Problems on day one.

[Gnzbrg]

I had the same problem when I purchased mine.   The vibration was unacceptable.   Turns out the front tire was out of balance.     

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That's EXACTLY the issue with mine...  What was done to fix the problem?  And how did the dealer respond?  If you had a new tire put on, did that make a difference?   

[David E]

Fortunately it was just a wheel weight that was added and it was taken care of.   


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[Gnzbrg]

Fortunately it was just a wheel weight that was added and it was taken care of.   


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Dealer put three ounces of weights on the wheel, still out of balance.  That's why they're getting me new tires.  Liking this dynabead idea for down the road when I put some GOOD tires on...

[David E]

Dealer put three ounces of weights on the wheel, still out of balance.  That's why they're getting me new tires.  Liking this dynabead idea for down the road when I put some GOOD tires on...

[emoji1360][emoji1360][emoji1360]

This is what I use the beads in.   


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[CROSSBOLT]

3 ounces is a bit much! I always used Dynabeads until they got so expensive and hard to find. I am in TN and near MS and 200 years behind! Now I use BB's - - available anywhere and cheap!

[vespbretta]

Yes, like Karl said, 3 ounces sounds way too much for these little wheels/tires.
On my Like 200i scooter I had to attach roundabout 1 / 1.1 ounce on each wheel (front and rear).
In your case I would also let have checked the wheels/rims by the dealer.
Kymco rarely but still seems to have bad wheels/rims out of tolerance sometimes.
Therefore you would need new wheels/rims under warranty also.

But apart from that you might need to get used to the generally pretty harsh (sporty) ride of these old generation Like scooters. The suspension of the new Like model and of all Vespas is much better and softer and more comfortable. No comparison.

At least, as I wrote, after my proper and thorough balancing procedure I now can/could ride free-handed up to top speed if I wanted. No shaking, no wobbling no nothing anymore on the handlebar.

[Viper254]

I'm not even sure my front wheel is balanced... I'll have to look :|

[Gnzbrg]

Okay, after almost two weeks they got the first bike rideable; put on a new front tire and balanced the rear wheel.  Still vibrates a little, but it's a lot better.  The other bike got the same treatment but was still shaking badly. Dealer claimed they would have to get a new front wheel from Kymco... That's when my wife had "just about enough" and decided to cancel.  SO, guess I got one new Like 200i instead of the pair we planned on.  Too bad, it will most likely be fine now that it's sorted out.  But once she sours on something, that's it.  Oh well, I'll have fun with mine, and get her something else.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Okay, after almost two weeks they got the first bike rideable; put on a new front tire and balanced the rear wheel.  Still vibrates a little, but it's a lot better.  The other bike got the same treatment but was still shaking badly. Dealer claimed they would have to get a new front wheel from Kymco... That's when my wife had "just about enough" and decided to cancel.  SO, guess I got one new Like 200i instead of the pair we planned on.  Too bad, it will most likely be fine now that it's sorted out.  But once she sours on something, that's it.  Oh well, I'll have fun with mine, and get her something else.

Really sorry to hear this.

And, I am just as puzzled about this issue with the wheels and tires causing such a problem that tires are being replaced and a sale is being cancelled! 

Before you raised this issue, I honestly cannot recall this ever being raised as an issue, except by one LIKE owner in Europe.  I've only been following ownership & ride reports from LIKE200i owners for 5 years. Nor has it been mentioned by any web, or print, cycle reviewer of the LIKE scooter. And many countries have posted reviews of this scooter

IMHO - The ride qualities of the first generation LIKE are acceptable - no, more to the point - the ride is as to be expected from a scooter with this wheelbase, weight, 330lb range of carrying capacity on 3.4 inches of rear, unloaded, suspension travel and $2500 price.


I can only surmise that your scooter's roughness is caused by a recently produced bad batch of tires, wheels, or both.

It's a shame - this scooter has, globally,  for 8 or 9 years, generated many fans for a reason.

Stig

[Gnzbrg]

Really sorry to hear this.

And, I am just as puzzled about this issue with the wheels and tires causing such a problem that tires are being replaced and a sale is being cancelled! 

Before you raised this issue, I honestly cannot recall this ever being raised as an issue, except by one LIKE owner in Europe.  I've only been following ownership & ride reports from LIKE200i owners for 5 years. Nor has it been mentioned by any web, or print, cycle reviewer of the LIKE scooter. And many countries have posted reviews of this scooter

IMHO - The ride qualities of the first generation LIKE are acceptable - no, more to the point - the ride is as to be expected from a scooter with this wheelbase, weight, 330lb range of carrying capacity on 3.4 inches of rear, unloaded, suspension travel and $2500 price.


I can only surmise that your scooter's roughness is caused by a recently produced bad batch of tires, wheels, or both.

It's a shame - this scooter has, globally,  for 8 or 9 years, generated many fans for a reason.

Stig

Can't explain either, but even the service manager agreed both bikes were unrideable above 40mph.  They would not even release the second bike because he felt it was unsafe, even after swapping out the tire.  The dealer is not happy since it cast him in a bad light and cost a sale.  He has made Kymco USA well aware of the problem...  On the other hand, I am enjoying the scooter very much now that it's sorted out.  My wife is sure to get over her disappointment after awhile and then we'll get her another one.

[CROSSBOLT]

I think this whole scenario is nutz! Don't misunderstand. There is something wrong and it is NOT the harsh ride character of the Like. I am just mystified why the cause is so elusive. Praise to the dealer for deciding Like #2 not safe above 40 mph. His integrity is top notch! And he is using Kymco USA to hopefully solve the problem.

I will be back to normal in a minute. Can't believe I actually said nice things about a dealer!

[Gnzbrg]

I think this whole scenario is nutz! Don't misunderstand. There is something wrong and it is NOT the harsh ride character of the Like. I am just mystified why the cause is so elusive. Praise to the dealer for deciding Like #2 not safe above 40 mph. His integrity is top notch! And he is using Kymco USA to hopefully solve the problem.

I will be back to normal in a minute. Can't believe I actually said nice things about a dealer!

Yes, the dealer tried to fix the problem as best they could under warranty.  Just took awhile, so I had a frustrating experience but do not blame the dealer, or Kymco.  They were even gracious enough to allow my wife to cancel and returned our deposit.  Just one of those things...  Let me again state that once the bike was sorted out I am greatly enjoying it.  Handles well, has good power, seems well built, is pretty comfortable, and looks great too. 

[hypophthalmus]

I think both Kymco and the dealer were to blame.

It was Kymco's job to check that the wheels coming out didn't have excessive runout.

The dealer said they test drove it -- they didn't. Arguably they also should have actually tracked down the problem, and THEN started replacing parts. The use of large amounts of dynabeads makes me guess they they never actually checked that anything was out of balance.

[CROSSBOLT]

I agree, Hypo! This kind of problem can be of 1. Tire/rim out of round/true, 2. Tire/rim out of balance, 3. Bearing issue. Simple stuff, no test equipment required. Inquiring mind mandatory.

[vespbretta]

A clear yes to Karl and Hypothalamus. No rocket science needed normally to solve these kind of problems.

Just make sure that the lightest point of the tire (red or white or yellow dot on the sidewall - depends on the manufacturer) is positioned at the valve stem and then balance properly the whole wheel and check for out of round tire/rim.

I just tried it recently on a short highway ride. Yes, I now can ride the scooter freehands at top speed! No shaking, no wobble, no nothing, no unsafe ride.