Modern Buddy

Asked my dealer to order me one, looks like a fun little starter motorcycle. Think mini Duke with a 4-speed semi-auto trans:



Link to Kymco's page for the K-Pipe.

I think this is the machine that I can enjoy riding with both scooters and mopeds. Plus my brother may find it easier to step up to; he finds the mighty Yager to be a bit too big and powerful for his liking.

That's a great looking little motorcycle. I think it looks better than the Honda Grom. How much will it cost? I'll have to check with my local Kymco dealer about availability, strictly for educational purposes you understand...

Hm, looks like it's been around since around 2013 (at least the 125cc version) in other parts of the world, so it's not exactly "new", but that's a good thing as all the bugs should have been worked out of it. And, my local dealer says they are on order and will sell for about US$1900.

And for those who want to know more without searching:

ENGINE
ENGINE TYPE 4 STROKE
DISPLACMENT (cc) 123.66
CYLINDER SINGLE
MAX.HORSEPOWER kw(r/min) 6 Kw (8 Hp)/ 7500 Rpm
MAX.TORQUE N.m(r/min) 8.5 Nm (6.27 ft/lb) / 5500 Rpm

CHASSIS
OVERALL LENGTH (mm) 1940 (76.38")
OVERALL WIDTH (mm) 940 (37")
OVERALL HEIGHT (mm) 1050 (41.34")
WHEELBASE (mm) 1290 (50.79")
DRY WEIGHT AMOUNT(kg) 120 (264.55 lb)

TIRE
DIAMETER (FR/RR) 2.75-17 / 3.5-17

BRAKE SYSTEM
TYPE (FR/RR) DISK/DRUM
DIAMETER FR/RR (mm) 276/ 140

For some reason, I'd like to see it with tires like this:

They didn't come on my shipment today, I'm hoping to have them by the end of the month.

4 speed auto-clutch - cool old Honda tech. Should be fun

My dealer has informed me that it's a 4-speed full manual for the US. Not a show stopper for me, but maybe for other potential buyers. The one on the Kymco USA site is a semiauto; no clutch lever present.

If it is as close to an old Honda as I suspect, it's not a big job to convert one over should the need arise.

I really want to know if Takegawa parts will fit. They have two 5-speed conversion kits (sport and touring) and some nutso top ends..DOHC desmodronic head!?!

Interesting! They sent me a few information packs and pictures and I assumed auto-clutch because of the lack of a clutch lever in the pictures. Our sales rep doesn't call us much, though. A manual clutch would make things a little more fun.

Good price. Much cheaper than a Grom or Sym Wolf 150.

I used the manual clutch 125 in my builds and the clutch swap is relatively easy if you wanted to do it. Personally I like the smoothness of a manual clutch but there's something fun and retro about the auto clutch.

'83 Passport?

I have an '81 beater that I've stripped to the frame. Going to straighten it out and respray it. Top end was missing, so I'm thinking Takegawa 88cc for 6V engines and a 4-down gearbox conversion. Keeping the rest OE style.

Close, it's an '82 with '81 bodywork. 82 was the first year of 12v so the aftermarket engines wire right in. You can even keep the Honda CDI and coil.

Well, my K-Pipe has arrived! Got a red one, since it's the fastest color. Good thing too, as the black one my dealer had also ordered was absolutely trashed by the freight company!

The US spec bike comes with add-on indicators on either side of the headlamp that match the rear ones. The integrated blinkers are now suitable for deadlignts. The bike has a manual, rather than a semiautomatic transmission. Interestingly, the gears are a 4-down pattern, with neutral at the top. The foot shifter is styled the same as a semiautomatic as well, so it makes gearchanges easy for those who have difficulty with toe-operated shift levers.

Standover is easy for my 30" inseam and the svelte lines of the tank and frame make it easy for shorter riders to flatfoot it.

It is made in China, but the paint and build quality is up to the spec of my Taiwan-built Yager.

Most amusingly, the owners manual calls it a 125cc scooter!

I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

EDIT: Fixed shift pattern description.

Ours should be here early next week!

We got ours in and I dig it. I accidentally found a hidden feature - the automatic clutch from the Asia/Euro spec is still intact! Yes, that's right, it has both an automatic and a manual clutch. That means you can take off or ride in traffic without using the clutch and have really smooth shifts using the clutch.

I was sold on it.. went to order a white one for myself and they are out of stock until August.

dasscooter wrote:We got ours in and I dig it. I accidentally found a hidden feature - the automatic clutch from the Asia/Euro spec is still intact! Yes, that's right, it has both an automatic and a manual clutch. That means you can take off or ride in traffic without using the clutch and have really smooth shifts using the clutch.

I was sold on it.. went to order a white one for myself and they are out of stock until August.

Wow, so they must've used a semiauto clutch and replaced the setscrew bit with a cable-operated actuator. Very cool! So, do you have to clutch for first like an old Saab or can you just shift the pedal into gear and open throttle when you're ready to go?

Yep, you can click it into gear without the clutch and grab a handful of throttle to take off. The clutch lever seems to be necessary for shifting while moving, though. It doesn't clutch through the pedal like a normal auto-clutch.

az_slynch wrote:I really want to know if Takegawa parts will fit. They have two 5-speed conversion kits (sport and touring) and some nutso top ends..DOHC desmodronic head!?!

Do the Takegawa parts fit? Do they make a big-bore kit?

P.S. Per the official Kymco press release, the US price is $1999.

I driving on the freeway (in my car) the other day at between 65-70 mph when I noticed a bike behind me. I thought to myself that either the rider was a pro basketball player or the bike he was riding was awfully tiny. This guy was right behind me for awhile and when I exited the freeway, he pulled up in the lane next to me. I'm almost certain it was a K-Pipe. The exhaust noise was pretty loud, so I'm guessing at least aftermarket exhaust system. The remarkable thing is (other than the bravery of the rider) the fact that it stayed with me at 65-70 mph on the freeway.

Stopped in to my dealer today for some bits and borrow a tool. While there, I was chatting with the lead mechanic and he mentioned a retrofit kit for the K-Pipe. Apparently, the NHTSA is issuing recall on the bike for having a 4-down, "counterintuitive" shift pattern.

The retrofit kit removes the semiauto shift pedal and involves swapping the footrest bar and shifter for one with a reversing linkage to allow the bike to be shifted in a 4-up pattern. Clever hack, since it avoids cracking the gearbox open to swap out the shift drum.

Linking an article on the recall for reference. They cite 476 bikes, but the recall letter I saw only indicated there were 340 affected bikes.

I'd rather keep the 4-down pattern. Make it harder on any jerk that tries to swipe it and it'll jive with the pattern on my Passport.

But you could always switch it back to the 4 down if you wanted? Oh. and Just Gotta Scoot did a review on the K-Pipe. I have been staring at the new Z125PRO (Kawasaki) for a toy, but also think the K is pretty neat too. Also have a weak spot for the Adly RT50 for some reason, but Im kinda done with BBK'in 50cc 2 t's.

If this is your first week at K-Pipe Club, you have to ride...

So, this one fell off the radar. Picked up the bike in August, trucked it to the club garage and parked it up. Registering a new vehicle at the MVD can be time consuming, so I figured I'd wait until I had a day off. Didn't use the service that partners with my dealer since they charge $170 for plates and paperwork. Well, September rolled around and my truck's registration was due. In October, my Yager and two mopeds were due. November came and I got busy again. December came and I figured I'd better get my butt in gear; I took a late lunch and went to the northwest side MVD office last Thursday afternoon. Paperwork was done in about twenty minutes and it only cost $43 for title, plate and reg.

Loaned the Yager to Howard this week until I could work on his Helices. Decided to break in the K-Pipe in the Yager's absence. Seventy miles in so far and the short version is, the bike is pretty darn fun!

So, I'll cover the nuisances first:

The seat is as comfy as a Lutheran church pew and is not going to treat you well on long trips. It works for commuting, but a thicker and more compliant pad is a must on longer trips.

The gear spacing for first, second and third is pretty darn good. The gap to fourth is borderline absurd when first breaking it in and is almost useless on a hill unless you're a hundred pounds soaking wet or Callista Flockhart. Don't dispair, as it does get better as the break-in miles pile on and is more usable if you work at stretching the revs in the lower gears during break-in.

The auto clutch function is brilliant at traffic lights. Just kick it into gear while waiting and roll throttle when the light goes green. Starting off has never been so easy. Use the clutch lever when hustling the upper gears, as the auto clutch does not like to rushed and use requires a bit of pedal finesse to avoid jerky shifts. Clutch for downshifts and a touch of rev matching makes for gentler stops. The automatic mechanism of the clutch is fantastic and evolved from the old Honda auto clutches. It uses a three-shoe centrifugal assembly like a scooter's driven clutch instead of a sliding roller weight set like a variator.

The shifter is fine for those who wear shoes sized ten or smaller. Wearers of larger footwear may have difficulty using the rocker shifter if they try downshifting with their toe under the front end of the shifter, as the rear pedal may foul on their heel. The NHTSA-recall shift kit may fix this, but I Iike the 4-down GP pattern. Another option might be an extended shift arm from a Honda XR50. I've altered my shifting technique and can manage it as-is, but it's not as friendly to use as an old Honda semi automatic shift pedal.

In the plus column:

The ratios of the lower three gears are great for working in city traffic. Acceleration isn't Buddy 125 grade, but it'll hustle along in traffic without being an impediment.

The front forks have a reported 4.3 inches of travel, which works well to soak up rough roads. The rear monoshock is reported to only have 1.1 inches of travel, but it's so far up the swingarm that it's movement translates to decent travel out back as well. The 17" wheels with reasonably chunky tires partner with this decent suspension for a surprisingly composed ride.

The dash is very easy to read, despite being digital. The gear indicator is prominent and a welcome feature for new riders, especially with regard to the unusual shift pattern. The tachometer is linear and very rudimentary, but sensible and easy to read with minimal scrutiny. The fuel gauge is linear and easy to read as well. It flashes the final segment when the fuel level dips low enough; which is a good feature for a tank that's only 1.2 gallons! There is a tripmeter feature and a clock; the only real beef is that the clock is only shown while the engine is off! When running, the clock display is replaced with the arguably more useful gear indicator.

The brakes are ample for this bike, despite having a rear drum. With some thicker fork oil, it would probably do good stoppies.

The stock intake and exhaust are quite civil and are unlikely to irritate the neighbors. They make enough noise to let the rider know that the engine is taking care of business without making a ruckus to be heard from a carlength or two away.

It succeeds in making it fun to ride a slow bike fast. The chassis and suspension do a great job of reigning in those 6-8 furious Shetlands when running at full chat. The visceral pleasure of this machine will be lost on a rider of liter-bikes, but will resonate with a small-scooter rider that wants to dip a toe into the motorcycling pool instead of diving into the deep end. The ride is a different experience , but the power is familiar and the clutch is forgiving.

So yeah, I have more plusses than minuses for this machine. It's well-built and a much better deal than a Grom or Z125 Pro unless you must have dual disc brakes and EFI. The aftermarket is coming, the rumor mill says Composimo will have a tuning parts line for the little Kymco. I do look forward to remediating the nuisance items, but I'll admit that I could ride it as-is with few regrets. To wrap, you get a lot in a 125cc motorcyle for a similar price point to a decent 50cc scooter. It does cheap motorcycle better than the Agility 125 does cheap scooter and is worth a look to the bike-curious.

this is on my 'short list'...very dependent on how much tax refund is! currently own 1 motorcycle (2006 Honda Shadow 750 Aero) and hoping to add a smaller ride for work commutes, biker breakfast rides, and fun rides on a smaller machine; back to the short list... Kymco K-Pipe or Genuine Venture 50 or maybe a Kymco Agility 50

kmrcstintn wrote:this is on my 'short list'...very dependent on how much tax refund is! currently own 1 motorcycle (2006 Honda Shadow 750 Aero) and hoping to add a smaller ride for work commutes, biker breakfast rides, and fun rides on a smaller machine; back to the short list... Kymco K-Pipe or Genuine Venture 50 or maybe a Kymco Agility 50

If you have a chance to test-ride one, try for one that's been broken in. Mine's a much better bike after 200 miles than it was at mile 4. Engine loosens up and shifting gets a bit less notchy. The 2017 has the shift conversion, so it's neutral on the bottom and four up. My only dislike of the "fix" is that the shift lever pivots behind the actual shift rod, so the pedal really rolls up your foot when upshifting. I'm planning to buy a second one, so I may swap the fix shifter for an XR50 shifter if it fits.

It is a blast to ride and does well in the city. A touch down on power in the hills, but the engine's a horizontal Honda clone so it'll be easy to hop it up.

Topped 500 miles yesterday. Trucked the bike to Phoenix yesterday along with a friend's kitted Zuma 50 for Scooterfest 2017. Had a lot of fun riding with the pack and the bike did well against most of the other 125cc machines. I did get passed on a downhill by a Zuma 125 with a transmission kit, which was educational because my transmission/gearing tapped out at 66mph indicated. Dude was entitled to smoking me though, since I had downshifted and gave a cheeky little horn toot salute while passing on the proceeding uphill section.

So, the gears could be longer, but the engine will need more power to leverage longer gears. It's finally broken enough to really use 4th gear, but I don't see any more power manifesting from the break-in period. I'll leave it stock until after the Lake Erie Loop event, then look for some go-fast bits when long-haul reliability is less critical.

The K-Pipe is a "Made In China" Kymco. Plastics and switchgear have been great so far, but I have experienced weld breakage on two captive nuts so far. Thet were barely tacked into place and in both breaks, I found signs in invasive rust. Fortunately, they were both on the same bracket (the one that fixes the rear seat mount and supports the rear fender/turn signals/ license plate and light assembly. When breaking it down for inspection, I found the bracket under tension, which could have caused the nut welds to shear. Either way, it's an assembly issue and I will be buying a replacement bracket. More notes will follow if I find other failure points.

Still loving the bike overall and it's been a bit of a game-breaker in my scootering. The Yager has been parked for a bit and I prefer the more visceral and less-refined ride of the K-Pipe. This may change once I get to fixing my P200 here soon, but for now, the K-Pipe may be my preferred in-town bike and I'll re-tune the Yager for higher-speed touring and proper long rides.

So, in reference to the Lake Erie Loop, the K-Pipe ran the entire event with nary a hiccup. It took 20 hours and 50 minutes and 672 odometer corrected miles of riding to circle the lake.

I stuck to secondary routes due to a stiff westerly wind, which mostly kept me off the fast roads. A strong tailwind in Ontario pushed me up to 107kph (66mph indicated, 60mph actual) for a short interval, but in most cases I was struggling to maintain an honest 50mph and got down to 37-38mph on the southeast corner of the lake while tackling the wind and the hills.That's really all one can ask for with 7hp at the wheel.

At the end of the day, all the bike needed were two successive oil changes (the first to flush out residual gunk), a chain cleaning and a decent washing. That speaks volumes in terms of durability in my mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Homework has taught me that the engine is a 1P54FMI Honda clone, which tuning parts are scarce for. The cam uses a 32-tooth 3-bolt sprocket and has a auto-decompression mechanism and that the head uses the Lifan 140 bolt pattern.

In layman's terms, this means that its tricky to find bolt-on speed parts for this bike. I will be doing further research in order to fit better bits as I'd love to pull 10hp from this bike; I'd Loop it again as-is if it didn't struggle so much against the wind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TL;DR?

Short version: It's a tougher bike than it looks but it's tricky to tune for more power.

https://s26.postimg.org/mp8p1jbbd/IMG_0225.jpg

I saw this at the Smoky Mountain Crawl

Billy

iwannascoot wrote:https://s26.postimg.org/mp8p1jbbd/IMG_0225.jpg

I saw this at the Smoky Mountain Crawl

Billy

Just looked that ride up. Looks like it would've been a blast! Glad to see that there was at least one K-Pipe there. They are a blast to ride and haven't gotten a lot of love.

Still looking for extra power. I think I have a high-compression piston now and I'm looking for cams. Next will be a full exhaust (I think the Delkevic comes up a little short) and a bigger carb.