New Owner w/ new problem

[dgrdan]

Hello everyone.  Got my new 2010 Yager about 6 weeks ago and have been enjoying it up till about a week ago...  I will give details at the end. 

I have subscribed to this forum since I purchased, and have followed all the maintenance advice given through the various posts.  Like the detailed instructions, and my wife is happy that I am one of the few males that she says actually ask for and follow directions.  I also added a larger Givi windscreen that made a huge difference in riding comfort.  The large size shaved a few mph off the top end, but I was still able to hit 70mph on flat roads.  If anyone is interested in the larger windscreen I can post pics and where I got it from when I get the scooter back from shop.

Now for the problem details...  I was riding home from work in some pretty hard rain a little over a week ago and about halfway home I noticed the scooter seemed to lack power at higher rpms.  In fact I could barely get it to go 50mph and it certainly wouldn't get close to redlining on the tach.  I figured something may have gotten wet, so I left it in garage for a few days to dry out before I tried again.   It started and idled just fine and runs great at lower rpms, but just seems to not want to go over 50, won't redline at all, and above 35 or so it is a slow climb to the 50mph mark.

I took it to the local Kymco dealer and had them check it out.  First thing they say is it is your larger windscreen that is hampering top end.  Mechanic said he was able to get it up to almost 60mph.  I went back to pick it up and told them that I was able to still hit 70 even with the new windscreen, so it was not the windscreen.  They are waiting to get a diagnostic tool they can plug in and see if they get any errors.  I figure there may not be any as the check engine light never came on.  They said they may have to tear the transmission apart and check belts and variators and a few other things.  I told them do what they need to do because the scooter was useless to me with the lowered performance as i have a section of 65mph road I ride on my commute.

Has anyone ever had this problem?  Any ideas, cause I have a feeling I am going to get the dealer telling me they can't find anything and the scooter is fine.  I will keep you posted on the dealers response.

Thanks,
Dan

[fshfindr]

I'm sorry that I can't help with the problem, I've never gone that fast.  So far my best speed is 55 but I only have 220 miles on it.  I'll try the higher speeds in a little while.  At 40 or higher the wind noise is almost unbearable.  Therefore, I definitely want to see a pic of your new windshield and get the model and price.  Have you tried to remove the windshield to prove that it is not the problem?

[dgrdan]

I will take a few pics for you when i get the scooter back and will include the information for the vendor I purchased from.  I think it cost ~200 dollars with shipping; definitely worth the money though. 

Update on the power loss...  they have transferred the scooter to their sister shop that has a Kymco "master technician".  The lady I spoke with was very sympathetic to my issue and said it should be looked at early next week.  I will post picks and the repair update as soon as I get the scooter back.

Dan

[axy]

I'm sorry that I can't help with the problem, I've never gone that fast.  So far my best speed is 55 but I only have 220 miles on it.  I'll try the higher speeds in a little while.  At 40 or higher the wind noise is almost unbearable.  

I can deduct from this that you have never been driving a naked bike at, for example, 150-160 mph.  

DGRDAN:

1. Adding windscreen will IMPROVE a bit your top speed, not decrease it due to improved drag resistance. So, your initial experience with "shaved off" top speed was not correct and was most likely caused by other causes (air density, fuel quality, tire pressure, road incline, temperature, combination of everything, blah blah)

2. Considering that your bike is in fact new, I would check the following to troubleshoot the issue, and most of them are quite easy to check:

1. Electricity: CDI and other related spark-source gadgets (I do now know details of your scoots electric system)
2. Fuel alimentation: to troubleshoot top end performance, I would check the needle and main jet in the carb. Considering that you have injection, you are screwed and will have to rely on proverbially bad skills of maintenance personnel using diagnostic tools (this is why I have injection in simple machines like cheap scoots). Then i would check fuel pump(s) to see that no hose is pinched somewhere so there is not enough fuel when it is needed.
3. Top end performance can be compromised if air filter is clogged, so I would check that too.
4. I would check that exhaust system is unobstructed. This can happen sometimes with 2stroke scoots, not that often with 4stroke.

Considering that you have injection, there might be some bad sensors too, but again, you can check that only with the tool.

So, I would say that you are left to the mercy of service personnel, unfortunately... Keep us posted.

p.s. I would not say that vario can cause such a drop in top speed of a new scoot.

[fshfindr]

I can deduct from this that you have never been driving a naked bike at, for example, 150-160 mph.

Axy, you are quite right.  I am a new rider.  Today is my 73rd birthday and until June 6th of this year, I was never on a motorcycle.  I don't even know what a naked bike is, but it's probably not as sexy as my Yager.  lol

Richard L.

65 mph today on rt. 130 going north.  Pretty neat, it seemed that the wind noise quieted a little.  73 & still having fun, not bad eh?

[Hoolander2]

Since you mention the problem began during a fairly hard rain, logic would indicate that the rain must have had something to do with it.  The air filter may have become soaked with water?  It may still be soaked since it sits inside a mostly closed box.  I would at least take it out and, if it seems wet let it sit in the sun for a while or dry it with a hair dryer.  Also try to peer into the air box to see if water is present.

[Zimmerman]

This is an old thread . . . But this may help someone with a similar issue.

If you suspect water has gotten into the air intake box, the look for a drain hose.

This hose is usually capped / plugged.

If there is fluid in the hose then unplug it and allow it to drain.

Recapp the hose when done.

[Yager200i]

That's not a problem in this case, there's a little rubber bulb at the rear of the airbox with a tiny hole in it, so if any water gets in there, it'll run out.