Just bought an 06' xciting 250

[Nossy]

Sorry for the late response, but "Welcome to the X250 riders, slunkmonky!"  I've been riding a little over 3 1/2 years on a 2007 X250.  Like everyone else, I got over the cool issue a the day I bought a scooter instead of a motorcycle.  You'll find that pretty soon the handling will come second nature to you.  I think you'll find the learning curve is pretty quick.  Your bicycling experience will help a lot.
I'm sure Austin has a Scooter club, you may want to hook up with them.  There is a group near me that meets frequently and goes for rides.  Nothing like having 10-20 scooters going down the road.

[roboscoot]

hey sorry for the late welcome,,,,but it looks like you handled the entire process just fine...since you have no other experience to compare (except your cycling)....its probably a good thing and you made an excellent choice for your first ride.....good luck and ride safe....

[slunkmonky]

Fuel/cold issues.

First off, does anybody know if there is a reputable hand guard for '06 250's? I have thick gloves but I feel like keeping the wind off would be the best over all. My body stays pretty warm behind the fairing and glass if there is no cross winds but I'm afraid on too long a trip my hands would become an issue.

After I got low on my first tank of gas (that came with the scooter)  I fueled up and started the trip counter over to 0 for the first time. Now that I've put a hair over 100 miles on this trip count, I took it to the gas station for another whopping 5 dollar fill up of roughly 1.6 gallons of gas. It totalled out to 61 MPG, twice as good as my old Pontiac on the highway, twice as good as my Yaris split town/highway.

Those 100 miles were half country winding roads on a scoot meet up/tour and then the other 50 were just typical commuter miles, usually in traffic. Also, I noticed the scooter really feels alive on a full tank vs with1.6 gallons gone. I have a 2.8 gallon capacity so I had 1.2 gallons left and once I filled up I feel like the scooter was brand new. My question to peopel with a bunch of miles,, do you think my grogginess was from the fuel level getting lower, or the temperature of the fuel from the scooter sitting outside all day/night? It was 34 degrees out and the gas station gas from underground warmed up my fuel supply and perhaps made my carbeurated motor run better? Or just having a higher level of fuel = more power? Both warmth and volume working together??

The reason for wondering is that if I can leave a little room in my tank and fill up with warm gas at the start of trips that might be a good idea. Unless it was just the lower level of fuel causing that issue, in which case keeping some room in the tank would make it worse.
 
On the way home from my trips last night I had my first experience riding on grated pavement. Not, fun, at, all. I was on a 50 mph stretch of I35 and had to slow down to 35 with my flashers on while I went all over my lane.

I'm planning a trip this weekend down to Lockhart for a nice 'texan day', shooting a gun at a range and then swinging by a BBQ joint. High of 55,, that's 'texas cold'.

[Hoolander2]

Hey, slunkmonkey.    Glad you're still enjoying the Xciting!  Well, in my opinion, the new fuel/cold fuel/warm fuel thing is just all in your mind!  I've thought I felt it too, but on further reflection just think it's a product of my mind.  Ha!  Well, whatever. . .

On the hand protection, I'll report now on my new Givi windshield.  Got it yesterday, installed it and have ridden twice.  I discovered what others have said is exactly right -- the hands are very well protected from the wind stream.  Without the Givi tonight my fingers would have been numb to the core and painful --almost unable to use. That's even with my best gloves.  With the Givi, only a couple of fingertips started to get numb.  We're talking a 15 mile ride at, say 45 - 55 mph in 45 degrees.

Here's the review I wrote on the Competition Accessories site where I ordered it:

By Hoolander
This Givi's quality and finish are excellent. Took it for my first ride tonight and the wind protection for my hands seems perfect which is why I bought it in the first place. I don't think my hands will ever be cold again! I mounted in the lower of the two positions available on the Xciting so my mirrors do bump but I'm thinking of getting some different mirrors to mount coming off the dash area. Anyway can always move the windscreen up to the higher position if need be. Use the grommets and bushings out of the OEM windshield. I had to monkey around with the mounting bolts pushing this way and that while getting the holes to line up but not too big a deal. I do think I'll do as some have suggested and cut at least 2 inches off the top so the rain will blow off my face shield. Then again, all that protection from the cold is mighty nice! Comp. Accessories got it to me quickly. Their price, with shipping was the lowest I could find. Thanks, Compacc.

Ok, I was still giddy and got overly optimistic about never having cold hands again.    But maybe never totally numb again! 

   

[Chxplyr]

Hello All,  I just bought a brand new 2009 Xciting 250Ri yesterday afternoon and I AM LOVING IT.  i looked at several scooters for about a year before finally pulling the trigger yesterday.  I originally had my heart set on a Suzuki Burgman but i couldn't really afford a new one, and the used ones that were available in the Tucson area ... I just wasn't happy with the deals.  I came close to buying a used Honda Big Ruckus.  i like the functional look & feel of that scooter, the reliability I am sure is terrific, but I thought the shorter size of it would bother me in traffic ....

So, now i have driven about 20 miles on the Kymco yesterday and today another 50.  I think this bike is just the right size.  Tucson really doesn't have much traffic, and i have none on my daily commute.  Plus we do have wide boulevards where you go 50 mph regularly and lots of great winding, hilly roads off of the main drag.  and I've been told that because of the fuel injection I will be able to zip up to the top of Mt. Lemmon easily which is at about 7,000 feet and a really fun drive.

So far, i love the left side dual braking system.  That's new to me.
Its a touch tall for me, I'm 5'8 - 5'9  but thats not bothering me, i either stretch out my toes on both sides while I wait at the stoplight, or I lean over to one side with one foot flat to the ground.  no big deal, either way.
i am having trouble releasing the catch to the storage underneath the seat ... I need to learn the trick to that.

I was a motorcycle rider off and on for years since my 20's .... now I'm 55 and I haven't ridden in 7 or 8 years.  But I'm back, baby and I am LOVING IT.  Cheers to all and I'm looking forward to reading many posts on this forum, and thanks in advance for the great advice I am sure I will gain from all of you.

[Hoolander2]

Hi, Chxplyr.  Welcome here and welcome back to riding!  You're going to really love that Xciting.  I returned to riding after over 30 years.  Lucked into an '07 Xciting 500.  The Xciting 250 and 500 are almost the same scooter with different engines and a few other small differences.  So I read both sections here for info. 

Sounds like you're as stoked as I was about getting back into it!     Ain't it wonderful?! 

By the way, you might ought to start a new topic in this section and copy/past your post into it so more people will see it. 

Oh and about the seat latch, turn the key backwards and I usually have to lift up on the seat with my other hand to get it open. 

To open seat while motor is running, depress the key and turn backwards.

[JustWantToRide]

Welcome to the forum.  Bongoman and I have Xciting's and live in Austin - there are a few others here as well...

As far as handguard - the Acerbis Flash scooter handguards fit easily because they only mount from the bar end.



I bought a different pair that mount in front (and below) because I put bar risers on - but I haven't taken the time to mount them yet (single parent syndrome = no time).

I replaced the blinker bulbs with LED's that are brighter than stock but use 1.7watt instead of 10, replaced the blinker relay with one made for LED's, and added magicblinker modules so the blinkers are always on, and blink off - major visibility improvement...  The only downside is you don't hear the clicking with the turn signal anymore.  Of course - a $3 piezo buzzer from RadioShack would fix that.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=230024330395754#

I also modified the seat stop to go back further. 

[Nossy]

Welcome Chxplyr,
Glad you are enjoying your Xciting.

[Chxplyr]

Its been exactly 1 week since I bought my 250Ri and I'm already going thru a little bit of withdrawal.
Tucson has been unusually wet & cold this week.  In fact 2 feet of snow fell on the mountains outside of town.
so I haven't been able to log many miles.  Yesterday i commuted into work for the first time and at lunchtime i just took a nice scoot around instead of eating lunch ... luckily i was able to fill up on holiday cinnamon rolls beforehand that a co-worker brought in.
Its pretty breezy out there today but I'm going to drop by the dealership and pick up the battery cover that was missing when i bought it, and then head out into the desert for an afternoon of cruising.   enjoy everyone and have a Great Christmas next week.   Chxplyr.

[slunkmonky]

Keep us posted on how things are going for you in the future.  I'd like to hear your feelings after you have 500+ miles on it.

I have got about 500 miles by now.

I can see myself wanting more power in the future. I saw a kit to put a 300cc cylinder into the engine but I really doubt I'll do that. I believe in keeping it OEM. On xmas eve I felt like going for a ride but it was raining. I decided to go anyway since there is less traffic on holidays and I've been meaning to get some wet road experience. There was a head wind all the way to my destination and I felt like I was fighting to keep it at 60. On the other hand, on flats with no wind I have had to watch myself from going over 70 in case I might get a ticket. I guess the power isn't there sometimes when I want it but it never puts me in a bad situation. I always drove slower than most people in my car anyway at the speed limit or just a little over, not 10-15 over like most people around here. I never felt like that was more dangerous.

In town traffic I have no problem getting ahead of traffic and having my choice of lanes and I love that when the traffic is so bad here.

My longest trips were xmas eve ,25 miles there, 25 back with a short stop over. (just buying one gift) and I also drove about 60 miles to another town and back once to go shooting and get some good bbq. I found the seat and my posture to be comfortable for about the 45-50 minutes I was riding on the longest trip. On the BBQ trip I had a guy on a harley type cruiser come past me who never acknowledged me for a second but then on the xmas eve trip a guy and his lady were on a harley and they beeped when they passed me, I assume because they were excited to see someone else riding in the rain?

My favorite use  is making a short weekday jaunt to the grocery store for a backpack full of stuff we didn't get on the weekend trip. It seemed like such a chore to jump in the car for just a few things. Now if I only need one or two things I gladly ride down, park next to the door in the motorcycle spots and don't even bother taking my helmet off while I run in if I just need 2 things.

My only concern has been my oil light coming on. I changed it today for the first time after it came on yesterday. Changing it was easy enough, I've done my car a bunch of times. But the light was still on afterwards. I hit the button but it didn't seem to do anything. I checked the level once and it was in the hatch marks but about half way. I put some more in and checked it again. It was slightly over the hatch marks. It never made the light go on or off either way.

Any tips?

[Hoolander2]

Does it say oil service?  If so that's just a scheduled lighting of that light based on the mileage.  Look in the manual for instruction on making it go off.  Glad you're liking the Xciting!     Thanks for those updates.  It's nice to hear how you're coming along.   

[slunkmonky]

Does it say oil service?  If so that's just a scheduled lighting of that light based on the mileage.  Look in the manual for instruction on making it go off.  Glad you're liking the Xciting!     Thanks for those updates.  It's nice to hear how you're coming along.   

I went back out and checked it out again. I got the oil level right, I now realize there is an oilcan shaped light and thats the warning light for low-pressure/don't drive your oil is messed up light. That was only coming on for a second when I started it up like it should. I got the oil service light to go off. Good to go. No lights. I also saw the battery light for the first time because I started it up and ran inside the house for a second and when the fast idle was over it stalled and the battery was running the headlight. Luckily I caught it in time and started the engine to charge it up.

Always fun learning how to fix and break new things.

[slunkmonky]

Is it just mine, or do Xciting 250's kind of develop a noise once you hit 6000 RPMs,, a noise beyond just the normal change of tone to a higher pitch and the RPm's go up. I feel like right at 5500-6000 you hear a new noise from the scooter. Something happening in the CVT? Nothing else changes except maybe a slight vibration starts at the same time. I'm not really too worried about it but wanted to know if it happened to anybody else?

I'm averaging about 60 MPGs over 5 fill ups. Rode it to work for the first time today during morning rush. People drive so badly in this city, but I knew this.

[JustWantToRide]

Is it just mine, or do Xciting 250's kind of develop a noise once you hit 6000 RPMs,, a noise beyond just the normal change of tone to a higher pitch and the RPm's go up. I feel like right at 5500-6000 you hear a new noise from the scooter. Something happening in the CVT? Nothing else changes except maybe a slight vibration starts at the same time. I'm not really too worried about it but wanted to know if it happened to anybody else?

I'm averaging about 60 MPGs over 5 fill ups. Rode it to work for the first time today during morning rush. People drive so badly in this city, but I knew this.

Are you possibly at the end of the CVT ramp?  I don't have a 250 to know when you'll hit the end - but my 500 sounds different at about 7000rpm and I always assumed it was when I hit the end of the ramp.

[slunkmonky]

Anybody know what this might mean? After about an hour of riding yesterday in rush hour everything seemed normal but the scooter started doing one small but irritating thing.

The light would turn green and I'd roll on my usual amount of throttle,, not gunning it at all, just enough to pull away from a stop and start going. Well there woudl be throttle for a second and then it would stop giving me power. You'd just hear the engine go back to idle. I'd forward slightly when I was expecting to go but I'd lose that power for a second. Then in about a half second it would come back and accelerate like normal. I had it replicate perfectly about 3 times in a row. I started turnign my throttle a little bit while the other traffic lights turned red by mine wasn't green yet and I'd keep my brake on so that the little 'throttle dip' would happen be over by the time I actually needed to go. I have 4150 miles.

Do I need a valve timing service or something? Mine if carburated I beleive so I don't knwo if they need that.

The only thing I can think of is I gased up in the rain the other day and maybe some water got in the fuel?