With fuel prices on the rise and with no visible sign of relief in the near future, many consumers have looked to more affordable means of travel. Whether you are young or old, male or female, getting 80+ miles per gallon spells great financial relief for most individuals.
I personally travel close to 60 miles a day on my new 50cc scooter And found I had much more spending money left at the end of the week for family activities such as that new movie in the theater our family has been itching to see, a new swing set, clothes, etc. I am making a less impact on the environment with my choice of making the scooter my main mode of transportation as well.
The old adage “you get what you pay for” rings true especially when it comes to a new scooter purchase. Many of the name brand scooter manufacturer’s such as Honda and others make a far superior product as far as workmanship, quality, and reliability however in the economic climate today, many cannot afford to pay as much as $2,800 for a name brand 50cc scooter.
There are many different companies in China that are mass producing cheap affordable scooters at a fraction of the cost of many well known Japanese/Italian Moped/Scooter brands. There are some trade-offs and there are some guidelines and tips to remember and apply before you buy or ride for the first time.
1. Always try to find a brick and mortar dealer within your area, You may find better deals on-line but your best bet is to find someone close that stands behind and services the products they sell and offer you support in case of a problem. Most of the scooters sold on-line from drop shipped sources have little or no support and can often be missing parts on arrival.
2. Quality control can often be inconsistent with these bargain scooter so it is very important to go through the scooter, tightening any loose bolts or fasteners, check the gas tank for any debris and clean any out before filling with gas. Some of these scooters do not come with a fuel filter installed. You can pick up an in-line lawn and garden fuel filter for a couple of bucks at your local auto parts or department store, A very wise investment to increase the life of your engine. Make sure your engine is filled with oil, CVT is full of gear lube, tires are of proper air pressure and all lights and indicators are functioning correctly.
3. There are many schools of thought when it comes to breaking in the engine. My preferred method is to “ride it like you stole it” for the first 50 miles and then 150 miles, change the oil with a conventional motor oil to clear out any metal shavings that can harm your engine that were produced from the break-in. I suggest switching to a quality synthetic such as royal purple to increase performance and extend the life of the motor. One thing that is agreed upon by most during the break-in process is to always vary your engine speed and not to ride at wide open throttle for any lengthy amount of time.
4. Always ease into the throttle from a stop and never rev your engine excessively as it can wear your belt and clutch components prematurely.
5. Don’t be intimidated to work on your scooter, there are many step by step guides on the net when it comes to repair and most of the Chinese made scooters regardless of manufacturer, share alot of common parts between them with only slight differences in body styling.
Just Remember, if you put a little care and common sense into your new scooter investment, You can get upwards of 8,000 miles out of it before a rebuild is warranted!
