Author Topic: my first scooter and first post (a long one!)  (Read 1233 times)

JimSharp39

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my first scooter and first post (a long one!)
« on: April 29, 2010, 09:03:25 AM »
Hello all, my first post and my first scooter.  I’m in Scotland, UK.

I thought I’d tell you my story.  I bought a 2008 Agility 50 on ebay as a non runner.  This tidy little thing cost me GBP 360 (around 500 USD I’d estimate).  I bought it for my son who’s 16 in February and then is entitled to ride a 50cc machine in the UK.  I bought is very clearly described as a non runner, despite having only 1770 recorded km.  I’m quite handy with the spanners so I thought it would be an easy fix, however bad the fault was.  I’m a long time biker – current ride is a Suzuki GSX1100.

Sure enough it was rock solid.  No movement anywhere.  The seller told me that he’d been unable to start it one day on the electric foot and then proceeded to kick it into oblivion using the kickstarter. It refused to start still and at the end of it all he had a solid engine.  He reckoned he’d seized it….which I thought unlikely so I started to strip it down.

I took the belt cover off and all looked fairly normal – belt intact and I could turn the crank backwards and forwards using the big bolt.  So obviously not seized but there was a definite “catching”  The whole engine area was covered in a very fine white powder, like talc, which I took at the time to be from where the previous owner had stored the bike.

So I went to the other side and removed the cowling that covers the cooling fan arrangement.  Again I could turn the crank from this side using a big shifter on the nut, but still that obvious “catching”.  With the cowl off, I could hear that there was something loose here so I made up a probe using a wire coathanger to rummage behind the fan where my fat fingers couldn’t reach.  And I fished out a very bashed up metal part of a sparkplug. Minus the ceramic part.

Some monkey mechanic had obviously removed the plug and caught it on the cooling cowl around the head and rather than retrieve it just left it, replacing it with a new one.  In time the plug worked its way down to the flywheel /fan, had the ceramic part smashed to dust (hence the fine white powder covering the whole engine) and eventually working it way to a position where it jammed the whole engine.

Charged the battery. Filled the petrol tank. Changed engine and transmission oils and the thing whirred into life.  Fabulous.

Took it out for a blast and was very impressed.  Got it up to about 32mph.

I read about the CDI box derestriction mod on this forum, did that and now it will do 39mph without much effort. And I’m 6’2” and 15 stone

I also found the link to the workshop manual, printed that off so I have a comprehensive file.

All in all very satisfied.  Thank you Kymco Forum!

sidthesloth

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Re: my first scooter and first post (a long one!)
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2010, 11:11:06 AM »
Great stuff mate, just took a little investigating, got yourself a winner, though at 6'2" and 15 stone maybe a slightly larger scoot would be better suited?? lol. GSX1100, very nice. I have two Suzukis, a 2009 GS500 "F" and a 2005 Boulevard C50. Welcome to the forum mate, lots of friendly helpfull people here who are happy to help. I also have a Kymco ZX50 which is proving to keep me rather busy at the moment. :)
ZX50, 47mm cyl. kit, TZR50 CDI. Michelin Pilot Sport tyres,
Next performance mod; pumping the tyres up.

wordslinger

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Re: my first scooter and first post (a long one!)
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2010, 11:22:51 AM »
..hello Jim, and Welcome to the Forum!!!

...it's amazing how often we can overlook the simple things sometimes...

 ???
..every mod (action) necessitates a (reaction) mod..

zombie

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Re: my first scooter and first post (a long one!)
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2010, 02:41:01 PM »
Welcome aboard Jim! Score one for the good guys. There are a few big bore kits being installed on several threads. Stick around as you, and your boy just may find a project in one.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

Hoolander2

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Re: my first scooter and first post (a long one!)
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2010, 03:12:41 PM »
Way to go, Jim.

You know, most manuals and "How To" books on mechanics say the first steps in basic service or diagnosing problems are to do visual and manual INSPECTIONS.  That is, Visual: LOOK at things with your eyes, using mirrors or lanterns/flashlights, ect.  Manual: Feel around the back side of things which cannot be seen in the visual inspection, using your hands, probes, etc.  It's amazing what one finds just using these two procedures.  It's also amazing how many "real mechanics" completely skip them.

 

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