[Old Thread Update] First New Scooter

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az_slynch
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[Old Thread Update] First New Scooter

Post by az_slynch »

Hurrah, one with *zero* miles on the odometer and that new bike smell (baking muffler)! She's a 2012 Kymco Yager GT200i in Blue-Black. Looks glossy black at night, but in the sun, the blue metalflake shines through. Hard to see in the photos, boo.

I started putting money aside for a Yager last year and was hoping to buy a 2013 model in the light blue metallic (to match my '83 Riva). First Kymco discontinued the color, then they discontinued the bike. Fortunately, the good folks at ScootOver were able to snag me one of the last three in the Kymco's SC warehouse, whew! Originally, we were told it was light blue, but it showed up in blue-black. I didn't look. In fact, it stayed crated up until it was paid for and I was ready to pick her up. Interestingly, I had never test-driven or even toyed with a Yager; I didn't want to spoil the surprise in any way!

The Yager really appealed to me; I see it as the modern reincarnation of the old Riva. It has the odd, pointed beak and three spoke wheels. The dashboards are both sophisticated for their respective eras. You can't start either of them with the sidestand down. Both have a tiny rear rack, a humped seat and flip-out buddy pegs. And of course, they're both really 175cc with horizontal cylinders and fancy tech (EFI on the Yager, hydraulic valves and carb electronics on the Riva).

Of course, the Yager has bonus awesome built-in. The flat floor is really spacious. Underseat storage is huge (I can put my XL-sized HJC SyMax II modular in there. Hydraulic discs front and rear make stopping a breeze; as an added bonus, the brakes aren't linked like some modern (nerfed) bikes. The EFI engine really gets up and goes, even during the break-in period. It'll handle altitude changes with ease. Controls are a dead-ringer for Honda switchgear and actuates with the same satisfying crispness.

Oh, and for you speedometer freaks...the Yager speedometer is DEAD-ON ACCURATE!

Anyway, enough bragging. It's a Kymco, right? I was torn between getting this one or a 4T Stella first, but the timing of things has forced my hand. I'm glad I didn't miss out on this bike!

And yes, pics or it didn't happen...
EDIT: Fitting that this is post #191 for me. One of my original reasons for wanting the Yager was to own a bike with the fuel range to ride Devil's Highway (US 191) over between Alpine, AZ and Morenci, AZ!
Attachments
2012 Kymco Yager GT200i, in Blue-Black. I picked it up with ZERO miles!
2012 Kymco Yager GT200i, in Blue-Black. I picked it up with ZERO miles!
Yager1.jpg (105.9 KiB) Viewed 3947 times
Rear quarter view, showing off the rear disc.
Rear quarter view, showing off the rear disc.
Yager2.jpg (111.73 KiB) Viewed 3947 times
The more things change, the more they stay the same...
The more things change, the more they stay the same...
RivaVsYager.jpg (101 KiB) Viewed 3947 times
Last edited by az_slynch on Fri Jan 01, 2016 5:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by michelle_7728 »

Congrats!

Ride safe and always look out for cars and assume they don't see you!
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Post by JHScoot »

nice! love the Yager. good power, get you just about anywhere, practical as hell, comfy, nice flat floor :)
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Nice, Enjoy

Post by killa_ed »

Be safe and have fun.
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Post by Howardr »

Congratulations! The bike is prettier in person. I'm really looking forward to the 191 ride, too.

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Post by skully93 »

Great!

I have no idea about newer kymcos, but we have lots around here and they seem to last a good long time. Mine has 36k on the odometer, so it's over 20k miles. I didn't fit well on the Yager, but they seem nice.

Looking forward to a review.
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Post by az_slynch »

skully93 wrote:Great!

I have no idea about newer kymcos, but we have lots around here and they seem to last a good long time. Mine has 36k on the odometer, so it's over 20k miles. I didn't fit well on the Yager, but they seem nice.

Looking forward to a review.
Just out of curiousity, What was your fit issue? Seat shape or seat height?
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by az_slynch »

michelle_7728 wrote:Congrats!

Ride safe and always look out for cars and assume they don't see you!
Thanks! I just read your post and all I can say is Yikes! I'm glad you made it out unscathed. Kinda worrisome that a driver thinks that a horn-honk is a free-pass for blowing a red light.

I will be adding some discrete black reflective tape and some extra LED lighting to the scoot to add more visibility, especially at night.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by JAEGER »

If nothing else I approve of the name, even if they Anglicized it. :)

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az_slynch
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Post by az_slynch »

JAEGER wrote:If nothing else I approve of the name, even if they Anglicized it. :)

--Jaeger
It sure beats "Dink". :D

I wanted "JAGER" for a plate, but it's taken. I even tried "YAGER", "HUNTR" and even "CHUCK". I have two other ideas, just waiting on some peperwork so I can put my own tag on it.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by ankdworak »

Hey az_slynch,
Was just wondering with the special ordering from the warehouse and everything, were you able to get the Yaeger for a good price?
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Post by skully93 »

az_slynch wrote:
skully93 wrote: I didn't fit well on the Yager, but they seem nice.

Looking forward to a review.
Just out of curiousity, What was your fit issue? Seat shape or seat height?
Mine was just the overall ergonomics of the bike. I took one around the block at the local shop and just felt wrong on it. I would probably say the seat shape more than height, though I have a short inseam. The downtown 300i was a better fit. My people 250 is just fine, but if it had 14" tires I wouldn't object, just tiptoes at times are tough to maneuver in tight spots.
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Post by BuddyRaton »

Congrats on the slick scooter!

Don't forget to give us that first "real ride" report!
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'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
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Post by az_slynch »

ankdworak wrote:Hey az_slynch,
Was just wondering with the special ordering from the warehouse and everything, were you able to get the Yaeger for a good price?
I wish I had! I know that some folks out there had been snapping up "showroom" fresh 2010-2011 Yagers for great prices (Kymco lets dealers sell off "demo" models for around $400 off sticker, apparently.) However, by the time I had everything in place to make the purchase, the pool of available bikes was pretty dry. I paid full retail plus Tucson's 9.1% sales tax. Bit of an ouch, but I have no regrets. :)
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by az_slynch »

skully93 wrote:Mine was just the overall ergonomics of the bike. I took one around the block at the local shop and just felt wrong on it. I would probably say the seat shape more than height, though I have a short inseam. The downtown 300i was a better fit. My people 250 is just fine, but if it had 14" tires I wouldn't object, just tiptoes at times are tough to maneuver in tight spots.
I agree, the bike is a bit taller than expected. I'm 5'10' and with a 30" inseam and I need to be in the cradle of the saddle to flatfoot it. When I take off, I need to scoot back a bit to have comfortable leg position. It's not uncomfortable, just weird to a guy who can flatfoot all his other little-wheeled bikes without making any position changes.

I'm toying with the idea of getting a second seat and taking it to a local upholstery shop to make some alterations. I will probably never carry a passenger, so I don't see why I couldn't move the hump in the seat back an inch or two and decrease the rake of the driver's section a little bit.
Last edited by az_slynch on Tue Oct 23, 2012 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by az_slynch »

BuddyRaton wrote:Congrats on the slick scooter!

Don't forget to give us that first "real ride" report!
Thanks, and will do on the report! I hate to admit that it only has 60 miles on it so far. I had too much stuff to do this weekend to scoot, and I have a few engines to sort out and some evening classes to eat up my nights this week.

Working on an aggressive break-in, but monitoring the engine carefully during the process. I need to wring all the oomph I can out of this motor, as the guys I ride with all have (thankfully, carburated) 250s. Once it's broken in fully, I may do a LeoVince 4Road and Dr. Pulley sliders to get a bit more speed.
Last edited by az_slynch on Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by az_slynch »

It has about 175 miles on it now, I've been working and doing honey-do's when not at work, so my riding time has been pretty restricted. I'll be commuting cross-town to our southend facility for November, so then we'll see the miles start accumulating.

First fill-up last night; it was delivered with a full tank. The fuel light started flashing when I hit the quarter-tank mark. Pulled into a Chevron and wheel-stopped at 150.0 on the trip-meter (yes, it has a trip function...just like the old Riva). I put two gallons in. This is nice, because it makes it easy to see that the bike made 75mpg on stop-and-go city driving, all while riding it like I stole it on an aggressive break-in regimen. The annoyance is that the tank holds 2.9 gallons, so it should have a usable range of 225+ miles with more reserved throttle usage. Riding 70 miles with the fuel warning blinking would be annoying.

Acceleration is pretty good for a 175cc. It takes off quite briskly, though the stock muffler kinda ruins the thrill. Sounds like you're riding two-up with someone squeezing a whoopie cushion. I will be getting a LeoVince 4Road if I can find one. I have made one brief highway sprint, once the odometer passed 100 miles. Full bore on a flat road netted 66 honest-to goodness mph. I'm hoping that it will get a bit faster as it breaks in; I'd like to see it hitting 75mph for those longer trips where I-10 is the only option. Once it's broken in, a set of Dr. Pulley sliders and the 4Road are planned. I'm also considering swapping the 140/70-12 rear tire for a 130/80-12 tire. That could make that desired speed more do-able.

It's funny how riding little-wheeled scooters makes everything else seem very tall. I almost feel like I'm sitting on a real motorcycle than a scooter. The seat is 31" from the ground and the seat angle rises up quickly from the nose of the saddle. I have to scooch back slightly once I start off to allow for a more comfortable leg position and I find myself at-odds with the ridge in the seat. The seat cover material works fine, so long as you're not trying to hold a coefficient of static friction against it. Riding pants may alleviate this, but my jeans don't play nicely with it. I will be having the seat re-shaped slightly to resolve this issue. I'd like to drop the suspension one-half to three-quarters of an inch as well.

While I'm throwing down on ergonomics, the floor is a bit weird. It is a flat floor, but it has a somewhat of a downward slope away from the rider. The forward "highway" foot position is appreciated, but somewhat lacking when coupled with the annoyances of the seat. There is also this odd 2" step between the floorboard and the "highway" panels. This makes for a mild distraction when shifting foot position while riding. Wear comfortable footwear with well-insulated toes.

The mirrors may look the business, but I'm not fond of the way they sweep up on the lower, outer corners. This styling exercise robs the rider of what I believe to be important rear visibility and requires the rider to invest more time moving about to do over-the-shoulder checks and invest more time changing viewing angles to get more use of the available mirror area. One of those aftermarket curved dash mirrors might alleviate this.

The bar-end weights are, simply put, inadequate. It is nice that Kymco opted to install some, but the mass of the supplied weights is insufficient. I estimate their weight to be 200-220 grams. They really need to be about double that to quash the vibrations transmitted through the handlebars. I don't even get this much buzzing from my old Riva and it doesn't have bar-ends. It might have something to do with the length of the bars and the lack of a brace. Regardless, I will be installing heavier bar-ends on it.

More from the Yager front once I've put more miles on. Planning at least two trips to Phoenix before Christmas. I'm also planning to change the engine and gear oils, as well as reset the valves prior to those trips.
Last edited by az_slynch on Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:14 pm, edited 6 times in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by avonpirate »

I'm a "baptism by immersion" type of person. Wanted a scoot bought a scoot. The 'fit' of a scoot is a concept I nevr considered. How could someone who is a true rookie even know what is comfortable, the 1st 1000 miles was/is learning how to ride. Now I think when time permits I'm going to have to go out and demo. Congrats on the new scoot. Your passion and excitement are well communicated!!!!!
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Post by az_slynch »

avonpirate wrote:I'm a "baptism by immersion" type of person. Wanted a scoot bought a scoot. The 'fit' of a scoot is a concept I nevr considered. How could someone who is a true rookie even know what is comfortable, the 1st 1000 miles was/is learning how to ride. Now I think when time permits I'm going to have to go out and demo. Congrats on the new scoot. Your passion and excitement are well communicated!!!!!
When you acquired your Buddy, I presume you had no prior scootering miles and had never tried another scooter. It's hard to have a baseline for things when you don't have prior experience to go on. Now that you have made some miles, developed some riding habits and developed a sense of what characteristics for your scooter that you like/don't like, it would be interesting to go test-ride a different scooter and see how it suits you and how it stacks up to your Buddy.

I may sound like I'm harsh on the Yager. I'm actually pretty happy with it. Expecting the rainbow-unicorn perfect scooter would have been unrealistic on my part. I admit that I'm a tough customer when it comes to my expectations from a scooter; this is why I chose not to test-ride the Yager before buying one. I didn't want to scratch off a bike with so many positive attributes (in my mind) over some fiddly things that could be adjusted later. Ultimately, the Yager is going to be my long-haul (rides >400 miles) scooter, so I want to be 100% confident in it and comfortable with it.

At least I still want a 4T Stella. I test-rode two examples and studied one in the showroom; as a result, I have a list of twelve things to fix on it and I haven't even started a down payment yet!
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by az_slynch »

As of this morning, the Yager has 322 miles on it. I fueled up on the way to work; the fuel warning came on the ride home last night and I chose to ignore it until this morning. Wheel stop at the filling station was 314.6 miles. Last fillup was 150.0 miles, so I put 164.6 on this time. I put 2.3 gallons in, so I averaged 71.5mpg on this tank. Previous fill-up netted 75mpg; I suspect that the decrease in efficiency is a result of the cross-town, stop-n-go riding I've been doing. I need to find a more efficient route to the southside facility.

In the performance department, the bike has gotten a bit quicker off the line and has improved its top end slightly. Acceleration improved after "bedding" the clutch. The engine doesn't rev as high on takeoff (6300rpm vs. 7200rpm) and initial acceleration seems more brisk now that the scoot is launching closer to it's torque peak. I made two sprints on the highway last night; The first run netted an accurate 70mph top speed and the second run bumped it up to an ephemeral 71mph. While it will hit that sort of speed, the tachometer showes a worrisome 8800rpm at 70mph. The indicated redline for the scoot is 8000rpm, suggesting that it's not a good idea to try and hold that sort of speed for an extended period. The highest speed attained so far that kept the tachometer out of the redline was 66mph. I expect that some fiddling with the CVT or final drive would be needed to keep the tach out of the red on highway jaunts. One other option would be to remove the 140/70-12 rear tire and fit a 130/80-12 tire.

Ergonomics are unchanged at this time, but I suspect that both the scoot and I are "breaking in". I've found a seating position that doesn't put me in too much conflict with the seat hump and and the 2" step in the floorboard. Longest interval I've ridden for to-date has been 45 minutes and I haven't felt any obvious discomfort after that interval. Longer rides are coming in the next month, so I'll have more feedback then.

No changes to the mirrors yet; for the moment, I've been tweaking their positioning and trying to make the best of them. I checked the other Kymco models and found that the People GT and Downtown lines use the same goofy mirrors. Looks like the aftermarket will be the way to go.

I went ahead and ordered new bar end weights. After poking about for a bit, I decided on the 14.2 ounce, stainless universal ones from Hudson Valley Motorsports Parts. They look really clean and weigh double what the stock bar ends do. I'm going to be traveling for a week, but I intend to fit these upon my return and try do do some back-to-back comparison riding.

The stock windscreen is only effective until about 45mph. It would probably work up to higher speeds with a lower seating position, but I wouldn't expect much more from it. There are several aftermarket windscreens, but they're pretty blah. Biondi and Givi make screens that could pass for sails and the Puig offering is just rather weirdly-shaped. All have forward protrusions for allowing full steering arc. The most attractive aftermarket windscreen I've found is offered by FACO. Only problem is, it's damn-near impossible to get in the US. Challenge accepted, since I don't like anything else being offered.

That's all from the Yager front. I'll update as things change for better or worse.
Last edited by az_slynch on Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by VinylDoctor »

michelle_7728 wrote:Congrats!

Ride safe and always look out for cars and assume they don't see you!
Kymco is great.
they do OEM work for honda.
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Post by az_slynch »

Yager's at 1500 miles and I still love the bike. I've come to the conclusion that it is an enjoyable ride because there are no surprises! It handles well at high and low speeds. The brakes will haul it to a halt quickly and effectively with no drama. Everything works as it should and it starts everytime with no fuss. The one time I forgot to disengage the kill switch was the one time that it didn't just start immediately. It might as well be a Honda without the cachet price.

I've learned a bit more about the fuel gauge and the fuel tank. Each segment of the fuel gauge is good for close to 35 miles in the city. Each segment is good for about 40 miles when not stuck in the stop 'n go routine. When the fuel level drops to the final segment, the fuel pump icon and the final segment flash as a warning to the rider. Ride twenty more miles, and the segment will disappear and the pump will continue to flash. The two stage warning is handy for riders who are concerned with running out of fuel. It's a bit annoying, but not overly so. The fuel tank lists a 2.9 gallon capacity, but I've never put anywhere near that much in it. The last time I let it go to the second-stage warning, I only managed to put 2.4 gallons in the bike. I'd like to think that the gauge is overly paranoid, but I'm beginning to suspect that fuel capacity is calculated by including volume of the fuel lines and the injector.

Despite my initial griping about the saddle, I have yet to experience any real discomfort or any saddle-soreness. I did loan the bike out over a weekend, and the rider reported no issues with the saddle. I think it just took a little time to work in the foam.

Maximum achieved speed to date is 73mph. I don't recommend using this is a cruising speed, as the tach will have swung well into the red zone and the CEL will light up once the engine hits 9250RPM. The good news is that it goes right back off once the tach winds back under 9000RPM. Not sure which sensor tripped; no errors were logged by the ECU. THis speed was achieved in a non-tucked position on level ground; not sure if it had any more to give if I was tucked. I am certain that the Yager could go faster if some acceleration was traded off; this wouldn't be much of an issue as the bike accelerates with aplomb aplenty. I would describe a realistic cruising speed to be around 60, with sprint capability to 70+. The Yager may punch above it's weight, but it isn't going to achieve the performance numbers of a modern FI-equipped 250cc scooter.

The oil warning appears to be strictly tied to mileage. There is a secondary tripmeter which turns the oil light on every 600 miles. It's a great reminder for a new owner in order to get the bike in for it's first service. Unfortunately, once reset, it will come on every 600 miles. After the first service, oil changes are scheduled at 1200-mile intervals, so the rider will have to reset the light at the halfway point. To do so, simply select the display mode for the oil tripmeter, then push and hold both buttins for three seconds. A bit annoying maybe, bit it's more useful than the oxygen sensor tripmeter on old digital-dash Audis. Once it came on, there was no reset; the tech simply removed the bulb from the dash!

I parked next to a Burgie 400 at school many times this semester and was surprised at how similar in size the two bikes are. The Burgie is definitely lower in the saddle, but only a wee bit longer overall. This was a bit surprising, as I had thought the Yager to be a fair bit smaller than a maxiscoot. I still wouldn't trade of the "standard" riding position for extra cc's, though.

Nothing else to report at this time. Unless I unlock any special Kymco achievements or find the hidden JATO button, these posts sum up my observations on the Kymco Yager.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by agrogod »

Ooh,ahh, me likes the style. Looks like it want's to go fast, vroom,vroom.
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Post by BeefSupreme »

Nice! The same metallic midnight blue as my Like. It gets plenty of attention, especially once people see it during the day when the blue shines through.
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Post by BuddyRaton »

VinylDoctor wrote:
michelle_7728 wrote:Congrats!

Ride safe and always look out for cars and assume they don't see you!
Kymco is great.
they do OEM work for honda.

and BMW
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
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Post by az_slynch »

BuddyRaton wrote:and BMW
Yep. I look forward to pulling alongside a $13K scooter and comment on the fine Kymco motor it has. :lol:
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Post by ericalm »

az_slynch wrote:
BuddyRaton wrote:and BMW
Yep. I look forward to pulling alongside a $13K scooter and comment on the fine Kymco motor it has. :lol:
It's a BMW Motorrad-designed engine. Nothing new about outsourcing production.

Regardless, it's a VERY FINE engine. Been test riding the C600 for a week now. Getting spoiled!
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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az_slynch
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Post by az_slynch »

ericalm wrote:It's a BMW Motorrad-designed engine. Nothing new about outsourcing production.

Regardless, it's a VERY FINE engine. Been test riding the C600 for a week now. Getting spoiled!
I understand. I just thinks it speaks volumes for Kymco's build quality when BMW has them build their motors. :D
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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az_slynch
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Post by az_slynch »

Arise, ancient thread. For today, the Yager finally turned 10K!

I should've hit this in 2014, but life put a crimp in my riding. C'est la vie!

Anyway, good job Kymco on building a scooter that hasn't needed anything more than general maintenance and consumables in the last three years.

In 2016, she gets a Bitubo suspension upgrade and possibly a seat foam reinforcement. Still want to add wing deflectors and considering having the head ported.

Looking forward to the next 10K! :D

EDIT: Forgot to mention, it got faster with age and some 18gr Dr. Pulley sliders. The max speed is now 77mph! New belt at 7500 miles and new Michelin Power Pures might have helped a little too.
Last edited by az_slynch on Sat Jan 02, 2016 6:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
skipper20
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Post by skipper20 »

az_slynch wrote:Arise, ancient thread. For today, the Yager finally turned 10K!

I should've hit this in 2014, but life put a crimp in my riding. C'est la vie!

Anyway, good job Kymco on building a scooter that hasn't needed anything more than general maintenance and consumables in the last three years.

In 2016, she gets a Bitubo suspension upgrade and possibly a seat foam reinforcement. Still want to add wing deflectors and considering having the head ported.

Looking forward to the next 10K! :D
It is a nice looking scooter and I do like those large wheels and tires. I'll be back in Tucson this time next week. I've visited ScootOver and I'm wondering if they could somehow source ME a Yager. If not, and since they're also a Genuine Buddy dealer, maybe a Hooligan in Matte Black. It has the same engine as my '12 170i Italia AZ scoot but Genuine/PGO seems to have been able to squeeze a few more MPHs out of it. Its 12" wheels and tires should also do better on some of Tucson's bumpier streets such as River Road. But, last year I had no problem scooting up to the 9000 ft. level of Mt. Lemmon on my 170i Italia so I should probably hang on to it. Still......................

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Italia (AZ scoot)
'14 170i Hooligan (WA scoot) Matte Green
lizettew
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backatcha ancient thread

Post by lizettew »

I seem to be en route (as it were) to buying a Kymco Yager (whatisinaname) off of craigslist. 2010, 1880 miles, one owner, clean title, looking pretty brand new for a price too low to print here, as someone might try to steal it away from me.

Now in order to get this baby home, I am going to have to drive about 70 miles on the highway, though no trucks. It's the merritt parkway however and the rich folk of CT will zoom down it at alarming speeds. Should I be worried?

I am an experienced rider and have been nutty enough to pull off capers like flying to Indianapolis to purchase a Triumph Bonneville (ebay) and ride it all the way back home to NYC. Of course this is a motorcycle (which I still own and love) and very highway worthy.

I am assuming I can toodle along on the Merritt at 60 mph on the yager without feeling like am taking my life in my hands? Please say yes.
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az_slynch
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Re: backatcha ancient thread

Post by az_slynch »

lizettew wrote:I seem to be en route (as it were) to buying a Kymco Yager (whatisinaname) off of craigslist. 2010, 1880 miles, one owner, clean title, looking pretty brand new for a price too low to print here, as someone might try to steal it away from me.

Now in order to get this baby home, I am going to have to drive about 70 miles on the highway, though no trucks. It's the merritt parkway however and the rich folk of CT will zoom down it at alarming speeds. Should I be worried?

I am an experienced rider and have been nutty enough to pull off capers like flying to Indianapolis to purchase a Triumph Bonneville (ebay) and ride it all the way back home to NYC. Of course this is a motorcycle (which I still own and love) and very highway worthy.

I am assuming I can toodle along on the Merritt at 60 mph on the yager without feeling like am taking my life in my hands? Please say yes.
The Yager will handle 60mph with no trouble. Just mind a few things first. First, change the oil and filter before riding that fast. Make sure your tires are properly inflated and check for dry rot prior to riding at speed (probably still on 6 year-old Maxxis tires). When you have a chance, take it in for a coolant change (should be changed every two years, regardless of mileage). The bike will serve you well if you mind the general maintenance in put at least midgrade in it since it's a high compression motor.

Once you get a feel for it, ride aggressively for a bit since it's still low mileage. The rings have probably set, but you may be able to bed it in for a little extra oomph. I did a hard break-in on mine from mile zero and it'll pull all the way up to 77mph now. I've also ridden to Phoenix on Interstate 10 before at 75mph. That was 120 miles with the tach in the red zone with no foul to the motor. Remembering how lovely CT is about speed enforcement for out-of-towners, I doubt you'll have the opportunity to flog it that hard.

Add a set of Michelin Power Pure tires for better cornering, change the fork oil out with 10W motocross oil for a crisper ride and put a set of EBC FA197HH sintered pads on for more braking power.

Finally, the tach's red zone starts at 8000 rpm, but you won't hit the rev limiter until 9250 rpm. :wink:
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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Dooglas
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Re: backatcha ancient thread

Post by Dooglas »

lizettew wrote:I seem to be en route (as it were) to buying a Kymco Yager (whatisinaname) off of craigslist.
The name means hunter. Certainly beats BetnWin or Grand Dink. :wink:
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az_slynch
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Re: [Old Thread Update] First New Scooter

Post by az_slynch »

Shoveling this one back up.

Yager has turned 20K. Still no issues to report. Longest day of riding to date has been 330 miles.

She'll be getting her 4th belt on her 21.5K service and I might switch down to 17gr sliders. 18gr work great at sea level, but the engine power often falls right under the torque peak at 2600ft here in Tucson.

Pirelli Angels are fantastic tires for this scoot. Love them more than Michelin Power Pures.
At what point does a hobby become an addiction? I'm uncertain, but after the twelfth scooter, it sorta feels like the latter...

Seriously...I've lost count...

Seven mopeds ...that's still manageable...
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