Thanks for the encouragement.

Today I put fresh gas in it (gauge works, yay! and took it out for a backroad run of a few miles. Some smooth oiltop, some rougher oiltop, some dirt, some gravel. The gravel wasn't much fun.

It was a good ride. The odometer worked. When I was trundling around slowly the revs dropped down to around 2500. Under max load it it was 4500-5000. I liked the CVT's adjustments and may just leave it there.

I got it up to an indicated 55mph. The variator must have been topped out because rpm finally climbed to 6000 at that top speed. I could get a little more in that straight but just after 55mph the chassis started to feel unsettled/squirrelly so I backed down. It could have been the uneven road surface but I didn't want to go any faster.

The tires on this thing are kind of a sporty low-profile look. It makes for odd inputs on cambered surfaces. When I replace them I might go for a more traditional round tire profile. I had a similar issue on my street bike; the OEM rear had a shape that made the bike want to "fall in" on cambers/turns. When I replaced the rear with Conti Motions that tendency went away completely.

Working on headlights tomorrow.

55mph is impressive. It sounds like you have it dialed right in.

Two setbacks
 

Two setbacks in this little adventure that have pushed my inspection/registration back another week.

Headlights

This machine uses HS1 35/35w bulbs but the more-common H4 bulbs are backwards compatible if they are 35/35w. I couldn't find any HS1 or any low-wattage H4 at auto parts stores or Wally World. They are available online from Amazon and elsewhere but won't arrive until tomorrow when my 4x10 workweek has started again.

I hadn't ordered them before because I didn't know if the bulbs were blown or if it was something else (switch? wiring?). I took the front cowl off yesterday and tested the power to the bulbs; good, and not overvolted. I pulled the bulbs and the filaments were broken.

While I was in there I checked the existing rectifier/regulator against a new spare I bought. Both gave the same output at idle and when revved so I think the OEM is still good. I left it in place.


Keys

I had tried calling around to check for the HS1/H4 bulbs but had more faith in my own eyeballs looking at the shelves. So I went on a little errand trip to a couple of nearby towns.

At some point in that trip I lost the scooter key. :-( I think I had it loose in my pocket and it got tangled up with something I pulled out. I ordered a replacement lockset ($25) and they are supposed to be easy to install but it's still frustrating.

any updates?

The headlight bulbs and lockset came in yesterday but my next day off isn't until Tuesday. :-(

Update, and first problem
 

My day off came and I got the new locks in. Unfortunately I ordered the wrong kind. >:(
I matched up pics of the current one to one on eBay and the correct one is on the way now.

Today I thought what if I I disassembled the current useless ignition lock so I could manually turn the switch? That works. I got the scooter started and the headlights work great.

I doublechecked all the required stuff and headed down to the insurance office to pick up the papers. It was going to be close but I could make it to the nearest bike inspector about 10mi away, then to the licensing office.

The bike was really running great. I loped along on the back country roads at about 45mph since they were a little rough. I managed to get the chicken strips down to about 2cm in some of those curves. :yay:

About 7mi out I was bopping along when the engine died. I checked my rearviews, checked the kill switch, and found a place to coast off the roadway. Cranked but didn't even try to run. I suspected the CDI died or maybe some wiring popped loose.

I called my Dad who lives in the town I was riding to; we threw it in the back of his truck and brought it back to my house.

I tried a spare CDI. Nope.
I tried a spare spark plug wire. Nope.
I pulled the plug and looked at it; good.
While I had the plug out grounded on the block and cranked; no spark at all.

I spent about an hour with the multimeter and YT videos. Worked my way back to the stator outputs. Checked the wire taking ignition power from the stator to the CDI and it had less than 1v when cranking. If I understand correctly that should be considerably higher.

Of course I don't know what kind of stator is in it until I see it, and I don't have a puller. There are two barrel connectors and one 3-wire connector. The only ones I have seen with those connectors have been 6-pole stators which I understand are more common on 50cc scoots. Hmmm. They look like this (screenshot from a YT vid):

http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...psja30d16e.jpg


I could Amazon Prime a puller and 6-pole stator with the connectors as shown but I don't know if the stator would be right. I'm googling my brains out but can't reassure myself what stator comes on a TaoTao Evo/ATM150.

There are a couple of brick-and-mortar chinese bike shops in the nearest big cities (Dallas, mainly). I think I will call them tomorrow and see if they have a puller and 6-pole in stock. If no one has them I'll mail order the parts in and punt until next Tuesday. <sigh>

At least I got a short jaunt on her today. Light at the end of the tunnel and all that.

A pic from the stranding...

http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...pskcrcjsjl.jpg

https://img.alicdn.com/imgextra/i4/3...-389662530.jpg
GY6 family had "half/ full" http://mastercircuits.blogspot.com/2...full-wave.html ... "twin" or no source (needs DC-CDI) ... 6/8/11... http://www.chinariders.net/images/ic...gag-green2.gif

Ref to datas of these [光阳 Kymco 豪迈125 (REAL gy6) | 三阳 SYM Duke125 | 本田 Honda CHA125 (engine family: JF04) ] early 2-valve air-cooled scooter will solve chinese headacne...
http://s9.postimg.cc/m82bobsaz/image.gifhttp://s9.postimg.cc/h6uxmykuj/image.gifhttp://s9.postimg.cc/ylf5v8hzf/image.gif
===
In modern Honda manual
Source >=100v (40+ is enough to see spark, these often failed. DC-CDI is a quick fix) | P.c >=0.7v (trigger is RARE to fail)

It is somewhat awkward, but you can count the number of stator poles through one of the fan mounting bolt holes as you rotate the flywheel and use a flashlight for a backlight.

If just the trigger pickup coil is deficient . . resource.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9-mr7BXIho

Thanks, I had forgotten about full/half wave.

After reading the reminder about trigger voltage I went back to make sure I wasn't confusing my trigger and power voltage readings. Nope, it really was the power to the CDI that was <1v.

I ordered the puller from Amazon and it will be here on the 19th.

I made some progress on identifying the stator. Taotao.us points to Eagle ATV for parts. Eagle lists this 8 pole stator for the Evo 150 and most other Taotao 150s. It does have the correct 3-pin connector + two barrel connectors like mine.

I just tried but don't have enough practical experience to know what I am seeing. I can see copper sometimes but not well enough to count.


I think the pickup is ok because a because a <1v signal comes through on that lead. I am beginning to suspect when I get the stator out I will see physical damage, like a wire or winding popped loose and shorting to something it shouldn't.

Might try counting the number of spaces between the poles where the backlight shines the brightest through the bolt hole . . 8 spaces = 8 poles.

It's normal cuz we aren't voyeur yet
---
What's a GY6 http://www.microsofttranslator.com/b...5%26sn%3D28112
Source fail = http://fanyi.baidu.com/transpage?que...en&render=1###
Re-wound experiment: http://fanyi.baidu.com/transpage?que...e=url&render=1

Got in the flywheel puller (note to newbs, they are reverse threaded) and popped it off. The stator identification mysteries are revealed:


http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...psyvwhk9ok.jpg

8 pole, 5 wires (2 loose + 3 in a 3-wire connector). The 3 are in a 3-wire connector (see pic in earlier post) rather than the more common 3 wires in a 2x2 connector with one left empty.

I ordered the stator and should have it in by next weekend.