Sunny Powersports By cookees (Read 6,867 times)

[grocerygetter]

OK - for anyone following or interested in this style, I got a couple more notes.

As I stated I above, I had a torn wiring harness on the other guy's Helix-wanna-be to repair.

Turns out it didn't wrap around the wheel.
It was routed under the fender and sitting ontop of the wheel.
It wore until all 5 wires broke into 2 pieces.

Now, how did we miss this?
1) I wanted him to go thru his bike and check for bad stuff - he had not intention, everything is ok until it breaks
2) The majority of the rear wheel on these styles is hidden

The lowest I got on Saturday was on one knee to show him how to drain the oil. I didn't look at anything unfortunately, but as this relationship seems to be going, I would have had less trouble if I had have seen the poorly routed harness first off and zip tied it up before the damage happened.

However, last night I walked over to my yellow Helix and the same wires are properly routed up and over a rear cover.
So he got a dud in that area.
But it still goes like snot. Can't believe how good it is running.

Also noticed that the side stand cuts the engine off and can't be started when down - like it should. And it has a red Stand light that comes on the dashboard.
My JCL side stand doesn't affect anything and I can start it with the remote while on the side stand.

There is no left hand rear brake lever. Starting with the right hand on the button and pulling the front brake lever with the same hand can be awkward. However if you get in the habit of using the foot brake on the right floor panel, it frees up your right hand for the starter button.
It does take a bit of getting used to that right side foot brake. Just not a normal thing on a bike. ***** I find you are restricted in your footing because of the foot brake.
I can place my feet high in the foot wells and sit back on my JCL.
Can't do that with these Helix types.

So anyone that wants to get one will really need to do an extensive PDI. I have no problem with it. It's annoying to see stupid stuff like that, but I'd rather have the extra 5g's in my pocket and buy a pack of zip ties, tube of silicone, dielectric grease etc.

I'll fill you in more on what to look for on this style and how they are running as the details come in.

Attachments:

[89newbie]

Sept 13, 2011 18:27:05 GMT -6 grocerygetter said:

Sept 13, 2011 16:48:23 GMT -6 drjeff said:

WOW grocerygetter, you are willing to put up with a lot more crap from assholes than me.

Simply explain, that your time is yours.

If he would like to purchase some time for you to look at his scooter, that can be arranged, and that it is time plus materials, no negotiations on material cost or parts.

Especially since he refuses to work on it himself.

Time costs $100.00 per hour.

Or he can drop it off at the motorcycle shop across town somewhere.

The person sounds like a leech.

BTW - will you fix his car for free, it likely needs an oil change, his toilet is likely stopped up because he is so full of crap, and his lawn likely needs to be cut since he is lazy.

I don't want to come across as a smartass, but sometimes you just have to draw a line.

Thanks for the humor - I need it!
BTW I'm getting that stuff at work all day too!

I've got a hard road ahead of me getting this guy to become more independent.

LOL its all the time when someone finds out you know something about anything. If I were you I would write this site and a few more on paper and give it to him and tell him to learn. If he refuses next time he does it hold out your palm and tell him 100 bucks an hour.

[grocerygetter]

Forgot to mention that his fan will stay on if it was cycling when you shut down, unless you take the key out, then it shuts the fan off.
I like that. My JCL doesn't do that and I think about it everytime I shut it down when the fan is cycling. I think it should run for a minute if it was on, to help at least get some of the hot air out.

Also noticed he has bottomed out the front wheel on the lower cover.
The suspension on the Helix clone is Cadillac soft-like.
My JCL doesn't move. Not nice or safe on bad bumps. Not sure if all JCL 250's are all like mine.
However if the Helix suspension is bottoming out easily from new, that is an issue too.

I'm starting to think his bike is a return. Something just seems very different in quality compared to my yellow one that was shipped at the same time.
Again, I'll give better details when I get into mine in case anyone is interested in picking one up.

[drjeff]

his bike may need more oil in the front shocks.

[grocerygetter]

Sept 15, 2011 11:16:37 GMT -6 drjeff said:

his bike may need more oil in the front shocks.

Maybe - but the first thing his bike needs is someone else to do the work ;D

I'm dying to get into my yellow Helix clone this weekend and see if its a little better.
Regardless I'm not overly impressed with my JCL 250b so far.
Seems like these Helix clones ran much better out of the box.
I'm still farting around trying to get the 250b starting cold properly.
Buddy here is riding his Helix clone everyday with no issues other than hanging wires that should have been corrected at PDI had he performed one.

[drjeff]

How is your Helix?
Did you get it going this weekend?

Post a few pics of each bike.

[grocerygetter]

I just came in from a 2+hr drive on the new Sunny Helix.

I'm going to do a new thread on a JCL 250b and this Helix clone comparison.

Short story, likely selling the better looking JCL and keeping the Helix.

I basically put gas in it and drove 95 miles for the ceremonial first ride in the Helix.
I am still trying to get the JCL to start cold and run properly, then I'll need to look at the vibration is has now at 50mph on the chinometer.

Sunny Helix has some build quality issues, not entirely worse than the JCL, just different.
Frame paint is probably the biggest; Sunny thumbs down, JCL thumbs up.

I rerouted most of the wiring on the JCL for my own piece of mind, but the Sunny required it. Some stuff that would get chafed or cut after a while.
The guy that put his scoot on my bill, cut/wore his rear light wiring harness that I had to fix, remember? Mine was actually tied up with a harness clip and screwed into the tail light housing - however in the infinite Chinese wisdom, they chose to run the last length over the back wheel.
Mine was up and over the heat shield, but still able to make contact with the rear wheel in extreme bottom-out conditions.

The suspension is not Cadillac-like, it is worn out 1970 Buick Lesabre-like; no shocks.
On a bend with a whoopdee-doo at approx 50mph, the wallowy suspension sends you into a little speed-wobble.
But the rest of the time its smooth - tires likely helping that.

Tires are quiet - JCL sounds like snow tires.

***** You don't counter steer - you can pretty much steer it like a snowmobile - turn the direction you want to go.
Not sure why, but completely different steering characteristics than the JCL.

Speedo seems farther out than the JCL.
We did a 73 mile run that showed as 131 miles on the chinometer.

Seat is softer on the Helix.
That foot brake is hard to get used to. My foot sits beside it fairly well, though I still find it in the way.

The rubber foot mats stay put though they look like that they aren't in place because the nibs don't sit well in the holes.

The mirrors vibrate like hell, pretty much useless except to tell that something it behind you. They are mounted on the front cowl.
Mirrors on the JCL are much better for vibration on the handle bars.
The Helix mirrors have turn signals on the front of them.
Also has a spoiler with an LED brake light across it.

Can't see the odometer unless you stand up.
Not that it matters since its clocking almost twice as much as it should.

No clock/date display.

Speedometer and turn signal indicators are easier to see on the Helix then the JCL.

No tach.

No radio.
But more dedicated aftermarket parts for the Helix that you can imagine.

No trip meter.

Dash lights are extremely dull.
Not sure why they put the effort into these 2 lights on the bottom corners of the dash - "FATTEN" - wth does that mean??

With the lower trunk and upper trunk, way more storage space then the JCL.

Saw lots of Harley tours today.
They look at the JCL and ask what it is cuz it looks like it's a bike.
People look at the Helix and they know right away its a scooter.

I wanted the JCL to be the better scoot - I've worked more on it than driven it.
The Helix was a gas-n-go so far. I'll tear it down more and improve paint and finish when the weather turns worse, but for now I can drive it and the JCL won't start and doesn't run well when it does start.

You be the judge

Attachments:

[drjeff]

A foot brake?

Your chinometer is reading in km vs. mi.

[grocerygetter]

Was an awesome day up here today.
High 60's, low 70's.
Blue sky.
Wish I had a helmet cam - spectacular views of the mountains and lake today.

[grocerygetter]

When I look at those trunks, I want to pack them full of underwear and go for a weekend away.

I could have driven all day today.
Especially when it costs less less than 10 bucks to fill up.

[grocerygetter]

Sept 18, 2011 18:33:20 GMT -6 drjeff said:

A foot brake?

Your chinometer is reading in km vs. mi.

You're probably right - I though about that.
It's very close, but still not quite right.
Closer to that than miles thats for sure.

Dumb thing is they put the miles as the bigger numbers and the kilo's as the smaller numbers.

[grocerygetter]

OK now that I've basically the original thread here, back to the Sunny Power Sports question:

Everything I see on them is negative.
More complaints on BBB and rip.com etc than most dealers, starting around 2008 and up to present time.

The Sunny brand seems to be sold mainly by there own stores now, possible 1 or 2 others, but most stores have dropped them.
PowersportsMax doesn't sell the Sunny Helix thing anymore, not sure if they sell any Sunny prods anymore.

I'm still out as far as quality porbably because I'm having more trouble getting the 250b running, and no trouble with the Sunny 244.
However, I have to admit the build and assembly quality is not as good on the Sunny.
I find the Helix much easier to work on than the 250b - less panel removal.

We paid $1370 + $220 for shipping in spring 2011 - I don't see them for that low anywhere now.
After taking a closer look at the CF Moto version now in comparision, I'd drive to the next state and pay more for the CF.
I thru the dice when I ordered the Sunny - didn't loose but would rather have a better ride now.

Here are the links to most of the Sunny related stores where you can find a Helix style. They go by many more names than this - not normally a good sign when you're running from yourself.

www.alibaba.com/product-free/116960817/MC_CL250T5_250cc_Gas_Moped_Scooter.html

www.scooterdepot.us/250cc-New-Model-Deluxe-Street-Legal-Moped-Scooters-p-656.html

www.happyscooters.com/250cc-New-Model-Deluxe-Street-Legal-Moped-Scooters-p-656.html

www.buy-scooter.com/product.php?productid=656&cat=61&page=1

www.motobuys.com/mc-cl250t5.html

[ce]

Stick with the 250B, it's a fun scooter.

My friend Mary Ann and I each ordered one back in '08 from Mrs. Cooters, hers was blue, mine red, and we PDI'd 'em with oil and coolant and checking, but hers wouldn't start reliably, and she wouldn't wrench, so she called Russell, and he picked it up and brought it back fixed for $150.

I mickeyed and monkeyed with mine and got it running fine, but it still never started or idled as well as hers no matter what I did. Russell did something, but we never knew what, and I never had the chance to ask what he did.

We toured New Mexico for a year and put 5,000 miles on each scooter, then she bought a Majesty and I bought her 250B, and she rolled on another 22,000 miles with some other riders on Harley's and stuff, and I'm too busy wrenching scooters to do much touring, but I dig it, and I still like the 250B because it is afirly easy to work on, I've never had a rear panel off, I cut a couple holes in the seat bucket to adjust the valves on top, and just drop the belly pan for the bottom.

With a Big Shot exhaust, a 42 mm filter stuck in the airbox, a 40 pilot and a 125 main jet, it's 75 miles an hour at 70 miles a gallon.

I'd like to try a 244, so when one comes up on Craigslist I'll buy one, especially a Helix type, it would look awesome with an Apocalypto paint job, with some animal skins and horns.

[jct842]

I started out with scooters in 1958. FOOT BRAKE on rear. it was more than a year of riding with a left bar mounted brake before I decided I like it better than a foot brake, it's a whole lot quicker to apply in a situation. My old riva has a foot brake and the other 2 have bar mounts. john