Don't get discouraged read the entire Blog!
As you may already know it is very difficult to find some one to work on your Chinese scooter. Why? Because there is no support for these scooters (well most of them). It is difficult to find parts, service manuals, and what actual year make and model scooter you own. The good news is Rolling Wrench works on Chinese scooters and we have for almost 10 years! We can get you parts, a service manual, and we work on them as well! I would say we are Chinese scooter experts. In a nut shell here is how the Chinese scooter thing generally works. You buy a scooter for like $600-$1200. It arrives at your house or Joe Shmoes house so they can put it together. This is where the first issue arrises. It is very important to have your scooter put together by a certified technician or one that has a background in motorcycle/scooter repair (or click here for a step by step how to video). If you go to a dealership they have a trained tech that puts the motorcycles/scooters together so they are safe. If there is a issue out of the box it is addressed. This is call a PDI inspection (pre delivery inspection). Most people Who purchase Chinese scooter put them together on there own.
The next big issue is service work. When your scooter is shipped, it is shipped with "shipping oil" in the engine. This oil needs to be drained right away, do not run the engine with this oil in the scooter. The initial service is alway the most important service (Do this at 100 miles. Name brand scooters like Honda and Yamaha are at 500 miles). We see a lot of Chinese scooters that have never been serviced and has the original shipping oil with hundreds of miles. We see this often, you purchase the scooter for cheap and service (preventative maintenance) is $250. Its kind of a shocker because it is a quarter the price of the scooter, But just like any thing else it needs to be maintained. Especially if its lower quality. When we do the initial service on any scooter not just Chinese, we change the oil in the engine and the drive. Change the spark plug (Chinese scooters have very low grade plugs) oil/clean the air filter, lubed the cables and pivot points (these are alway almost completely dry) set the tire pressure, check the steering neck bearings, check the electrical system, and do a safety inspection. This service will make your brand new scooter feel brand new :-) you will know what I mean after your scooter has been serviced.
There is a hand full of parts that Chinese scooters should have replaced ASAP to compete with name brand scooters. The fuel and vacuum line like to dry rot, replace them and the in line fuel filter. The rubber on the tire valve stems dry rot as well. The Chinese scooters have the cheap spark plug that like to fall apart. Replace the spark plug with a name brand NGK plug. Your Chinese scooter does not have a magnet in the drain plug to collect the metal shavings floating around in the engine. Be sure to upgrade the drain plugs. and do not forget about that engine oil. Replace that too. The good news is we put together a kit that has all of these Parts. This kit will solve all of the major issues we see in Chinese scooters.
Chinese scooters can be good scooters! Follow these rules:
1. Have your scooter assembled by a certified motorcycle/scooter technician or use our step by step video CLICK HERE
2. Have the initial service done (mini service)
3. Replace the parts we talked about (or buy our Chinese scooter upgrade kit)
4. Keep up on the maintenance and keep your scooter covered when not in use.