VIVO> Chinese Scoots w/ 10,500 miles??

[Stig / Major Tom]

Hello All,
Just back from St Pete Beach Florida, where I took pictures of every scoot that came within range of my car or camera. Paying a 50cent bounty to my kids for spotting them.......

Dear Professor Vivo, and/or others of significant scootering knowledge.....  Here's my question :I saw a boatload of Chinese scooters in Florida. (I can count on two hands the Kymcos, Buddys, Vespas, Vinos, Majesties and SYMs I saw) I'm talking 15 to 20 Chinese scooters a day, for 10 days.
Most had many more miles on them than what I was lead to believe a Chinese scooter could do without flying apart.

I spoke with the fisherman who rode this Znen 250 - he loved it - said it was the best $1400 he ever spent! The goofy thing had 10,450 miles on it!
A guy on a new CF Moto 250cc said he loved it.

Many of these Chinese scooters had 2, 3, 4  or 5,000 miles on them (the ivory fishing scoot Znen was the prize winner) OK, most of them looked well worn - but the sun and salt air seem to take a heavy toll on all scooters down there (a pink Genuine Buddy, w/4500 miles on it, was dripping rust from every metal part and the plastic body work was significantly faded and pitted)

The one scooter shop I found was full of "Rock Cyclone"s and  Baccios and a couple of PCC Songbirds. He's a big time renter as well. Most locals were riding his scooters. I did stop at one scooter rental who stocked only Aprilias. He had a couple dozen in front of his shop in Clearwater. He said he uses only Aprilias now, after having trouble keeping "Chinese junk" scooters running.

So, again, my question is, "What's the deal? Are these Chinese scooters able to run for thousands of miles if well serviced? Are they good buys? "

(I have read that Chinese scooter company employees are told to 'stuff' online reviews with their positive comments to try to off-set the many negative comments left by owners of scoots like LANCE, etc.)

Comments, please (and, good to be back - I missed you kind folks - only being able to read the forum on my teen's Eye-Pod, or whatever - fingers too big to reply to anything)

[ts1]

So, again, my question is, "What's the deal? Are these Chinese scooters able to run for thousands of miles if well serviced?

Yes, they are! I had a Chinese 50cc clone of the Kymco Filly running for more than 15000km (approx 10000miles) when I sold it to a coworker. Coworker changed job while it was at 20000km and we lost contact.
But it needed much more maintenance and repairs than a Kymco scoot. Scheduled maintenance every 1000km (Kymco 5000km). Parts are cheap but of minor quality, plastic hardens, paint and plexiglass fades and metal rusts rapidly, belts and cables tear, ...
Imho not good enough for carefree long distance trips (I nevertheless did several multi days trips >500km with my Chinese scoot).

Are they good buys?

Depends on your requirements. If short term money is prio 1 and/or you can do most maintenance yourself ... you'll soon have everything exchanged until engine blows irreparably or frame breaks. I know a guy wich Chinese clone broke down at 60000km (but a 150cc).

[Pimpy1]

I live 1 mile from the South Carolina coast.  My 2011 Super 8 has never been wet, ever.  About 1000 miles on it now and is covered in rust. Every steel part is rusting. Even some of the chromed parts are already rusting.  I keep it parked under a covered porch and have a breathable cover on it. 

My 2006 People 250 only has small spots of rust where it has scratches. I have ridden it in the rain and parked it down at the beach in the sand and no problems. 

I have discovered just how much of a piece of crap my Super 8 is time and again.

[tortoise]

Are these Chinese scooters able to run for thousands of miles if well serviced?

26,000 mile video review.

[Stig / Major Tom]

26,000 mile video review.

AMAZING video!!
Thanks!

[SonicSix]

26,000 mile video review.

I would say this bike is the exception and not the rule when it comes to Chinese scooter reliability.

[tortoise]

I would say this bike is the exception and not the rule when it comes to Chinese scooter reliability.

Many scooter owners (all brands) seem to ignore the potential downside consequences of installing a big-bore-kit (resulting in rotational dynamics issues similar to an unbalanced load of laundry during the spin cycle), excessive cylinder compression, lean air-fuel ratios, and running for extended periods at wide-open-throttle.

Even Honda's have gremlins.

[Vivo]

Hi Stig... I had a Chinese scoot once in 2003....in 2009, we were hit by a big typhoon and 15 feet of flood water and mud ate my scoot... it was left outdoors under a tree for three whole years until I decided to swap it for a neighbor's puppy... two days after the swap, I saw it running.... it had 40,000+ miles on it...

Stig, Chinese scoots have great engines... poor paint, poor plastic, and some poor parts here and there... but they run.. and keep on running...  they keep the engine design and technology to the simpliest... no ECU, no fuel injection, just your basic stuff... that's why they have less issues...

The problem with most Chinese companies (no offense) is their lack of quality control practices... quality is not consistent... you may get a good scoot or get a bad one... some also lack the proper accurate tools in assembling the scoot... If you buy a Chinese scoot, the first thing to do is dismantle the thing, inspect and tune the engine, re-assemble, and tighten those nuts and bolts (not too tight however..)... Do not buy a Chinese scoot if you are not mechanically inclined...


Here's a summary....

1. Great engines... GY6 or Honda Cub copies
2. Frame has rough welding jobs... some scoots rusts fast, some don't... It is advisable to oil metal parts frequently (side stand, exposed nuts and bolts, levers, etc.)
3. Tires... nylon, very hard and slippery
4. Plastic is brittle... overtightening of scews/bolts not recommended
5. Paint is poor...
6. Plastic lens of headlights and instrumentation yellows fast...especially when parking under the   sun...
7. Electrical system is very basic and quite reliable...
8. Chrome is poor
9. Seat is good
10. Handlebar not of standard length...
11. Price is very good... If it werent with these Chinese scoots, we won't be able to afford a Kymco... Chinese scoots makes prices of competitors down....
11. Anti-theft device not needed because no one wants to steal crap. 

Would I buy a Chinese scoot again? Yes... 


I like this one... the Motobravo Hornet 150cc....  yes! it's a scooter.....!






 

[blue]

I have Chinese scooter with more then 30.000 on it. its still running strong.
The thing I find out about theam is you have to take a little more extra care.
change the oil more and keep up with the carb cleaning. and give it a good look over more.
there not as bad as people thing mine is running as good as my kymco.