If you are thinking of buying a Chinese scooter off the internet or Ebay there are a few things you should know before doing so. I have learned the hard way what to do and what not to do.

The first best advice is to buy only thru Ebay because they afford you protection from being ripped off from false advertising and con-men. Ebay will also help guide you through disputes and everyone ends up happy in the end.

In the past year I have bought at least ten scooters on the internet and it wasn't always smooth. Trust me when I say buy Ebay.  I'm still holding my hand on my butt on other deals in other places, YIKES!

Scooter skinny as I see it.  The Chinese product is a solid product. Their scooters are backed up by huge parts reserves in America.  If you are having trouble getting parts for your scooter then the guy you bought it from was a 'boiler-room' operation.  In fact most of the folks auctioning and selling scooters on the internet have never seen, smelled or touched the product they are selling.  They only sell from someone elses wharehouse and their office is on there kitchen table. I mean no disrespect for honest guys selling scooters in this manner, but you as a buyer should always call and talk to the seller before you commit to buy.  Or if you have the time email the seller and let him respond in writting to you.  That way he will be forced to be truthful.

Below are some quick tips when calling the seller:

If you hear the TV playing in the background, he ain't got no parts!  If you can hear his children screaming in the background, he ain't got no parts! If you hear his wife answering the doorbell, he ain't got no parts!  If he has to wait for MSO's, he ain't got no parts!  If he says he will ship it out in three days or more, he ain't got no parts! 

Lets face the facts.  If like me, the seller has the machine he is advertising in stock at his business, it only makes sense that he would ship it out the very next day.  Unless I'm missing something here, they call this doing business and the faster a seller can flip the machines and restock, then the faster he can turn a profit. Afterall ain't that what its all about?

More parts:  Most of the manufacturers have warranty toll free numbers to call.  However if the seller didn't give you the owners manual/assembly manual with the machine, then you will have to do some internet research to find out those details. That just seems to be the way things work with this market.

I first bought a Sunl 250-2 touring scooter a couple of years ago and after a few minutes of riding it the speedo cable broke. It didn't break because it was of poor quality, it broke because some guy didn't route it properly and the friction was so great on it that it snapped the end off.  The Sunl was warranteed for 6 mos. front to back, but when I called the dealer that I bought it from he said he would send me the part for free!  Here is the catch!  All he wanted was for me to pay the shipping and the handling.  The shipping charge was $15.00 and the shipping charge was $15.00 and then he wanted an additional $15.00 for pulling the part, SAY WHAT?  I told him to stuff it! And on the internet I found the Part from a Georgia scooter dealer who shipped it to me for a total charge of $17.69.  Now for the rest of the story.... The guy I bought the scooter from off Ebay (Cypress Auto Center) charged against my charge card for the free part:-)  I filed a dipute with Ebay and Ebay took care of this fraud and did not spare the horses.  Ebay send me a message that said that this seller could no longer sell on their site. (Again, see first best advise above!)

The Sunl 250-2 is still running perfectly today and I ride it daily for all my parts running and other errands. The Sunl or Tank style scooters are all the same. The only difference between all these clone machines are the name on the body.  You see, all the mechainics are the same, not similar, but almost exactly the same.  In the 250cc class of scooter there a two engine styles, the Linhia (yamaha style) or the Bando (Honda, Japan style) , both are great running engines and are built for long duration service life.  These are not throw away machines.  If the buyer maintains the machine as specified in the owners manual and uses good 20-50w oil, they last as long as any other machine. Both styles of 250cc engines are water cooled.  The small displacement engines are not.

The only drawback I have noticed with the Sunl and Tank style scooters is the rear wheel is just to damn small for a good ride.  They handle wonderful, but on long rides the hard and somewhat choppy ride wears my back out.  Okay! So I'm getting old. Oh! I forgot too mention that these Sunl 250-2 machine average 70 to 75 MPG and will cruise the highway at 65 MPH.

The best!  In my humble opinion:  This year (2008) there is a newly designed machine on the market and I liked it so much I immediately bought all I could find when they were available in the end of May. Again there are many exact clones of this style machine and I don't want to imply that one name is better then the rest because they are all exact copies of each other.  But for simplicity I will refer to this machine as the Roketa 54 series. I like this set-up so much I may just sell my Sunl 250 and ride one of these for myself.

Roketa series 54:  This machine is a really great clone of the Honda Helix, only it doesn't cost $6000.00+.  I think the MSRP is around $3800.00 and I know you can buy them cheaper on Ebay.  This machine is hot looking and hot running.  The front end design is aggresive and has great headlights, functional windscreen, nice working mirrors, great guages, very nicely laid out controls and even a FM/MP3 sound system.

The Roketa 54 series has 13'' wheels front and back, run flat tires and ABS disc brakes, front and rear. But wait!  It gets better! It is about four inches longer then the Tank clone and therfore it has gotten rid of that choppy ride that scooters are known for. It also has a more comfotable raised handlebar set-up and a better seat for those longer rides.  The top speed I am not sure of yet, but 75MPH and even 80MPH is not a problem. Okay, the radio works, but is very tin can sounding and picket fences when you get more then 20 miles away from a city. So pop in your own music and stop your complaining. 

If you decide to buy a scooter off the internet:

The scooters usually come partially assembled and arrive at your home on a truck, in a big crate.  Even if you get lift gate service from the seller you can have a real back breaking job getting this big box into you garage.  IMPORTANT... BEFORE YOU TAKE DELIVERY FROM THE TRUCK... Remove the cardboard around the crate and carefully inspect the create and the machine for damage.  If it has major shipping damage do not accept the delivery.  Send it back marking the 'Bill of Laden' with 'Refused Damaged'.  I do not care what the seller told you to do on his website. If it has major damage, like bent forks, damaged and broken body panels etc. do not take delivery.  Every seller will tell you that its insured and that the factory will replace any damaged parts.  Oh stop it!  They will not!  Once you have signed and taken the machine off the truck, it is now your problem. 

If the machine has minor scratches you can usually work out some adjustment with the seller. I usually find that it easier to contact the warranty deptartment of the manufacturers representative (USA scooter supplier/wharehouse it was shipped from) and they can usually fix you up. They will sometimes ask for pictures of the damage and will then send you the parts.

Delivery Day:  I've found the best way to take delivery from the truck is to back a pickup truck up to the back of the semi trailer and slide the crate about halfway into you pickup. Then have the truck driver control the crash of the crate as you slowly drive your pickup ahead a couple of feet.  Getting it off your truck is now the next problem.  When I'm alone trying to do this I use a chainfall which hangs from a center truss in my shop.  I use two nylon tow straps and snatch it up until it clears the pickup and then drive the truck outside and then lower the crate onto a dolly so I can move it around.  If you don't have this kind of setup then get a good strong fella to help you slide the crate out of the truck and onto the ground.  The big 250cc machine are around 400lbs with the crate and the 150cc and smaller are under 300lbs. not too bad.

Buy some good number two philips head screw drivers.  A standard 4'' and a longer one, maybe 8'' to 10''.  You are gonna need them. If you do not have a metric wrench set, then stop what you are doing and go and get a good quality wrench set and a 1/4'' drive metric socket set.  Without these you cannot put the thing together.

To assemble one of these machines I suggest you do some basic take apart first.  Open all the inspection covers on the machine and inspect visually all lines, fittings, hardware before you do anything else. If you ever intend to ride this thing this is a must. The machines are well designed and made, however the quality control is about as good as none!  Hose clamps, fuel lines, brake rotor bolts, axle nuts, hand controls, etc. are sometimes not installed correctly and if you don't check this stuff you can get hurt or wreck a new machine.  Check everything twice and then have your wife check it:-)

Case in point:  I unpacked a new 125cc Hi-Bird Cub motorcycle checked it over, fueled it up checked the oil, tire pressures, hit most of the bolts and hardware with a wrench to make sure it was ready to test.  Rolled it over a few seconds. it fire up, and away I went.  I broke it in slowly, burned in the rotors per. manufacturers specs. and took it out onto the highway.  At about 50MPH I heard and felt a shaking and dragging noise, which radpidly turned into, slidding and then a total lockup of the rearend. I slide the thing across the pavement and onto the grass shoulder and rode the skid out on the grass.  Pretty good for an old guy not to go down. I inspected the rear end and found that a rear disc brake rotor bolt had spun loose and wedged itself into the brake caliper.  These bolts were allen head cap screws and I was too lazy to get up from the shop floor and walk to the otherside of the shop to get the wrench to check those. I figured that they would be alright.  Guess I was wrong, Hey? 

I'm on hour 15 without any rest for the day...... Time for a cold one and some rest. If anyone needs any more free advice (thats all its worth) write me and I'll do my best to help you out. Maybe I need to ride a Roketa into the cool Mississippi night. Chow!

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Important information you should know about you new scooter.  As soon as you get your scooter unpacked and assembled you should/must drain the crankcase oil before starting. This is a must do if you want the scooter to last more then a few minutes. When you change the oil replace it with synthetic motorcycle oil.  I prefer Royal Purple 20w-50 synthetic racing oil.

Here is what I have learned about the oils that are placed in the machine at the factory. Many times the factory puts in any oil that they have on hand. Sometimes I have found milky oil that looks like coffee in the crankcase. Other times I have found the pickup screen covered with trash, gasket sealer, and paint chips.  Any of these materials will cut down or shut off the oil flow to the engine and within minutes you can have an engine failure.  I have learned to change it ASAP to avoid any problems.

It is also advised that the buyer drain and replace the coolant in the water cooled models. Usually 250cc and larger models are water cooled. When draining and refilling be sure that you have the right coolant for the engine.  DO NOT use automotive anti-freeze! Most automotive anti-freeze coolants will ruin the water jacket of the engine within hours.  With these anti-freeze coolants there is a chemical reaction that takes place as the coolant and engine get hot and almost instantly the reaction begins to eat away at the engine. Suddenly the engine will start to leak coolant from everywhere and then the engine will simply fail.

The proper coolant is a type that contains no silicone, silicate or salt.  The correct coolant can be bought at most auto parts stores if you know what you are looking for.  In most cases the coolant color is orange. Pink, yellow or green are not correct.  Be sure and read the label to confirm you are using the right stuff.

Another problem some folks have asked me about is with the battery installation.  Seems that when they wet-up the battery and then install it, that in a few days the battery goes flat and won't crank the engine over. This is a very common problem and is easy to remedy.  The best way to avoid this problem is to unpack the battery kit as soon as you can during assembly. Fill the battery as instructed from manufacturer and then place the battery on a trickle charge, 2 to 3 amps should do the trick. Leave the battery charging until the charger indicates that the charge is complete or full before installing it and attempting to start the machine.  Doing things in this manner will give the charging system of the machine a fighting chance.  The charging systems on these types of machines are not equal to the charging systems in automobiles. Scooters do not have 80amp alternators!  Some machines have very nominal charging systems, while other machines have very strong systems.

If you charge the battery before attempting to start your machine you will find that the battery will last you for a very long time and the machine will start and be more dependable. 

Case in point: I currently have a Sunl 250-2 2006 Tank style scooter. This machine for some reason has a marginal charging system and only produces around 3amps under normal operation.  At idle the machine does not charge enough to build any battery strength, it merely maintains. On a short trip after a cold start, the system sometimes does not recover the battery enough for the next start. It rolls over too slowly and won't fire off the engine. On the 250cc model there is no manual kick start, so this is a problem.  I installed a cigar lighter recepticle on the dash panel and carry a 10watt solar battery charger under the seat.  When I reach my destination on short trips I plug in the solar charger and it brings the battery to full charge within and hour and the machine starts perfectly.  The Sunl 250cc scooter is the only machine where I have noticed this problem.  It maybe the voltage regulator or alternator, but methinks it just the way it was designed.  The newer models do not have this problem. The Roketa 250cc model 54's have a strong charging system and I have not seen any electrical issues with these machines.

Do not be afraid to ask!  If you have any problems with your scooter feel free to contact me here and I will do what I can to help you out.  I do not do this to sell or make any money. I do this to help out dispel some of the negative posts about China made scooters being crap.  They are well designed, cheap and very reliable in general. The biggest problem with the China scooter market is with the retailers and the locating of parts. I do not wish to throw all the retailer's down the same rabbit hole, but holy cow guys, cowboy up and stand behind the products you sell.

Liars, conmen and new scooter sellers:  Here is the unabashed truth about new scooter sellers on the internet.  Most of them are merely a picture and a website. They stock nothing, own nothing and in fact are nothing. Most, not all, have a dealer number and pedal their wares from someones wholesale wharehouse.  They sell the scooters from a picture and collect deposits and/or payments.  When they have enough suckers money to pay for a multiple units then they put together a mass unit order to the wharehouse.  The wharehouse gives them a good price for the multiple units and then the units are shipped to the individual buyers.  The dealer/seller never actually touches the orders.  In some cases the seller pre-sells enough units that he can make a direct order from a supplier in China, which saves him another 25% on the deal when he can order a container full.... Usually 40-50 units.  The problem with doing things this way is that the buyer thinks he bought a unit that is in the stock of the seller and that in a few days he will have possession of the machine.  He will not!  Usually, the buyer can expect he will not see the machine for at least 15 days, but in most case he will be lucky to see the machine inside 30 days.  The seller will lead the buyer to believe that for some reason the shipper got the whole deal messed up and the machine had been shipped to the wrong place.  The seller regrets that this unfortunate circumstance has happened and apologizes and then says that he will have the machine shipped to the right place within the next couple of days.  Meanwhile the days click by and the buyer sits waiting, while the seller now has the use of your money for another few weeks without delivering anything.... But he is making money with your money.

Fact:  When a wholesaler buys a container of scooters they also get a matching container of spares. Spares are muliple units of complete replacement parts for the scooters ordered.  There is no excuse for there being no parts available from the seller.  The only seller that I have found that stands behind their machines is anam cycles from Texas.  They have parts for there stuff in stock. They ship fast and honor the warranty.  No one else that I have bought from honors anything. You are on your own. A fella from MeFast scooters, (I won't name him) told me that the majority of scooter sellers' are nothing but a bunch of cut-throats and be very careful. It is my understanding that MeFast is attempting to build a network of dealers nationwide to standardize the scooter trade.  I hope so!

Be Aware:  Most of the sellers' on the internet will advertise a scooter with a picture and the model specifications etc.  The buyer goes over the offering with a fine tooth comb and then agrees to buy the item. The machine gets shipped, the buyer takes delivery and when he unpacks the unit he then finds out that it is not what he ordered.  This has happened to me!  Go ahead and check this out.  I bought a 250cc mc54 Scout from LG Global Tralier in Ill. color red.  I paid then in full and the saleman said he had it in stock and would have it shipped out first thing in the morning.  I live in the state of Ms. so it is not that far of a trip right?  Well, 20 some days later the crate arrives and I accept delivery.  When I unpack the crate I find that I did not get a 250cc mc54 Scout, rather I got a 250cc Peace Sport scooter.  To date LG Global Trailer is still saying that the Peace is the same as the Scout..... OK, it ain't!  Although after several months of posturing I forced them to make adjustments... They are crooks and liars. It took me 48 days to get the MSO and Bill of Sale from these bo'jackers.  By the time it was all said and done the Att. Generals office in Ill. had to get involved to settle the matter... I was right in the end but any profit on this sale was long gone.  If you want to buy from a seller of scooters on the internet I would advise you to read all the small print on the offering.  Somewhere in the details there is almost always a disclaimer that says the seller is allowed to substitute merchandise if the advertised unit is not available in a reasonable amount of time.  These guys sell the same unit multiple times.  Buyers think that they are buying the item pictured but they are only buying a unit, not necessarily the one advertised.  That is why there is never a vin# posted on the advertisement.  Ebay must modify the way these guys are allowed to sell.  They must require a vin # on the offering.