Is this comparable to the Blur?

tdl · Post by **tdl** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:55 pm

Hello everyone.

I've been in search for a new 06 or 07 Blur in MN and have not had any luck. One of the dealers I've emailed suggested this one. Saying its pretty similar to the Blur.

Please advise. Thank you in advance.

http://www.powersportsfactory.com/psf_002.htm

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:12 pm

As you've seen, getting a brand new Blur, regardless of year, borders on the impossible. You could check the "for sale" section of this forum as there may be a few used ones there.

Don't let the Benelli/Andretti badge fool you, those are mainland China scooters. I'll refrain from passing judgment on them, but you might want to search the entire forum for opinions. Just look for Benelli or Andretti.

You might also want to do a search on the ScootDawg forum in order to see what the China scoot enthusiasts think.

Regardless of what you ultimately decide to do, best of luck to you.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:30 pm

I'd rate the benelli/andrettis a step above typical chinese scooters, at least on manufacturing quality. The (chinese-made, italian-assembled) ones on display at DealerExpo were pretty nice-looking. I think they're a little overpriced for what they are, and I haven't seen the chinese-assembled versions for the U.S. market yet, but PSF (though they have kind of an iffy background) seem to have their heads in the right place.

Benelli is still based in italy, though they're owned by QJ (china) now. They're doing sort of what Italjet would be doing if Italjet weren't idiots.

I haven't ridden it though, I bet it's no Blur. : )

Racenut · Post by **Racenut** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:36 pm

Certainly looks like it's been designed for the same target audience. Looks like the rear suspension is a bit simpler design, though I'm not sure how much that contributes to the Blur's handling.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:00 pm

It may ride and work fine, but quality wise, it's nothing compared to Taiwanese engineering.

If you want a bike that is comparable, look at the fly 150, sym 200, people 150, and kymco's super 150.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:18 pm

jfrost2 wrote:It may ride and work fine, but quality wise, it's nothing compared to Taiwanese engineering.

If you want a bike that is comparable, look at the fly 150, sym 200, people 150, and kymco's super 150.

Have you seen one? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it's not really a typical Chinese scooter, it's an original-design with design/engineering at least partially done in italy. It might be junk, but they looked good to me, and it's one of the few Chinese bikes I'm willing to give a second look.

Bb.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:32 pm

Nice looking scooter to me and it's endorsed by Mario Andretti. There's still that Italian connection so as long as Benelli has some control over quality control, it should be pretty decent. And the 3 year warranty tells me they have confidence in their product. There are dealers in several states, but none in California...what's up with that? Maybe I'll have a talk with Barry at SF Scooter Center.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:42 pm

babblefish wrote:Nice looking scooter to me and it's endorsed by Mario Andretti. There's still that Italian connection so as long as Benelli has some control over quality control, it should be pretty decent. And the 3 year warranty tells me they have confidence in their product. There are dealers in several states, but none in California...what's up with that? Maybe I'll have a talk with Barry at SF Scooter Center. :D

Steve from the BBS (Bigass motors?) sells them, I thought…

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:06 pm

illnoise wrote:
babblefish wrote:Nice looking scooter to me and it's endorsed by Mario Andretti. There's still that Italian connection so as long as Benelli has some control over quality control, it should be pretty decent. And the 3 year warranty tells me they have confidence in their product. There are dealers in several states, but none in California...what's up with that? Maybe I'll have a talk with Barry at SF Scooter Center.
Steve from the BBS (Bigass motors?) sells them, I thought…

Who? Where?

I looked on the Andretti website under dealers and didn't see any in this neck of the woods. I kind of like their 260 scooter, too.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:13 pm

http://bigassmotors.com

Bigassmotors
8815 Shirley Ave
Northridge, CA 91324
10am - 6pm tuesday-saturday

IIRC, that's the shop run by "SE" (Steve), the host/moderator of the ScooterBBS.

I don't see them on his site, (I can't find anything on his site) but I remember he posted some photos of him uncrating them. Maybe they were samples and he ended up not selling them, but at least he's checked them out and he'd be able to tell you more about them than I could.

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:52 am

Nice looking bike. The 3-year warranty says it all. If there's a local dealer that sells/services these scooters, you should be okay.

While it is true that products from China range in quality from the new Cessna aircraft to complete crap, if a major company or individual is putting their name to it and offering to stand behind it, you better believe they have people on the ground in China checking the manufacturing process. Ultimately it's the company that's branding the product that determines the quality. If they are buying the bikes off alibaba.com and looking to make a cheap buck, buyer beware. If they are Cessna, a company that demands a zero failure rate, they are going to make sure the stuff coming off the lines is as good as or better than any product they make.

tdl · Post by **tdl** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:37 am

Thank you all for the quick replies. I am fairly new to the scooter world so all the inputs are very appreciated. Too bad the Blur's are discontinued for 08. They really are unique and nice looking.

I guess for now, I am eyeing the new Kymco Super 8 150.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:34 am

It's very likely that the Blur will be back for 09, if you really have your heart set on it and you can wait a little while, I'd hold out and see.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:13 am

illnoise wrote:It's very likely that the Blur will be back for 09, if you really have your heart set on it and you can wait a little while, I'd hold out and see.

Ooo! Do you know something we don't know?

Have you heard some news about this?

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:49 pm

Not anything new or specific, but I've been hearing rumors for a while.

It also just seems to me Genuine is going to take any bikes they can get from PGO, considering sales this year.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:44 pm

I just hope their sales continue on an upward trend now that gas prices have dipped down to $4.25/gal for regular.

Susan Pegsmen · Post by **Susan Pegsmen** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:09 am

illnoise wrote:It's very likely that the Blur will be back for 09, if you really have your heart set on it and you can wait a little while, I'd hold out and see.

PGO still makes the Naked 110 so there should be more Blurs (rebadged Naked)

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:33 am

babblefish wrote:
illnoise wrote:It's very likely that the Blur will be back for 09, if you really have your heart set on it and you can wait a little while, I'd hold out and see.
Ooo! Do you know something we don't know?
Have you heard some news about this?

Mmmmmaybe no Blur return for '09. Most sources now say a new 200c scooter for 2010.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:08 am

ericalm wrote:Mmmmmaybe no Blur return for '09.
Eric knows what he's talking about. No Blur for '09...
Most sources now say a new 200c scooter for 2010.

Well, well, that's pretty clear. Anybody who can't read between those lines needs to check their eyeglass prescription.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:29 am

That'll give me time to get this Blur "just right" before starting a new one.

I have to agree. Everything I've heard (and I've pressed my sources pretty hard) points toward more retro scoots like the Buddy. No 6 linkers for 09, it would seem. Then again, there's always the uncertainty of what may come.

Incidentally.... I thought the Naked was the Roughhouse/Rattler chassis. I could be wrong, but the Blur has always been the G-Max in the land of 4-1 scoots.

I am curious about the rumored (read: rumored) 300cc scoot that Genuine might be rolling out. We could use a longer ranged tourer in our household. OK, so not really, but I'm getting a lot more ground on the 2-up traveling front with the wife.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:18 pm

Yeah, it's sounding to me like no Blur, too, which is a bummer.

Back to the Andretti 150XT, I finally had a look and a quick ride. First impression was pretty good, looks like i'm going to be doing a more extensive test soon.

Bb.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:16 pm

Keep us posted B!

The Andretti has me curious. It looks good, has... well, a name, I guess. And the warranty is impressive. If they have their QA in place where they make them, it could turn out to be a good bike.

Of course, with the right marketing slant, anything looks good.

I'd buy this in a heartbeat if I didn't know any better:

http://richmond.craigslist.org/mcy/870935998.html

I mean, c'mon.... ABS Brakes; Bumpass, VA and Custom logos!! How could you go wrong?

Susan Pegsmen · Post by **Susan Pegsmen** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:17 pm

Lostmycage wrote:That'll give me time to get this Blur "just right" before starting a new one.

I have to agree. Everything I've heard (and I've pressed my sources pretty hard) points toward more retro scoots like the Buddy. No 6 linkers for 09, it would seem. Then again, there's always the uncertainty of what may come.

Incidentally.... I thought the Naked was the Roughhouse/Rattler chassis. I could be wrong, but the Blur has always been the G-Max in the land of 4-1 scoots.

I am curious about the rumored (read: rumored) 300cc scoot that Genuine might be rolling out. We could use a longer ranged tourer in our household. OK, so not really, but I'm getting a lot more ground on the 2-up traveling front with the wife.

my bad you are correct it is a rebadged GMAX. The category killer for the 250cc scooter will be the Yamaha XMAX 250 2010 model

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:47 pm

Yep, great. Soooo. how much is Yamaha paying you to troll our forum under different names?

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:49 pm

250cc fuel injected. Yeah, I can see myself getting an XMaX (almost too close to Xmas.... maybe they'll make one in red and green, or candy cane looking? Actually, no, that would be horrible).

Genuine better get to it if they want to cinch down that part of the market! Sport scooters are perfect for the city and all it's uncertainties.

I love my Blur, but I wouldn't mind extra displacement, especially if all that extra displacement is fuel injected (Hint hint, Genuine!).

What can I say, I'm lazy and don't want to constantly readjust my carb when I take liberties with the drivetrain, lol.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:04 pm

Susan Pegsmen wrote:
Lostmycage wrote:That'll give me time to get this Blur "just right" before starting a new one.

I have to agree. Everything I've heard (and I've pressed my sources pretty hard) points toward more retro scoots like the Buddy. No 6 linkers for 09, it would seem. Then again, there's always the uncertainty of what may come.

Incidentally.... I thought the Naked was the Roughhouse/Rattler chassis. I could be wrong, but the Blur has always been the G-Max in the land of 4-1 scoots.

I am curious about the rumored (read: rumored) 300cc scoot that Genuine might be rolling out. We could use a longer ranged tourer in our household. OK, so not really, but I'm getting a lot more ground on the 2-up traveling front with the wife.
my bad you are correct it is a rebadged GMAX. The category killer for the 250cc scooter will be the Yamaha XMAX 250 2010 model

Tbh, yamaha may make nice bikes, but there are other scooters outside of "yamaha land" you live in. The Sym 250 is 251cc and probably the only good looking maxi scooter in my opinion.

Also about the 300cc bike, it probably will be mid sized or maxi sized. Many 250cc bikes are mid sized, so I dont see why a extra 50cc would make them produce a larger frame.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:41 pm

Haha, yep. "Yamaha Land" has nice scenery to look at as I cruise by on my Blur (or Buddy)...

I'm not saying Yamaha is the end all be all, but they are the ones that are producing and importing more sport oriented scooters, which I've found I like best. You give me a 200cc EFI Blur and I'll take it any day over a Yam or Sym.

SYM's, for the record, are very nice, but they don't appeal to me outright.

Curiosity doesn't mean I'd get one. It does mean I'm curious.

Spinergy · Post by **Spinergy** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:17 am

tdl wrote: I guess for now, I am eyeing the new Kymco Super 8 150.

I've been looking at the Kymco Super 8 150 too. Online only though as shops here are only stocking the Agility 125 right now. Have the 150's actually made it stateside yet?? Keep hearing rumors of the Blur's return but so far they're just rumors.

Retail for the super 8 150 is just $2299, and if I were a betting man I'd guess any '09 Blur 150 would cost well over a grand more. The last Blurs were originally something like $3499 IIRC. I'd predict a stock Blur would have better power than the Super 8 in stock form, but $1k would buy lots of performance parts.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:03 pm

I've always been a Kymco fan, and the Super8 looks great on paper (and it actually looks a bit like a Blur), but in person, it just looks a little cheap. I think those newer Kymco 50cc models look a little junkier than their usual standard, too.

Not really bad or anything, but just something seems a little off.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:17 pm

illnoise wrote:Not really bad or anything, but just something seems a little off.

Did you think the plastic looked cheap? I've seen a couple 2009 People scooters, both 50 & 150, and I thought the plastic looked somehow cheap.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 5:32 am

jrsjr wrote:Did you think the plastic looked cheap? I've seen a couple 2009 People scooters, both 50 & 150, and I thought the plastic looked somehow cheap.

Yeah, not cheap so much, but just not the usual kymco quality maybe. And the decals look like the number plate an '80s Huffy BMX bike.

Spinergy · Post by **Spinergy** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:24 pm

illnoise wrote:I think those newer Kymco 50cc models look a little junkier than their usual standard, too. Not really bad or anything, but just something seems a little off.

My fear exactly, again I've never set eyes on one in person, but do know the current Agility 125's are made in China, and I'd guess the Super 8's are too since its a lotta' scoot for the loot. I'm more concerned with performance and mechanical reliability than fit/finish of the plastic panels. I can deal with so-so cosmetics as long as the mechanics are solid.

What I'd like to know is exactly WHO in China is building for Kymco. Anyone have a clue?? I know Zongshen [sp?] is building whole scoots for Paggio and supplying parts for some of the ones assembled in Italy. They're also making parts for a couple of other "premium" makers including Honda. They [Zong] are now selling their own scooters in the US, two of which use built under license Paggio engines so they'll be 50state emissions legal. There’s a “clone” of the 50cc Piaggio Zip called the Cama, and a 125cc scoot [not sure of the name] based on another Piaggio model. Don’t think either one is for sale here just yet.

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:10 am

Kymco's company history, according to answers.com, indicates that they've been dealing with the mainland since the mid 90's. While it's kinda hard to tell from the article what the working relationships are. it sorta looks like they're using their own factories. That's not to say, however, that they're not jobbing the work out just doing the assembly under their own roof.

Here's an excerpt and link to the full article:

Principal Subsidiaries

Changzhou Guangri Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. (China); Changzhou Kwang Hsing Precise Machine Co., Ltd. (China); Changzhou Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd. (China); Hoalam Kymco Motor Corporation (Vietnam; 50%); Hunan Kinlon Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd. (China; 50%); PT. Kymco Lippo Motor Indonesia (Philippines; 50%).

http://www.answers.com/topic/kwang-yang ... pany-ltd-2

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:04 am

Yeah, the weird part is that they've always been very forthright about the Agility being built there, but I haven't heard anything official about some of these newer scooters. Then again, I haven't hunted for it either.

If anyone's at a dealer and has a chance, please check the VINS. I'm curious if they use different WMAs for the chinese-manufactured ones, and what the WMA is if they do. The manufacturer statement plate might say, too.

Bb.

Spinergy · Post by **Spinergy** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 5:21 am

I'm sure plenty of pieces parts in Taiwanese scoots are outsourced to china. There's scarcely a product on earth with more than two moving parts that doesn't have some Chinese content.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:47 pm

illnoise wrote:If anyone's at a dealer and has a chance, please check the VINS. I'm curious if they use different WMAs for the chinese-manufactured ones, and what the WMA is if they do. The manufacturer statement plate might say, too.

The 09 People scooters have a big sticker right across the legshield that says, "MADE IN TAIWAN." The VIN is not in plain sight, though.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:54 pm

The Peoples seem to remain the same quality, it's those new 50s and the super 8 that i'm wondering about.

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:56 pm

I saw a new Agility recently and have to say, it looked better than I remember the previous year's in terms of fit & finish. I didn't dig the graphics, but otherwise looked like a nice, modern style Asian scooter.

Dealers have told me, though, that reliability on the Agility and other Chinese-built scooters from non-Chinese companies doesn't compare with their Taiwanese or European counterparts.