I take my scooter in to change the oil every time the indicator turns red, but am not sure what other things (e.g., oil or air filters) need changing, and at what intervals. Any recommendations?
[quote=“Dragonbones”]I take my scooter in to change the oil every time the indicator turns red, but am not sure what other things (e.g., oil or air filters) need changing, and at what intervals. Any recommendations?[/quote]Tyre pressures at least every 1000km. Transmission oil every few thousand km. Clean or replace air filter every few thousand km. Spark plug the same.
Oil filter not relevant if a 2-stroke bike. If a 4-stroke then every few thousand km.
Occasional cleaning of carburettor not a bad idea. Fuel filter too? Can’t say I get my drive belt tension checked very often but the info below suggests it’s worth it from time to time.
Things like disc brake fluid and valve clearances maybe once a year.
Other stuff like new tyres as and when needed. Basically keep an eye on stuff like cables, wheel and steering bearings etc.
Salvatore Armani posted some useful info from his scooter’s service manual.[quote=“Salvatore Armani”]My wife and I have a new SYM 125. Between my intuition regarding the pictures of the mechanical things and her translation of the words in the manual, we came up with a basic set of service intervals for this machine, which would probably apply to other 125cc four strokes as well.
Every 1000km:
- Engine oil change. Oil changes are quick and they’re cheap as chips. At the the place in Siaogang (Kaohsiung) where our family buys it’s bikes, the cost is $120.
- inspect tires for damage
Every 3000km:
- Inspect/replace air filter. This machine uses a hand-washable type of filter.
- Check spark plug gap.
- Check/adjust throttle cable tension.
- Check telescoping front forks for leakage, check rear shock for leakage
Every 5,000km:
- Change transmission oil. Again, easy and cheap
Every 6,000km:
- Change fuel filter.
2)Check drive belt tension. - Replace spark plug.
Every 12,000km
- Replace drive belt.
This model has drum brakes, and there is no mileage interval for brake adjustments, just a specification for maximum brake lever travel: 20mm. So if you can squeeze the levers farther than that, tighten up the brake adjusters.
-p[/quote]
I’m making this into the new scooter maintenance intervals sticky thread. The old thread was sprawling and there were some inaccuracies, not least those posted by me. So I’ve de-stickied that and I’m stickying this.
useful thread
To prevent newbies like myself from getting ripped off, it would be much appreciated if someone could post what the average cost of these repairs are.
[quote]Every 5,000km:
- Change transmission oil. Again, easy and cheap [/quote]
Is transmission oil the same as “gear oil” The “gear oil” comes in a tube with a long nozzle already attached to it. It is more like a lubricant substance than an oil base.
I have a 1 year old kymco 125. Done 8000km.
Originally, my mechanic told me to change the “gear oil” twice a year.
Now, he tells me it needs to be replaced every second oil change (every 2000km).
How often do you change the transmission/gear oil in your scooter?
I’ve also been told that if you don’t ask a mechanic to change the transmission oil/gear oil, the majority of mechanics won’t volunteer to check it for you. Apparently, good for repeat business when the engine just suddenly “konks out”.
The transmission or gear oil replacement interval in my Kymco’s manual is 300km, 2000km, 5000km, 10000km, 15000km…
If you don’t ask for anything, they will just change the oil and in best case check tire pressure and let you go.
I ask for everything and hard time to find someone to do all the things listed in the manual.
Now i start cleaning the air filter , check suspensions and brakes every 1000km by myself.
Coming close to 3000km i am going to start changing the oil also.
The transmission oil is not too hard to change, i watch them do it 2 times already and it takes 2 tubes of gear oil with long nose
Oil change $150 for cheap Kymco oil, $250 for better stuff.
gear oil change $200
I get my oil changed every 1000km which is easy peasy but what do I need to get done every 6000km? I used to go to this place where the guy changed some extra stuff at the 6k mark. He did the job and I coughed up 600nt but now I have to change guys as that place is just too far now. So what should I be asking to get done. Zhongwen would be much appreciated 
Sorry I’m a dope. I searched for service and servicing!! Damn those British invaders who taught me to speak their language thus enabling me to work here… oh right
I’ve changed a few things on my scooters, and thought I’d contribute. I ride over 1000km per month, so my machines wear off quickly.
I’m putting this smiley 
when I’m not 100% certain of the price. It means it’s roughly in that area, but not EXACTLY that.
Duke 125c
Rear shock: 800NT$
Battery: Around 800
Belt: 300-400
Exhaust: 800
Tire: 800
Rebuilding the engine (new cylinder, piston, rings): 3500
Changing brake cable “housing” (not sure how to call this, it’s basically the tube that the cable sits in): 250
Brake pads (drum brakes): 250
New front suspension: got quoted over 3000
PGO G-Max 200 (More expensive)
Disc brake pads: 400
Belt: 800
Rear wheel: 1200
Installing HID lamp: 500
Oil change: 250. This is the medium range oil. I use it for long trips on the previous scooter, and all the time on this one.
Gear oil change: 50 (not sure why you guys pay so much more for it)
Battery change: 1000
New saddle: 800
Putting on new horns (doesn’t include the horns): 100
Rear mud fender (the lower one): 300
These prices are from old style “mom and pop” shop. Not the fancy shiny type of shop where they charge more.
Find a street with other businesses on it. Look for a sign that says Yamaha KYMCO SYM. There you are. There should only be one guy working there. Most likely has betel nut teeth. Bonus for lots of old parts lying around and grease covering the floor.
If you find one that seems to know what they’re doing, keep going back, as they’re in the minority.
I can recommend two shops that never ever tried anything fishy on me. While not a boy genius, I know how to rebuild a motor, and fix most things on a scooter (but i don’t want to get my hands dirty/buy tools). So i can vouch that these guys won’t try to f**k you up.
In Neihu on Minquan east road. He has worked on my Gmax: maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hne … 65,0,0.97
Btw, avoid att ALL cost the yamaha mechanic nearby this shop. They are complete fuckers who have done fare more bad than good on my bike.
In Zhongue, near the Tuntex Towers (and RT Mart). He has worked on my 125cc: maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hne … 83,0,4.03
Talking to the gf about her scooter, it dawned on me that she does that too. i.e. She treats the oil warning light as a service-interval indicator (as first introduced, IIRC, on BMW cars, probably sometime in the late 80’s?)
I’m pretty sure this is, in her case, WRONG, though she was hard to convince.
I gather from the CPI fan-thread that some recent two-wheelers have a simple version of such a system, but for most (hers is a fairly old(?) Yamaha Breeze) I think the oil warning light shows a low oil level, which should be regarded as a serious fault condition requiring immediate attention.
It should never come on in normal operation.
I’m not sure about her car (Toyota Altis). Suppose I’d better find out.
In fact I should take more interest in her vehicle maintenance generally, but its likely to cause trouble so I suppose I’ve been avoiding the issue
It’s probably the service indicator, check the milage when it comes on, if it’s 1000km intervals then it’s service. There’s normally a button or slot close by to reset it.
Are you talking about the scooter here or about the Altis?
I’d be surprised if the scooter (its a few years old, dunno exactly) has a service indicator, though I’m not certain. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Altis has.
Though I have a fair grasp of the basics I’ve avoided recent automative technology, (because taken as a whole I think it sucks) so I’m out of my comfort zone with newish vehicles.
I’d be surprised if the scooter (its a few years old, dunno exactly) has a service indicator,… [/quote]
My crappy old Kymco 125 has one. They’re common. As Super said it’s just a mileage indicator that clicks to red after 1000km… time to change your oil.
OK, I’m a dumb cluck/quack/duck.
I was thinking of cars, which I’m more familiar with, and where the oil warning light is controlled by an oil pressure sensor, and service indicators (at least the BMW ones) are relatively sophisticated adaptive systems that, for example, give a higher weighting to short journey low speed miles than to motorway journeys.
I’ve never had a scooter, but an oil pressure sensor would be too sophisticated for any of the motorcycles I’ve had, so I guess the same probably applies to most scooters.
I’ve been out-meched by a Taiwanese girl!
THE SHAME 
Under the red thingy it says “Check Oil”. That should surely be “Change Oil” (Chan-gee oi-yul) for a service indicator, so maybe I can use bad English in my defence? 
Bit of unasked advice:
Never correct a woman about mechanical stuff unless asked. In her eyes you’re either right and an ass, or wrong and a dumbass. There is no upside.