Wednesday, August 29, 2007

The 3 year warranty that takes 3 months to repair

I was really hoping to have a wonderful summer riding my Strada rx200hp scooter. I had planned to be back up on this blog at the beginning of the season. I had even purchased a video camera and bullet camera to record these rides. The sad truth is I haven’t been on my scooter in over 3 months and have heard no word on when, if ever, I might have it back from the shop.

My plan had to been ride the scooter to 5,000 miles and turn it over to Power Sports Factory for inspection and repair if need be. I figured this would be a good opportunity for them to evaluate their product after being ridden hard for two years and 5,000 miles. I even went so far as to leave the scooter completely stock and only had it serviced at PSF’s retail store. Well unfortunately the scooter only made it to 4,960 miles before I was forced to abandon it for repair. Fortunately Strada’s warranty is for 2 years major parts and 3 years on the engine or 5,000 miles. So the break down couldn’t come at a better time.

I first noticed the issue with the scooter as it became extremely unbalanced to the point that I felt unsafe on it. It turned out that the front fork was leaking oil. This is the same problem that I experience one year earlier which that time resulted in me going down. Evidently the scooters were assembled with a soft fork which was designed for the European market and never changed.

The difficulty then arose in trying to get someone to work on this scooter. I contact PSF about 3 months ago informing them of this issue. They were very nice about it but informed me that the retail store was closing and after several weeks of me patiently waiting I tried to locate another dealer. I contacted Blacktop Motorsport which is an authorized PSF drop shipper and was told they could do the work for me. They don’t have a retail store so the owner was kind enough to come pick it up. He seemed very knowledgeable and had ties to PSF so I figured my scooter was in good hands.

Blacktop Motorsport picked the scooter up over two months ago and at that time I was told I should have it back in less than a week. Well I have now had three empty promises of delivery and no word on when I might expect my scooter back. Each time after the delivery date came and went I had to contact them and even told them that if they needed more time that would be fine but please keep me informed. About weeks ago they were on their way to deliver my scooter and were going to ride it in to double check everything. Well I received a call informing me that it wobbled in the rear and that the rim might be bent internally. I was very glad that they caught this problem however it has been over two weeks since and they have not contacted me with any updates.

I suppose in the past I took it for granted that I was so close to PSF and could always go to them for support. With the retail store now closed I was forced to find another dealer that would work on Chinese scooters. From my experiences I can sympathize with those in a similar situation. I think if considering the purchase of a Chinese scooter it is important to remember that it may be difficult to find dealer willing or able to work on the scooter. Until the Chinese scooter market matures and dealer networks established you may find yourself without the support you need. This is certainly something to consider when purchasing a Chinese scooter.

I am still hopeful to get my scooter back but the downtime has really been difficult. When and if I do get it back I will report it here on this blog. In the meantime I will continue riding my FZ6 on a daily basis and will continue to check in here. Please don’t hold it against me as I consider anyone on two wheels to be ok in my book. So to all my fellow two wheelers all the best wishes and I hope to be back among the ranks of the scooterists soon.

Monday, August 27, 2007

The Winner: Yamaha not Yamati

I finally reached the 5,000 milestone and it was not on my scooter but on my Yamaha FZ6. I have been trying to achieve this since early this summer. I had almost achieved this on my Strada rx200hp. I was hoping at that point to turn the bike over to PSF for inspection. Unfortunately the scoot only made it to 4,960 miles. The front fork began to leak oil and I was forced to bring it in for repair. Luckily this did not result in the same outcome from just one year prior when the same malfunction caused me to wreck (link to pictures). Fortunately the warranty on Strada scooters expires at 5,000 miles so most of it should be covered. Unfortunately it has been 3 months now and still no word on when my scooter will be repaired.

Back to the topic at hand, we made it. I realize that 5,000 miles is not that much but at least its a start. (Nearly) 5,000 miles on a Chinese scooter in two years is pretty impressive. On a bike its not that much so. However this is only my first year with the bike. I bought the bike on recommendation from some of the guys at PSF and am really happy with it. I do sometimes get joked at for having the scooter but really each bike has its own place. I wouldn't get rid of either one and ride them both as much as I can when I can. I guess in the end however its not how you get there but that you do. I had set this goal much earlier in the summer and while disappointed to not have achieved it on the scooter I still made it and...

... here are some pictures to prove it:

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

New Strada Classic Scooter Model

Strada Venus Retro

It looks like Power Sports Factory has introduced a new Strada "classic" scooter design to their line up. While their current models trend towards the more modern / sport bike look this is definitely a true throw back in the modern sense. The Venus Retro is built by Qian Jiang in China. This seems to be an evolving trend in the Chinese scooter market. Vento recently introduced their "classic" Hot Rod model (below).


The Strada Venus Retro comes powered by a proven 49.3cc two stroke engine which is shared with both the Strada RX8 and RX8i models. The nearly 5hp (4.9 to be exact) should push this 200lb scooter along at a nice pace. The fuel tank will hold about a gallon and three quarters for a range of about 125 miles. The Venus Retro sports 12" tires and is equipped with front disc brakes and rear drums for stopping power.

I have yet to see one of these in person but if anyone has or owns one I would love to hear what you have to say about it. Drop a note in the comments section and let us know what you think.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

I Predict the Weather Report to be Wrong!

So the local news outlets all labeled this weekend the 'perfect weekend'. Temperatures in the low 80's and nice and clear. Friday I rode into work in a solid downpour and was met by the same fate on my ride home. Saturday I will admit was nice and I definitely took advantage.

Today I had big plans to culminate in a lobster dinner run. However mother nature was not in agreement and it has been miserable all day. Today I would have made it to 5,000 miles on the bike too. I suppose the chase is postponed. Now I have some idea how Barry Bonds must have been feeling.

One would think that with all of today's science and technology that we would be better at predicting the weather. Well I think I might be on to something and its really quiet simple. When I hear a weather report I predict its wrong.

Having only my scooter and motorcycle as transportation I am pretty much destined to ride in the rain. I have come to the realization that my ride will be either dry or wet with no real in between. I do my best to be prepared but sometimes its not enough.

I usually don't even bother looking at the weather report and will simply crack a window to get an idea of what its looking like. What bothers me is when I do actually happen to catch the weather and they are wrong. It seems every time they predict rain they are wrong and vice versa.

So the next time I hear 'perfect weekend' I will be prepared for the 'perfect storm'. Now I just have to keep an eye on Hurricane Dean and hope my friends in Jamaica are ok.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Back on the Bike

Well one for two is better than none. The scooter is still in the shop awaiting parts and repair but I did get my motorcycle back last night. As you may recall it picked up a small nail in the rear tire. Rather than buy a new tire I decided to locate a place that could patch it from the inside. From what I hear a mushroom patch (plug/patch combo that goes in from the inside) is the best option. The problem was finding a place that could do it. As you can imagine most stealerships would much rather sell you a new tire that be bothered to repair the old one.

After doing some research on line and talking to a couple of riding friends I decided to take it in and have it done professionally. I started calling around to various shops only to find that many had since closed and were no longer in business. I contact Yamaha City in Philadelphia but was amazed that no matter how many times I told them I had an FZ6 they didn't recognize the model and kept insisting that I had a Suzuki. Well as it turns out they only wanted to sell me a new tire anyways. I then called Philadelphia Cycle Center back up and told them I would be dropping it off. For $55 they patched my tire for me from the inside and did so with a smile.

It was interesting to see a Strada scooter right inside the showroom floor. It was sitting along side a Honda Metropolitan and a few Ruckus' and some bigger Burgmans. The guys there were joking with me about having a scooter and a bike. My response was to tell them how practical it was and how much fun. It was then that one of the guys agreed with my line of reasoning admitting that he too wouldn't mind a scooter.

I have to say that I was very much impressed by Philadelphia Cycle Center. Now they sell Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki but not Yamaha yet knew right away all about my bike. In fact a couple of the employees there have FZ6's. I guess that attests to the FZ6's (underground) popularity. They were very nice and professional and even went out of there way to fix a missing screw and set my idle. All this was done in a timely fashion and the communication with them was excellent.

I am however still waiting for my scooter to be repaired. The scooter has been plagued by shop closings, parts delays, and now evidently it needs some additional work. I am hopeful that I will have it back soon but am no longer counting the days as they turn to months. I know I was trying to make it to 5,000 miles before having a shop give it a good once over but am glad it is getting the attention it needs.

For now I am off to go enjoy what is supposed to be an exceptionally beautiful weekend. I hope that everyone does the same. Please have fun out there and be safe!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Im back on two but not wheels

So after almost a year hiatus I'm back. I apologize for the long absence but did spend the time riding. Its difficult now deciding which machine to ride but I think they really compliment each other well.

The scooter is terrific in the city. It can get around traffic when need be (check applicable laws first of course). Parking for the most part is no problem right up on the curb. I have found that generally if you are against a building out of the way you are ok. With a cover on you will have almost no problems of course this all depends on where you live. The fuel economy and under seat storage really have an advantage for running around town. The scooter just a great all around ride for town.

The FZ6 is really a rocket. The inline four with 14,000 red line is exhilarating . It did take me a little bit to get used to all the power but everything I learned in MSF came back pretty quickly even after a year. I love riding the bike around and as far as sports bikes go it is very versatile. The seating position isn't nearly as comfortable as a scooter but isn't bad ever for hours on end. It all seems to have a large following with plenty of mods available. I think this one might just be a keeper.

I was hoping to be back on this site a little sooner however I have run into some problems that have delayed me. I wanted to return with 5,000 miles on both bikes but neither has made it there yet. The scooter needed some new parts which got delayed and I managed to pickup a nail in the rear tire of my bike. I should have both back any day and am very eager to complete this milestone.

I do have some exciting news to announce. I have recently purchased a helmet camera to record while riding. I have been experimenting with it on the bike and the results look promising. Unfortunately my computer is not powerful enough to edit the video. I do however have a video lab at work I hope I can utilize. I will continue to record and hopefully can compile some interesting clips to be posted.

I hope to be back on two (wheels not feet) soon. Until then ride on and be safe. Remember if you see me sweating it out on the side of the road staring you down its not you its the ride!