A Chinese 150cc Scooter Saga - Page 6

Reposado1800 · 03-22-2011, 04:14 PM

I know what a good scooter is and I gave it to my son.

Curiosity got the best of me and I took a stab at one of these Chinese knockoffs.
Lets see how long it lasts and what problems come up. So far so good but it has only been a week.

alphaBETAdog · 03-22-2011, 04:36 PM

In just the few months since buying a riding my Aprilia Scarabeo 150, it has amazed me how many neighbors, acquaintances, and total strangers I have talked to that have had bad experiences with Mao Zedong no Feng Shui XP5000 Chinese scooters and has soured their attitudes about scooters in general. I guess it is just confirmation of that old adage; “you get what you pay for” or maybe more appropriately; “you never get more than what you pay for”.

I don’t think these things should actually be called scooters, but rather CSSOs for “Chinese Scooter Shaped Objects!

Reposado1800 · 03-22-2011, 04:49 PM

I wish I had the time to do a long distance torture test from new. Maybe I'll buy another one before my next big trip.

The 150cc 16" wheel models might be a better choice.

techguy · 03-22-2011, 05:08 PM

I know this thread is about Vietnamese Vespas but is still applies from the aspect that When You Pay in Peanuts You Get a Monkey

I hope you have success with your china-scoot. I know we all love to hate on the things but some can prove to be reliable. You have addressed many of the major weaknesses that many owners never look at. With these scooters, this can lead to its premature death.

Reposado1800 · 03-22-2011, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by techguy

I know this thread is about Vietnamese Vespas but is still applies from the aspect that When You Pay in Peanuts You Get a Monkey

I hope you have success with your china-scoot. I know we all love to hate on the things but some can prove to be reliable. You have addressed many of the major weaknesses that many owners never look at. With these scooters, this can lead to its premature death.

That is a cool story. I love to check out bike shops in Mexico.

D0N · 03-22-2011, 06:58 PM

yes and good luck.

Does your handle have anything to do with the band "jars of clay"?

Reposado1800 · 03-23-2011, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D0N

yes and good luck.

Does your handle have anything to do with the band "jars of clay"?

No.

baloneyskin daddy · 03-23-2011, 05:32 PM

I did the torture test already and it failed.I hate to say it but I loved that little piece of shit. Could'nt wait to get home from work to ride damn near every day. 1 Year, 6 thousand miles, and was on the third engine when I finally got rid of it. The drive belts would last about 1500 miles. 1st engine sent the rod thru the cases at 3500 miles,the second motor smoked from the outset and the rod started making noise at 1500 miles so I junked it and bought a 3rd that was still running fine when I sold it. I was hard on it as in WFO most of the time because most of the roads around here required it .

Reposado1800 · 03-24-2011, 05:23 AM

The Chairman Mao scoot is getting 80 mpg in town.

In reference to the last post, 1500 miles per belt is not unreasonable. It is an easy swap. How much life were you getting out of a back tire?

baloneyskin daddy · 03-24-2011, 06:22 PM

It still had the original tires on when I sold it but the back was shot.I was getting the belts from a local industrial supply company for $13 a piece, still have a couple left. I have a friend who bought his the same time as me and is still riding his after 3 years and no major problems.He babies his, never runs it WFO . Hell he warms it up.

btcn · 03-24-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clayjars

The Chairman Mao scoot is getting 80 mpg in town.

In reference to the last post, 1500 miles per belt is not unreasonable. It is an easy swap. How much life were you getting out of a back tire?

You can pretty much throw any belt into there made for a 150 cc scoot. You can put in another cheap china belt or a quality belt that may outlast the engine.

baloneyskin daddy · 03-25-2011, 05:35 PM

I was using Gates belts and they didn't last any longer than the stock one.

Black Sheep Radical · 03-26-2011, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clayjars

1500 miles per belt is not unreasonable.

Really? That sounds pretty bad to me. You'll be doing the belt every time you change the oil at that rate!

Reposado1800 · 03-26-2011, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Sheep Radical

Really? That sounds pretty bad to me. You'll be doing the belt every time you change the oil at that rate!

A belt change is easy. It helps to start with a good belt though. Bando is good. The Kevlar type last longer but supposedly don't work so good on Chairman Mao bikes.

DudeClone · 03-26-2011, 09:27 AM

shouldn't any "good" belt last 8000m - 12,000m under ordinary conditions

03-22-2011, 04:14 PM	#76
Reposado1800 ^OP Bronze Age Fall Guy Joined: Dec 2006 Location: 5th and Main Oddometer: 5,233	I know what a good scooter is and I gave it to my son. Curiosity got the best of me and I took a stab at one of these Chinese knockoffs. Lets see how long it lasts and what problems come up. So far so good but it has only been a week. __________________ Hate gets you nowhere.

03-22-2011, 04:36 PM	#77
alphaBETAdog Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Central Arizona Oddometer: 195	CSSO – Chinese Scooter Shaped Objects In just the few months since buying a riding my Aprilia Scarabeo 150, it has amazed me how many neighbors, acquaintances, and total strangers I have talked to that have had bad experiences with Mao Zedong no Feng Shui XP5000 Chinese scooters and has soured their attitudes about scooters in general. I guess it is just confirmation of that old adage; “you get what you pay for” or maybe more appropriately; “you never get more than what you pay for”. I don’t think these things should actually be called scooters, but rather CSSOs for “Chinese Scooter Shaped Objects! __________________ '09 Moto Guzzi Stelvio '08 Beta 450 RS '03 Aprilia Scarabeo 150, '07 Piaggio Fly 150 alphaBETAdog screwed with this post 03-24-2011 at 06:36 AM

03-22-2011, 04:49 PM	#78
Reposado1800 ^OP Bronze Age Fall Guy Joined: Dec 2006 Location: 5th and Main Oddometer: 5,233	I wish I had the time to do a long distance torture test from new. Maybe I'll buy another one before my next big trip. The 150cc 16" wheel models might be a better choice. __________________ Hate gets you nowhere.

03-22-2011, 05:08 PM	#79
techguy Scooter Trash Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA Oddometer: 845	I know this thread is about Vietnamese Vespas but is still applies from the aspect that When You Pay in Peanuts You Get a Monkey I hope you have success with your china-scoot. I know we all love to hate on the things but some can prove to be reliable. You have addressed many of the major weaknesses that many owners never look at. With these scooters, this can lead to its premature death. __________________ Guy RBSC 2010 Russian to Ride Photos Rides of March 2010 800+ Mile Weekend Rally Ride RBSC 2009 Tahoe Photos

03-24-2011, 05:23 AM	#84
Reposado1800 ^OP Bronze Age Fall Guy Joined: Dec 2006 Location: 5th and Main Oddometer: 5,233	The Chairman Mao scoot is getting 80 mpg in town. In reference to the last post, 1500 miles per belt is not unreasonable. It is an easy swap. How much life were you getting out of a back tire? __________________ Hate gets you nowhere.

03-22-2011, 06:58 PM	#81
D0N Banned Joined: Jan 2011 Location: upstate NY Oddometer: 280	yes and good luck. Does your handle have anything to do with the band "jars of clay"?

03-23-2011, 05:32 PM	#83
baloneyskin daddy bikaholic Joined: Oct 2009 Location: southcentral PA. Oddometer: 1,540	I did the torture test already and it failed.I hate to say it but I loved that little piece of shit. Could'nt wait to get home from work to ride damn near every day. 1 Year, 6 thousand miles, and was on the third engine when I finally got rid of it. The drive belts would last about 1500 miles. 1st engine sent the rod thru the cases at 3500 miles,the second motor smoked from the outset and the rod started making noise at 1500 miles so I junked it and bought a 3rd that was still running fine when I sold it. I was hard on it as in WFO most of the time because most of the roads around here required it .

03-24-2011, 06:22 PM	#85
baloneyskin daddy bikaholic Joined: Oct 2009 Location: southcentral PA. Oddometer: 1,540	It still had the original tires on when I sold it but the back was shot.I was getting the belts from a local industrial supply company for $13 a piece, still have a couple left. I have a friend who bought his the same time as me and is still riding his after 3 years and no major problems.He babies his, never runs it WFO . Hell he warms it up.

03-25-2011, 05:35 PM	#87
baloneyskin daddy bikaholic Joined: Oct 2009 Location: southcentral PA. Oddometer: 1,540	I was using Gates belts and they didn't last any longer than the stock one.

03-26-2011, 09:27 AM	#90
DudeClone Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2010 Location: L.A. Oddometer: 396	shouldn't any "good" belt last 8000m - 12,000m under ordinary conditions

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