what they are referring to.

Always check your oil level with the bike on the main center stand, not the kickstand.  I learned the hard way.  I once topped off the oil while checking the dipstick while on the kickstand.  This caused me to over-fill the crankcase which led to the engine overheating.  When I took it in for service, they not only laughed at me, but charged me for the diagnostics and changing the oil.

10
Grandvista 250 / Re: Oil change - order of filter, etc.?
« on: September 03, 2015, 05:39:26 AM »
Here is a clip from the service manual as to the way the spring and screen should go.  Really a small picture, but if you click on it, the picture should enlarge slightly.

I also use the drain plug on the other side of the bike to drain the oil.  I don't think you need to drain it overnight, but certainly no harm in doing so.  I also agree with B&L that there should be no washer used here.

11
Grandvista 250 / Re: How many miles
« on: August 15, 2015, 04:16:14 AM »
Just wondering, how many mile can I expect to get on my 2009 grand vista? I take great care of it and change th oil monthly.Thans for any replies.

My 06 has 17,500 miles on it and up until this year the only things I have replaced were tires, brake pads and battery.  This year the stator went out.  Just got it back from the shop.  I must admit I don't change the oil as often as you do.

12
Grandvista 250 / Re: GV Luxury Seat
« on: August 09, 2015, 10:52:15 PM »
Anyone have this seat? Is it considerably better than the terrible stock seat?

Looks a lot better than the stock seat.  I don't have one, but I need something better than stock.  At 64 with recent back issues, my back aches badly sometimes after a long ride.  I live in the country and routinely take the scooter on rides of a couple hours each.  The 250 is really ideally suited for long country rides up and down hills and on curvy winding roads.  Lots of fun.  Not so great on gravel or rocky roads.

-Bill

13
Grandvista 250 / Stability issue with GV 250
« on: July 22, 2015, 04:31:51 AM »
 I have a 2005 GV 250 that I bought brand new.  I know it is not recommended to take one's hands off the handlebars.  That is kind of a no-brainer.  However, I have noticed for a long time that if I take one hand off the handlebars and then have one other resting very lightly on the handlegrip, the bike starts a very profound shimmy.  It is as if there is no caster effect or gyroscopic effect for the font wheel.  I am wondering if this is typical of the bike or is there some alignment or wheel balancing that needs to be done?

I took a spin on a friend's standard motorcycle and I noticed a huge difference in stability as compared to my Kymco. 


14
Grandvista 250 / Re: 250 won't hold a charge, with new battery!
« on: July 19, 2015, 02:10:17 AM »
Greetings.  I am new here.  I have a 2005 Grand Vista 250 which has developed a charging problem.  Downloaded the shop manual and did the tests:

Regulator/Rectifier passes the conductivity tests for the diodes using a VOM.  However, the battery is not charging.  No increase in the DC voltage while revving the engine.  The test for the AC alternator is somewhat confusing.  Of course it is a three-phase alternator.  The manual says the resistance between any of the yellow wires to any of the others should be 0.6 to 1.6 ohms.  I am getting about 3.3 ohms between any/all of them.  No conductivity between ground and any of the yellow wires.  I am not sure this slight difference in resistance is material, HOWEVER:

When measuring the AC voltage between any of the yellow wires to others while the scooter is running, but not connected to the regulator/rectifier, then I am getting about 5 volts AC between two of them, and about 20 volts on the third.  I would expect to see the same results between any of the three.  So, perhaps the issue is the alternator (If that's what it's called in motorcycle-talk)

Other than the alternator itself, I am also suspecting the regulator part of the seemingly dual purpose regulator/rectifier.  I am hesitant to go buy a new rectifier if the problem actually winds up being the alternator.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

-Bill

Pages: [1]