Easiest valve adjustment ever

[Siggy Javotnik]

From finding TDC, to having room to get my totally straight, unbent feeler gauges into the valves, a piece of cake. Of course, it was nice that the valves were exactly in spec, no adjustment necessary. .10mm go, .15mm no-go. Oil looked surprisingly dirty! Both engine and hub. 200 mile service at home. Also, ridiculously cheap: 1 quart of 10W-40 non-synthetic automotive oil and 80W-90 gear oil. 4 more hub oil changes in the quart bottle! Found a piece of metal in the oil strainer, cleaned with WD-40.

And I thought Moto Guzzi service was easy.

Only complaint: the oil drain plug came with a cheap nylon crush washer that was fully embedded, cracked and twisted into the bolt. Replaced it with a copper crush washer (M14?), but it was a bear to remove. Do most people just leave that nylon washer on for the life of the bike? Seems like it would work, except if the washer was torqued (as mine appeared. Over-tightened from the factory, maybe).

[Stig / Major Tom]

Good job.
Everything seems over tightened on new 2 wheelers!
My LIKE's fasteners where all very tight....and found the same on my son's CB500X yesterday.
Everybody is shooting these things in with a big gun!
Just a note...I put down a heavy cloth to cover the battery when doing the valves.....in case I drop a tool... or a Moon Pie.
Stig

[Siggy Javotnik]

Stig, thanks for the idea about a rag to cover the battery, I hadn't thought of that! And also thanks for letting me know bolts seem very tight on new vehicles. It's nuts. (Thanks! I'll be here all week, please tip your server). Same seems to be true if you take your car to a Jiffy Lube type place. The main reason I don't go there is: I won't be able to get the bolts / filters loose next time without a breaker bar and 3 Hail Marys.

[TroutBum]

Food for thought. Next time you check the valves do it when you replace/inspect the spark plug. I find it even easier to rotate the engine to TDC with the spark plug removed.

[Siggy Javotnik]

Food for thought. Next time you check the valves do it when you replace/inspect the spark plug. I find it even easier to rotate the engine to TDC with the spark plug removed.

Thanks, TroutBum! Makes sense.

[Stig / Major Tom]

[quotabout

Food for thought. Next time you check the valves do it when you replace/inspect the spark plug. I find it even easier to rotate the engine to TDC with the spark plug removed.

I have always been a little worried about  cross threading a plug down in that area with its funny angle. Working for decades on people's VWs .....I have seen too many with messed up threads...especially at the start.
Of course I always thread by hand.
Anyway, that is one more reason that I like to thread in an Iridium plug.....needs. no attention for a long time.
Just one of my little phobias.
Stig

[Siggy Javotnik]

Sheesh Stig, that's a good point too! This is the first engine I've been able to check valves on WITHOUT being basically required to remove the spark plug. With bigger jugs, I don't even bother trying to set valves without removing the plug, as there's too much compression with the plug in. This engine is so small, good natured and tractable that it wasn't a problem.

The owner's manual calls for plug replacement every 3,000 miles, removal and cleaning every 1,200. That seems like a pretty often plug change! How long can you "set it and forget it" with an iridium plug? 10k? I'd still check for tightness occasionally -- I had a CB450 loosen a plug on her own once.

I've looked at your signature line, Stig, as a great example of what I can do if I ever need more power on this thing. Iridium plug and Dr. Pulley's seems like a fast combo.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Sheesh Stig, that's a good point too! This is the first engine I've been able to check valves on WITHOUT being basically required to remove the spark plug. With bigger jugs, I don't even bother trying to set valves without removing the plug, as there's too much compression with the plug in. This engine is so small, good natured and tractable that it wasn't a problem.

The owner's manual calls for plug replacement every 3,000 miles, removal and cleaning every 1,200. That seems like a pretty often plug change! How long can you "set it and forget it" with an iridium plug? 10k? I'd still check for tightness occasionally -- I had a CB450 loosen a plug on her own once.

I've looked at your signature line, Stig, as a great example of what I can do if I ever need more power on this thing. Iridium plug and Dr. Pulley's seems like a fast combo.

I'm going to throw my 2 cents out here --- probably upset some folks. But I am not a big fan of doing too much monkeying with this scooter. Just hate to see folks toss away $ or undo the reliability of their scooter :

IMHO >
the only way to make a LIKE200i go noticeably faster is to lose weight, or lay on your stomach on the seat.
Pipes, plugs, screen, oil, air filter snorkel, fuel, tires, shocks, rollers/sliders......all of it might get you 3 or 4 MPH's.
You can make it louder - which translates to 'faster' to a lot of guys - you can change the RPM's at certain speeds by changing slider/roller weights --- but for more top speed I recommend to save your $ and buy a bigger scooter.

I went with the sliders because I was told that it would make my scooter much smoother.....??
The engine is very smooth up to the point I can't hear it any more.
The Iridium plug is used to improve the firing. The Iridium did smooth the idle reassuringly at stop lights in all weather conditions..
I change the oils embarrassingly often, and the plug will get a look every year or two. I tend to install new - never clean - due to their low price. The valves every couple of months - air filter gets looked at, but have only put in one new one (stock one was still clean looking - but I was in there, so...)

The Iridium is a cheap addition - and might even do something worthwhile.
Sliders - the same.
 I'm in this for the long haul.....me & this scooter....so I leave the WOTting to the 50cc guys.
Stig

[vespbretta]

Thank you Stig! So true! Love it.

Or like an old saying: "Never touch a running system."

I always carry a spare spark plug with me in the glove box. Should the old one surprisingly die one day, the new one is installed quickly with the onboard tools.
But by the way: Since my 2-stroke 50cc times long long long ago, I never ever had a single problem with spark plugs in 4-stroke engines. Neither in cars nor in bikes. As a precaution you can replace it every 6.000miles/10.000km if you like. But never clean it every few hundred miles. What for? As long as the scooter runs fine and starts fine.
And valve clearance checks also don´t need to be done so often. Set it to 0.005inches or 0.12mm and you will have peace in mind for 6.000miles/10.000km or probably even more.
My aircleaner filter wont be checked until 12000miles/20000km. Why? Because I only ride in dry and clean conditions and on clean roads and therefore I know, that the filter is clean or at least clean enough for me and my scooter. No matter what the service manual asks for. If you ride offroad on dusty dirty roads, the situation changes of course.

And when it comes to the soft metal aluminium engine parts, always bear in mind that every move to take there is a wear to the threads. Always just snug and/or use a torque wrench.

Use proper good quality 4-stroke motoroil 10W-40 API SJ or higher and change once a year or approx. after 3100miles/5000km. Same with gearboxoil, or even longer changing intervalls are possible here.
I use full syntetic oils for peace in mind, but semi syntetic oils would work at best also. It´s just a simple small 163cc gy6 scooter engine, not a formula 1 or moto gp racing engine up to 18.000rpm´s.

Beltchange mandatory every 6000miles/10.000km or you carry spare belt and tools with you. Use fresh high quality brands. Bando or Mitsuboshi.
Do not experiment with cheap aftermarket belts. Probably just a waste of money and time and frustration guaranteed.

Similar thing with roller weights. Ride 6.000km/10.000km and replace them with the new belt at the same time. Here I would take the Dr. Pulleys. The last longer and you will gain a few mph´s.

Brakefluid replacement probably every 2 or 3 years. Depends on its condition and the climate you ride in.

Do better not use high pressure cleaners. You might regret that later, when you find water pressed into places where you definately don´t want to have water or humidity.

Apart from that: Ride it, enjoy the pretty scooter in the sun of wherever and have fun! Amazing reliable thing.

[TroutBum]

I replaced my first spark plug at 4,000 miles. I now have over 13,000 and the last time I checked at 12,000 miles it looked fine. Not sure why Kymco manual says to replace it more often.

Stig like you I get a little nervous rethreading the spark plug. I just tighten by hand and take it slowly. If it feels like it's starting to bind I reverse my efforts, wiggle slightly and continue on. Only when I feel it has properly seated by hand do I attach a socket with a short extension and continuing to hand tighten before attaching a torque wrench.

[Siggy Javotnik]

Thanks Vespbretta, Stig, and TroutBum! What a wealth of information in your replies. I really appreciate it. I grew up on a 2-stroke Kawasaki 125cc (and there's a '65 Allstate in my garage), and had to clean the plug regularly. But on 4-strokes? I replace really nice looking plugs. Except on my Honda car at 100,000 miles, those were tired. 

[NJrider]

Valve check/adjustment was much easier than I thought on the like! Took under an hour including oil change.  Valves were spot on and did not need adjustment, will check again at either 600 or 1000 miles/KM.

[Siggy Javotnik]

Nice work, NJrider. Doing your own work helps you get to know your scooter so much better! My dealer really pushed for me to bring the bike back to them for the first service, but I'm glad I did it on my own. Plus, this is a pretty busy time of year for most scooter shops -- who knows when they would have been able to get to it?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Nice work, NJrider. Doing your own work helps you get to know your scooter so much better! My dealer really pushed for me to bring the bike back to them for the first service, but I'm glad I did it on my own. Plus, this is a pretty busy time of year for most scooter shops -- who knows when they would have been able to get to it?

I had to look up your location.
..."busy time of year for most scooter shops."
Thought maybe you were in Barcelona, or Rome!

Portland, and Minneapolis ....what gives with these locales??
Not exactly sun city - either place. Why are scooters so big? Lots of young people, or what?
Stig

[Siggy Javotnik]

We've had a couple 80 degree F days here, so I think people are pulling their scooters out of winter storage. Then they have to take the scooter in to get carbs de-gummed / new batteries / etc., because they just forgot about their scooter over the winter. That's my guess, anyway. The Pacific NW is a great place to be on 2 wheels -- nearby coastline you can access on backroads, nearby mountains with nice backroads, etc. Lots of roads along winding rivers with elevation changes, forests, it's really a good place to be. In the city, it's easy parking / getting around cars in the parking garages / dealing with traffic.

In the past few weeks, I'm starting to see a bunch of old geared Vespas hitting the road. It's nice to have the company out there! Last time I rode an old Vespa, a '65 Allstate 125cc, the big end bearing seized. That was pretty exciting. Mechanic said it's just a known weak point, a ticking time bomb. I pulled the cylinder, expecting the piston to be welded to it a bit -- it came out easy and both piston and cylinder (and rings) looked great. That's when I knew it was seized inside the motor in a place I didn't feel comfortable getting to. Anyway, long story short: it's nice to ride a fuel injected, disc braked, Kymco Like! For dependability. That Allstate was awesome for fun factor. It was a buddy's -- since the seize happened on my watch, I paid for all the parts to fix it, I think he's going to pay labor. Point being: maintenance on the Like seems like a snap. I really like these reasonably sized air-cooled motors.