LOOK! MA..... I'm learning a new language!

[Reveeen]

The language I'm learning is used Chinese scooter speak:

1) The plastics are a little loose and need a few screws.

(every plastic panel is smashed, or missing the locking tabs, and are fit for nothing, maybe you can fix it with a 5 gallon pail of epoxy glue, and a roll of duct tape)

2) It doesn't run right now, if I put some gas down the carb, it will start right up.

(half the carb screws are stripped, the linkage is bent beyond repair, and the intake manifold got broken when I lost my temper)

3) My buddy had it for a while but he couldn't fix it.

(While my buddy had it the battery got low, so he reverse boosted it with his truck, letting the "magic Chinese smoke" out of the stator, voltage regulator, and CDI unit)

4) You will have to adjust the side stand, somehow it seems like it is too long...... they are all like that.

(The frame is broken)


I'll bet you will never guess what I am up to?

[katoranger]

Very good translation.

[Reveeen]

Sorry about that.....I had need to vent.

Actually it's coming right along. Ordered some parts from Scrappydog (a stator) I pretty well have everything else..... you know it's cheaper to ship from Vegas to here, than from Vancouver.

[Weldangrind]

That prompts another rant. I'd fly to the Maritimes if it wasn't so bloody expensive.

Got pics of your new project?

[Reveeen]

I'd fly to the Maritimes if it wasn't so bloody expensive.

Expense, or no, I'm not flying anywhere.

I'm tired of being insulted, being treated like I'm crazy, and fooled with, by folks that appear to me like they are "the ones" a terrorist "haunt" should be grabbing.

Though I may be "big", have a medium to long beard, wear jeans, and boots, I was born in this country, as were my parents. I am your "typical" Canadian who has a destination, and have no intention of messing with anybody, or anything.... I have paid the price of admission and just want to be on my way. If I was going to mess with someone I would not wait until I was 20,000-30,000 feet in the air, sitting in a metal cylinder with the glide coefficient of a brick, to do so. I'm an up-front guy, you mess with me now, we settle it now, not later. I simply wish to be left alone, not poked, prodded, or treated like a second class citizen, by folks who have difficulty speaking the "Queen's English", and appear to have just gotten off a boat. The only thing I am "hiding" in my boot is my foot, and yes, I have 2 of them.

Yes.... there are times I have to fly somewhere, but most times, if I can't drive there, I'm not too interested in going.

[Reveeen]

Got pics of your new project?

There really isn't anything to document, I'm just trying to get the thing operational (as in running) and then we will see where it goes from there.

The only thing I have to say, so far, I've said it.... here goes again. When you need parts... shop around..... so far: stator $30 (it's an oddball), belt $15 (729:17.5:30), special exhaust nuts $2, shipping $10.

If what I am looking at is typical material/build quality from Benzhou/Saga I could not recommend a purchase at the current price point. Maybe the other Chinese scooters are different, but I *suspect* not. Poor quality steel in the frames, gussets missing where they should be, poor quality welding, and finish. Those low prices we see on the Internet, from the US, are closer to the real value I am seeing here. I'm sure the argument can be made that this is "the pound of flesh" Transport Canada is extracting from Canadians, but you know, everyone is paying it, the Japanese too.......

Scooters get abused.... especially the 50cc ones (they are the current moped). A well abused Yamaha scooter from 1997 is a better buy than a Benzhou from 2007 (both "as is" at about the same price). And when operational I consider the Yamaha to be worth more.

Something went on @ Saga, I have no idea what, Brad is no longer the local rep, and my parts guy is gone.

[Weldangrind]

Interesting.

Things are alive and well at Saga in Langley, and business seems to be hopping.

[Reveeen]

That may be so.

What I'm seeing here is: both the local Yamaha, and local Honda dealer, are blowing out NOS scooters, 2008/2009/2010 for less than current Chinese pricing.

Saga, Chironex, SYM, PGO, Peugeot, and Sachs are all present here.

Unusually, parts from Scrappydog arrived in 8 days, vs the 10 working days UPS needs for ground from BC.

[Reveeen]

Ok so the thing runs, not bad either, starts real easy. I will try to get pics up of messed up stuff (though why anybody wants to see a picture of a bad stator, a bad carb, and a cracked intake, is beyond me).

The 150cc carb and intake are working out real good. The EGR system was in the way of changing the spark plug, so after plugging the head, it all now has taken up residence @ the land fill.

I will try to get pics of how the engine looks now, and some broken body bits.

I have some wiring troubles that have me scratching my head, and the $3 switches seem to have been wet a few times, and are behaving erratically.

[Reveeen]

Pics are coming, between the rain, and work, nothing much is happening.

BOTH brake light switches packed in? I don't get it.......... I have a front master here somewhere with a brake light switch, anyway next order from Scrappydog (Saga does not list separate) I better get 2 of each. And the horn, the physical horn unit is fubared.

Unrelated to the brake light "problem", the pigtail in the tail light housing was 120 degrees out (putting the brake light on as the running light)?

I'm hoping this is going to end soon (the sheer quantity of messed up stuff).

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Reveeen

...What I'm seeing here is: both the local Yamaha, and local Honda dealer, are blowing out NOS scooters, 2008/2009/2010 for less than current Chinese pricing...

Egads! 8O Is the economy that bad? Is the Japanese price markup that high? Is the Chinese price markup that high? I agree; the build quality is much higher on the Japanese products. Why buy a Chinese scooter when you can get a Japanese scooter at a comparable price.

Spud

[Reveeen]

Spud: these are Canadian prices..... there are no $750-800 scooters here.

The numbers here are usually:
a 50cc Saga (or Broation) $1999 (or there abouts), Tiawan scooters a little higher ($2300), the Honda/Yamaha 50's are around $2600 (usually).

It would seem Honda/Yamaha are sitting on a bunch of NOS scooters (either in their warehouse, or at other dealers (on the "flooring plan"?). The local Honda/Yamaha dealers are dragging them in to sell at prices less than is being asked for Chinese (and still make a profit). The profit must be big, because other than warranty work, I can't see many scooters making it back to the dealer for $95hr retail repair (though there must be some residual parts business).

[katoranger]

I see new 50cc scoots for $549 in Athens, GA all the time. (College Campus).

I think my $300 elite was a much better purchase though.

[Reveeen]

The government here (Canada) puts the importers through about 1/2 a ton of BS any time they want to bring anything in. The fees and the BS is the same for cars/big trucks, as motorcycles/scooters.

Where a Chinese manufacturer can get "blanket entry" for a specified (and tested once) model in the US, here it falls to each and every importer to work on his end to pay for testing to certify each and every model.

Saga sells a Benzhou YY50T as their 50cc Deluxe. If I was to import the same model I would have to jump through the hoops replicating all that has already been done (by Saga) to gain entry for that scooter (emissions and safety testing). Then there is a per unit fee, same fee you would pay if it was a car, or truck. Then a per unit fund has to be set aside (in trust) for any possible re-calls. It is not a task undertaken lightly, or cheaply, here.

[Weldangrind]

Man, I didn't know about the trust fund. What a load. :roll: There's no way I'd entertain importing such things after learning that information.