2009 Power Sports - First Ride By Deleted (Read 1,706 times)

[Deleted]

Some history:

2009 Power Sports - Classic Beauty Body

This little scooter was not taken care of by the previous owner. He had laid the scooter down several times as evidenced by the excessive scratches. I doubt if he ever pulled even the most simple of maintenance items. He had removed some parts.

The odometer shows almost 2700 miles. The engine was extremely low on oil and the rear tire was almost bald. It did not run and this was reflected in the sales / purchase price.

Overview:

The chassis (frame) is extremely well built. The manufacturer states this is the same frame used for their 150cc. It appears to be built well enough to haul more weight than spec ed by the manufacturer.

While waiting for the parts sourced from a vendor on this forum, I was able to perform many basic maintenance services and repairs.

First Ride:

Finally, got this little scooter to where it was road worthy enough to take a test ride yesterday. It was very interesting. I consider this almost like a maiden trip.

Given its small size (stock 50cc) it is very impressive and pulled some decent inclines with relative ease. I did notice that to perform this feat required WOT more than I cared for. This proves to me that an engine size increase is required so that this little guy is not overworked, not for more speed.

I also noticed that it seemed not as stable as motorcycles I have ridden over the years. This may be because of the chassis length or that I was sitting too high. Overall the ride was pleasant and can see why so many people are taken with these little scooters.

I believe these little scooters are an excellent alternative transportation vehicle when used for their intended purpose.

Personal note on parts suppliers:

Sought to do business with two different ones advertising here, but one requires everyone to 'join' his site to make a purchase and the other has high shipping charges. In fact the shipping charges appear to be an additional profit center for him.

[cyborg]

They're just plain oldie FUN Bull!!! I'm a long time motorcyclist and the little wheel syndrome of being overly twitchy when you first start riding them can be a little hairy at first,,, if my Vespa was a shifter bike I wouldn't be selling it ,,,so I have a 4 speed Stella waiting for me at a shop a 120 miles from the house,,, I love Em they are a blast,,, and if used as intended can return good honest transport for cheap,,

[cyborg]

It is amazing what 3 cubic inches can deliver huh??

[Guitarman]

As long as it delivers my pizza on time...

SO glad you got a good bike Bull. I know how hard it can be to get a decent scoot that you can build into a solid reliable ride.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the input.

Was searching for a replacement battery since this was one of the components that the previous owner removed. Looked at a few of the suppliers here on the forum marquee, but none offered me what i wanted. Found a great buy of a gel agm battery (correct size) online for $21.29 incl shipping. It even has a built in volt meter to monitor charging and batt voltage. Even comes with an 18 month warranty, 60 day free replacement.

No more running / riding until the battery arrives

Have noticed the scooter exhibits an intermittent spark, thinking this might be connections @ the cdi which showed signs of mishandling

[Deleted]

Some follow up info:

ist the battery: the battery arrived two days after order, and has a 12 month free replacement, plus an additional 6 months pro rated warranty. total warranty 18 months. the 60 day is straight money back guarantee, even if there is nothing wrong with the battery and you just want to return it. It is a glass mat gel battery and spins the engine faster than standard lead acid battery.

2nd: found the cause of the intermittent spark. the wire female spade terminal @ the ignition coil loosens up as it heats up. this needs to be a higher quality female spade terminal, with good locking. this may solve some problems for others.

On the side of riding: I am truly awed by this little scooter's capabilities. I have ridden enough to get a true feel of it. Top speed on level terrain is about 35mph. This of course is not WOT, but close. Top speed on typical small downhill is about 39mph. Have tested and noticed a marked performance increase (uphill power climb) using a very small amount of Lucas top engine oil in the fuel vs untreated fuel. I use premium fuel, 93 octane.

The one thing find objectionable about this scooter is the body plastics. I had removed most of them to pull maintenance and service the scooter and the plastic sometimes breaks off rather easily. Either it is too thin or I am exerting too much force tightening the screws.

[jct842]

Why premium? Not necessary. The difference between regular and premium is premium has an additive to slow down the burn rate for high compression engines. Slightly less energy in premium.

[Deleted]

Why premium? What an interesting question.

1st there are additives in all grades of fuels, placed into them at the refinery. Many of which are mandated by government regulations. But there is no additive that will make regular grade gasoline (petrol) into premium grade.

Refining into premium grade requires more heat, pressure and time in the "Distillation Column" at the oil refinery. Premium grade fuel is lighter and thus does not self ignite as easily as regular or Mid-Grade gasoline (petrol).

2nd as previously stated Regular grade fuel is easier to self ignite. You could compare this to the way Diesel fuel ignites through heat.

When a self ignited flame front collides with a spark induced flame front in the same cylinder this creates what is referred to as 'spark knock' or 'detonation'. Both of these conditions are bad for engines, especially Aluminium pistons and given enough time will knock holes through the piston dome. Of course this requires an engine repair.

3rd These 50cc engines are already running far too hot as previously noted by another thread on the board that tested oil temperatures post run and found them to be about 260 degrees Farenheit.

At this normal operating temperature, then combining that with a heavy payload and the extreme workload (pulling a prolonged incline) would generate far too much heat within the combustion chamber and may be causing detonation / spark knock. Because these engines are so tiny, I doubt anyone could hear it until the damage is done. Perhaps a 'Knock Sensor' could pick it up, but these scooters don't have those.

4th As to them 'not needing Premium grade' that may be true on some scooters operating in moderate climates, carrying very light payloads and not climbing prolonged inclines, but that is something everyone should guage for themselves.

As for me, the extra 10% cost factor, I consider it 'insurance' and choose not to worry about that. Damage to the engine means not only 'out of pocket money' but a loss of time I can put to use testing these scooters.

I would strongly suggest that anyone that wants to know more about the subject of "Cracking Crude Oil" and "Fuels" take the time to do a duckduckgo.com search.

I am currently testing ways to reduce Combustion Chamber temperaturtes on these scooters as I believe that reducing that temperature can provide positive benefits for all.

[jct842]

You have a point about heat.

On the 1200cc bandit I tried premium and the only times I could see any benifit was in the hot summer at rpms just over idle, premium had smoother low rpms. Several places on the dirt road I live on have tight curves at the bottom of steep hills and low was too low and second was too high and when hot outside the engine was real balky unless the expensive gas. No other bike or scooter I ever had could tell the difference. And have ridden since 1958.

[Deleted]

Some more riding and more testing. The scooter just seems to be running better almost everyday. Recently I took it on multi-lane roadway, on decent downhill it was going 45mph on almost everyone.

Changed the oil in it. Since I have no owners manual I somewhat followed the specs given on stickers. It called for 800ml of 15w40, which was about 200ml too much. New oil is Mobil 1 10w30.

I have noticed a definite reduction in the vibration of the engine even at idle, which was expected. But I also noticed a decrease in perceived torque. The oil was almost instantly filthy which proves the detergent dispersant in the oil is cleaning very well.

My testing is relevant to my scooter only, as I do not have access to other GY6 50cc scooters to test. Thus any of my results are relevant to this scooter and you the reader should confirm my readings on your personal scooter.

CDI testing.

Stated specs per the repair manual are as follows; Base timing 13 degrees BTDC at idle, with an 18 degree further advance.

Tested the CDI to determine the timing advance curve if any. It was on base timing spec @ 1000 rpm. Increased to 1500 rpm and timing advanced 5 degrees. At 2000 rpm, timing advanced another 15 degrees.

This puts total elictrical advance of 20 degrees, and full timing advance at 33 degrees BTDC.

Attempting to reconfirm these advances brought me into the rev limiter threshold which is there to protect the engine from revving too high on a non loaded engine. Good engineering idea.

AC Generator testing.

The repair manual states the output voltage from the stator is 137 volts [AC]. Have not found any specs for the rectifier/regulator output (DVc).

Tested the single phase voltage output. It was around 44 to 48 ACv and had a frequency of 120 Hz.

Tested the DC Amperage to the battery and it varied from 0.4 to 1.2 amps with a fully charged battery which of course was dependant upon engine rpm.

Notes:

• It is interesting to note that the electrical timing advance is in two stages, this is a good idea as it gives the engine a little more torque on the low end without the extra heat from a higher advance. Not a true timing advance curve, but worlds ahead of a single timing advance.
• Need to change the oil to a 15w40 Mobil 1 as spec'd and see if the perceived torque returns.
• Need to inspect the Flywheel/ stator cover to see if it is a permanent magnet. If not, perhaps finding a way to achieve this could increase the output voltage, but this would most likely require a different rectifier/regulator.

JCT, what was your first motorcycle? Mine was a 1966 Triumph Tiger 650.

[jct842]

Just noticed this: "JCT, what was your first motorcycle? Mine was a 1966 Triumph Tiger 650."

The first ride was a 1958 wards 'nassau" scooter in 1958. It was used to cross the mississippi on the railroad bridge and my friends father grounded him for that act and made him sell it. It lasted about a year and the rod went thru the engine case/ I then "upgraded" to a ancient james with a 165cc villiers engine and a hard tail. The cyl was so worn that with head off you could wiggle the piston side to side at the bottom of the stroke. It broke a lot of rings and I could change rings in about 5 min with a pliers for only tool!

[Deleted]

This past Sat, I picked up a very abused 2009 Sunny LQB22. This scooter has sat outside in the weather for over 7 months without any cover. It has 12" wheels/tires and shows about 8400 miles on the odometer. It has the same "P" code engine as the Peace Sports

I purchased this scooter to afford the opportunity for comparative analysis and verification.

The body panels are extremely weathered and will need refinishing. After preping I am thinking of using one of my Binks guns, but also considering buying an HVLP gun.This will take some time to restore the panels to OEM condition.

The seat cover is trash, considering options of replacing or recovering. If recovering either Corrinthian Leather or a very high quality vinyl. Which would you opt for and why?

Fuel and vacuum lines are a mess. No trash in the tank.

The carb had some internal corrosion, but was easily cleanable. The enricher (auto choke) was siezed into the carb, but fortunately I had one in all those parts I bought.

The PAIR has been removed as well as the vapor recovery. If I can get a vapor recovery system I'll put it back on. The crankcase ventilation is removed and I'll need some Silicone hose for that.

The wiring is so butchered in this. Many electrical circuits are simple twisted and taped. Spent one day cleaning that mess by soldering and heat shrink tubing every butchered circuit.

The Ignition Swicth, Kill Switch, and Start button were all inop and had very high resistance values, so I took everyone of them apart, cleaned them and lightly lubricated the contacts then reassembled and tested. All work great and show only 1/100th ohm resistance.

The left switch asm is too butchered and will need a replacement.

It has a very weak spark and finding the cause has been time consuming as all the expected readings into the CDI were on spec.


JCT, Thank You! I don't remember ever seeing a Wards' Nassau, Is that Montgomery Wards?

Site Admin Team, I almost fell off my chair laughing when I read your new designitation "Novice Mechanic" that you implemented on the site.

What is the best, most protective cover and security devices (locks, chains, etc) for a scooter??

[jct842]

Yes Montgomery Wards.

I don't think there is really a best lock, when the bad guys cop a 800 lb. Harley in less than a minuets time That had a log chain going to a traffic light pole there probably isn't a lot you can do. I would make use of the steering lock though. I might be tempted to get a wireless alarm, silent on bike where you might be able to look out the window and get the offenders plate number. (Jack a shell in chamber)

[Deleted]

You are right, JCT, any lock or security device can be overcome. it just depends on how much effort a thief is willing to put into overcoming it. After all locks are used to primarily keep honest people honest.

any thoughts on covers?

[richardv]

Get a cover that breaths. A water proof cover holds in the humidity and when it gets warm under there things will rust very fast.