04-01-2019, 01:12 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 45
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Hello from NE Florida
I have 2 Taotao Hellcats on order. I've owned a few Chinese imports so I have reasonable expectations regarding quality and build. Hopefully they've improved somewhat over the last 10 years or so.
These machines will see light use around the neighborhood by my adultkids when they visit, my wife, and me. My primary concern is safety and reliability. Been reading about some weak points (engine bolts, chain, axles, etc.). If someone can lend some advice or direct me to some threads that discuss these or other recommendations, I would greatly appreciate it. Also I live close to the beach, so anything on weak points for rust and pitting would be helpful. They will be garage kept. I will run these on ethanol free fuel. Bad experiences with ethanol in small engines. Looking forward to getting these on the road. Thanks. |
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04-01-2019, 01:50 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Houma, La.
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Welcome aboard! Glad you could join us.
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04-05-2019, 06:54 PM | #3 | |
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Central Connecticut, USA. Zombie Free Zone
Posts: 157
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Quote:
As for tips on these...I personally have only had experience with a couple tao taos--a 150cc and a 50cc with many other scooter brand parts cobbled onto one of them including a different brand engine...I found on them ONE weak pointwas welds that took stress near the swingarm and also was stressed when putting it up on the kickstand started breaking when the frame was about 6-10 years old(hard to remember exactly how old sinc ethat bike was made up of like 5 different brands/years!!) SO I guess ONE way to combat the rust and all that before it happens is strip your bike down and clean it then put sown several layers of primer and sealer then acouple coats of the color you want then a topcoat sealer/clearcoat or 3 and you should be set from rust for quite awhile IF you dont damage the paint, i.e. scraping it, dropping the bike, rocks getting kicked up from traffic hitting the paint. Then repeat that process of painting once a decade and you MIGHT have it last close to as long as a Honda frame. I wish I knew what specific brands of paint to use. I have also heard powdercoating works miracles for weatherproofing and someone just got their CT70 done by a pro for around a couple j=hundred bucks or less. A lot of smaller shops are making their own powdercoating closets because I guess it isn't all that hard if you're in the vehicle business and yields great rewards so maybe you can find someone to help you for a hundred as a favor or more likely upwards of $150 to powdercoat the frame and fenders.--Then you could possibly last deacdes with proper care and occasional painting. Other than different types of cleaning periodically like sandblasting or otherwise getting rid of any dirt or rust that has accumulated before recoating with paints at least once every 10 years I would also keep an eye out for any weak spots that look to be under high stress or just look at all the welds in general and look out for early signs of cracks so that maybe you can catch something like your swingarm breaking off BEFORE it happens on the road doing 50mph!! Also personally I try not to ride in the rain because it does a number on many bikes metals and electric/electronic systems not to mention I don't care for riding in anything more than a light sprinkle as we all know even mild rain can become blinding when driving at speed, especially without eye protection! Good luck though, it must be pretty hard on the bikes around the salt and sands around the ocean. The only thing I can think of as worse other than adding rain to salty air/salty humidity is if you also lived where it snows and ride thru that. I live in new england and I didn't really take the bike out in snow as a rule but I'm sure it did see a couple dustings of snow plus the lingering salty chemicals they use to melt the snow up here which really does a great job at rotting not only bike frames but many car frames wayyyy before their time1 |
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04-05-2019, 07:47 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Holiday, Florida
Posts: 672
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Greetings!
Welcome to the forum!
The nice thing about the Hellcat is that it is based on the Honda Grom. The chain and sprockets would be one of the first things I would replace. The salt air will eat up cheap metal parts. I would pay attention to the swing arm. You can find people selling factory Grom swing arms or buy an aluminum one. Other than that, keep the bikes washed and lubed. Where did you purchase your Hellcats from? Enjoy the Ride!
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Dan-O -2018 Tao Tao HellCat - DOA -2016 Hawk 250 - Kitty Hawk - eBay exhaust, Mikuni carb(120 main/30 Pilot), airbox mod with K&N filter, digital cluster, total LEDs, 17/45 sprockets, RK chain, Shinko 244 tires, trunk, aftermarket levers, burrito tube, skid plate, Sargent Cycle Seat... -2003 HD Sportster 100th Anniversary -1999 Buell X-1 Lightning - Race kit, Buell Seat |
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04-05-2019, 09:31 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 45
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I purchased them from familygokarts.com and took delivery yesterday. $2200 + delivered for both.
They arrived yesterday in good condition and I spend the majority of today on assembly and some tweaking. Both went together well. I think generally the build quality is pretty good for the money. Issues thus far are both have the defective speedo which doesn't set to miles/hr and one isn't making a spark at the plug. I have inquires into familygokarts for MSO and the issues above. I see a poster on this forum is not very pleased with them, but so far I have to say they did good job getting the bikes to me quickly and keeping me informed of status. I hope it continues. I knew what I was getting into buying these. Being 1/3rd the price of a Grom I expect some hiccups and really don't mind the tinkering. Thanks for the input. I'll post status as it changes. |
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04-06-2019, 05:06 PM | #6 |
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 45
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Spark issue was a pin not complete seated in a connector. I guess I go over all of them.
Also found fuel line coming from tank was pinched at the tank outlet restricting flow. It has to do a 180 degree turn in a tight area. |
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04-07-2019, 07:24 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Twin Cities MN
Posts: 525
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Welcome!
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