My First 1000 Miles By mdc1022 (Read 737 times)

[mdc1022]

Hello Everyone,
I am pleased to report that my JiaJue Gator 50 49 cc scooter has been almost trouble free and is approaching 1000 miles. The only issue I had was a worn spark plug at about 800 miles. I am a bit surprised that I have had no issues. I am curious what you might recommend I do and at what mileage so I can keep my scooter running well.

When the spark plug was replaced we also were told that the brake pads in the front were about 60% gone and I may want to get the brakes done or at least rechecked at about 1300 miles. I am thinking at about that mileage I will have the brakes done, new drive belt as well as a carburetor clean and adjustment & replace the brake fluid with new & have the valves adjusted.

We are retired and like to use it for pleasure riding and do not want to get stuck somewhere. I honestly did not think this scooter would have been this trouble free ( aside from the hard start issue from a bad spark plug) the story with that was I tried to replace it myself and when putting the new plug in, and it fell in the housing and I couldn't get it out so the scooter shop tech came over and got it and when he did, thats when he looked over the scooter and gave his recommendation for the next service.

Even now it starts right up, and runs well We get the scooter up to 40 mph and it easily handles going that speed for some time. I though dont keep it going full throttle for long we run it easy usually 30 mph and enjoy riding along the neighborhood and the 10 mile ride around our lake that is in town.

I am deciding perhaps in the spring to get a new one and not do the maintenance and sell this one for a few hundred bucks? I am not sure at what age or mileage that these things start failing, but so far over the past 18 months, this has been a good little soccer.

[cyborg]

Great news!!!!

[kz1000st]

Now that you have it broken in why get rid off it? Because it's Chinese? If it was a Honda would you dump it then? There are many 50cc China scoots out there with 20,000 plus miles. They are the workhorse of the China scoot world.

[tomw]

I have several that have come and gone as I fix them as a hobby.(keeps me out of trouble) Many have gone over the 2k mile reading on the odo. They have the standard problems of failing switches if they are left out in the rain, which confuses people when they won't start.
You can use a magnet to fish out a dropped spark plug, or a length of coat hanger wire, to move it towards the other side of the shrouding. There is an exit hole for the cooling air directly under the cylinder that should allow a plug to fall out if probed that way. A magnet is better.
You can check the valves yourself if you want to learn. There are videos and instructions all over the web. A spark plug should last a long time, around the tens of thousands of miles. Lead-free fuel killed the 20,000 mile tune up of the past. Plugs last 50-60,000 miles all the time.
Oil should be changed, the drain plug and strainer plug both should be removed, cleaned, and replaced when draining the used oil. I suggest 10W-40 with 'diesel' grading, such as Delvac or Rotells, and Wally SuperTech diesel should be fine. Change at an interval you are comfortable with. If you do short distances, and don't get things hot on each run, change more frequently. If you do longer runs, you can use longer interval. Given you can get a 4-quart jug for about $15, you would have almost 8 oil changes for that sum. About 750-800ml is all it needs, and a quart is 943ml. I guess 8 is not really on the mark. You should check the oil with it on the center stand, remove, wipe and replace the dipstick, setting it ON the threads and then pulling for reading. Do not screw it in before checking. I'd guess 500 miles is rearl short, 700 fine, and if you do longer runs all the time, 1000 miles would be adequate.
In other countries(other than USA) these machines are very important as they are THE transportation for many families. They get abused and ridden hard, and survive the least care and maintenance and thrive. Here, people likely pamper them, as the above intervals are actually easy on the engine no matter what you do.(unless AZ summer temps in stop-and-go traffic....)
Finally, keep it until you have a major problem. Do also drain and refill the final drive case with gear lube. It holds little, and is worked pretty hard. It has no filter, so any manufacturing chips and bits will get flushed out at the first change(hopefully). There may be a number indicating its fill volume, about 120ml, on the casting. Just remove the bolt that is on the bottom, let it drain, and refill using a syringe or filler until lube comes out of the filler. The filler is a bolt on the side of the case between to other case bolts that go through the close case into the other side. remove it before draining to be sure you have the right one. It is a short bolt, and it may be tight to remove. It SHOULD have a copper washer/gasket that you can re-use. If missing, it may seep lube past the head.
tom

[atvgodad]

It is always exciting to get another bike.  I am 87 years old, and have owned 101 bikes, from 50cc to Harleys.  I used to enjoy finding a bike in the ads, up to 100 miles away or so, assess it over the phone - go buy it, and ride it home.  Now that is suspense, ha.  I usually made it.  But, if you have one,  and get to know it, and service it well - sometimes it is better than one you will buy - new or used.  I put over 5K miles on a Chinese 50cc scooter, and only changed a drive belt.  The brake pads were still pretty good.  I don't know why yours wore so fast.  I have enjoyed buying, riding, and reselling.  I have been fortunate, by looking a used one over good.  If there was a problem, I would fix it and get it where I could trust it.  Just like cars, there are lemons, so when you buy another new one, it might not be as good as the last.  Sure is fun to gamble though.  I like my 2022 model Razor 150cc - but now it has burned out 3 headlight relays in 200 miles.  In several years, I never had one burn out on one new scooter or 2 used ones.  Sometimes you have to get the bugs out of them.  Enjoy them, which ever way you go.