Cyclepedia manual

[stuo]

Cyclepedia sells service manuals for our scoots and on the first page of the Downtown 300i manual they ask us to contact them with errors, so I spent around ten minutes writing an email about the nonsense compression measurements listed on page 6 (228 psi!). When I sent the email to their listed address I got the dreaded "no address found" message. Passive aggression? Incompetence? 

I'll call them Monday to see how they respond....

[CROSSBOLT]

That ALL you found? Har, har! Tell 'em no real service manual omits a WIRING DIAGRAM! Tell 'em that a bum fuel pump relay will give a Code 33. Tell 'em that location of EACH COMPONENT is vital information. Tell 'em the factory service manual was worth it when it was a free download from the dealer before THEY (CYCLEPEDIA) stuck their toe in the door! Tell 'em the most common cause of engine out and strange idle is a stuck vent valve. Tell 'em to....nah, don't tell 'em that. Need to stay positive....

[Stig / Major Tom]

In defense of cyclepedia…
It isn't perfect, for sure.
It is not as comprehensive as the amazingly detailed service manual which the monster corporation Honda published for their scooters and motorcycles.....nor is it in the same league as the massive tome (think NYC phone book!) published for my Volkswagens.
But it is a darn sight better than the Piaggio download I have for the Liberty 150i.

Good clear color photos (with the on-line subscription), a wiring diagram for my LIKE, codes for the trouble codes, some trouble shooting charts, etc., etc.

I'll put it this way - it is inexpensive, somewhat helpful and no one has given us a better one! It would be great if Kymco would issue one. But, they haven't, and probably never will make one available to owners. It would be an expensive undertaking, which Honda and VW can handle but not this little (comparitively) Taiwanese company.

Cyclepedia - not perfect - but a whole lot better than nothing!

Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

Whaddya mean, "No one has given us a better one!" YOU have with some of your excellent posts and pictures with circles an' arrows an' stuff! YOU have set the bar for illustrations and simple text. Seriously, cyclepedia just sells what Kymco has generated and a service manual IS better than nothing.

[stuo]

Yeah, I'm spoiled, too. Having owned mostly BMW and Honda motorcycles, and Toyota cars, I got used to having top notch service manuals. Thankfully, we have this forum for the real skinny.

[mousejunks]

Yeah, I'm spoiled, too. Having owned mostly BMW and Honda motorcycles, and Toyota cars, I got used to having top notch service manuals. Thankfully, we have this forum for the real skinny.

From my experience I can agree with the Toyota cars. Except because they're toyotas nothing goes wrong often.

[john grinsel]

Funny  I have Kymco service manual for my 2019 XTown 300i ordered thru dealer. Price reasonable.  Nice to have.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Funny  I have Kymco service manual for my 2019 XTown 300i ordered thru dealer. Price reasonable.  Nice to have.

That's great!
How much did it cost, how many pages, and can you show us just one sample page of a specific servicing of something from the manual?
 Thanks, Stig

[john grinsel]

I paid about $30, it is about 3/4 to one inch thick----I carry with, might be useful if trouble on the road---long range, I do not care as end of warranty I get rid of bike/bikes....and let somebody else worry about them.

Book seems detailed enough for me.

[ibanez1608]

can u share with us the manual?

[Stig / Major Tom]

can u share with us the manual?

Purchase through www.cyclepedia.com.
Printed manual is $34.95.

Stig

[souzamoto]

Whaddya mean, "No one has given us a better one!" YOU have with some of your excellent posts and pictures with circles an' arrows an' stuff! YOU have set the bar for illustrations and simple text. Seriously, cyclepedia just sells what Kymco has generated and a service manual IS better than nothing.

Please explain to me what you mean by "cyclepedia just sells what Kymco has generated"?

[CROSSBOLT]

Sure. Like Haynes, Sam's and other service manual publishers, they simply reprint what the factory has prepared. In cyclepedia's case, it is an electronic event to get it just like the early days with Kymco the dealer would send a pdf to your email. Then cyclepedia struck some kind of deal with Kymco put a stop to that. The errors in the Kymco manual are not weeded out by cyclepedia. Not their job. They probably pay some kind of tribute to Kymco for each manual sold. They are the only store in town. Considering the mistakes and general lack of WIRING DIAGRAMS for each model and nationalities, it makes nearly 40 bucks a questionable value. Plus, historically, no effort to improve has been noticed.

[Stig / Major Tom]

In defense of Cyclepedia.com. ...when I bought my LIKE200iLX in May of 2013 I had no idea how to do anything to the scooter....any scooter.
After purchasing the cyclepedia manual download  I immediately began saving a lot of money on servicing.
At that time there existed but one instructional video on my scooter (replacing the airfilter ).
The manuals are not exhaustive, like those from Honda, but the manual is still my go to for my servicing.....and are one heck of a lot more helpful than is the one I purchased from Piaggio for my Liberty150i !
Trying to own a scooter in the USA is not easy - I'm glad for any assistance that's out there.
Stig

Perhaps if Kymcos sold for 30% more they'd see to better manuals for us.

[souzamoto]

Sure. Like Haynes, Sam's and other service manual publishers, they simply reprint what the factory has prepared. In cyclepedia's case, it is an electronic event to get it just like the early days with Kymco the dealer would send a pdf to your email. Then cyclepedia struck some kind of deal with Kymco put a stop to that. The errors in the Kymco manual are not weeded out by cyclepedia. Not their job. They probably pay some kind of tribute to Kymco for each manual sold. They are the only store in town. Considering the mistakes and general lack of WIRING DIAGRAMS for each model and nationalities, it makes nearly 40 bucks a questionable value. Plus, historically, no effort to improve has been noticed.

What actually happened was:  Kymco contacted Cyclepedia and struck a deal with them to produce the manuals due to the fact that the manuals provided by Taiwan were substandard for USA consumption (based both on consumer complaints and complaints from Kymco USA to the factory). Kymco paid Cyclepedia to create the manuals and actually supplied units for tear down and testing. Yes, Kymco did supply some of the technical specs to Cyclepedia but not all. Cyclepedia also did a lot of research on there own. All the pictures in the Cyclepedia produced manuals were taken by Cyclepedia. For some models, Cyclepedia did not do the manual on there own but basically re-hashed the Taiwan manual. Kymco gets no kick back from Cyclepedia. $40.00 is not a bad deal even though they don't contain the wiring diagrams. Go buy a manual from K/S/Y/H and prepare for a heart attack when you get the bill.
Prior to Cyclepedia, Kymco had all manuals available on the dealer only portion of the website, at no charge, to the dealers. (No other OEM, that I know of, does this at no charge)  Dealers, as you said could print portions and use or supply to the consumer.
Just thought you would like to know