A Chinese 150cc Scooter Saga

Reposado1800 · 03-06-2011, 02:07 PM

Well we pulled the trigger on a 150cc scooter for one of my friends. The truck showed up 4 days later.

Out came the crate.

I have never bought a crated bike before so this was a first for me.

It took about 45 minutes to get it out of there without damaging anything.

Front view.

Rear view.

I now have 4 break in miles on it. It is a 2008 leftover from a large manufacturer that ends up selling these under various labels. It has decent power and is pretty light in weight. The price was $888 shipped with a 6 month warranty. Insurance should be $100 per year.
I am neither endorsing nor condemning Chinese bikes at this point. Curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see how these things hold up.

tdrrally · 03-06-2011, 02:20 PM

btcn · 03-06-2011, 02:25 PM

This will be interesting, well see! If your a good luck kinda guy it is possible for it to hold up for a while. But if your not [like me] it will fail in a few days or weeks.

$888 shipped for a 150 is real cheap. Its not that much so well see about it! Keep us updated!

AustinJake · 03-06-2011, 02:34 PM

Do replace the fuel line and fuel filter pretty quick, it will start leaking.
I sold mine with about 1200 miles on it, had to put a clutch in it, was $60 on the internet. I removed the aluminum sheeting on the floorboard, really worthless, the rubber underneath is much nicer to ride your boots on. I put a $70 aftermarket Harley windshield on it, homemade brackets. I also cut and removed the outer muffler cover, it started vibrating on the muffler and was driving me crazy, just painted it with some barbecue paint.
One thing: DO NOT use the quick release mounting for the tail box. The plastic tongue broke on mine and the box went tumbling on a ride to the store. Just bolt the box directly to the rack.

Reposado1800 · 03-06-2011, 02:40 PM

Thanks for the head up on that stuff.

hexnut · 03-06-2011, 02:46 PM

Go over the bike really well. replace fuel lines and filter. Change oil. get the Chinese oil out of there. Put in a good NGK spark plug. Flush out the fuel tank and carb. Check bolts/nuts for tightness. Check electrical connections, many problems there. Keep fingers crossed.

Maybe scooter love you long time, be number 1..make you, whole family happy.

I learned my lesson on Chinese scooters. never again.

Coopdway · 03-06-2011, 03:09 PM

I've been SO tempted to do the same. Keep us posted on what you find and how things go.

biketherapy · 03-06-2011, 03:31 PM

I dig these leap of faith chinese bike experiments! good luck. keep us posted with how it goes

DudeClone · 03-06-2011, 04:54 PM

found this vid review by someone. looks like a very similar scoot. have a looksy :)

alphaBETAdog · 03-06-2011, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hexnut

Maybe scooter love you long time, be number 1..make you, whole family happy.

I don't think I can send 300 lbs of sand from China to my house for $888.

Reposado1800 · 03-06-2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DudeClone

found this vid review by someone. looks like a very similar scoot. have a looksy :)

Nice video.

btcn · 03-06-2011, 06:32 PM

Oh, another potential issue I just though of on those. I notice it has the FAKE ABS, as he showed in the video. I don't know how bad the case is with this scooter, he didn't seem to mind it. But I will tell you, it sucks.

If it is a bad case, you will likely need to take the restricter off. It may require some drilling and fitting to get the brake line to fit without it though. What it is is that little brass colored tubish thing that the brake line goes into. This restricts brake fluid, which means less power. It does not just release a slight amount of pressor to the wheel to prevent it from completely locking up, it just takes away braking power under hard braking!

The Review was ok. He makes some good points, but I don't believe that its anywhere nearly as reliable as a Honda or other quality scoot. Not nearly.

I'd tell him to put some real miles on that scoot and then report back to us. I'll believe it if I see him put 30,000 miles with only basic maintenance and few troubles on. But who knows? Some guys have with these chinese scooters, and some just end up with a money pit.

SPOFF · 03-06-2011, 07:18 PM

On the other hand, if gas reaches $5 a gallon and the scooter can go 4 or 5 tankfuls before it explodes, it paid for itself.

fullmetalscooter · 03-06-2011, 11:44 PM

it's like any bike from 30 years ago. You go over every time you ride. Nice if it keep on keeping on but I would go over it from the bolts on up.

grizz · 03-07-2011, 12:07 AM

Loos good so far.

I guess there is a bit of luck of the draw in these scooters.

Other than that, just keep an eye and hand on it.

Hope you stay a happy customer.

03-06-2011, 02:07 PM	#1
Reposado1800 ^OP Bronze Age Fall Guy Joined: Dec 2006 Location: 5th and Main Oddometer: 5,117	A Chinese 150cc Scooter Saga Well we pulled the trigger on a 150cc scooter for one of my friends. The truck showed up 4 days later. Out came the crate. I have never bought a crated bike before so this was a first for me. It took about 45 minutes to get it out of there without damaging anything. Front view. Rear view. I now have 4 break in miles on it. It is a 2008 leftover from a large manufacturer that ends up selling these under various labels. It has decent power and is pretty light in weight. The price was $888 shipped with a 6 month warranty. Insurance should be $100 per year. I am neither endorsing nor condemning Chinese bikes at this point. Curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see how these things hold up. __________________ Hate gets you nowhere.

03-06-2011, 02:20 PM	#2
tdrrally Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: doing hard time in charleston,wv Oddometer: 2,852	__________________ 2002 DRZ250 what it lacks in horse power it makes up for with traction for sale 2000 DRZ400e tagged 1980 TS125 project in the corner 200? zuma 50/70 the wifes bike

03-06-2011, 02:34 PM	#4
AustinJake TE450-KLE-FXDWG Joined: Aug 2010 Location: Austin, TX Oddometer: 2,734	Do replace the fuel line and fuel filter pretty quick, it will start leaking. I sold mine with about 1200 miles on it, had to put a clutch in it, was $60 on the internet. I removed the aluminum sheeting on the floorboard, really worthless, the rubber underneath is much nicer to ride your boots on. I put a $70 aftermarket Harley windshield on it, homemade brackets. I also cut and removed the outer muffler cover, it started vibrating on the muffler and was driving me crazy, just painted it with some barbecue paint. One thing: DO NOT use the quick release mounting for the tail box. The plastic tongue broke on mine and the box went tumbling on a ride to the store. Just bolt the box directly to the rack. __________________ ____________________________________ Get fit. Stay safe. Enjoy life. Learn something to help someone in need.

03-06-2011, 02:40 PM	#5
Reposado1800 ^OP Bronze Age Fall Guy Joined: Dec 2006 Location: 5th and Main Oddometer: 5,117	Thanks for the head up on that stuff. __________________ Hate gets you nowhere.

03-06-2011, 02:46 PM	#6
hexnut UR12 Joined: Feb 2011 Location: middle Tennessee Oddometer: 903	Go over the bike really well. replace fuel lines and filter. Change oil. get the Chinese oil out of there. Put in a good NGK spark plug. Flush out the fuel tank and carb. Check bolts/nuts for tightness. Check electrical connections, many problems there. Keep fingers crossed. Maybe scooter love you long time, be number 1..make you, whole family happy. I learned my lesson on Chinese scooters. never again. __________________ Kymco People S 250 2011 Suzuki Blvd S40 650 hexnuts...a curse put on your balls by a mean gypsy 3/5 Cav, C Troop, BlackKnights, Vietnam 1969

03-06-2011, 02:25 PM	#3
btcn Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2010 Location: Morgan Hill CA Oddometer: 2,835	This will be interesting, well see! If your a good luck kinda guy it is possible for it to hold up for a while. But if your not [like me] it will fail in a few days or weeks. $888 shipped for a 150 is real cheap. Its not that much so well see about it! Keep us updated!

03-06-2011, 03:09 PM	#7
Coopdway Curiouser Joined: Feb 2006 Oddometer: 654	I've been SO tempted to do the same. Keep us posted on what you find and how things go. __________________ Doug Frontenac, MN Chauncey likes to watch.......I like to ride ----------------------------- Coop's Corner

03-06-2011, 03:31 PM	#8
biketherapy si se puede Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Tempe, AZ Oddometer: 495	I dig these leap of faith chinese bike experiments! good luck. keep us posted with how it goes __________________

03-06-2011, 04:54 PM	#9
DudeClone Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2010 Location: L.A. Oddometer: 361	found this vid review by someone. looks like a very similar scoot. have a looksy :)

03-06-2011, 06:32 PM	#12
btcn Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2010 Location: Morgan Hill CA Oddometer: 2,835	Oh, another potential issue I just though of on those. I notice it has the FAKE ABS, as he showed in the video. I don't know how bad the case is with this scooter, he didn't seem to mind it. But I will tell you, it sucks. If it is a bad case, you will likely need to take the restricter off. It may require some drilling and fitting to get the brake line to fit without it though. What it is is that little brass colored tubish thing that the brake line goes into. This restricts brake fluid, which means less power. It does not just release a slight amount of pressor to the wheel to prevent it from completely locking up, it just takes away braking power under hard braking! The Review was ok. He makes some good points, but I don't believe that its anywhere nearly as reliable as a Honda or other quality scoot. Not nearly. I'd tell him to put some real miles on that scoot and then report back to us. I'll believe it if I see him put 30,000 miles with only basic maintenance and few troubles on. But who knows? Some guys have with these chinese scooters, and some just end up with a money pit.

03-06-2011, 07:18 PM	#13
SPOFF Adventurer Joined: Dec 2010 Oddometer: 97	On the other hand, if gas reaches $5 a gallon and the scooter can go 4 or 5 tankfuls before it explodes, it paid for itself.

03-06-2011, 11:44 PM	#14
fullmetalscooter Let me take this duck off Joined: Apr 2009 Location: BC Oddometer: 2,025	it's like any bike from 30 years ago. You go over every time you ride. Nice if it keep on keeping on but I would go over it from the bolts on up. __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body,but rather to skid in sideways totally worn out shouting WHAT A RUSH, WHAT A RIDE. Got to go places to be, people to kill and far to many woman.

03-07-2011, 12:07 AM	#15
grizz Studly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2004 Location: Rochester, KENT, UK. Oddometer: 895	Loos good so far. I guess there is a bit of luck of the draw in these scooters. Other than that, just keep an eye and hand on it. Hope you stay a happy customer. __________________ *** 2006 BMW R1200GS * * 2006 Sachs MADASS 50cc * * 19?? BSA Bantam D7 FREE Bike Resto * ********************************************** *********** "If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem" ********************************************** *************

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