|
|
Post by coachhejl on Feb 3, 2023 22:47:06 GMT -5
What is the additional maintenance out of the scope of normal maintenance you have to do on a chinese scooter vs japan/taiwan/etc...?
|
|
|
|
Post by badmotorscooter on Feb 13, 2023 23:48:45 GMT -5
Change the gear oil and engine oil immediately. It sounds excessive, but I would do oil changes on an air-cooled chinese scooter every 500 miles. Check the valve clearances right off the bat, then after about 400 - 500 miles, then adjust every 1500 miles. Check all of the rubber hoses or replace. Check the drive belt and think about replacing with a genuine Gates or Bando. Put in a new spark plug and spark plug boot. Replace the CDI.
Chinese scooters have improved some in general, but it is imperative to be prudent about maintenance and learn your way around the mechanicals. It may seem intimidating at first, but there are a ton of youtube videos and you will feel a sense of accomplishment doing it yourself. With a little knowledge and hands on experience it is actually simple and easy. Parts are cheap but if you rely on a shop to maintain and repair it (expensive), what was the point of saving money purchasing a chinese scooter?
|
|
|
|
Post by aeroxbud on Feb 14, 2023 6:30:53 GMT -5
If you are just getting a used one, or even a new one I would go through and follow the PDI video Brent did about fluids and fastener checks
Don't count on anything being put together with the correct torque.
|
|
|
|
Post by 90GTVert on Feb 15, 2023 11:10:05 GMT -5
What I'd consider actual maintenance isn't much worse with Chinese scooters IMO. It's the things that go bad that shouldn't that can be a headache.
My TaoTao had next to no miles on it before the front brake didn't work right and I had to replace parts. It's had leaking crank seals multiple times. The stock variator broke... started crumbling. I had a clutch fail, but I did have aftermarket springs in it so I won't blame the scoot totally... but I've had aftermarket springs and more mods in stock clutches without issue for years before. Regulator not keeping voltage at acceptable levels. Randomly deciding to shutdown with lack of spark for a bit.
I don't think of any of that as routine maintenance. Definitely not on a scooter with 5,000 miles on it. I'd expect that if I got a Yamaha/Honda/Piaggio/Vespa and treated it the same way; it would be unlikely that I'd have any of those issues within 5,000 miles.
All of that said... my two-stroke Vento Triton is my favorite scooter and it's Chinese. I've replaced basically everything but the frame and it works pretty well now. lol
|
|
