Ruffus, you live in Italy, bought Chinese?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Good morning Ruffus,
Maybe you've already addressed this?....but you live in Italy, land of famous scooter companies - but you bought a Chinese assembled Kymco.
Were there any Italian scooters which you considered buying?
Just curious....
(people mention the astounding number of Cubs produced by Honda, some 2 million - but Piagggio had passed 900,000 Liberty's 4 yrs ago)
Stig

[Ruffus]

Txs for asking Stig,
yes this question came shortly up some month ago.
Well, I live in Italy now but we have worked and lived for many years all over the world.
I saw this scooters in all kind of shapes, condition of maintenance, neclected and half of their body (scooters) torn off, still serving as means of transport for a lot of people.
Then I had a hip surgery and could not really handle my heavy bike anymore. Sold it.

Then I saw a (in my opinion) white Piaggio scooter in a sales platform. l called the owner and looked it up. Came out that this Piaggio was a Kymco Like 200i. Well, l liked it and bought for small.
Then l started to read about, and it came out that:
-in comparison price, maintenance, access to parts,
Kymco is top if you see all parameters.
Italian brands, for sure are beautiful and nowadays reliable, but simply too expensive by all means.

Addidionally l had the chance  to buy a motor-wrecked Like 125s, so l do have plenty of spareparts to play with.

[Kansas kymco]

Just curious Ruffus what happened to the motor on the parts bike you bought?

[Ruffus]

@Kk,
I do not exactely know what really happened to this normally very reliable and bulletproof motor. My first suspicion was lack of oil in general. But then, when I dismantled the whole motorblock, there where no signs due to lack of oil at crankshaft ball bearings.
Oil pump and starter freewheel which are pressure lubricated too, were in usable condition.
(pls see pics)
Got the scoot as you see. Unfortunately without cylinder and cylinderhead.
So, my asessment after I had it home is, a blockage somewhere on the way or within oil passages related to cylinder or head. There was oil in the sump, but not much. Like I said cannot really say what caused this immense piston demage.
Former owner wasn't a help too, said boys were fooling around with and tried to fix....years ago.

[Kansas kymco]

Wow that piston definitely had catastrophic damage.