(PT. 2) Assembly and FIRST RIDE of the most HATED scooter on the internet: Living with a Tao Tao
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 26 окт 2024
- In my experience working as a technician in independent motorcycle shops I worked on everything from CVO Harley Davidsons to Honda CT90s. But there was one bike that always stood out with exceptionally poor quality. The Tao Tao 50cc GY6 (139QMB) scooter. And now I'm going to put this scooter to the test and find out if they really are little money pits, or if the issues with the bike are a result of the people who buy these kinds of scooters.
So I purchased a Tao Tao "Pony" ATM 50 and my plan is to make it my main means of transportation for 6 months. Yes from June 1st to January 1st this little scooter is going to be my daily driver. I'll be logging all of the miles, issues and expenses of keeping this scooter running in a log. Doing this will allow me to present a true cost of ownership at the end of this experiment.
The Tao Tao Pony 50 is based on the generic GY6 139QMB platform. They were sold under many different "Brand" names like Wolf, Bintelli, Fly, Rocketa, MotoBravo and Dongfang just to name a few. You may be riding one and not even know it!
In this "Unboxing video" I go through the steps it takes to get your scooter out of its crate and get it road ready. That means 3 basic steps: Uncrating, Assembly and initial set up (as per the PDI checklist)
Getting the scooter out of the crate was a little trickier than I am used to. I think this might have been my first all-steel crate. Normally the base of the crate is wood and there is room to put a flat jack under the scooter to lift the front out of its hold and install the front wheel. Because this crate was flat on the ground there really wasn't room for me to do that. I ended up just lifting it out of crate and setting it on its center stand. That really would have been easier if I had another technician to lend a hand.
The assembly process includes installing the front wheel, installing the headset or handlebar assembly, installing the top case, installing the mirrors, and the front panel. All the nuts and bolts needed to install these components on the bike were provided in a ziplock bag but there were no instructions on what went where or even a depiction of what the fasteners were.
The set up or PDI (pre delivery inspection) is the most crucial step in insuring your scooter will be reliable. The PDI is depicted on the "Pre Delivery Checksheet" that was stuffed into the owners manual. The check sheet has a list of around 30 items that need to be addressed before the scooter is ready to hit the road. The engine oil needs to be drained prior to starting the engine. The scooter's crank case is filled with SHIPPING OIL to protect against fires in shipping. It is still oil and slightly lubricous, but it is nowhere near the quality of oil needed for a long lasting engine. The valves need to be adjusted. I found the exhaust valve on my tao tao was set far too tight right out of the box. I'm actually not even sure if would have even started. The engine idle speed needs to be set to 1700 RPM +or- 100 RPM. I set my idle speed using my digital manometer. While checking the spark plug gap I found that the spark plug installed in my engine was an off-brand plug that I did not trust so I replaced it with an NGK CR7HSA.
The parts used in this video are:
Bel-Ray 10w40: amzn.to/3d623vR
Bel-Ray 80/90 Hypoid gear oil: amzn.to/2N3yFft
NGK CR7HSA spark plug: scooter911.com...
I set the idle using this Digi Synch Manometer/Synchronizer: amzn.to/37B81nl
Follow my experiment in real time! Here is a link to my Tao Tao log/Health Report!
docs.google.co...
If you want to keep up with this project between videos be sure to follow me on social media!
Instagram: / garretseesingofficial
Twitter: @SeesingGarret
Facebook: garretseesingofficial
#TaoTao #Gy6 #Scooter
As a scooter shop owner with tons of Chinese scooter owners this is the best yt channel for self diagnosis and repairs I've seen! Stay off the forums watch this man do what I charge good money to do for you.
I hope every dealership has a competent technician like you, and every dealerships technician has a checklist like yours.
the good ones do! i was fortunate to have worked for a shop with a competent owner and fantastic mentorship.
Im pretty sure they have that checklist. But Im not sure that they will check every item on the list... The profit on these things is relatively small and labour is expensive... 3 hours of labour (skilled technician) is worth approx 1/3 of the price of this scooter... So I think its cheaper for them to have 1 out of 10 break down during warranty and pay for the repair, than to spend a couple hours on every scooter...
@@Chris-yy7qc Proper dealer let you in and you can watch the service, also teach you how to do things yourself, with pointing critical elements. Remember that Chinese system is communist and in communism you maintain and fix your vehicle, as a proper working class citizen LOL
I know that system from stories and old Polish comedies, so you can believe me.
@@Scooter_911 the worst part is you almost need to check all of their workmanship too.
I like it when folks don’t just do the basics and actually use good practice, it’s rare that you see it on RUclips vids..!
thank you very much!
Why am I loving this series so much? I think I'm fascinated to see if such a crappy scooter can be a good buy! I love your attention to detail, there are many technicians out there like you.
I've just re-read this......I meant to say "aren't many". Sorry, it sounded like I was being rude. I blame auto-correct.
I owned a Tao Tao scooter, bought it new with 3/10s of a mile. After a couple hundred miles I had to replace the coil. But after that it ran like a top. Loved it
I live in the UK but we have also been cursed with Tao Tao clones , you have to be by far the best guy on YT to listen to and watch , you break things down nicely , you use correct terminology , correct tools and methods , spot on mate. I stick to the older liquid cooled 2 strokes , easy to tear down/rebuild and great to tune but most everything else is same 2 or 4 stroke so cheers.
There good scooter's as long you follow maintenance on them. I bought one and drove it to work back and fourth 30 miles round-trip . I got 3500 miles on it still runs and drives .I did put 7 grams sldes on it and 1000 rear rpm spring.
And a 19mm carburetor . Does about 40 that's plenty for me with out stressing the engine.
Is the smaller the carb mm the faster it goes? What would be a good mm carb for faster speed?
Wait are you telling me that spark plug I got from China that had lightening on the package wasn’t a great plug? No way. As always great video. Love that garage.
Replace the belt with a good one, the original ones only last around 1500km. (I guess you already know that). And when it the belt breaks, the scooter will leave you stranded on the side of the road. I owned multiple of these scooters and I always carried a spare belt and tools to change it in my helmet compartment.
And I think your prediction is right: The scooter will last for a long time if serviced correctly. Changing the oil every 1000 km is absolutely crucial because these things dont have an oil filter.
From my experience most of the people owning these things never change the oil. When I went hunting one of these things second hand I spoke to a woman owning it for years: She told me she was putting 2 stroke oil into the tank, because she thought its a 2 stroke... Obviously the oil hasnt been changed in (probably) 7-8 years.
I think you're dead on! thats why i believe the vino and the genuine buddy outlast these things every time!
I've owned three taotao bikes. I'm also a technician and properly did my PDIs. Also found a loose terminal in electrical connector on both 50cc bikes. The 150 had two bad terminals on it.
Overall, all three bikes served their purpose of cheap fun transportation and learning the basics of how a 4t air-cooled engine and cvt transmission works. Sub'd to follow along.
thanks for checking in! glad theres another set of competent eyes on the project!
Enjoyed the video very much. Liked how you stressed the importance of checking everything and the fluid changes and valve clearances.
I have my 2015 taotao,,since 2016 sept,,,until now I use it all season long,,if there's no snow I use the Tao Tao,,,it started up every winter even 7degree weather,,in 5 years I put a carburetor 1 set of new tires,,a starter relay and CDI and front brakes,,it's all very cheap to change parts,,,it's a great every day transportation bike,,I have 11, thousand miles,,I have no problems or anything bad to say excellent bike for back and forth to work,,that is just my experience
You and I are the answer to the disposable society we live in. You can buy budget-friendly items like this scooter or my GoTrax kick scooter and run them far beyond normal expectations if you take care of them and are reasonable about what they can give you in return.
Very helpful video. I'm now the unplanned owner of a 5-year-old 50cc ICE BEAR (?) that I'm about to plop in a new GY6. Trying to get as wise as possible before the swap job. Interesting about the trashy included spark plug and valve djustment. Thanks for the tips.
Awesome video series bud and cant wait to see how it turns out. An idea from the last video about what to keep track off could be fuel economy throughout the ownership? Could be interesting to see if it reduces or increases throughout the life of the motor 🙂
I've been logging every fuel stop! i plan on incorporating it into the cost of ownership!
Talk about genius,I'm gonna be hooked on this
This is a brilliant way of doing things
I wanted to point out the “tire pressure check” through out the assembly (and you missed)... but you caught up to it AFTER you rode it. 😂😂😂. Not that your weight exceeds the specs for that Tao-tao... but to compensate for us americans vs a tiny asian. I’ll continue to check and enjoy your vids. Kudos!!
i set it to the recommended 170KPA! but then had to adjust it later after my first ride haha
He didn't miss anything - he mentioned the tire pressure recommendations and did the conversion prior to riding as well as revisiting it after the first ride.
There are some taller Asian people out there. They just don't over eat.
@@forevercomputing shots fired haha.
I'm a Tiny American at 5'3 115 lbs but I ride a huge hog. Well my wife is 280 lbs lets put it that way...
Nice work prepping the Toa Toa. I can see why the average person might have some issues with it. But no problem for a Pro like you.
cool guy who likes cars, and reviews a cheap scooter i might buy, love the channel
its like the perfect channel
Honestly I got mine in December, sat for two months and rode it daily until now. Still works and runs fine 🤟
Thanks again for your great video!
Next week or so, I will get my own "Two Tao" send from Holland! Yeah!!!
Normally I'm more like a Yamaha guy but I head a great deal on this one.
So I give it a try and maybe a nice first scooter for my daughter?
But now I know what needs extra attention.
Thanks!! 👍👍
'sat is the way mine looked when it was dropped off. Only issue I ever had was a driver running into me. I guess that their McDonald's was more important then my Life.
Any idiot can unpack a crate
@@brucemcgeehan8255 "But can you do it with style?" --Buzz Lightyear
Hey Garret - there's a plastic cling on the yellow reflector on the front fork. Saw it near the end when you were talking tire pressure. Great series so far - love the details here.
hahah yeah i've left them on there because it bothers my boss! he's always offering to peel them off for me!
I'll probably not buy a tao-tao, but I'm enjoying vids. I was surprised the valves were so tight-good thing you checked that and all of the other usual stuff-keep up the good work.
As a person who works on all of his own stuff. I find this very detailed and great work. Keep it up. Great video
Thanks, will do!
Bought my mistake last year from a dealer. Do not think they did all of that. It has been in the shop more than i have enjoyed it. Good luck
Bought two about a month before you made this video. The carb on both were jetted way to rich and we couldn’t get them above 15 or 1/4 throttle. After jetting down, they ran much better.
I'm really looking forward to this series . Very interesting and useful so far . This is on a day when my GTS wouldn't start in the super market car park . Well it's 14 years old .
Excellent PDI!! I think your Tao Tao is gonna last along time. Thank u!!
I know you have limited expectations from this scooter but the 50cc GY6 in other scooters from Wolf, Bintelli, and others have gone on to over 20,000 miles without rebuilds. It may surprise you at the end of your test that the unit still runs like new.
This series is top notch.
I use to mess with TaoTaos when I was first getting into bikes as a teenager, but wrote them off after feeling the quality difference of Honda/Yamaha. It's been a decade and the quality looks identical to what I remember! Super super interested to see how this goes. Keep up the killer work!
Got rid of my Tao Tao 50. I found a vintage HONDA MB5 for sale online (with 1200 miles), and had great luck with it. 50cc, 2-stroke, 5-speed manual small motorcycle that hits 55 MPH! I read that Honda used to sell them here in the USA for only one year (1982) for $599 new!
DUDE MB5's are so hard to come by but their one of my all time favorite bikes!
Wow!!!
A Honda MB5
I use to have one back in the days, and the rest of my friends.
Back then you where the MAN! if you have one in Holland.
I showed my little boy on a picture what daddy use to drive and how fast I made it.
His response; what is that?? 🤣🤣🤣
I have a black MB5 in the UK. It will rev to 10.000 rpm. Was restricted to 30 mph but very easy to tune.
in sweden the mb5 topspeed is 20 mph😂
This series looks great - thanks for taking the time to make the videos! But you need to name the bike, surely?
I call mine the "Little Blue Suicycle"...lol.
I own 3 taotaos, on my 3rd taotao, i immediately changed my back tire, changed oils, re-did the variator/clutch gearbox to make sure it was done right, did the samething with the carb to make sure it was a snug fit (do not over tighten) change the bulb to an LED bulb that fits right in the light socket (you can use the original until it blows if you want, led will last years, mines 2 years old and it was 9 dollars on ebay) and then my secret is Marvel Mystery Oil, and bam your stock 50cc taotao will go upto 50 mph on high ways, and 40/45 on local streets (for some reason the slick pavement on highways makes it move faster, and be sure to only go on highways with top speeds of 55 mph and where mopeds are allowed to be in lane, shoulders are a dangerous place to play) and additional things i did was add a stereo/alarm system, it does fm, am, bluetooth and sd card. very loud, 15w speakers only, directly connected to the battery. i also have a stretchy phone mount that is just awesome and that was only 10 bucks as well. i also bought a cupholder from autozone for 10 bucks that sits in the middle compartment for my drinks. i got a bag from walmart, had some old plastic clips lying around, and clipped it right above your foot mat, clipped along the outside pocket. i then also got some saddle bags that hang right over the seat bucket for when i go grocery shopping, and i made them detachable so i dont always have to have them on but its not a hinder if i do leave them on. all in all, i think the taotao 50cc atm-01 pony is a great buy for some1 who wants to customize the bike the way they want to. parts are dirt cheap, the mechanic work is extremely basic even though your best local car mecanic won't be able to do anything for you (thats just because they want money, this thing isnt about money, its about bringing you decent local transportation on a budget, we're talking 120 mpg, cheap insurance, and cheap registration, and optional inspection, note that this is in new york state)
i forgot to mention the mesh seat cover
I love these little engines
They just purr so nicely. I had a kymco 150 it was nice and ran pretty smooth
Fun video but it was the Pinto that hooked me. Will be checking out your channel.
Love your channel!! I'm from Taiwan and scooter is our main mean of transportation. Pretty anticipate for the followup videos~
Tao Tao are also about one half to one third the price of other bikes you mentioned Harley Davidson, Honda, Yamaha etc.
Tao Tao are great low budget bikes if you can work on some things yourself.
I had two 150 cc Tao Tao's, the reason I said two is because someone stole my first one after 3 years of my having ownership.
I brought another and put an alarm on it; Still not absolutely theft proof but a added deterrent.
I rode mind daily to work during nice weather and on general store and recreation trips.
It held up well.
I sold my second one a few months ago, due to the Covid 19 crisis got me in a bind and I needed some extra cash.
I defiantly will get another Tao Tao shortly.
Harley makes scooters?
Awesome series idea and great production, can't wait to see the next update!
coming next weekend!
I saw the 1000 mile video. Great series, thank you. Like to see you install a big bore kit and carb work, variator work.
Shout out to the custom cut scene music....love the distortion effects. I challenge you.. Let your series finale have your greatest production value. Consider all options. Thank you for your service sir. Your expertise and willingness to share while being socially distant is entertaining to say the least.
If a highly skilled person like this can't do this in 20 minutes: I can't do it in a month.
Great video!!! I am looking forward to more videos related to this scooter. Keep it up 👍
More to come!
can't wait to see the video featuring the weed whacker on the back of the taotao.
Subbed brother, what an interesting idea for a vid series, i will be watching!
That time lapse music is an absolute bass banger had my whole room shaking
With that much prep and care, it's probably gonna outlast even a Honda Cub :-)
Nothing outlasts a Honda Cub, irrespective of the Mechanic!
😂
Also this scooter is notorious for blowing headlight bulbs. I would like you to run the high beam on all the time to see if it's electrical surge and if that filament burns out see if the low beam still works. Reports are that even good quality bulbs burn out so it could be a voltage issue. Thanks.
My brother put 10k plus miles on a Tao 50 without any major problems just a couple small issues so I'd say its all about maintenance and how you take care of it
As long as you have the time, skills and patience to nut and bolt everything before riding and understand what the scooter is and what it isn't there's nothing really bad about these scooters. Store it inside and keep up with maintenance and it'll last a good long while.
Forgot to re-jet it. A lot of them are lean stock. Lean enough to ruin the engine in cooler lower elevation areas. Is one of the many ways they break soon.
Chinese scooters are not that bad its down to the owners and upkeep of the bike as i have a 2008 longjia still going and just had its 1st full engine rebuild just after 18000 km and with it being 2 stroke its done so well for 12 years
The clatter is Not from a secondary reed valve. There are no reed valves in a 49cc QMB139 4 stroke engine. Reed valves are in 2 stroke engines.
The clatter we hear is from your intake and exhaust tappets needing to be adjusted to .003 on intake and .004 on exhaust.
Great video! I'd be a great idea to add a magnetic drain plug.
It actually looks like a decent bike if your mechanically inclined
If only your teenage friends would understand
Those teenage 'friends' are called "Tao Tao's" for a reason...
Ive been looking forward to an update on this - I actually think most Chinese stuff is reasonable if properly serviced and prepared.
Kudos for showing great care for your purchase. I have bought a lot of Chinese manufactured things from Amazon and usually if taken care of, and not abused, they can last quite awhile and look really good at the same time. I've noticed though, chinese stuff really gets a bad reputation because it can be so unpredictable what will be sent when ordering. I order a lot of model airplane parts from Amazon. You can buy a motor / speed controller combo from two different sellers with exactly the same specs, for the same price. One will last for ages and the other will burn out on the first flight. Lets hope your scooter is the former, giving your years of trouble free use and no broken parts of no fault of your own. Subbed. Edit: Fixing a grammar prob.
50 bucks says it's the peeple buying this scooter rather than the scooter itself. reason: seems that me that the PROPER assembly is a must, and i dare say not all customers have the finesse to do so. anyways, looking forward to seeing where this scooter takes you.
Kymco Filly 50 driver
(Taotao s a Kymco Filly clone)
@Pony Boy noice one!
3:30 You can lift it from handlebar by cargo straps using frame to support. If you have room to keep it, it serve you at same purppose, up side down or other side up.... You gonna need it.
Great video. My neighber and I repair scooters. We see so many people unhappy with their Tao Tao.. They are a great scooter if set up right.
New sub bud! Im interested in getting a moped and will be back to follow your maintenence guides! Im looking at getting one from a nearby dealer instead of ordering off of amazon. Just gives me bad vibes doing that. The model i found was called an icebear solana available at a nearby powersports dealer.
Great video . Here in the UK its the 'Direct Bikes' that get the worst reputation and they come straight from the warehouse to customers in this condition and most people just use them 'as is' and they end up ruined in 12 months.
A very interesting video that I accidentally stumbled upon. Thank you for uploading this. I too have been thinking that the chinese scooters (or any non-japanese manufactured asian 2 wheeler) are catching a little bit of an undeservingly bad rep, and I feel it's from users and riders who don't know how to properly maintain their machines. Granted, the craftsmanship is not up to par with bikes and scooters from more prominent brands, but then again you're not paying the same price for the goods.
Take in to consideration that the asian (and by asian I don't mean just Japan and China, but rather Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodja, Philippines, Malaysia, India and so on) market for 2 wheelers is *massive* and there are quite a few of the "chinese scooters" running as daily commuters in those countries.
When the time came to buy my daughter her first motorized vehicle for getting to school and going around town, the choice fell upon a 799$ "chinese scooter". Partially because they are fairly cheap and spare parts are found in an abundance on ebay, and I also don't trust her to park it and always securely locking it, resulting in it getting stolen. Granted insurance will help with getting some financial coverage in case of theft, but the excess can sometimes be upwards of 25%. And should someone tip the bike over or otherwise cause damage to it, the spare parts are cheap to replace.
Given that I from time to time service and maintain a few motorcycles myself, I was curious as to how much repairwork I would need to put in, to keeping the scooter running for her.
-To my surprise; not much, if you just take good care of it, like you would a more expensive motor vehicle. Follow the recomended maintenance intervals, use proper lubricants and oils and don't leave out in the rain/snow/dirt. If you just keep it maintained, clean it off when it gets dirty and check the things you should to make sure it's in shape, it runs just fine.
Daughter has now been using it for 4 years and it shows no sign of degradation. Only normal wear like any other scooter would.
So far I've checked and adjusted the valves once, changed the oil a few times, changed a worn out tyre (she uses the rear brake way too much, go figure...), adjusted the air/fuel mix and idle after making a modification to the airbox and intake. -That's it.
So keep up the good work! I have a feeling you're capable of keeping the Tao Tao running just fine.
PS. Ask all the RUclips motovloggers if they know where their Honda Grom is assembled...
My experience with bikes made in china - motorized and pedal power, is that they are assembled to run so it will be sold right away. If it is running and cheap, that's it.
Anyway, the main thing about the bicycles is the moving parts. Anything that is moving will wear out in a very short time. They need to be replaced. Once replaced by made in other countries parts, they last very long. About the non-moving parts, they rust quickly, even if cared for or prevented from getting wet. They just rust very fast. Scraping, priming and repainting will make it last long, really long.
When it comes to motorcycles, there are so many moving parts, and non-moving but active parts like stator, rectifier, headlights, axles, etc. All moving parts will wear out very quickly also. Some moving parts may have equivalent replacements made in other countries. They also last long. However, some parts do not have equivalents, and one is forced to buy made by them, which will wear out quickly again.
Here in our country, motorcycles and bicycles made by them are very attractive when new. One year or less, they look like they are 5 years old already. Those who know how to fix or are mechanics use these machines 5, 10, 15 years or more. These machines have a peculiar way of handling. One just needs to find it and be attuned with the machine, maybe learn to speak their language. (just kidding)
I have a feeling it's gonna last longer for you. You didn't rush to ride it. You went through the steps and plus you know what you're doing
I love that it says "Pony 50" on the crate. In cockney rhyming slang, "Pony" is short for "Pony and trap - crap". They've literally written "crap 50" on the box.
haha wow! thanks for sharing that!
It slings ook mate!
There's this bike, Romet, they've got one called Pony and has 50cc.
@@antoniomargallo5317 Romet pony known as "motorynka" was a Polish mini bike and with a two stroke it was the pure fun, so f... off kurwa! - I ask politely. I don't know the quality of 4T pony, but I had theirs scooter, basically the same thing like this Tao-Tao, probably they just put theirs stickers, painted front "grill" and put fancier dashboard. I bought it slightly crashed (just a handle, glue and tape repair) for the price of a leg powered scooter, but it worked just fine - I doubled its mileage to 7000km before I replaced it by 125 ccm.
Too funny! Also a 25 pound note if I remember correctly? "Stick a pony in me pocket, I'll get the suitcase from the back"
Really great content I already love the series can’t wait for more episodes god bless and I hope you have a great day brother
Okay, I didn't know about the shipping oil. That probably contributed to a few problems on my CY50A.
I ordered an Icebear Vision 50cc last week and should be arriving in a couple of days by the exact same shipping company from your video. I’m praying this thing is reliable and doesn’t become a headache lol.
How are you enjoying the icebear? I'm looking at a maddog 150cc
@@justineaker2516 I couldn’t be happier. Make sure you change all the fluids before you start it up. Mine runs beautifully.
Did you notice that the valve clearance was to tight, thats what normally happens with these scooters after about 1k miles the valves wear into the seats resulting in no clearance and a loss of compression. The scoot then has no power and becomes very hard to start and people end up just parking them.
Don't stress this enough always replace your valve stems on these Chinese scooters they have a tendency to pop out when you're traveling down the road and then your tire just loses all air also the battery is junk and everything on that scooter that is metal rust so store it somewhere dry like a garage a spare drive belt for the transmission the one that it comes with will break always use non-ethanol premium gasoline because the ethanol will eat up everything rubber on that bike like fuel lines and the automatic vacuum petcock it's best just replace it with a manual one the incandescent lights on those bikes are junk they burn out all the time so always keep a couple on hand and use dielectric grease on every single connection /wiring harness clip.... An FYI the odometer is kilometers
Meanwhile people think "first service" is just an oil change. You're just going back over everything you're doing here. Any issues that have arisen can be corrected at the earliest opportunity before things get worse.
I would have assume kilometers. Like the U.S. we in the U.K. and speedos like that and the inner ring is just useless from experience. My car has it and my Honda PCX also has it. It looks like legally, I can just have new dials made up to omit the metric stuff on it for clarification.
Wait...so all this time my Tao Tao Evo 50 was in Kilometers? Not miles?! And after watching this video it made me realize that I may had set my idle too high after all the time I had it! Plus I had lighter roller weights put in it and ended up not giving me what I wanted. Then I had my local mechanics put in different rollers and now my scooter is slow as dirt again, help!
transmissions are tricky because when you change one variable it affects variables down the line. More often than not its best to use a "transmission kit" which includes a set of clutch springs, a contra spring and rollers. I've been thinking of swapping my clutch springs because mine bogs a little off the line.
@@Scooter_911 Oh okay. Yeah, I can tell that messing with the transmission is a lot of trial and error. All I wanted was better take off on idle.
Thank you Garret! This was a great video. Now, I'm going to drain my Helix engine oil as I used Mobil 1 oil that was not motorcycle oil and I'm concerned about it. I had such an odd thing happen the other night while out on one of my 3 heli's. The previous owner said he took the Helix in to the Honda shop and did a service before he sold it to me. I noticed that the brakes were in deed adjusted as the foot pedal and handlebar hand brake were nice and without much free play. Well, several miles out, I noticed that the front brake seemed to get harder and harder and there was some drag on the front brake. It got worse and worse and it seemed that there was nothing I could do to stop the increasing drag on the disc rotor. It got so bad I had to pull over and look at it. It seemed to be acting like the ratcheting mechanism on a wood vice so I quit using the front brake and aimed for back home. In no time at all, the brake got hot as hell and you could smell the brake. The rotor was getting red with heat and quickly the front wheel locked up. I turned the handlebars slightly and when you do that, you're going down, which I did. No big deal as I'm able to handle that thing easily. It had been out in the rain for a couple day which led me to think that slides on the caliper were prevening the pads from floating back off the rotor but that's just a guess. When it cooled down, I was able to limp home. Have not looked at it since. Anyway, here are a few things I loved besides this video, and not necessarily in any order except for you dog which was 1st place. Your crocs, your watch, the rainbow Texas sticker, your fender sticker since I just bought a Tele, your coveralls of course, your garage full of motorcycles/scooters, and your digisync which I may snag since I have a '86 Honda Magma 1100 I want to get back on the road. Thanks for all you do buddy. Now, off to see if I can find some info about your band. Take care!
wow sorry to hear about your helix. yeah definitely sounds like you had a dragging brake caliper and it boiled your brake fluid. Thanks for noticing my stickers. I like to say they tell the story of my life, from my public radio stickers to the go-fast hot rod parts stickers.
Hope you can get your Helix fixed soon, those are my dream scooter! Wish they still made them new.
I just found you and this project (experiment) is fascinating. Having owned a number of motorcycles and scooters I love how you are a stickler for good maintenance because that how I am.. By the way, what was the final drive original oil like? I am a subscriber !!
it looked like gear oil and smelled like it had a friction modifier in it (that weird skunky fish smell)
@@Scooter_911 Hi! Funny you mention the smell. When I was in college (1971) I bought a new Suzuki 250cc x6. It was a 2 stroke and was the fastest small bike around at that time. All the reviews were great except some cycle mags thought the front suspension was way too soft so I replaced the front fork oil with something much better. The stuff that was in the forks from the factory looked and smelled like fish oil. Very weird. What a great bike that was. never broke down and I went every where with my adorable girl friend Susie on the back. Oh the memories! Looking forward to following your Tao Tao story.
New sub here! Entertaining and informative videos! Thinking of a 150cc (I’m 6’2” and 260lbs) for my motorhome, I will be following this series intently!
There is no difference except the price between the 125 and the 150 - same speed, same engine.
And yeah, same size (ok, 6'1") and weight here *g*
@@cyberfux There Should be a difference in amount of CC's.
👍🛵Great channel topic, something useful to normal ppl, especially maybe teenagers getting started safely and to have realistic expectations, especially if they had little or no help from home for whatever reason.
As these scooters 🛵 are all about cost and ppl without skills are probably the target mkt as maybe a first motorised vehicle of their own ...
How much would be a fair price for the work you did assembling + pdi? Maybe as you go through have on bottom of screen tags [all owners DIY] or [confident experienced basic home mechanic] & [professional recommended 2 hrs shop time? ]
Be interesting to see how it works out. Love to see a continuation of the tao tao to see how far it can go with proper maintenance and normal operation till it becomes worn beyond economically "sane" repair... Maybe in series 2... Find a someone keen to put another 6 mths of commuting miles and learn how to maintain it correctly? Keep repeating till its worn out? (they pay for parts, fuel & you teach them how to do the work if it's in the DIY realm)...
Have fun with it whatever way you take it 🙂🙏
it gets called all kinds of names, the Baotian 50, lexmoto 50 are to of the favourites in the UK and the servicing guide in the back is a giggle.
I run mine at 30 PSI and I only weigh 165 lbs. You can really tell when the tire pressure is too low, it affects performance greatly.
On dry batteries with no pressure tube, its import to let them gas out for a couple minutes after filling them up
They can build pressure and start leaking otherwise
Other than that, thats probably the most thorough treatment i have ever seen someone give a scooter. Thats amazing.
absolutely! thats also why i like to fill them slowly, instead of piercing the top of the acid container! Thanks for checking in!
This is a very interesting series. I'll keep watching even though I don't own a Tao Tao. I know you live in Texas, but it would be nice if you wore a helmet.
I just bought this scooter. I have the 2020 model in matte black. I’ve had it for about a week now with no problems
I've got a 2018 matte black taotao. It has close to 6,500 miles on it and almost is in need of a third engine rebuild (I installed a big bore kit around 1,700 miles).
i have a 2008 silver blue tao tao and the only problem is that the bearing for the crankshaft is broken
Really enjoying this scooter series 👍
The scooter seems ok for the price, but I think I would prefer a scooter with larger wheels (for a smoother ride on bumpy roads).
absolutely. 10" wheels are a huge drawback to these scoots. even 12/13" wheels would be better.
Tao Tao VITACCHI - SPARK 150 has 14 inch wheels. They were going for about 1300 on Walmart and amazon asked about that much but wants 300 bucks for shipping but now I see Walmart has them for 1900. It seems every other day you look the price changes.
Too bad the spedo puck is for a 12" tire.-- and they come stock with 10" giving you more revaluations and in turn showing you at a faster speed then you are going.
Please do a vid on the Buell you have in the background. Looks to be a Ulysses model. I know it's irrelevant to the scooter project. Buells are my favorite bike and they're underated even tho the xb's are crazy powerful and fun. Not to mention that they're made in the USA😁. I ride a carbon fiber dressed 08 Buell XB12Scg😎.
OH YEAH! us buell guys always find eachother. I had an XB9SX for a while and now i have two blasts and a Uly. One of the blasts is my track bike. It was actually decently competitive in CMRA. Maybe i'll do one soon!
@@Scooter_911 Awesome.. I live in Bristol Va..are you anywhere close?
My moped says use gl-3 gear oil. That bel ray stuff you recommended is gl-5. also it recommends 15w40 engine oil. youre bel ray recommendation is 10w40
EXCELLENT OBSERVATION! the main difference between gl5 and gl3 oils is that gl3 oils do not break down yellow metals (like brass or bronze bushings). Other than that gl5 offers even higher protection for the gears and bearings. and because there are no "yellow metals" in the scooter's final drive gl5 is safe to use and provides better protection. Its what i've always recommended to my customers and proven the best results. gl3 is probably listed just because it is a cheaper alternative for the manufacturer. Most gy6 scooter owners manuals recommend 10w40 engine oil (mine included). and in fact most scooter manufacturers run 10w40 (its sort of an industry standard). the "W" in the number designation actually refers to "winter" or how viscous the oil becomes when it is very cold. So unless you're riding in extremely low temperatures the 1st number will not really affect the engine.
@@Scooter_911 Awesome thank you for the reply! Thats a big help. Also having trouble finding the drain and fill bolt for the transmission on it because the manual sucks and doesnt say lol will have to order a pump as well to get the gear oil in i think
@@AscendedZombie yep! The pump i use is made by mityvac and it basically just looks like a big syringe
@@Scooter_911 Okay thank you!
This is why I gotta learn to become a Home Mechanic 🧰🔧🔨⚙️
Looking at the speedo, it has 2 scales. One for KPH the other for MPH, says so right on the bottom left of the scale under the 0 KPH and MPH mark.😉
Love this video series so far! Not sure this scooter will work well, though. I saw a black cat cross its path. ;) Wait..or is that a black dog?
what?!? Really?!?! when!?!?!
@@Scooter_911 Nope, it's your dog! It's at 27:12 of the video and in fast motion, it looked like a black cat. The Tao Tao is safe from the meow meow!
here in the Netherlands they sell those diy fill and seal batteries but they come witch a pushpin after you put the acid on the battery you put a little hole on in each vial cell where the air bubble is so it drains faster but remember wear your ppe's and throw away the pushpin with the acid vial
Its funny, it seems like quality control is the main issue with these Chinese machines.
Uh huh, given that manufacture costs (direct and indirect) are probably about 10%, that would put quality control at a value of about $7.50
Fabulous having a pro doing things for a change - only thing I beg of you is somehow rigging microphone so always picking up your voice?
Question, what test light do you have that shows voltage? Great video can't wait for the rest of the series.
Seems to be a nice scooter for the money. Thank you for the video.
Very interesting insights. If I get a professional to look at and adjust everything like you did, would I really still be saving any money on this compared to a 50cc from a more reputable company? I have a feeling I wouldn't. Also you should set a good example by wearing a helmet no matter how short a trip you go on.
I love that Daft Punk like jingle : " Living with a Tao Tao " !
What is the easiest and best way to get more power out of 50cc scooter. I don't need speed. But I got some steep hills and I need just a little more power ?
Hey man. New sub here. I really like your video and attention to detail on tao tao... i dont know if you have any yamaha nvx 155 or aerox in the U.S... but it would be nice to see you work and modify the ass off it. More powers.
man i wish we got EITHER of those in the US. We finally got the S-Max a few years ago but nothing cool as the aerox. if you want to ship one over to me i'd LOVE to modify it hahah
Good little engines if looked after. Very easy to tune up to 60 mph with parts from eBay. Some Peugeot scooters sold in Europe have the same engine fitted.
I definitely agree with you about Tao Tao, what is your opinion about a GMW wolf scooter, and the genuine brand scooter? Because even though Genuine headquarters is in Chicago Illinois they still say the parts come from China and they are put together in China but when I had a Genuine roughhouse 50F it did pretty good for me. And what do you think about the Kymco brand scooter? If you ever could put brands from top to bottom what order would you put them in from the worst to best?
the Honda Melody (22cc petrol), is by far and away more globally recognized over the last 50 years as being practically useless