Modern Buddy

Hola!
I'm new to the forum and a new Stella owner. I've been riding cheap chinese scoots for about four years now and convinced the wife that my TN'G (with 7,000 miles) was not long for the world and we should find a more long term solution. We take the scoot everywhere in the summer, especially twins games where we park on a bike rack and halve the cost of attending a game. Anyway I bought this stella...

Its a 2007 in Robin's Egg Blue. Its got a mazuchelli crank, sito+ exhaust, rebuilt engine because it siezed once during a 3000 mile road trip apparently - its been rather meticulously cared for I reckon. It's got 10,000 miles on it and I paid $1,600. With the exception of far fewer dings than you'd expect in that amount of time, it looks spectacular. I LOVE the riding position - so much more motorcycleish than those chinese scoots. And its so small! It isn't I know, but it just looks dainty. I love the damn thing.

So the "AAAAARRRRGGG!" comes every morning, and typically every afternoon when I go to head out. I routinely kill it in the driveway, or in the parking lot from work. ONce I get going, I'm 98% good. But that first start from a cold engine even if I take all day releasing the clutch it goes "CHKKKKKKKKSHHHHHHH" Lurch. Dead. I'm pretty sure I'm at fault, but the fact that its every morning and every evening arrrg! I'm not this bad at working a clutch dammit!

Once I'm on the road, even at red lights (though I'm super tentative because of the parking lot issues) I never seem to have the same problem once its going. Anyone else have this problem?

How much have I effed up the transission with my wanton gear grinding? How much of this can it take?

I had to replace the clutch cable (several times due to faulty parts) the day after I bought it but, I don't know its been about three weeks. Do you think it needs adjusting?

Then suddenly this question -so 10k miles, meticulously cared for. I want this thing to do another 10k, so what do I need to do? I'm competent with a wrench, but just don't know what to do. It takes 2stroke oil, but someone I know mentioned "changing the oil" is she referring to the gear oil, or is there another reservoir of oil that I need to be aware of?

Thats it for now. I love the bike but I'm frustrated with myself for my inability to smoothly cruise away from a scene. How can I be james dean if I kill the bike as the girl watches me drive away?

Is the engine dying when you put it into first gear or when you try to ride away?

Ha - great question. Its when I try to drive away. I think I know what you're asking about - when I was replacing the clutch cable if it was too loose (maybe too tight, can't remember) the moment you put it in first it dies. No, if the clutch is engaged It can burble along all day in any gear. Its when I go to drive away.

I'm pretty sure its user error. Its the exact same sensation as if you were to put it in first, drop the clutch but not accelerate. It just goes crunch, lurch, dead.

To clarify, my questions are A: Am I destroying the gearbox, and B: Does anyone have any tips for a clean cold-start-to-first-gear-to-driving without looking like a GD idjit.

My guess is that the issue is either with your clutch or with the cush drive on the transmission intermediate shaft.

The clutch has a few brass wear parts in it, a bushing and a shim. The bushing is a press-on and can work loose over time or can crack and slip. The shim will wear down over time and will resut in undesired contact between the clutch basket and drive plate. Both parts are pretty cheap and I'd recommend swapping in fresh clutch plates while you're in there.

If the cush drive is the issue, there is a repair kit for that as well. It includes new rivets, side plates and springs. Broken cush drive springs can make a spund similar to what you've described and will cause the bike to lurch when the clutch is engaged. This repair is a bit more involved than a clutch rebuild, as it involves dismantling the engine.

Reference this thread for info on the brass parts in the clutch. Reference this page, followed by the removal procedure and overhaul procedure in order to rebuild the clutch. I'm pretty sure that's your issue.