Approximately 22 hours ...

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
07/08/2019 at 10:34 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good

That’s how long there were only two scooters in my garage. After selling that !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Saturday afternoon, I of course went back to my continual Craigslist/FB Marketplace search for more 2-wheeled motorized conveyances. On Saturday this 2005 Kymco ZX50 was listed at $180, and I thought, “Hmmmm ... maybe.” Well, Sunday it dropped to $120, so I showed the ad to my wife. To my surprise, I got the green light!

The ad claimed it would start with a jump and starter fluid. I brought cables and a can of ether to confirm that. It did, and a C-note took it home. It’s beat up pretty badly, has no title, was last registered in 2013, and has a tank full of varnish. I reckon with a clean fuel system, a new battery, and some creative reassembly I can get this 2-stroke 50 back on the road.

I think the reason my wife let me do this, is because on Friday we were hanging out with some friends, and discovered they both have their motorcycle license but never actually bought any kind of bike. We all want to go scooting together. I didn’t pitch this purchase as a flip. I pitched it as something we can lend to friends so they can ride with us, and if they drop it no fucks will be given.

I played with it a little last night. I hooked up a charged but marginal battery I took out of service from my Zuma, just to see if the electrical worked. The turn signals and brake lights all work, but I get no headlights or taillight. I had a heck of a time finding the headlight switch, and curiously I found it between the starter button and the kill switch.

That’s when I learned that Canadian models do their headlight switch differently. Yep, somehow this little 50 made it’s way all the way to Chicago from Canukistan. According to the license plate frame, with a stop in Ithica, NY.

The kilometers make it faster!

Anyways, the switch didn’t change anything, still no head or tail lights. I need to figure out where they’re hiding the fuses on this thing. Hey Rallydarkstrike, do you have a manual for this thing by any chance?

Oh, for S&Gs, I hit the starter button. It fired up instantly, presumably on whatever starter fluid was left over. She wants to live!

I gotta say, while it’s been over a year since I bought a vehicle, I really thought I was going to go calendar year 2019 without buying one. The sickness, it is real.

DISCUSSION (30)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 10:54

Awesome!!! Good luck with sorting it out - here’s the manual you need I believe, and the User Manual is there too if the owner never gave you one wi th it!

They came from an Italian site, meaning the titles of the files are all in Italian, but the files themselves are in English, so don’t worry, haha!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PzJxhUI0B06efwTF5w1rrwhUNplFpo2S

i86hotdogs > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 10:58

I’ve been trying to find a scoot in that price range all summer. Nobody wants their “needs a battery and fresh fuel; no title” scooter for less than $500 around here.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
07/08/2019 at 11:01

Thanks dude! You never cease to amaze me. You’ve yet to not have a manual I needed :)

Also, this has popped up. In the text he says he would take $500. I think my wife might kill me though ...

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/d/chicago-2012-yamaha-zuma-125/6927525376.html

shop-teacher > i86hotdogs
07/08/2019 at 11:05

What area are you in? I apologize if I’ve asked that before, I’m bad at retaining stuff like that.

Captain of the Enterprise > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 11:43

I’d love to get into one for that price. My buddy just got a used ruckus for $1250 but I don’t have the budget for anything near that price.

shop-teacher > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 11:44

Ruckuses are really cool, buy way over priced for what they are.

i86hotdogs > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 12:54

All good, I’m southwest of Cleveland. 5 minutes from the airport. I usually look around here and Detroit. Detroit’s scooter scene is pretty big.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 13:03

No problem! I don’t have my bike license or a scoot yet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t collect info on ‘em! :P

That Zuma link sends me to nowhere by the way....so I’m assuming you’ve bought it already! ;)

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
07/08/2019 at 14:49

You need to get that license already!

No, someone else beat me to it, but that’s ok. It was a slightly wrecked, but easily fixable Zum a 125.

shop-teacher > i86hotdogs
07/08/2019 at 14:54

The guy who bought my Helix drove all the way from Detroit. The last scooter I sold, an Elite 80, the buyer also came from Michigan. So I asked the Helix buyer about it. He said, “There are no deals to be had in Detroit. Everyone thinks their garbage is made of gold.”

Mercedes Streeter > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 16:27

Yeaaa buddy! :D I need to get a scooter again and go scooting with you! Or heck, just bring over my U7E!

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
07/08/2019 at 17:36

Bring the U7E! I wanna try it!

Captain of the Enterprise > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 19:09

I’m in Southeast Michigan and I can’t find anything below $500-600 on craigslist. I’m also not sure about brands. I’d be able to repair one but just don’t know what I’m doing with finding and buying one on the cheap.

shop-teacher > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 19:41

Just stay away from the Chinese crap. The Japanese have the best scoots for a reasonable price. The Taiwanese scooters (Kymco and Genuine) are pretty good too.

Captain of the Enterprise > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 20:14

Thank you!

shop-teacher > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 20:21

No problem! Always happy to help others get on scooters. Feel free to hit me with any questions you may think of.

Oh, never buy an Italian scooter (Vespa/Piaggio) without a key. If the key gets lost in those, you have to buy a whole new ignition switch for like $400.

Captain of the Enterprise > shop-teacher
07/08/2019 at 20:45

Good to know! I’ll hit you up if I have any questions!

i86hotdogs > shop-teacher
07/09/2019 at 07:03

Yup, couldn’t have said it better myself

Chuckles > shop-teacher
07/11/2019 at 11:58

What's your general opinion of Kymco? I've seen a number of their scooters for sale while I've mostly been looking at brands I'm familiar with (Honda, Yamaha, Vespa). Are they decent quality scooters?

shop-teacher > Chuckles
07/11/2019 at 22:58

Kymcos are decent. My first scooter was a Kymco Super8 150. Overall, it was a great scooter. One thing I did learn as I owned it, is when you do need parts, they tend to be harder to find and more expensive than something for a Honda or a Yamaha. The Super 8 had a design flaw in the exhaust that caused it to crack under it’s own weight over time, and nobody makes a cheap aftermarket exhaust for it. The only two options were a stock exhaust for like $275, or a fawn-say carbon fiber exhaust for like $400 . I’ve yet to need to buy Vespa parts, so I can’t compare there. I think they’re a very good value overall . They are WAY better than the Chinese crap.

Chuckles > shop-teacher
07/11/2019 at 23:04

My local CL has a few like this, and it’s tempting to get something relatively new for under 2 grand and it isn’t a 50cc. I was mostly sticking to brands I was familiar with. I've owned plenty of Honda cars, and I trust Yamaha too.

https://poconos.craigslist.org/mcy/d/lakeville-2015-kymco-agility-125/6924963457.html

https://reading.craigslist.org/mcy/d/geigertown-2015-kymco-125-cc-scooter/6918395542.html

shop-teacher > Chuckles
07/12/2019 at 00:12

Those are pretty good scooters. Around here you can pretty regularly find them for under a grand, but the $1200 is a decent price. I saw one last week for $550, which of course got snapped up quickly. . Are they as good as a Honda or a Yamaha? No, not quite, but they’re close.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2202903299788713/

Chuckles > shop-teacher
07/12/2019 at 00:28

Thanks for putting up with my random questions. I'm trying to consider a lot of different options and not just fixate on one thing, because these scooters will sell before I get to them.

shop-teacher > Chuckles
07/12/2019 at 00:56

I love talking scooters, so by all means keep firing away if you have any more questions.

Chuckles > shop-teacher
07/12/2019 at 01:13

Oh I can always ask more questions. You like your Zuma 125, but how about a Vino 125? They seem to be a bit cheaper.

I'm still not completely ruling out a 50cc scooter at this point, because I don't mind going slow at first and then selling it for something bigger in a year or two. Any thoughts on the Yamaha C3?

shop-teacher > Chuckles
07/12/2019 at 09:20

I actually learned to ride on a Vino 125, and I really liked it. The only thing that kept me from buying one as my first scooter, was I wanted a 150cc scooter so I could get my full M-class license on it. The Vino has a different 125cc engine than the Zuma. It’s carbura ted instead of fuel injected and makes a little bit less power . Which isn’t to say it’s not good , because it is. I met a guy last year who is a sales guy at the local Indian d ealership, who is also a big guy, who modified his Vino 125 with an intake, exhaust, and a more aggressive clutch. He claimed it would do 63mph with him on it.

I don’t know much about the C3. I think they’re ugly, so I’ve always overlooked them. Motor Scooter Guide is a great resource to find out about diff erent scooter models.

Chuckles > shop-teacher
07/12/2019 at 09:27

Thanks. I actually stumbled on that site yesterday and did a lot of reading.

One thing I'd like to do is to get a little seat time in a 50cc just to get a feel for it. There's a place in Delaware at the beach I go to (Rehoboth) that rents scooters by the hour. I'm planning on going down there and trying one out. I'm sure that it'll be a very cheap, unimpressive scooter, but it might help me decide if I can live with a 50cc or if I need something bigger. Besides, this will just be my first scooter. I can always upgrade later.

shop-teacher > Chuckles
07/12/2019 at 09:31

That’s a good idea. If you decide to get a 50, I’d recommend getting one that’s a 2-stroke. You’ll want that extra bit of punch.

Chuckles > shop-teacher
07/12/2019 at 09:38

The downside to the beach rental is that there aren't any hills around, it's all flat. I'm also concerned that they have a weight limit and they won't rent one to me. But it's worth trying.

shop-teacher > Chuckles
07/12/2019 at 09:52

I’m sure they’ll be happy to take your money.