Bike running great at last.

[Rozz]

Last fall I started a thread - cold weather starting problem.  Little did I know how long it would take to figure out what was going on with my bike. 
At Christmas, my husband and I trailered our bikes to Florida for a three week bike vacation.  Less than 5 mi. into our vacation the starter on my bike seized.
We made the best of it, brought the bike home and left it at the dealer for the winter.
The week before Easter I retrieved the bike, drove it for three days, the starter seized again on Good Friday.
Very frustrated, I returned the bike to the dealer once again.
It really seemed as though we had an impossible problem.  No one could understand why I had two starters fail. 
Thankfully my dealer finally found the problem.  It seems there was a tooth missing on the Bendix gear.
He replaced the gear, the starter, did a valve adjustment and an oil change.  I think I have a new battery too and a new rear tire.
Both the dealer and the company were very positive that they would find the problem and fix it to my satisfaction.  I have to say that they kept their word.
I've had the bike for about a month.  It has taken a while to get back  some of the enthusiasm I had last year when the bike was new.  At first I was still considering trading it for a "real" motorcycle.

We just returned from a three day tour and my bike has behaved very well.  Starts instantly, runs fine.  Does anyone know how to turn off the oil service light?  One thing I don't need right now is another oil change.
Heavy rain today, but we've had some really hot spring weather, over 30 C (90 to my US friends) and looking forward to more. 
I love reading the positive comments on the Kymco bikes on this forum, makes me hopeful that my bike will be okay after all.    I never see another Kymco scoot where I live although my husband says he does see them sometimes in T.O.  I have 13,000 Kms or  :D8000 miles on mine, it's an '08 fuel injected, white with 52 L top case.

[Bryan]

Hi Rozz, Glad you got that baby running well again. I sure feel for you guys with those winter months. Here we are in the winter right now and this morning it was 12c when I left home with a predicted max of 25c later. Lovely riding weather. As far as swopping for a "real" bike, well that's another matter. I rode my GSX R750 to work today because my scoot has that glazed clutch thing and as far as convenience, comfort, packing space, slow traffic etc there is just no better commuter than the X500 as far as I'm concerned, I sure missed the scooter big time. Regards from Durban RSA.

[zombie]

Hey Rozz, I'm sooo glad to see someone figured out your scoots problem. These things are too much fun to have sitting w/ simple problems. It really does the heart good to see you are having fun again! Be safe Sis, and keep posting on you adventures!

[winginman]

Great to hear your baby is fixed.  You can reset the oil service light by pressing the oil service light reset button on the dash.  I had to use a retracted ball point pen to push it in and you have to hold it till the light resets.

8000 miles and it was not running for such a long time.  I am impressed.

[Rozz]

Great to hear from all of you again.
Winter in R.S.A. - I did not know that -   25C is great riding weather - hello to Bryan.

Yes, I'm back.  Not hard to put miles/kms on my bike with the dedicated rider I live with.  He has nearly 40,000 kms on his bike after just two summers - that's 24,000 or so in miles.

This week we're experiencing lots of thunder showers.  Our world is so green and beautiful.  Looks like a working weekend so we can take time off when the sun returns next week.

Hi there Zomie and Winginman.  Missed talking to you.

I'll have another go at the reset button - I've pushed and pressed to no avail - I'll give it a try with a pen next time.

Thanks.

[Bryan]

Hi Rozz, Yep here on the east coast we are kept warm in winter by the warm ocean current coming down from the tropics. Further inland it can get cold, some areas are -3c this morning. Regards from Durban RSA.

[zombie]

It appears the PEN should be listed in the Kymco Special Tools Catalog right under the Golf Tee.

[Rozz]

The pen may be helpful however just how long do you have to hold the thing to get a reset?  I have pretty much given up on it.
South Africa is much in our news these days, Bryan, with the World Cup.  Are you a soccer fan?  Or perhaps I should say football.
I live about 60 k from Niagara Falls.
R

[Bryan]

I was a great soccer fan years ago and also played the game. Then when the family came along there was never enough time. The last few years it has become very commercial with the teams who had the biggest budget bought the best players and I sort of lost interest in the local competitions. With all the hype going on at the moment I can't really help getting swept along. I have the flags on my vehicles and am getting into the spirit. My biggest concern is the levels of crime here and the criminals targetting the visitors who are not careful and don't understand the situation. We will stay positive. Regards from Durban RSA.

[zombie]

The whole world seems to be spinning like a giant toilet. There are just too many displaced souls.

[wordslinger]

spinning like a giant toilet.

..sid's spinns in the other direction...that's weird...

[bongoman]

Your story reminded me of an experience with a brand new Alfa Romeo Spyder, an Italian sports car I had saved up for several months for the down payment. Bought it brand new.

The first weekend after getting it, I headed out of town to see a woman. Of course it was a woman. I was oung and single.

40 miles out of town and with less than a hundred miles on the clock, the motor seized. They towed it into the dealer, fixed it, and said it was salt water in the motor from crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

[winginman]

Salt water in the engine.  Happens ever time when you drive them across.  They probably rolled back the odometer too...

[zombie]

Rinspeed's first underwater Car

[winginman]

Oh what fun, I want one...