Saving an Elite 250 from certain death, a story
May 21, 2021 0:07:50 GMT -5
aeroxbud, jbjhillbilly, and 1 more like this
Post by CrankingWithCG on May 21, 2021 0:07:50 GMT -5
I missed the 250 power. My Zuma 125 was absolutely beautiful, but I felt bad holding her at high rpms just to keep up with my buddies on 150s (Im a good 40-70 pounds heavier, and the bike itself was heavier). I was going to install the RC158 kit, but I ended up having no budget due to being unemployed still (NEVER WORK AT A VET CLINIC!!!)
Btw, cannot say enough good things about them. I feel bad honestly cause I planned and talked so much with Chris, who is the most helpful person Ive came across in the fb groups. Great dude, lets you know exactly what youre buying and helps with letting you know what you need. No fluff.
So, what to buy with 1500 bucks? Helix 250 again? Too far away. Buddy 150? Also far and not very quick. Ive wanted one of these for a while, my YT channel loved my helix though I found it an unruly bike that i found myself panic braking on wayyyy too often. So, met the guy after driving 20 miles, 2 up on a Kymco Super 8 150X. HORRIBLE on gas, almost got stranded out in the boonies. Me having so much excitement didnt check anything, or care about the front headlight panel missing. I buy one and paint match it. The bike was "redone", which Id come to find out didnt mean shit except cosmetics. Rode off. Right away, had a huge panic. The bike was super heavy in the front, and if you shuffled your hips (say, to swerve), the bike would wobble the front back and forth. A mini death wobble on a bike that was idling high and completely new to me. Rode the 20 miles quivering, tight as hell and ready to immediately throw it on marketplace (which happened the second I got inside). I assumed these old bikes just rode like that. The theme of me being too trusting the guy on the bike being perfect will continue to progress.....
It was windy, and it had a giant Harley windshield on it. "Ill give it one more shot without the windshield". Take it off.....it weighs probably 30 pounds, just bolted into the head unit. Bike still wiggles the front end if you shuffle at high speed and doesnt swerve or respond quickly, but ill blame that on the bad tires. Rides like a real scooter now.
Was doing maintenance on the bike, it " uses a little bit of oil". The guy told me that once, he accidentally filled it overfull cause he checked the level while the bike was on the sidestand.....what he neglected to say.....was that he NEVER EMPTIED IT. Was full to the damn dipstick cap. Poured probably a whole quart of oil out just by leaning the bike a bit. Oil was dark but not shiny or milky, which reminded me....coolant.
Popped the radiator cap.....nada. Reservoir.....zilch. Undid the drain bolt, a few spurts of yellow came out, maybe half a water bottle. He had this poor baby six months.....with no coolant. No wonder the temp gague bounced like a stripper on the way home. Left me on read about asking of said coolant, so im guessing the top end got a lil hurt from the overheating, he got scared thinking the bike was dead and here it sat on marketplace for.....huh.....6 months.......
Flushed her with distilled water, and filled her up with good ol blue stuff. Temp gauge is a lot more responsive now. Throttle cables came off the carb, there is no intake clamp so the carb came out upon trying to fix it (hopefully it stays put while riding). The cvt made a grinding noise and cut power when I gave it full throttle from a low speed after checking the cvt, put it back together a second time and shes not grinding anymore so....idk. The rear brake was tightened so much (possibly by me but I sincerely doubt it) that the little round peg the brake cable runs through was jammed onto the non threaded part of the brake cable thats thicker. They are married for life. Put the ebrake on and wacked the brake arm with a hammer.....nada. So, seeing as how I wanna do brakes and tires, im gonna have to buy the brake arm, little peg, and the cable that connects to the pedal linkage all in one. Should be fun to try and find. Otherwise, just a headlight panel, oil change, and a good cleaning.
But gawd I love being back on a 250!!! The pull to 55 is damn near instant. I counted a 5 second 0-40. 30 to 45 roll on is maybe a second. She hasnt seen 60 yet cause the front end still feels sketchy, but I was cruising 50 and rolled on, absolutely shocked to find i had 3/4 throttle left. Looooove it. No storage, which sucks for a daily, but I'll pull a teenage me and get a backpack. Rig up a rack for doordashing (it actually has the chrome back rack with a seat back attachment, wonder how much thats worth 😂). Im glad to have saved this old gal, cause I guarantee most other people wouldnt have been as scrutinizing as me and she would have blown up. Still could, but lets hope not. Hope shes good to me. Thought he could scam the Lexington moped junkie 😂😂. He kinda did, but meh. Not today!
Pics, now, compared to my old Helix, then with the dumb ass windshield
Btw, cannot say enough good things about them. I feel bad honestly cause I planned and talked so much with Chris, who is the most helpful person Ive came across in the fb groups. Great dude, lets you know exactly what youre buying and helps with letting you know what you need. No fluff.
So, what to buy with 1500 bucks? Helix 250 again? Too far away. Buddy 150? Also far and not very quick. Ive wanted one of these for a while, my YT channel loved my helix though I found it an unruly bike that i found myself panic braking on wayyyy too often. So, met the guy after driving 20 miles, 2 up on a Kymco Super 8 150X. HORRIBLE on gas, almost got stranded out in the boonies. Me having so much excitement didnt check anything, or care about the front headlight panel missing. I buy one and paint match it. The bike was "redone", which Id come to find out didnt mean shit except cosmetics. Rode off. Right away, had a huge panic. The bike was super heavy in the front, and if you shuffled your hips (say, to swerve), the bike would wobble the front back and forth. A mini death wobble on a bike that was idling high and completely new to me. Rode the 20 miles quivering, tight as hell and ready to immediately throw it on marketplace (which happened the second I got inside). I assumed these old bikes just rode like that. The theme of me being too trusting the guy on the bike being perfect will continue to progress.....
It was windy, and it had a giant Harley windshield on it. "Ill give it one more shot without the windshield". Take it off.....it weighs probably 30 pounds, just bolted into the head unit. Bike still wiggles the front end if you shuffle at high speed and doesnt swerve or respond quickly, but ill blame that on the bad tires. Rides like a real scooter now.
Was doing maintenance on the bike, it " uses a little bit of oil". The guy told me that once, he accidentally filled it overfull cause he checked the level while the bike was on the sidestand.....what he neglected to say.....was that he NEVER EMPTIED IT. Was full to the damn dipstick cap. Poured probably a whole quart of oil out just by leaning the bike a bit. Oil was dark but not shiny or milky, which reminded me....coolant.
Popped the radiator cap.....nada. Reservoir.....zilch. Undid the drain bolt, a few spurts of yellow came out, maybe half a water bottle. He had this poor baby six months.....with no coolant. No wonder the temp gague bounced like a stripper on the way home. Left me on read about asking of said coolant, so im guessing the top end got a lil hurt from the overheating, he got scared thinking the bike was dead and here it sat on marketplace for.....huh.....6 months.......
Flushed her with distilled water, and filled her up with good ol blue stuff. Temp gauge is a lot more responsive now. Throttle cables came off the carb, there is no intake clamp so the carb came out upon trying to fix it (hopefully it stays put while riding). The cvt made a grinding noise and cut power when I gave it full throttle from a low speed after checking the cvt, put it back together a second time and shes not grinding anymore so....idk. The rear brake was tightened so much (possibly by me but I sincerely doubt it) that the little round peg the brake cable runs through was jammed onto the non threaded part of the brake cable thats thicker. They are married for life. Put the ebrake on and wacked the brake arm with a hammer.....nada. So, seeing as how I wanna do brakes and tires, im gonna have to buy the brake arm, little peg, and the cable that connects to the pedal linkage all in one. Should be fun to try and find. Otherwise, just a headlight panel, oil change, and a good cleaning.
But gawd I love being back on a 250!!! The pull to 55 is damn near instant. I counted a 5 second 0-40. 30 to 45 roll on is maybe a second. She hasnt seen 60 yet cause the front end still feels sketchy, but I was cruising 50 and rolled on, absolutely shocked to find i had 3/4 throttle left. Looooove it. No storage, which sucks for a daily, but I'll pull a teenage me and get a backpack. Rig up a rack for doordashing (it actually has the chrome back rack with a seat back attachment, wonder how much thats worth 😂). Im glad to have saved this old gal, cause I guarantee most other people wouldnt have been as scrutinizing as me and she would have blown up. Still could, but lets hope not. Hope shes good to me. Thought he could scam the Lexington moped junkie 😂😂. He kinda did, but meh. Not today!
Pics, now, compared to my old Helix, then with the dumb ass windshield
