ok what the heck?

[rks]

I consider myself to be a senior...will be 71 in a couple of months. A scooter is not like a Chevy or a Ford, where you can drive tens of thousands of miles, year after year, and only need to put gas in the tank. It will require more maintenance.....and your life may very well depend on that maintenance being done correctly.

Now, more than ever, if you want something done right, you better do it yourself. Some of us really enjoy the dirty hands part of bike ownership. If you don't, find someone you can trust to do your work as it should be done. Doesn't sound like the selling dealer is that person.

[cheapeto]

[but some seniors buy these to enjoy not to be a mechanic.]

And that is a valid point, however that kind of comfort is more found in the branded names of scooters, Honda,Yamaha,Suzuki, and the others, for double the price or more.They have about 70+ years of doing it.
Can they have an issue, sure they can, and back to the shop it goes, for a mechanic to repair.

The china dolls have a lot going for them, you can get great miles of fun, but you are going to tinker, nor are you going to roll WOT everywhere you go, or it will become another dust collector in the garage.

IMHO, I'm sticking to the big names, but I can not afford to pay show room prices. I tend to look for used branded iron, and get the service manual, and learn to do what I can and pay for what I can not do.

[kz1000st]

The idea that when you buy a China scoot, you're on your own is dated. There are many shops that sell China scoots and can service them like the big boys if you want to spend the repair money. Of course there are used car lots and hardware stores selling them still but you have to open your eyes and ask if they fix what they sell before you buy. Not to put too fine a point on it but I read other forums. Even the brand name boys botch it up periodically.

You ride ANY two wheeled transport you better know your bike. If you aren't able to work on it you should at least be able to tell your mechanic what symptoms are present. Bikes are not cars.

[kz1000st]

Originally Posted by rks

I consider myself to be a senior...will be 71 in a couple of months. A scooter is not like a Chevy or a Ford, where you can drive tens of thousands of miles, year after year, and only need to put gas in the tank. It will require more maintenance.....and your life may very well depend on that maintenance being done correctly.

I'm 66 years old myself, have a long history on two wheels and am the son of a former Triumph dealer. You think Chinese scooters are unreliable? You should have seen 1960s Brit bikes.

[Irish]

Originally Posted by kz1000st

I'm 66 years old myself, have a long history on two wheels and am the son of a former Triumph dealer. You think Chinese scooters are unreliable? You should have seen 1960s Brit bikes.

I have been to the east coast Triumph Factory School (A in mechanics @ A+ in advanced mechanics) & if you build a Triumph correctly they are great (my bike of choice! ). I ran a 70 & 71 twins at the Drags in NH. The 71 ran a 12.2 with a .10 overbore & a Goodyear 5.10 Speedgrip (spoked to a Harley rim) & while not particulary fast,this was in the '70s & it was my street bike! I forgot to mention that it was also a ridged frame. I worked for a Triumph Dealer for 1 1/2yrs before I opened my own repair & customing shop & if put together correctly (out of the crate)they are a good bike! as with anything else , correctly makes a big difference! Irish

[kz1000st]

Yes. Brand new, well set up Triumphs were a joy. Before the Lucas electrics quit. Or valves broke at redline, or staters gave out from being bombarded with micro metal from the primary chain. Sometimes the check valve on the scavenger pump would stick and flood the crankcase.

The Japanese raised the bar. Someday the Chinese will catch up.