Brand Name Scooters By w650 (Read 809 times)

[w650]

Just sit right back and you'll hear my tale. A tale of a fateful purchase. That started out in northern Pa.

Let me tell you my experience with "Brand Name". A few months ago I bought a 2010 Kymco Like 50, with 2000 miles on it to flip, for $300. The young lady selling it said it just quit one day and she was told it was an electrical problem. Yeah, Right.

After buying a starter motor for $85 shipped and a stator for $90, also shipped, I lost interest. I took it to a local small engine repair place. They installed the stator and it wouldn't start for them. It had a rocking 70 psi compression. I told them rip it open and find out why. Scoured piston, scoured barrel and a base gasket of silicon seal that blew open. It's getting redone with a 70cc barrel and I'm ditching it.

Bottom line. Do I think Kymcos are crap-NO. Do I think some Kymco owners are crap, note I said "Some". Uh, yes.

The Like was a $2200 scooter when new and the person before me screwed it up in 2,000 miles. Yet she smiled at me and said, "I took good care of it."

Guess what I think about people who say "All Chinese scooters are junk"?? I think they're all related to the Girl who sold me the Kymco.

[Alleyoop]

Your fault, you where not looking at her face and eyes when she said "I TOOK GOOD CARE OF IT"

[w650]

No, you're right. I was stupidly looking at the gleaming, beige Kymco and thinking, "This is too cool. $300, I'm the luckiest guy on the planet." The girl wasn't as good looking as the scooter.

I bought the starter for the Fashion, a big clone of a Helix starter for $60. The tiny little Kymco starter was $70 and probably made In China too. And guess what? The VIN number starts with an "L". Yup, a Chinese built two stroke 50cc for $2200 or a tad bit more than a new Lance Cali Classic 125. I could go on but what a scam.

I bought the 50cc Lance I sold to Mad Collie for less and it really only needed a carb clean, but was as solid, well built and nearly as fast as the Kymco. It's just hype, it really is.

I have a brand name scooter to compare my others with and this "Chinese sucks" is just BS.

[richardv]

I thought Kymco and Sym were both built in Taiwan.

[cyborg]

The Vin starts with an L??? Made in china?,, engine smoked at 2000 miles,,, probably ran it with no oil,,,

[w650]

More than likely. You see though, if a person can blow the snot out of a Brand Name scooter and reduce it to trash why don't the Brand Name advocates see that could be why Chinese scooters have so many problems.

Look at the people who own Chinese here and have scads of trouble free miles? Might it be the rider? Oh no, we were just lucky and got the one in a hundred thousand good ones.

I'm saying that this Kymco is proof positive that the rider makes the machine and not the other way around.

[jct842]

What makes me wonder is how much of a brand name jap bike and scooter is assembled in Japan out of Chinese parts? As far as I know the big 4 actually 3, (suz\kaw) are One.......all have an allience with china so small components can get included in a made in Japan machine.

Same deal here in this country with Harley and all the US car makers. As far as Taiwan goes they may call it Taiwan but it is china with 95% Chinese workers making the products.

For years Harley hid the fact that much of the harley parts were from some where else than here and since it is now known, they have modified their ads.

My biggest shock ever was when I bought a new pinto station wagon and a few months later found I bought a foriegn car!

[cyborg]

Every manufacturer on the planet uses Japanese/Taiwanese and Chinese parts,,,, the new Chinese made Genuine G400c included,,, they are running Taiwan wiring and components and siemens fuel injection,,, but I do agree with you Jim I'll bet over 90% of Chinese scooter failures are owner/operator related ,,, my old 84 ford van has 365,000 on it and it doesn't smoke and runs real nice,,, it is gettin a little ratty but I'd rake it across the country and back,,,it's all in the care/service

[w650]

Guys like Jack and me are racking up some pretty good mileage for alleged "Breakdown Specials" from China, as have many people here. It took a crazed dog to stop JCT's scooter. He would still be going if not for Cujo.

[jct842]

That scooter would probably still run strong if some one took the effort to repair the damage to the body and frame. The key is still in the run position with the top broke off, steering bearings flopping loose! My 180 Riva would been a good match in a race and probably would have lost in a drag race to the 150cc Chinese.

[w650]

Jan 9, 2016 16:24:51 GMT -6 richardv said:

I thought Kymco and Sym were both built in Taiwan.

Both of those outfits have plants in China. The SYM Mio and Fiddle II scooters are built there. Kymco builds the Like, Agility and Super 8 models in China.

[w650]

Oh and those Lance scooters that the owners preen and fluff so proudly about because they're built by SYM and have Taiwanese VINs. Built in China, no matter what the VINs say.

[rapidjim]

I have been saying this for years!!!!!!!!! There is absolutely nothing wrong with a Chinese scooter, just do a proper PDI from day one and maintain it and you will have many carefree miles and fun.

I still stand by my comments over the years, the Chinese scooters are the only ones you can have delivered in a crate right to your front door, YOU have the responsibility of Assembly and inspection, unlike others that the DEALER has that responsibility. Do a crappy job and you will have a crappy scooter! Do a great job and maintain it you will have a great scooter!

[w650]

OK. Here's my report on the final repairs. The Snowmobile/ATV shop I took it to installed a 72cc BBK on the scooter, a new stator and some other incidentals. Final cost $663.00. Which would have been worse if I took it to a bonafide Kymco shop with stratospheric hourly rates.

So an $80 starter motor and $90 stator later on top of the $300 original investment rockets the cost to over $1000. I can hear it now, "Yes, but unlike a Chinese POS this scooter will last." Not so, China scooter haters. It will last only if the next owner doesn't flog on it like the last and takes good care of it with regular maintenance unlike the first owner who beat it to death in 2,000 miles.

Which is about what you can say about a Chinese scooter. Care for it and don't abuse it and the 50cc China scoot will last as long as many other similar sized  scooters. Bintelli and a few other China scoot sellers have customers topping 20,000 miles with ease.