At what cost would you stop repairing your scooter and scrape it?

[TroutBum]

A discussion on the Like section of the forum got me to thinking. Dangerous I know  Anywho, my scooter (Like 200i) is now 4 years old and 14,000 miles. Kelley Blue book gives it a value range up to $900 as a trade-in and $1,400 as resale. Since my warranty expired two-years ago repair costs are all on me. While I do hope I can get at least another 4 years and 14,000 miles out of the scooter with just the basic maintenance cost I know critical compenents will begin to fail at somepoint. They are also the most expensive to replace. At what point would you stopping dropping money into your scooter and scrape it?

[blue]

I keep mine tell i have to replace the motor or oil caseings.the I sale for parts.You get more out of it as a parts bike.

[CROSSBOLT]

Y'all gettin' tired of hearing about restoring a 1955 BSA 650, arencha. It does bring up a point that the only way I was going to get a 650 in 1974 was to build it myself out of junk. The whole thing in 1974 dollars was $1400 US including machine work and paint I could not do. Rode that one over 20000 miles before I got a company car and lost interest. What is the difference with a modern scoot like the Like? I don't see any. One may want to make a project out of the "old scoot" while riding the new one. Or you could be like Stig and ride the Like all the time and let the new Forza sit! Just kidding, Stig! Seriously, 900 bucks is not worth a trade-in 'cause the dealer would just nail you for the difference so ya might as well keep it. You could donate it to a cause like the NRA and some of these outfits that are always asking people to donate car, airplanes,boats and stuff. It boils down to your decision and yours alone. How many times have you heard people say, "I wish I'da kept that?"

Karl

[TroutBum]

Y'all gettin' tired of hearing about restoring a 1955 BSA 650, arencha. It does bring up a point that the only way I was going to get a 650 in 1974 was to build it myself out of junk. The whole thing in 1974 dollars was $1400 US including machine work and paint I could not do. Rode that one over 20000 miles before I got a company car and lost interest. What is the difference with a modern scoot like the Like? I don't see any. One may want to make a project out of the "old scoot" while riding the new one. Or you could be like Stig and ride the Like all the time and let the new Forza sit! Just kidding, Stig! Seriously, 900 bucks is not worth a trade-in 'cause the dealer would just nail you for the difference so ya might as well keep it. You could donate it to a cause like the NRA and some of these outfits that are always asking people to donate car, airplanes,boats and stuff. It boils down to your decision and yours alone. How many times have you heard people say, "I wish I'da kept that?"

Karl

Back in the day when things were made of metal and built to last, definetly. Somehow I don't see that with our modern tupperware cycles. Old harley shovel head, yes, plastic Kymco, no. lol

[klaviator]

My Super 8 150 is now 5 1/2 years old and has over 23,000 miles on it.  So far I haven't had to make any major repairs.  I think you can probably expect your Like to last a little bit longer.  I haven't decided at what point I will move on to a newer scooter.  My decision will be influenced by whether or not there is a suitable replacement available.  Right now the selection of small scooters here in the USA is pretty limited. 

[MJR]

Interesting question. When the CVT splines stripped on my '03 Burgman 650 with 26,228 miles on it I waited quite a while but ended up repairing/upgrading it myself at at parts cost of about $1200 (I worked off about $600 in parts trade for labor on someone else bike). While if I destroyed the body panels I might be able to buy used parts or even a complete one for parts that say has a CVT problem for a reasonable price I might still fix it even though I have other Burgmans and the Kymco. I've got over 43,000 miles on her now.

[Mr. Paul]

On my People 150, if it cost half the current value to repair, its a no go.

[blue]

Back in the day when things were made of metal and built to last, definetly. Somehow I don't see that with our modern tupperware cycles. Old harley shovel head, yes, plastic Kymco, no. lol

I hear that..........They should make the scoots out of the Honda plastic they use on dirt bikes. It will bend and not brake.

[RubenC]

It is hard to say.   My Downtown has over 42,0000 miles on her.  Since November 2015, I have her in the shop for engine issue and 2 CVT issues.  Average cost was around $240 per incident.  I ride about 200 miles a week.  I rather still fix her up instead having a monthly payment.

[Stig / Major Tom]

It was this situation that brought me to scooters.
My VW Jetta - which I'd happily serviced myself for 25 yrs....had a $1, 000 issue with non engine parts. I told my old buddy VW mechanic to hold off. I'd seen scooters while looking at motorcycles with my  son....
Before tossing $1K at my 25/Ohio winters Jetta work car...I recalled how I'd ridden my Honda through a New England winter to work as a kid.
I sold the Jetta off a great VW-only website....a bought my new LIKE 200i.
A few hundred a yr to keep a safe running work car...no problem. ...and a very few hundred to keep a nice scooter in use , no problem. Beats the heck out of interest & monthly payments.
But you gotta love your ride, whatever it is. ..or you're not going to be happy spending much of anything on it.
I love my LIKE200I. ...and have been purchasing a few of the consumable parts for ffuture use.while the price is good and parts readily available.
If there comes  time when a big expensive part fails.....that I cannot repair...I'll part it out.
A lot depends on the reputation the vehicle has .....I'll stay with it longer if I know the thing is not plagued with pricey issues just over the horizon!
Luckily I have not bought much crap over my lifetime.

Would I pay the @$240 for a new throttle body for my LIKE200I ?
Yep. And then I'd change the oils, check the valves and fasteners and psi and  go  riding
Stig.
(Karl...it's the Burgman that is parked. Forza gone a yr now. Sitting at distant coffee village now....rode the Burgman)

[gn2]

I would love to have kept many of the vehicles I have owned but not enough to keep pouring money into them.

For me vehicles are simply transport.
As soon as they stop being economical to run and reliable they're gone.

Rather than look at the book value of the vehicle you have, look at the cost of replacement.

So long as your Like continues to do the job you need it to and remains reliable its way cheaper than buying a replacement.

Just beware the lure of the Shiny New Thing and you'll be fine! :lol:

[Scooter Dan]

Well here I go again (3rd try) at posting this. First one got lost in cyber space. Second one, I thought I'd get smart and draft in an Android notepad app but lost it too (never used it before) and managed to wipe it out also. So, Evernote to the rescue.

Lots of variables with keeping our machines on the road. What is your financial condition? Five hundred bucks to a gainfully employed person may be doable but one on a fixed income may have to park it until the tooth fairy comes.

What is your skillset or do you have a buddy that's a good wrench on bikes?  My drive belt broke on my Burgman 650 that would normally cost 3k to replace by dealer but a buddy who did his own, helped me do for 500. The more you can do the cheaper these cost to keep running.


What is your personal/emotional attachment? Are you restoring Dad's antique Honda you rode with him? Is this a classic, one of a kind bike or do you have allot into it with farkles and customization?

I have to say it though, modern scooters are amazing as some like me exceeded 100k on my Burgman and sold it and is still on the road today. A gentleman, who rides from Florida to Alaska every year as a charity run for the hearing challenged, rode his Honda Silverwing every year until he hit 150k and sold it and is still being ridden today. Don't discount these scoots too soon, they're nearly immortal.

[MJR]

My drive belt broke on my Burgman 650 that would normally cost 3k to replace by dealer but a buddy who did his own, helped me do for 500.

That's a little harsh. If you only need a belt and can do the work yourself your only out about $350 in parts however if it's the primary keys and such it could run as high as $1,500 in parts. A local Suzuki dealer here in Irvine only charged $900 in labor on one for a local 650 owner which isn't too bad. They are a bit more involved than your standard scooter but they are a wonderful machine which maybe explains why I have a few.

I think this kinda discussion boils down to two kinds of people, ones who love their scooters and those that simply look at them as transportation. Speaking for myself I enjoy my vehicles, while I have spent money on them I will never see again they bring me happiness in using them, and the places they can/have taken me along the way.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Yep, now that I can't take an aircooled VW to watch the sunrise over the Mass. coast....I do it with my scooter, over the corn in Ohio.
Same sun. Should be here in about 10 mins by the looks of it...
(hey....that guy fixed his tail light on his HD)
Stig

[AlmightyGod]

Hello. I've lurked here for a few months, while I've been fixing up my 09 Agility 50.
(Thank you. I have learned a lot here.)
I bought it brand new for my son, but he only rode it for a year, until he got a car.
It had 2400km on it when I started buying parts for the project in June
It now has a 50mm bbk with all of the goodies I could find for it.
Grand total was under $1000 including misc tools and fluids.
Considering I spent $1799+tax on it 7 years ago, I don't think I spent too much on the project.
It's actually useful to me now, since it keeps up with traffic. I put 1000km on it last week.