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Post by lawhat on Jun 9, 2014 12:47:49 GMT -5
Are there any companies you guys would avoid? Most of the time cheap is not very good but with scooters is there a less expensive decent that can be made good? I'm considering whether I should get something used that I have heard of (Honda, Vespa etc) or something new that I have never heard of? Any suggestion would be great
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Post by moofus02 on Jun 9, 2014 13:04:10 GMT -5
Honda yamaha kymco vespa etc will have better quality control fit and finish and dealer support with the China stuff you need to do the pre delivery inspection yourself. Name brand should be trouble free China a little work but ok. New China Cheeper than used name brand. No matter what you buy cvt and carb tuning will get the most out of it. I've got both name brand and China and like both. If you want a 4 stroke the options are endless if 2 stroke kymco or used is your probable options
Sent from my SPH-L720 using proboards
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Post by 90GTVert on Jun 9, 2014 13:27:35 GMT -5
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Post by scooterpimp on Jun 9, 2014 17:29:58 GMT -5
Your choice in scooter depends on your budget or ability to do your own service/repairs. The Vespa line are great quality & designed well , but when you do need service/repairs your not so local Vespa boutique will severly lighten your wallet. As far as Japanese scooters the depenability is good , but are plastic boxes. Which will cost at service/repair times. Then Tiawanese scoots are cheaper yet between Japanese & Chinese quality but not many will service/ repair them. Thus China scooters can be a crapshoot if your handy with tools they are ok. But remember china scooter $700-$1'500 Vespa starts @ $3800 for 50cc base model. Do some research before you make your move.  Banana man approves this message. |
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Post by aeroxbud on Jun 10, 2014 4:29:11 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum
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Post by stepthrutuner on Jun 10, 2014 4:41:08 GMT -5
Finding a low mileage and or well maintained quality brand used scooter has the best reliability/cost ratio in my opinion. If you're not in a hurry to have a nice scooter this is your best bet since these take some searching and waiting for the right one to come along not too far away from where you live.
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Post by tomcatsdb on Jun 10, 2014 7:22:52 GMT -5
Echoing a few thoughts here. If you're ok w/ tools and don't mind doing some basic mechanics then a cheaper Chinese built scooter will do fine so long as you put the work in to maintain it properly. If you can't or don't want to mess with the machine, then a higher priced machine would be a better choice. Quality wise, the general rankings are European / Japanese at the top, Taiwanese in the middle, and Chinese at the lower end.
That being said, there's also different price points in Chinese scooters as well:
The cheapest brands / models (like the basic Tao Tao ATM 50 that I own) will require a full walk through of the bike and there's a few things like fuel and vac lines that should be changed out prior to riding. New, these start off right around $600 for a 50 cc. There's usually no warranty to speak of (30 day if bought through a dealer).
Moving up from there, some manufacturers and importers have higher QC processes and use higher grade components from the get go. The brands that I'm aware of in this category are Wolf Brand (formerly Gorilla Motor Works), Puma Cycles, and Bintelli. These companies work through dealerships, have a better warranty (usually one year, some include road side assistance), and should be able to service your bike should something go wrong. Price wise, these jump a bit (the cheapest 50 cc Bintelli is $1000), and to keep the warranty in place there's some services that have to be done at the dealer.
At the end of the day, the Chinese imports that I know of have GY6 type engines (a Honda design), which means they all share a similar motor design. Mechanical / tuning parts are widely available and are generally cheap. The main differences come down to build quality, body styling, and components / materials used.
A used "name brand" machine (Honda, Yamaha, Sym, etc) that's been well taken care of cuts the initial cost down and sometimes you can find a great deal. Sometimes you can find not-so-well maintained machines for much less, and these can require a bit of time and effort to get back into running order. Parts for these are also more expensive, so long term, that may factor into your decision as well.
IMO it comes down to the buyer and what your expectations / circumstances are. Whatever you eventually decide on, there's probably someone on this forum that's worked with a machine of that type and can provide advice / assistance with troubleshooting if need be.
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jonwaylover
Scoot Member
To ride me is to love me
Posts: 56 
Location: Lafayette, IN
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Post by jonwaylover on Jun 10, 2014 8:09:32 GMT -5
Yeah, what they said  Oh! Almost forgot -  I've gotten so much advice here, you can't even put a price on it. Regardless of the scoot you buy, there's a wealth of info here about your scoot. Don't forget to show us pics of your new scoot when you get it! |
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Post by dan50 on Jun 10, 2014 8:13:08 GMT -5
I am not a trained mechanic, but I found out that scooters are pretty easy to work on with basic tools (very few specialty tools) and basic skills at wrenching.
I own 3 Chinese scooters and if you do regular maintenance on them they will perform good. My SunL 50cc 4t has over 6,500 miles on it, the motor runs great. I am at the point of needing some parts for the CVT due to normal wear (rollers & contra spring). Also those parts are the stock ones that came with the scooter.
In choosing a scooter, for a 50cc, try to get one with 12" wheels (better ride) and front disc brake (most do have disc). The choice of 4t or 2t is up to your personal desires (2t = faster, 4t = better fuel economy and less tuning).
If you learn how to work on the scooter yourself (which is not hard, really) you will save a lot of money. Shops charge $80 per hour. There is so much info in the Tech section that you will be a scooter mechanic quickly (they are easy to work on, really).
The most important thing is to have fun!
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Post by scooterpimp on Jun 18, 2014 12:10:40 GMT -5
Get your scoot yet?
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Post by Kick start on Jun 19, 2014 0:07:05 GMT -5
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tommygun
Scoot Junior
taotao atm 50,yz 125,ktm 65sx,rt 180 yamaha,xr 70 honda,kx 100.
Posts: 9
Location: escanaba mi
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Post by tommygun on Jun 19, 2014 4:02:58 GMT -5
I just bought the tao tao 50 and it was a snap to put together and go. I did replace all fuel lines and installed a better fuel filter, new irridium spark plug, hi perf coil,hi perf cdi, and ordered a jetted carb from amazon. it goes 35mph on flat with those mods.but it still has to get broke in. I am dealing with excessive crank case pressure but i will have that fixed tommarow. I have a total of 800 bucks involved. I have been a mechanic for 20 years so workin on the moped is kinda fun and not a chore. I usually work on huge equipment at a papermill.
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Post by genseeker on Jun 19, 2014 18:02:45 GMT -5
My personal advice is if you choose a Chinese scoot, buy locally if possible. I lucked up that way, a local shop that sells used ATV, dirt bikes, etc decided to start selling scooters. They've been in the same place for over 10 years and are the goto people locally for ATV work, unless you go to one of the dealerships (Honda/Yamaha/etc). They have a very good reputation and they go out of their way to keep it. So I was confident in going to them and buying a new Tao Tao.
Doesn't hurt that people I know use them for ATV work if they can't fix it themselves. These scoots are very similar to ATVs when it comes to working on them.
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Post by scooterpimp on Jun 19, 2014 18:12:17 GMT -5
I just bought the tao tao 50 and it was a snap to put together and go. I did replace all fuel lines and installed a better fuel filter, new irridium spark plug, hi perf coil,hi perf cdi, and ordered a jetted carb from amazon. it goes 35mph on flat with those mods.but it still has to get broke in. I am dealing with excessive crank case pressure but i will have that fixed tommarow. I have a total of 800 bucks involved. I have been a mechanic for 20 years so workin on the moped is kinda fun and not a chore. I usually work on huge equipment at a papermill. Cool! Enjoy the scoot.. |
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Post by TheAmishSasquatch on Jun 29, 2014 18:59:57 GMT -5
Welcome. Not to bad mouth Chinese bikes(Ive had a few and will prolly have another)but from my personal experience, I would try to get a non made in Chinaland scooter. Ive only had 5 scooters ever; three of which were Chinese, one Yamaha and my current Kymco. I loved the yamaha and love the kymco. The other's sucked balls. My Marshin's head bolt threads stripped without even reaching the factory TQ specs, My Diamo just died without rhyme or reason replaced nearly every part of the bike and still wouldn't work properly, My brand new out of the crate Yamati took a crap in literally 9 miles. (Performed the most thorough PPI ever). I put a little over 10,000 miles on my Yamaha the first year! Only upgraded the reeds to CF, Kevlar belt and Mikuni carb. My Kymco has been flawless so far and is my DD...until I got creative with intakes this morning :/
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