Geely retro scooters / neco abruzzi By tdi (Read 9,703 times)

[tdi]

First thing let me say my language is not English, so sorry for the errors.
My first contact with Chinese made scooters was around 2005: 50 cc 4 stroke Jianling’s and they couldn’t be worst. Terrible quality not a single scooter in 10 survived the 2.000 kms: cvt belts would get trashed in less than 500 kms, engines that blew with. I think each one costed around 250/300 usd at the factory plus transportation and taxes to local market. They belonged to a company that I used to work and I said “I will never ride a Chinese scooter again”
A couple of years ago I stumbled upon this: www.scooteristscene.com/news/scooterist-road-test-neco-abruzzi-tested. I said to myself “I got to have it” I knew it was made in China but I found difficult to catch the real factory who built this. By fortune a few months later I discovered they were built by Geely Zhongsheng motor company (yes they belong to geely).
I ordered a container with 10 of this retro model plus 22 more modern/cheaper model www.geelybike.com/product_view125cc.asp?id=953 . I bought a second container after with more 24 units. So far I sold a total of 40 units.
My local market is a island in the middle of atlantic with lots of corrosion, low quality petrol and some roads are really bad. Can you guess how many scooters are still on the road? Answer: all of them!
What problems have occurred so far?
A few punctured tires, a cvt belt that got trashed with 13.000 kms on it (manual mentions to change each 10.000 kms), and a single variator.
Yesterday I did the conversion of a 50cc gy6 to 100cc on a scooter with 19.000 kms (the owner wanted more power) by curiosity I checked the piston rings and the inside of the block and they were flawless.
Of course some units (maybe half) come with stupid problems. All scooters are tested on factory for lights, horn, running in. Some arrived with disconnected lights, starter and hosing for the carburetor. Meaning that really was nothing broken just laziness or lack of care for some worker. The only problem as a over inflected tire that upon arrival had a side “mole” and had to be changed (they gave me one for free on the next order)
I should also mention that the tires are kenda, the spark plugs ngk, the belts gates…. So even if they use lower shelf products are made by some well known brands
Opposite to the Jianling scooters that costed 250/300 usd this are more expensive: For the classic vespa clone I pay 900/1000 usd and for the simplier modern model 500/525 usd.
What can I say? Not all Chinese scooters are the same and you truly cannot expect to pay peanuts and get a masterpiece but its possible to get a honest product for a low price. All the prices I quoted on my text are factory prices in China.

[Bashan]

Very interesting story. What you related is what many have discovered. Chinese scooters have a decent engine and frame but some of them need a little tweaking in regards to electrical connections and some other basic components. Why they can't take that extra step to get them up to spec we still haven't figured that out. Thanks for posting. Rich

[jct842]

The more I look at it the blue scooter would look good in my garage. Those racks in front make a whole lot of sense if you are going to the store for a loaf of bread and decide to get a few more items. I like that way better than a trunk. A trunk can hold a helmet and that is the only reason I put one on the riva. It does not have any storage at all out side of that. Them nylon shopping bags go in the glove box and a few zip cords.....and instant saddle bags. And hang one or two in front under the head light.

[cookees]

The front racks LOOK great, unfortunately at least on the Puma's they break at the mounting points.

I bought 8 of them and would classify them as "Last Call" specials.... You know, she looked better at last call then she did when you woke up.

My biggest problem was the plastic body just "squeaks".

As for Geely...we've seen a few older two-stoke 50's in the shop and I've always been impressed with the mechanical's.

[tdi]

The front rack is a good help.
In this picture i manage to carry 2 12v 80 amps batteries
plus a box full of acid containers and some small parts.

So far the scooter has 7.500 kms, zero breakdowns.
I had to change the rear tire just bellow 6.000 kms, that's too soon in my opinion

And as you can see i used it untill the last thread

[jct842]

Yup thats a real scooter. Them people who bought a maxi scooter and thought it was a scooter need to study that picture. I have a yamaha 400cc majesty, it is not a scooter nor could it haul what you have on the floor board safely like you can. In fact most 250cc "scooters" are not real scooters either.

[cyborg]

Very similar to a mid70's px style Vespa ,,,, very nice as a pack mule

[tdi]

First problem with the scooter with 8.600 kms.
It wouldn't start. The instrument panel would light up less than 1 second and then would die.
I checked the battery it was charged and bolted.
The fuse wasn't burnt
cleaned and check all electrical cables aqnd nothing.
Called a mechanic he wouldn't pick up the phone because its sunday.
In the afternoon i went to the garage to check it again.
Changed the fuse, just in case and the power was on again and i could start the scooter.
This is how the fuse looked, the contact terminal was damaged


Now the scooter runs but its not problem free, the odometer doesn't work right. At around 60/70 kms only marks 18 kms per hour. I don't understand why it started to do this.
Until today all worked well.
It rained a lot in the last few days, the scooter got really wet and covered in mud. I cleaned all with petroleum and degreaser i hope i didn't damaged anything
Any ideas what may be the problem?
EDIT: Its a digital odometer

[cyborg]

I would think it is intermittent electrical signals,,, I would suggest pulling all the connectors apart cleaning them well with a bronze metal toothbrush and a dab of dielectric grease to keep that from happening again and I thinkyour electrical system will wake up nicely

[richardv]

I notice you say you use petroleum and degreaser to clean the scooter. These thing should never be used on electrical components. That may be what damaged the fuse and maybe other things. Petroleum is meant to be contained inside the engine and fuel tank.

[tdi]

Problem solved.
I inspected the speedometer cable, behind the disk brake really out of sight the cable was damaged. So i removed the front wheel, loosed the cable and asked my friend to weld it ( i lack that skill), greased the front hub, installed all back and it works like a charm

[tdi]

richardv to clean electrical components i use a special spray.
The petroleum and degreaser i used for engine block, wheels,air filter box, fuel and air cables.
I cover the cdi, spark plug entrance and so on with plastic bags when cleaning

[richardv]

OK I was just playing it safe.

[tdi]

Today i reached a milestone: 20.000 kms on a chinese scooter problems free
So far my experience has been perfect.
1 burnt fuse, 1 tachometer cable welded and that’s it.
22 oil changes
1 spark plug (I know I should change it more often)
1 front tire changed at 12.000 kms
3 rear tires changed at 6.000, 12.000 and 18.000 kms
Even the timing belt and brake pads are the factory ones
It has been a work-horse scooter always carrying me around, carrying heavy cargo everywhere.
It has been so dependable I use it even at the middle of the night on desert roads .
Let’s so how much more miles I can squeeze out of this scooter.

[tnilc]

I have Just purchased a Neco Abruzzi 62 plate that needs fixing up....im a novice and cant figure out how to get the rear side panel off  so i can clean the air filter ?
also can you suggest a website for parts... i need a rear indicator.
Thanks.