Post by scootgap on Dec 1, 2007 19:55:54 GMT -5
10 years had gone by since my last bike but the itch had returned. I decided to reenter riding at a level near where it began. That level was a 50cc Honda step-through 3 speed automatic. It seemed that a Kymco People S 125 would fit the bill. After 2000 miles, I have found it fun, reliable and easy to maintain. Sure, easy to change oil, gear oil and other minor adjustments. Recently I bought a Haynes scooter repair manual and suddenly easy became a relative term.
Flash back to 1966. I was living in Boston and attending an electronic school in which would be a failed attempt to learn a skill. Tiring of subways and after a ride on the back of a 250 Honda Scrambler I thought I can do this. Short of cash, the best I could do was a Honda 50cc 3 speed step-through for the grand sum of $100.00. For three months or so, I flogged it all over Boston having more fun than should be legally allowed. I maintained it religously by always adding gas to the tank whenever it got low. I didn't see it coming but it did. One day nearing home the big bang occured and my little Honda died. Attempts to kick it over produced only sad metallic sounds. My roomie Jimmie who grew up in small engine repair shop offered to buy it from me. I said sure, it's yours for $15.00 knowing repairs to the engine would well exceed the purchase price. The following day I came home and there spread across the floor on newspapers was the entire Honda engine in what seemed 100 or more parts. I looked at it like a pig looking at a watch and laughed. Well, within two days, Jimmie had it reassembled, replacing a broken crankshaft, and running like the day I bought it, maybe better. All this accomplished by his own wits without once referring to any sort of manual. I'm sure I could read and reread my Haynes manual for the rest of my life and not approach Jimmie's level of knowledge but that's why I bought a dependable bike. I only hope the mechanic where I bought my scoot has half of Jimmie's skills.
Afterthought: Sometime later Jimmie bought a 500cc Matchless GS80. One day I saw him tinkering with it. He said, "can you hear that piston slap in there". I said it sounds fine to me. He said, "no it's got a bad wrist pin". Did I doubt him? No.
Flash back to 1966. I was living in Boston and attending an electronic school in which would be a failed attempt to learn a skill. Tiring of subways and after a ride on the back of a 250 Honda Scrambler I thought I can do this. Short of cash, the best I could do was a Honda 50cc 3 speed step-through for the grand sum of $100.00. For three months or so, I flogged it all over Boston having more fun than should be legally allowed. I maintained it religously by always adding gas to the tank whenever it got low. I didn't see it coming but it did. One day nearing home the big bang occured and my little Honda died. Attempts to kick it over produced only sad metallic sounds. My roomie Jimmie who grew up in small engine repair shop offered to buy it from me. I said sure, it's yours for $15.00 knowing repairs to the engine would well exceed the purchase price. The following day I came home and there spread across the floor on newspapers was the entire Honda engine in what seemed 100 or more parts. I looked at it like a pig looking at a watch and laughed. Well, within two days, Jimmie had it reassembled, replacing a broken crankshaft, and running like the day I bought it, maybe better. All this accomplished by his own wits without once referring to any sort of manual. I'm sure I could read and reread my Haynes manual for the rest of my life and not approach Jimmie's level of knowledge but that's why I bought a dependable bike. I only hope the mechanic where I bought my scoot has half of Jimmie's skills.
Afterthought: Sometime later Jimmie bought a 500cc Matchless GS80. One day I saw him tinkering with it. He said, "can you hear that piston slap in there". I said it sounds fine to me. He said, "no it's got a bad wrist pin". Did I doubt him? No.
