Kymco has their own house in China. They still control all aspects of the manufacture/assembly, and warranty on their machines.
IMHO Kymco is the best bargain/value you can get on two wheels.
The bad rap comes from the knock off's you can buy on line or from "Pep Boys" for $600.00 or so.
Reason is they are mainly purchased generic (many suppliers) and assembled under many varying names.
Where a brand like Kymco spends the few minutes (per unit) to inspect, de-bur, and assemble parts these others just assemble.
The generics are obviously lower grade materials as well. The cables are thinner gauge, controls are generally ABS plastic vs aluminium. Bodies are thinner/flimsier, ect.
In the end tho you can take a POS China generic, and rebuild it into a reliable machine for not a lot of cost. I've been in Fl for about 15 years now, and have bought/sold around 40 POS scooters. I do regular maintenance for many of them, and they do last if you just take that few minutes to correct all the flaws.
By the way, I agree on the Ruks. They are a cool concept. I can see where a tank gunner would really like them.
