Can you make a chinese scooter reliable? By kilsnacks (Read 1,225 times)

[kilsnacks]

I really really like this obe chinese scooter www.superiorpowersports.com/50cc_Motorcycle_p/df50mc-sst.htm# and I plan on maybe putting a 150 on it with some custom work from a mechanic. The rest I plan on doing work on it my self because I want to get into automotive work. ( I am 17) can chinese be reliable after PDI and mods / upgrades?

[cyborg]

There's more than one member here with serious miles on their Chinese scooters,,,, proper prep and regular service and you should be fine,,, you're 17,,, start whipping on it and don't take care of it,,,,,,, boom

[kilsnacks]

Aug 15, 2016 17:21:42 GMT -6 cyborg said:

There's more than one member here with serious miles on their Chinese scooters,,,, proper prep and regular service and you should be fine,,, you're 17,,, start whipping on it and don't take care of it,,,,,,, boom

Thanks just wanted to make sure because theres so much bad rep on Chinese scooters and people keep telling me to get a ruckus. As long as I can get 20k miles out of a scoot I should be fine.

[cyborg]

That's a tall order 20,000,,,, it can be done but you've got to be diligent

[kilsnacks]

Aug 15, 2016 18:57:20 GMT -6 cyborg said:

That's a tall order 20,000,,,, it can be done but you've got to be diligent

What would be the main problems of Chinese with high miles? The engine or other various factors like build quality? Or just a large amount of things needing to be repaired at one time?

[jct842]

Keep valves adjusted, change oil real frequently, keep checking for loose electrical connections, and don't beat the crap out of it. I would be willing to bet the third world countries get at least 20k out of them and thats where most of the chinese scooters are sold. The rubber things on them are less than great....tire valve stems, hoses, etc in fact tires too. NKG plug a must.

[rks]

Can you make a chinese scooter reliable?

Nope......I hear they are all junk.

[cyborg]

I was hoping mr wise guy would chime in ,,,,RKS just passed the 10,000 miles without a hickup ,,, bone stock too except for the smog delete and an intake mod if memory serves

[jct842]

kilsnacks.............do a youtube search for videos of traffic in some of the big citys of those third world countries. You will find those scooters dominating the streets and some with a family of 5 riding on one. Seems like 95% of the people going some where are on one and cars the minority.

If you are riding one and some thing breaks, it is a lot easier and quicker to get most parts than it is for a jap machine. Most parts come in a couple days, the yamaha I just got rid of took over a month for a piston and it was only around 5 years old at the time.

[kilsnacks]

Aug 17, 2016 12:10:14 GMT -6 jct842 said:

kilsnacks.............do a youtube search for videos of traffic in some of the big citys of those third world countries. You will find those scooters dominating the streets and some with a family of 5 riding on one. Seems like 95% of the people going some where are on one and cars the minority.

If you are riding one and some thing breaks, it is a lot easier and quicker to get most parts than it is for a jap machine. Most parts come in a couple days, the yamaha I just got rid of took over a month for a piston and it was only around 5 years old at the time.

Thank you for the info. It does seem that as long as your willing to put work into them they can last quite a while just most people don't take the necessary steps. I appreciate it will definitely be getting one soon.... probably will have more questions in the future about scoots soon.

[jct842]

You just said it...."while just most people don't take the necessary steps." They expect them to be the same quality as a jap bike. When the chinese bikes and scooters cost the same as a jap machine I will expect much better quality due to the cost of production differences. Right now china can build to the same quality as the japs but since their main buyers are in the 3rd world where cost is more important than perfection, most of what they build is what we see here.

Where was the computer you are using now made? and the one at your doctors office, and the one on the desks of our government officials made? Show me one with out components that were not made in china.

[jomama0867]

Listen to the majority of members on the scooter sites . . . as long as you keep up the maintenance, they will last a long time! I just turned 15,500 miles on my Chinese EVO 150, and it's my daily (and ONLY) mode of transportation! My best advice, other than the obvious stuff, is change the oil and change it OFTEN (mine holds less than a quart, so I buy the best NON-SYNTHETIC oil on the shelf and change it all the time . . . sometimes every month; what's a quart of oil cost?). Also, you are doing yourself a GREAT service by learning to do work yourself; scooter mechanics are usually hard to find (especially reputable ones)! The engines are extremely easy to work on, and parts are relatively cheap.

[kilsnacks]

Aug 17, 2016 17:36:54 GMT -6 jomama0867 said:

Listen to the majority of members on the scooter sites . . . as long as you keep up the maintenance, they will last a long time! I just turned 15,500 miles on my Chinese EVO 150, and it's my daily (and ONLY) mode of transportation! My best advice, other than the obvious stuff, is change the oil and change it OFTEN (mine holds less than a quart, so I buy the best NON-SYNTHETIC oil on the shelf and change it all the time . . . sometimes every month; what's a quart of oil cost?). Also, you are doing yourself a GREAT service by learning to do work yourself; scooter mechanics are usually hard to find (especially reputable ones)! The engines are extremely easy to work on, and parts are relatively cheap.

Yea and when I get good at working on them I can work on others and make some money I live in a resort city where there are tons of scooters around.