The guys and gals over at Fly Scooters have put together a YouTube channel of videos they produced that detail the inner workings of scooters and how to perform general maintenance tasks. Even if you don’t own a Fly scooter the videos would still apply to just about every scoot out there.
6. August 2009 at 3:18 pm
I dunno… if the guy doesn't know that the PSI rating on the side of the tire ISN'T the recommended inflation value for the scooter, I have to wonder what else these guys might not know…
.
6. August 2009 at 10:00 pm
What a load of crap.
Fly Scooters require Honda oil because they use "modified" Honda engines?
They're already looking for ways to avoid warranties.
Puh-lease. It's they same turd bikes peddled by TNG and various other "Importers"/"manufactuers"
7. August 2009 at 4:52 am
Welll…. I actually have to give them a hand for this video. At least they took the initiative to release this sort of info to the masses. I think she did a pretty good job too!
If I had my way with it, the only thing I could recommend is suggestions on how tight to turn the bolts (without a torque wrench) and maybe using a hose to suck out the remaining gear oil.
I haven't spoken to Leon Li (President of Flyscooters) in a while. I'll have to give him a call and see what tricks they have up their sleeve for 2010.
Like it or not, there is always gonna be Chinese scooters in the USA and eventually one "brand" will prevail through the delicate balancing of price, quality and support. I've got about three "brands" that look like they could pull off the feat.
I don't feel that the prevailing "brand" will be a threat so much to the Japanese, Italians, Koreans or Taiwanese as it will to the future of the dirt cheep, fly-by-night Chinese shops.
7. August 2009 at 8:30 am
Like it or not, there is always gonna be Chinese scooters in the USA and eventually one "brand" will prevail through the delicate balancing of price, quality and support. I've got about three "brands" that look like they could pull off the feat.
Sure — as it should be, and I have no problem with that. Unfortunately, none of the Chinese brands have really started to *build* a brand, yet. They have so many factories making scooters with whatever name the importer asks be put on them, it's difficult to grasp where the low-quality rap should be laid… even worse, one manufacturer might make both low- and better-quality bikes (again, all with different "brand" names), so it's easier to just assume there's a good chance of getting exactly what you pay for with a Chinese bike.
But my point was that I just watched the PDI video, and noted that the guy advised inflating the tires to the value indicated on the sidewall, which ain't how it works. Now it's possible that the guy doing the video has never done a PDI in his life, and was reading off cue cards, but like I said…
.
7. August 2009 at 1:39 pm
"…there's a good chance of getting exactly what you pay for with a Chinese bike."
You bet. I've heard stories about dirt-floor assembly houses where the more infamous "brands" come from.
and I keep putting "brand" in quotes because of just what you pointed out. Anyone with a large enough pre-order and a company name can spec out a scooter from one of the major Chinese manufacturers and make a "brand" by sticking their name on any of the dozen body styles available.
That's what makes things so difficult for Chinese scooters. We could spec out two different scooters that look nearly identical at 10 paces, but with a manufacturing cost difference of $300. That $300 delta makes a HUGE difference from a fit & finish and reliability standpoint… but to the consumer looking at photos, they're exactly the same product.
Oh, and I watched that PDI video. You mean you don't fill yer tires all the way up?! Anything less than maximum is LESS! and EVERYBODY knows more is BETTER! ;P~
Thanks for the comments!
steve
Oh, and Fat Tony. Yeah, I've heard that line before and I've got a crew of guys in Botswana that can make make a NASA Space Shuttle solid rocket booster out of palm frawns and cow dung. I'm not going to use it to fly to the international space station.
I think I'd like to do an illustrative review someday… Take two scooters that look exactly alike, one from the lowest price mail order house and one of a higher priced mail order joint and show the differences with a close eye on rider safety.
I don't like unsupported scooters, but I really hate unsafe scooters (unless by unsafe you mean a stage 7 tuned Gilera Runner 180.) =)