Sym T1 new or used

Life Cars & Motorcycles
1

I am looking to upgrade my scooter from the old school, beat up Sym Duke to a Sym T1 150. I’ve been reading posts on here, and I understand that this isn’t a really fast bike and I’m not trying to race anyone on it.

It seems that the 2013 version is about 90-95,000 NT, and the 2012 or 2011 run somewhere between 45-65,000 depending on mileage.

I may only stay in Taiwan for another 1 or 2 years, but I don’t know if the extra 30,000 for a brand new bike will really be worth it. I can’t imagine a bike costing me more than 30,000 in repairs over the next year, or even 2 years. I am mostly paranoid that the scooter shop will try to screw me over by selling me a bike with more mileage than it shows on the engine.

How long should a T1 last before it starts needing repairs beyond the routine maintenance?

Thoughts?

2

Hello,
[b]

in short: BUY NEW[/b]

like i have mentioned in other post:
First we start with understanding of the problem of the second hand motorbikes.
Ask yourself… why someone would sale an SYM T1? (Only if something is wrong with it)
Those crazy rare and exceptional cases when someone buy an Ducatti 800, or whatever else upgrade and then sale out his previous motorbike are VERY, VERY rare and most-likely you will not find such bike at all.
(Normally those sold privately to friends or given as a gift to relatives, or brothers etc.)

Now to key points:
(If buy Second Hand)

  1. SYM T1 build 2010 - Do NOT buy it. It does have engineering (known) problems.
  2. Buy only build 2011 or later
  3. Must take with you someone who is professional in motorbikes and know local cheating in motorcycle stores.
    (Under professional i mean now someone who not only ride bikes, but know technical engineering and fixing of those)
  4. Do never trust whatever sales in store tells you: All is lie.

If shop claim that the motorbike new and under 10000 km run - then they have prepared (modified / manipulated) the computer.
Don’t even dare to believe if they say that manipulation of computer is not possible. They can do that and i can do that :smiley: .
If they say that the bike sold by their relatives - It is a lie.
If they say that bike is from first hands - It is a lie.

Now to technical cheating.
If you see shiny bike - it is most-likely cheating.
Re-Colorized bike hide its crash. Oh Yeah! Taiwanese re-colorize bikes in order to hide crashes.
If you see screws have white colored , foggy color or/and this foggy color, like water gets around the components, then this is crashed bike which was sprayed with some chemical, after it was trashed somewhere.
Check always frontal frame. There shall be no any shaking when you with power hold the grip (control grip) and shake the frontal wheel fork (ohh yeh… difficult to describe this action with words, but so easy to show).
If you feel like 1 mm shake or step, then it is crashed bike with re-fixed fork holder. (Most of cases it is)
Actually if you see SYM T1 shiny and beautiful colored - then it is DEFINITIVE crashed bike.
If you see T1 lookalike new and produced 2012 or 2011 - then this is cheating.
It shall have some rusted parts, of course not many, but MUST have.

Many things are by experience in life.
T1 is a great bike and nobody in normal consciousness will ever sale it.
Like i said, exceptions you will not meet, so don’t waste your time to think of those.

Take a ride and find a long street, where you can test speed of T1.
If speed maximum 80-90 km/h, then bike is dead, return it.
It shall give around 130+ in normal condition for 150c.c. bike.

After you have bought it:
Go to SYM official technical center (Choice biggest you can find around, from official SYM web) and then run full inspection, including engine check.
Ask them to disassemble all.

By the way.
If motorbike costs for example 70000 TWD, so shop earn at least 10000-15000 TWD.
So you can ask for free helmet :wink:
(But they will give you anyway some trash)
Good helmet cost 3000-5000 TWD.
Do NOT save on it. BUY a good one, which covers entire head.
(Racing Type)
I have crashed a lot in my life, and the only reason i am able now to write this is a good helmet :smiley:

If Engine ok and so on …
Then first thing you have to do is to change engine oil.
Normal good oil can NOT cost under 500 TWD and with special addition will cost 150TWD extra.
Set consisting Oil + Addition can be bought also and cost anyway 650 Total.
Do NEVER put any oil below that price into T1 or any good motorbike.
Gasoline 95 or better 98.

Get yourself printed version of service manual and user manual.
Service manual is not included and have to be bought by distributor of SYM.
Second Hand either does rare have normal User Manual, so get it too.

After all:
If you can buy a new bike, then do NEVER buy second hand, especially in Taiwan.
You can not imagine that bike costing you more than 30000 on service? Ohhh… it can be much higher on service costs if it is damaged or if this is a crashed bike :slight_smile:
So get a new if you can! you will tell me “Thank you!!!” after :slight_smile:

3

Man, I really appreciate the thorough post! I wish I had seen this before I bought my first bike in Taiwan (2nd hand from a French scumbag in Zhongli). By the way I’m not saying French and scumbag go together, but this guy just happened to be both.

Anyways, I went with the 2013 version. It’s really sweet. I’m gonna save this post to share with anyone I know who is considering a scooter in Taiwan!

Thanks, dude.

4

I’d suggest a Kymco Quannon over a Sym T1 LoL

And btw… its impossible for a stock 150 to go over 130+. You shouldn’t rely on the brochures too much. Stock 150 scooters, some are limited under 100, like one Kymco Racing 150 I drove, limited me to 83 KMH . My Kymco Quannon Naked? The top speed I got on it was 117KMH, on a straight flat road. Obviously modified bikes can go over 130, but that cots several 10’s of thousands of NT.

And about the helmet. Don’t buy those construction hats. If your really going to be cheap about it , at least buy 1000+ NT helmets, that cover the back of your head and at least most of the side of your head. If you are more protective and concerned about your head, go for full-face helmets, but beware, do be ready to sweat a lot in it . But its okay, the lining is washable . If you don’t like full-face helmets because you can’t open the front of it , get a modular helmet. Offers both. A decent brand for under 5000… I’d suggest SOL. For anything over that ? Arai, Shoei and among those . But those go like 7000, 9000, 20000, 16000 so yeah . Usually the more exepensive means its probably got better technology, but in the end, its still the same , because a truck tire running over your head, no brand of helmet is gonna stop that from running over your skull . Their are decent helmets, like GP-5 and MR2 but I would only use those for extremely short distance drives, or for your passenger to use.