The Japanese Have A New Competitor By kz1000st (Read 583 times)

[kz1000st]

Let's get ready to rumble Japan.

www.motorcycle-usa.com/3/17219/Motorcycle-Article/Hero-Motorcycles-in-US-by-Mid-2014.aspx

The people of India make scooters and bikes equal to the Japanese. Let's just hope they sell them cheaper. I like those small motorcycles.

[mike6736]

Only time will tell...

Magoo

[FrankenMech]

It usually seems the more the merrier!

I am having fun riding and modifying my Chinese scoot. I don't think I would be having near as much fun with a $5000 scooter. This China scoot seems to be built OK also. This reverse trike even has needle bearings and grease zerks in the suspension. I found a lot of loose bolts in the front end. Loctite and a wrench took care of that. Fasteners that were already tight got an additional dose of green loctite in case they had not been assembled with blue loctite.

[jct842]

A $5000 scooter should need nothing, no modifying/

[FrankenMech]

Oct 17, 2013 23:34:08 GMT -6 jct842 said:

A $5000 scooter should need nothing, no modifying/

That ain't no fun....

[sumdawgtwigg]

Oct 17, 2013 20:33:39 GMT -6 FrankenMech said:

It usually seems the more the merrier!

I am having fun riding and modifying my Chinese scoot. I don't think I would be having near as much fun with a $5000 scooter. This China scoot seems to be built OK also. This reverse trike even has needle bearings and grease zerks in the suspension. I found a lot of loose bolts in the front end. Loctite and a wrench took care of that. Fasteners that were already tight got an additional dose of green loctite in case they had not been assembled with blue loctite.

I agree with you! I wouldn't be having near as much fun if my scooter costs in the thousands. There is something amazing about these little scoots. If it breaks, parts are super cheap, and I actually enjoy learning how to fix them myself.

I love the looks of those bikes! The ZMR really makes my mouth water. My next bike is def going to be a small sport inspired bike. I really hope to get my hands on one of them someday.

[FrankenMech]

While I was waiting for my warranty parts and a few 'factory' spares I ordered spares for just about everything electrical.
1 spare coil
1 spare starter relay
1 spare voltage regulator
3 spare CDI units, -one in a hot standby post next to the unit running.
Spare bulbs
I consider the above to be cheap insurance against Murphy.

Then, of course, I carry tools etc including a tubeless tire patch kit and a CO2 tire inflator with spare gas cylinder. Any scoot can suffer a tire puncture.

I had to learn to think 'scooter' to repair my scoot. I had learned Ford/Chevy/Dodge/AMC speak growing up. When I bought a 68 VW bug I had to learn to think backwards. It is all fun though.

[jct842]

If I buy another little chinese scooter I will expect to make a few changes to suit me, but on the other hand if I were to spend $5k, that bike or scooter better be ready to ride and need nothing. I bought my 150 just so I could mess around with it and not have to worry about breaking anything. I had intended to put a big barrel on it but after riding it I found it was just fine after a belt, variator, weights, jets, and a briggs muffler. Actually being cheap I never did buy a new jet or kit, I just drilled it out with a set of oriface drills and when I went too far I just soldered it shut and started over. I had around 3000 miles on it that way and when the dog totaled it it was still running perfect. I have never tried to start it since. john

[FrankenMech]

Oct 18, 2013 14:04:27 GMT -6 jct842 said:

-SNIP- Actually being cheap I never did buy a new jet or kit, I just drilled it out with a set of oriface drills and when I went too far I just soldered it shut and started over. I had around 3000 miles on it that way and when the dog totaled it it was still running perfect. I have never tried to start it since. john

That's not cheap, you were thrifty! ;D

I have done that many times, it is hard to get those orifices just right and balanced on a two or four barrel carb.

[jct842]

Actually I have 2 sets of drills and should never ever have to buy a jet. With those and a welding tip set you can even get a in between size! If the efi on my majesty fails, instead of hundreds and close to a grand for a computer should that be it, I will purchase a chinese carb and get the kit out and make it work. Should I have problems with the riva....same deal, a 150 carb with the right jets will work as good or better than the yamaha carb ever did. That carb was trouble when they were new/

[FrankenMech]

Tip cleaners as reamers.... Great idea! -Thanks!!!

[kz1000st]

Here's a little tidbit about Hero Motors. Check out their income statement against a certain Milwaukee brand.

www.youmotorcycle.com/the-indians-are-coming-emerging-motorcycle-industry-trends-q4-2013.html