FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
An alternative is to sign up for an accredited riding class, such as those organized by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. There is typically a fee charged to take the course. Small displacement motorcycles are usually provided, but many riding courses are adding scooters to their fleets. It may also be possible to get permission to use your own scooter. You will need to bring your own helmet, gloves, long sleeve shirt, long pants and over-the-ankle boots. There is usually a classroom session filled with valuable information on riding safely and skillfully in a wide variety of situations and weather conditions. The next classroom session is short followed by several hours of riding drills. The drills are conducted on cone courses at low speeds in a parking lot sectioned off from car traffic. The class concludes with a riding test. If you pass, you are awarded a certificate which in most states qualifies you for a motorcycle license without taking the DMV riding test. As an added bonus, many insurance carriers offer discounted rates for completing a safety course. In Florida you must complete a Safety Course given by MSF in order to obtain a motorcycle endorsement on your license.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a general description. You must check with your state licensing agency for laws that apply to you.
In general, consumable parts such as brake pads, cables, tires, bulbs, belts, etc. are not covered by warranties. The scooter battery is usually covered for one month after purchase. Most non-consumable components such as the piston, the forks, the frame, etc. are covered for the entire length of the warranty period, which varies among manufacturers and will be defined in your particular scooters warranty certificate. What do we mean when we say “covered”? We mean if the failure occurred under normal riding conditions and your scooter has been regularly serviced and properly maintained and stored.
Lets us perform the 500 mile first service. This is the most important service in the life of the scooter and is requireand goes way beyond an oil change. The valve clearances are inspected, the cables are adjusted, the brakes are tested, bolts are tightened, the carburetor is tweaked, and so forth. After that, if you choose to perform some or all of the maintenance, please make sure to purchase a shop manual, all special tools, a torque wrench, etc from us so we can be certain you have the correct items. Then make sure to closely follow the recommended maintenance schedule, read the instructions before you even think about picking up a wrench, and take your time. If you do all that, chances are you’ll be ok. But if you do something wrong and your motor starts sounding like a 4th of July fireworks display… it pays to keep our phone number handy. Don’t forget to bookmark our website for easy directions, business hours or to contact us by phone or email.
For example, a 100 pound woman who cruises at 45mph on rural Iowa backroads will get better mileage than a 250 pound guy who battles rush hour traffic in San Francisco.
That said, we see riders of all shapes and sizes riding in all sorts of different places getting an HONEST 80+ miles per gallon on a Buddy 125. Some Buddy 125 riders have achieved over 100mpg! Figure that a 50cc model will get 5-10 mpg higher than that. Figure a 150cc model will get 1-3 mpg lower.
People also have found that their fuel economy goes up because they are traveling at slightly slower speeds, and they are less likely to get tickets for speeding.
It’s a great way to learn in a relaxed setting, and decide if scootering is for you!
Your manual goes into specifics, but here’s a general overview:
The engine in your scooter was run and tested at the factory, but only briefly. So when you’re breaking in your scooter, the internal parts of your engine are essentially rubbing together for the first time. The friction points between the various components need time to wear down to a smooth surface.
Among your engine internals, the most important parts to consider are the piston rings. If you break in your engine correctly, you’ll create a nice tight fit between the piston rings and the cylinder wall. A tight fit is necessary to create a barrier that prevents oil from leaking into the combustion chamber. You need your oil to lubricate, not to burn!
The best way to break in a scooter is to do a lot of city riding, places where there are lots of stop signs and lots of stop-and-go traffic.
Why is that? As you accelerate your scooter, you’re putting a load on the engine. When a load is put on the engine, the piston rings are forced outward, pushing them hard against the cylinder wall. As this happens, a nice, squared off edge forms on the rings. A squared off edge helps the piston ring do its job of creating an oil barrier.
The worst way to break in a scooter is to cruise on a highway, especially if it’s at wide open throttle.
If you’re cruising at the same speed, you’re not putting enough load on the engine. As a result, the piston rings get a rounded edge, and will not be able to prevent oil from leaking into the combustion chamber. Your scooter will burn oil, it won’t run very well, and you won’t be very happy.
Once you’ve logged a few hundred miles, your scooter should be broken in. your manual says that you need a 500 mile first service. To be honest, 500 miles is the longest you’ll want to wait for this service.
Here’s why: All those engine parts rubbing together scrape off tiny shards of metal. These pieces float around in the oil, acting like sandpaper.
Replacing the oil filter and putting fresh oil in your engine therefore, is crucial to a long engine life.