Fork rough response

[gregspeople250]

Hello,
I'm a new owner, having picked up a 2014 yesterday in bright red. It has 303 miles and is in very good shape.
Owning a few scoot's, I'm accustomed to small wheels and their somewhat rough ride. However, this bike hurts my hands and wrists when riding over somewhat rough roads. I'll use a scale of 1-10 where 1 is new asphalt and 10 is a dirt road. I'm riding on "5" roads with bumps up to 1/2" (~13mm) in height and quite frequent.
The 'bars move in a "violent" but low amplitude motion that vibrates my hands enough to create a weak grip of the handles.
I've checked the steering bearings and they are not loose.
The front tire is inflated to 25 PSI, as specified.
Does anyone else notice this problem?
Thanks!

[TroutBum]

Compared to my 2012 Like your Like rides rough. When riding on rough roads the rear of my scooter takes the brunt of it and I feel it more on my back so I'll rise up off my seat. Even with poorly surfaced roads I haven't had the front end give me much discomfort except when it bottoms out and even with that its just a momentary thing that causes me to significantly ease off the throttle more for fear of damaging the scooter.

[Stig / Major Tom]

If you have 25 & 30 psi in the tires...and you are still getting pounded on those roads....with only a few hundred miles on the clock.....you may need to ride another way, on different roads.
The LIKE200I is not a good rough road scooter (but have never heard mention of a scooter that is GOOD on rough roads)
As you say,  your LIKE 200i is not up to the standards set by your other scooters.
Other than sitting further back on the seat...or changing the fork oil viscosity. ...don't know what else you can do. Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your Chinese assembled LIKE200I.....just the roads you ride it on.  I doubt if changing to a higher quality tire will significantly help...but maybe a little?
Regards
Stig

[gregspeople250]

Thanks for your responses and I think you're correct in your assessments.
I lowered the front tire pressure to 21 PSI and lubed the fork stansions and will try it again.
My wife will give it a try to see if she's okay with the ride. I hope she and our daughter like the ride because we all like the rest of the bike, sans the requirement to use a key to get to any storage location. On that front I have plans; Remove the knee door and install a higher "wall" to contain things put in the box for unsecure storage. Install a cable release for under the seat "somewhere" to make it easier to access.

[vespbretta]

Check the fork for free and propper upwards/downwards movement. Herefore take the scooter from the stand and between your legs. Push downwards and forwards while pulling the front brakes lever. The scooter´s fork now should clearly dive in. Also try to pull the handlebar upwards and the scooter backwards while pulling the front brake lever. The fork now should also stretch a little  bit.

If the scooter was a accident damaged vehicle (e.g. slightly hit a wall/garage door once, who knows...), it might be possible, that the necessary fork/rod repair and assembly was not done correctly.

You might try to loosen the upper fork rod bolts on both sides (not remove!, just loosen them!), do the above procedures again, put the scooter back on the stand and then retighten the bolts to the correct torque value.
This might also help, if there was a unwanted twisted tension between the fork rods for some reason.

The rear dampers have 3 settings you can choose. Soft - Medium - Hard.

More improvements maybe with what Stig already said. (softer tires/fork oil viscosity)

But overall the Like is for sure no palanquin. And never will be.

[Stig / Major Tom]

As Troutbum mentioned.....as well as a rough ride for the humans - I'd be very concerned about what the jarring is doing to my scooter , from one end to the other! I slow down as much for that concern as for my comfort when approaching bumps.
Stig

[souzamoto]

21lb's in the front tire is way low. Its going to handle terrible on a good road.
CJS

[TroutBum]

Riding single I run the front at 25 lbs. and 29 lbs. for the rear. That seems ideal as I got 12,000 miles on the OEM. I now run with Michelein City Grip. The new tires have a much better ride characterist.

[gregspeople250]

Thanks for the responses!
I have stressed the fork, looking for loose and misalignment. None detectable by me.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Thanks for the responses!
I have stressed the fork, looking for loose and misalignment. None detectable by me.

From your posts...I am becoming more convinced that there is nothing wrong with your nearly new LIKE 200i.
Proper psi....maybe better tires...and find a smoother route.
I don't think that your scooter is riding any differently than mine (ours).
I've watched vids of European scooters thrumming along on cobbled Euro streets....does not look particularly fun.
Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

When I "test rode" a Like 200i the wife wanted, I had to comment it was the "harshest ride" ever encountered. Otherwise the handling was very nimble. I hope the 125 is really close to 125 cc's instead of some ridiculously low number like the Like 200i which is 163 cc!

Karl

[peterb9]

Hi,

I have a Like 200i (2010) and also experience its strange behaviour on rough roads. :-( I think it caused by the front fork, but I also can't notice any sign of damage or strain on it. If I try to push and pull the front as Vespbretta mentioned, I noticed that the fork has much less expansion length (max 30-40 mm), than compression length, from the "neutral" position. Perhaps it's not enough on rough roads, perhaps the front of this scooter is sligthly lightweight. Perhaps confirm this somewhat, that if I pull the front break slightly (so the fork slide in a little) or even lean forward slightly to handlebar and push down it with stiff arms while ride onto a bumpy section of the road, it rides better.
So, what do you think about to put some extra weight to somewhere on the front?

On the other hand, some of you mentioned the fork oil change. Can you tell me the exact quantity and grade of the front fork oil for Like 200i? There's no any information about it in the service manual...
I'd change it also for another reason: if I push and pull the fork, it has a well hearable fluid flow noise, as if the oil should be less than needed. Or is it a normal noise?

[Vintage MX]

Normal noise.  If the fork seals are not leaking, you probably have the right amount of oil too.  Seems that a rough ride just goes with the Like experience.  However, I have wondered how the forks would work with very light oil.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Normal noise.  If the fork seals are not leaking, you probably have the right amount of oil too.  Seems that a rough ride just goes with the Like experience.  However, I have wondered how the forks would work with very light oil.

Well, might be crashing to the bottom of the suspension travel.?
I've always wanted to try a French scooter  - some of their cars have  massive suspension travel and fairly float along the roads. (with correspondingly frightening body lean!! - still....) Wondered if their scoots were as smooth riding.
Stig

[peterb9]

Normal noise.  If the fork seals are not leaking, you probably have the right amount of oil too.  Seems that a rough ride just goes with the Like experience.  However, I have wondered how the forks would work with very light oil.

Thank you. I can't see any fork seal problem. I though about some front fork problem, because I have this rough ride feeling still after 1600 km, while I have also a little Suzuki Lets 4 with a simple spring&grease fork, which I don't feel significantly worse after 800 km on the same bumpy city roads. However, I know, that the main problem is not the fork, but our roads... :-)

I've always wanted to try a French scooter  - some of their cars have  massive suspension travel and fairly float along the roads. (with correspondingly frightening body lean!! - still....) Wondered if their scoots were as smooth riding.

I have 2nd french car now, so yes, I'd also try a smooth riding (floating) scooter. :-D