Bandit DC-250 or Road Runner 250??

[slowscootin07]

Hello all. First off I'd like to say I hope to help here whenever I can and thank you for allowing me to join this wonderful information center. I've been trying to join up here for a good while and would like to bring something to the admins' attention regarding email responses. I have tried at least 8 of my .net emails through earthlink and att and never received the join up confirmation email. No spam filters are running. As last resort I tried my work email which is a .com address and got it immediately. I just wanted to know if there's a problem with .net emails here because I really want to use one of my personal emails instead.

Ok, now with the main question. I've narrowed it down to two scooters that I want to purchase. My choices are either the Bandit DC-250 or the RoadRunner i-scooter250. There are several pros and cons about them that honestly are getting me close to a coin toss so I'm weighing in the pros and cons about both and would like some opinions of current owners.

Bandit-Pros
From what I can tell, excellent communications from the service point of view. I asked several questions about it and Jim replied back almost immediately to assist me.

No wait on registration, mailed with scooter!!!!!!!

Excellent reputation here and in online reviews.

Honesty. When I asked about why there wasn't an upgradeable warranty, it was stated exactly why-no enough experience yet with the scoot.

Most of all- no double talking like "Our goal is to make you happy unless you're not happy." and Real down to earth people with real faces and real buildings.

Cons- I live under 100 miles east of the Mississippi and 100 extra to ship? boooo
scooter cover costs extra
no alarm or radio
200 extra for custom crating? Shouldn't it be custom crated anyway?
less of a warranty than the RR length wise but more coverage and not upgradeable
base model cost 400.00 more.

Road Runner pros
longer warranty upgradeable to even longer with bumper to bumper
Radio and cover are free
alarm installed
65 pounds lighter due to it's smaller size

cons-
the title is mailed later which tells me that these are drop shipped and not actually in stock so therefore not inspected by EVO (am I mistaken???)

Very double standard in their wording on warranties and service/help especially on ME paying restocking and return shipping for refusing damaged shipments. hmm it's not my fault why do I pay for it?

I have yet to be connected with customer service for some technical questions especially regarding the change over to an electric fuel pump and if it would void the factory warranty. No one seems to know the answer at the EVO main number. NOT GOOD!!!!

No physical store front address as far as I can find?

Well that's it in a nutshell and eventhough with more cost and less bells and whistles, I'm still inching towards the Bandit, simply for the obvious support and "realness". I would like to hear from you some of your opinions and facts. I'd especially like to hear from EVO and Bandit with their opinions too but please don't turn this into a pillow fight or sales pitch.

Thank You for your time-Jeff

[jspencer]

Jeff --

I'm an admitted Bandit enthusiast. If you've read my other posts here you'll know that my experience with Bandit has been very positive.

I can't give you much of a comparison because I have no experience with EVO. But I will say that not being able to get straightforward answers from EVO on the fuel pump/warranty question would be a deal-breaker for me. One of the great things about Jim at Bandit is that he is person who makes the decisions. If you have a question about warranty, policy, or parts, Jim will give you an answer and he will stand behind that answer.

Jon

[astrowolf67]

slowscootin07 said:

Well that's it in a nutshell and eventhough with more cost and less bells and whistles, I'm still inching towards the Bandit, simply for the obvious support and "realness". I would like to hear from you some of your opinions and facts. I'd especially like to hear from EVO and Bandit with their opinions too but please don't turn this into a pillow fight or sales pitch.

Thank You for your time-Jeff

I'm new here also, and, don't yet own a scoot, but, I think you just answered your own question.

I've been researching for about a month now, and, one thing that I've realized with these Chinese scoots, is that it's hit or miss on getting a good one. That being said, I would rather pay extra for one from a dealer with a good reputation for service and support. Especially one that will correspond with you. If I contact a dealer, either via email, or phone, and never get a response, I'll be darned if they are getting my money.

Just my thoughts,
David

[Javarod]

slowscootin07 said:

Ok, now with the main question. I've narrowed it down to two scooters that I want to purchase. My choices are either the Bandit DC-250 or the RoadRunner i-scooter250. There are several pros and cons about them that honestly are getting me close to a coin toss so I'm weighing in the pros and cons about both and would like some opinions of current owners.

Cons- I live under 100 miles east of the Mississippi and 100 extra to ship? boooo
scooter cover costs extra
no alarm or radio
200 extra for custom crating? Shouldn't it be custom crated anyway?
less of a warranty than the RR length wise but more coverage and not upgradeable
base model cost 400.00 more.
Thank You for your time-Jeff

The $200 is actually for full assembly and custom crating. Jim tests the scooters in crate before shipping them in the first place, but for the extra $200 he'll set it up for you and ship it out in a custom crate.

[Gary]

Another few thoughts on some of your cons:
- scooter covers are cheap - like $40.
- the free 'alarms' don't work that great and many people diconnect them so they don't drain the battery
- the free 'radios' are pretty crappy.

So I wouldn't put much weight on these cons.

[flhtri]

Dont let the alarm issue be of any importance! If someone wants your scoot they will just grab it,hell they steal Harleys at bike week right from under your nose. My experience tells me to disconnnect any alarm system right away as they tend to burn down the battery.

[scooterollie]

Good scoot covers for mid and large size scoots (cycles) for $20 at Walmart.

If you still want to keep the alarm, install a hidden switch in the power line to the alarm. Then you turn it on and activate only when you need it. Like Flhtri said, it doesn't take long to throw one in the back of a truck and be gone.

[monty57]

I have no experience with Bandit and I own a RR 250 TLX from Evo sales. It arrived in good shape and I have not had any issues with starting or the fuel pump. I had the normal complaints about the mirrors and trunk installation and I think there are a lot of rattles and noise compared to the Yamaha Majesty I own but the RR costs 1/3 as much as the Yamaha. I have also had many conversation with Rony at Evo about his business philosophy and I believe he tries hard to keep reasonable customers happy and help them through their issues.

All that being said, I agree with the other posts here in that the cover, stereo and alarm are not good enough to warrant swaying your decision. The I-scooters are individually tested at the factory with a fuel bladder but the fuel system is not tested and they are fully crated when Evo receives them and I do not believe they go through any sort of inspection process once they arrive in the states. They do have a technician and parts but I believe from what I have read and the little I have communicated with them that Bandit has a more accessible operation.

As far as the extra shipping charge, I think that has more to do with the carrier they use then the cost of the scooter or profit to the seller so even though it cost more from one or the other try not to let shipping influence your purchase either. The fact that you can order the Bandit fully assembled and tested may be a bigger benefit if you are not mechanically inclined as there is always a chance of some issue cropping up.

I don't know if my thoughts have helped in any way but please base your decision on the more important matters rather then some features that may not have a great benefit to you after your purchase.

[slowscootin07]

Perhaps I overstated the importance of the radio/cover/alarm differences. They aren't [that] important to me, well, the radio is even if it's a cheapo. Jeff+driving/riding-music=miserable. I am an automotive mechanic and own a boat of which I have 100% rebuilt the motor personally. I have no problems with the tinkering aspect that Chinese scooters [all of them] need so that isn't the issue either. Therefore I could opt out of the custom crating/assembly.

One big concern is that the Bandit weighs in 65 pounds heavier. For someone like myself weighing 155-160, that 65 pound is a big difference. I really only want a 150cc, but there is a 10 mile stretch on my commute where I need 55-65mph or I may get "killed." I've seen that every single scooter seller seems to over rate their top speeds by close to 10mph and 45 in a 55 when everyone is doing 65+ is asking for it.

I'm still leaning towards the Bandit but still don't understand the East/West shipping philosophy. Example- I live 34 miles West of Chicago. It's closer to Bandit in Oregon to me than to my parents eventhough they are West of the Mississippi. Now if I were in New York, I'd understand. Perhaps instead of a line drawn in the sand, a ZIP oriented surcharge should be imposed.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for your opinions thus far and let it be known the the radio/cover/alarm isn't going to sway me one way or another, they're just little things.

I guess here the two most important things I'm concerned about is warranty and service.

The Road Runner has a FAR better warranty and warranty options available than the Bandit, but it seems that service isn't so hot from my standpoint through EVO. I still can't get through to the customer service over the phone and that alone is pushing me away. On the otherhand Bandit seems, in my experience at least, to be there for you in a snap.

Thanks again guys and please continue.-Jeff

[scottfla]

Send Jim an email and ask him about the shipping. Who knows, can't hurt.

If you need to do 60-65, get a 250cc. You will quickly realize you need the extra speed and will have to sell your 150 and get a 250. There are very few 150cc scooters that will cruise at 60 mph, most are good to cruise at 50mph. My piaggio LT 150 would cruise around 55mph but that was it and it's a better made scooter than most Chinese scooters.

As for the added weight, the more the better, I quickly found out. At 60 mph, you need a hefty scooter to not feel like you are about to fly off the road.

[scooterollie]

The part about handling at speed is very important if you plan to ride at speeds over 50 mph. Unless someone else can give you advice from personal experience about a particular make and model, you just don't know unless you drive one. Personally, on my Roketa Fiji 150, I would not attempt to cruise above 50. Even at 50, I did not feel fully comfortable. My Roketa Bali CFMoto 250 will do 65 easily but does not feel stable at that speed. The new Linhai Strada SS300 has a remarkably more stable feel at speed. It is not affected by winds as much as my previous scoots and feels rock steady at speeds up to 60. Can't say about higher speeds as I have not driven it faster. Ten miles at higher sustained speeds is a long distance. Based on my experience, you wouldn't find me at that speed on anything less than a 250 and then only on a select few of those!

[jspencer]

Jeff --

In my experience, warranties on Chinese scooters are almost worthless. Scooter parts are pretty cheap, so the best the warranty will do for you is get you some cheap parts for free. The support from the dealer is worth lots more than any warranty.

Also, many warranties require that you return the bad part before they send you a new one. That means your scooter is down for a couple of weeks, making the warranty even less useful. Bandit will send you a replacement part on your say-so without requiring you to send the part back. At worst, they may ask for a photo of the broken part. I don't know EVO's policy on warranty parts -- worth asking the question.

I agree with Scott -- you need the weight at higher speeds for stability. I have a Bandit UC-150 and my wife has an RC-150. The RC is about 60 pounds lighter than the UC, and I find the RC uncomfortable above 45 mph. The UC will do about 55 (GPS verified) but not much more, so I agree with Scott again that if you need to go 60-65 mph you need a 250.

Jon

[slowfire]

Slowfire here again; If I could do it all over again id go with bandits uc 250. in an on line bike. He's got the best reputation on the web that I know of. If your going to order on line I don't think you can do better than the bandit. I have done a bunch of what your talking about. Believe me there's nothing in the world like being surrounded by tractor-trailer big rig's running 70-75mph when you top out at 68mph!The Bow wave off those trucks is something you'll remember. even mid size bikes are blown around bye the big trucks. Can you afford a used 1200 Vulcan? You also can pull the front fender off the front wheel helps a lot on high speed control. I don't know. I just don't want ya fallen under the trucks. It almost happened to me. I don't recommend it. You wouldn't enjoy it. slowfire....

[YellowScooter]

I agree with regard to the warranty. What good is a longer warranty if you cant get thru to get the coverd part(s) With Jim, you can email, call, or even drop a msg in this forum and he'll get it and get you what you need. And if he can't get it, then you'll know exactly why without the runaround.
Really, the 65lbs can be shaved off here n there or compensated for with 1 or two bolt on performance pieces if it is indeed that critical.
Now that I think on it as I'm writing you, Jim might have what Im looking for far as a scooter that will take a long distance road trip. and come back in 1 piece. (western NC to central KY). Taking secondary roads instead of the interstate wouldn't phase me at all.
Back to what I was saying. Give Jim a call. I doubt very seriously that you'll be dissapointed. Oh and the radio. Dude, you can buy a much better radio/cd from wal-mart that will be less likely to skip n jump all over the cd. Plus you'll be doing a better job installing it yourself, than say Mr Wong-Li over in china will do at $0.50/hr!
Thats just my opinion,
like a$$h0les, we all got one.

[slowscootin07]

I've talked through email with Jim for some final questions and no, a supercharger isn't available :Þ

Seriously, now I have a bigger problem. Gold or Black? I like gold better, but thinking down the road at replacement body parts, black would probably be more readily available. hmm...

I guess in a week or two, my picture will tell which color I've chosen. Thank you for helping me confirm what I really knew in the first place.-Jeff

[YellowScooter]

Keep us posted on how she runs n stuff
I was gonna join ya but considering the job market out this way, I need to hold onto what cash I can. So I'm tuning up/reworking what I already got. It's not too fargone just needs some of the cheap stuff replaced, a twist here a turn there, and she'll purr like a kitten

[rony]

Hi Guys,

I don't know what happened with the phones but we are here and we do answer the phone!

Also, our warranty is 2 years parts, that covers the fuel pump and carb as well.

We own the inventory, there is no drop shipping involved. We send the paperwork separately because 1 it's faster for the customer - whoever sends the paperwork with the bike delays the shipping out of the bike by 1 or 2 days, there is no way around it since they have to get the VIN back to the office to print the paperwork - 2 it's dangerous to send the paperwork with the bike; if someone steals it, he may be able to register it too because he now has the title. These are the reasons we mail it separate.

As far as the speed of the RR250ZRX, it will really do 80 - 85MPH, check with Stan Jessup on this board.

Rony
evosales.com

[90GTVert]

Whoa there........ I will agree that the Racer 250 will indicate 80-85, but I would also say that my speedometer is 10-12 mph optimistic when checked with a GPS. 70-75 is pretty realistic for this scooter though. The scooter does have plenty of power with the Linhai engine and a true 80 may well be obtainable with minimal mods (or lighter rider) but I don't really want to go that fast on a short wheelbase scooter. Stan

rony said:

Hi Gusy,

I don't know what happened with the phones but we are here and we do answer the phone!

Also, our warranty is 2 years parts, that covers the fuel pump and carb as well.

We own the inventory, there is no drop shipping involved. We send the paperwork separately because 1 it's faster for the customer - whoever sends the paperwork with the bike delays the shipping out of the bike by 1 or 2 days, there is no way around it since they have to get the VIN back to the office to print the paperwork - 2 it's dangerous to send the paperwork with the bike; if someone steals it, he may be able to register it too because he now has the title. These are the reasons we mail it separate.

As far as the speed of the RR250ZRX, it will really do 80 - 85MPH, check with Stan Jessup on this board.

Rony
evosales.com

[rony]

Hi Stan,

I can tell you that a well broken in scooter (about 2 to 3000 km) will break the 80 mark for sure. The test scooter that I road at the factory (the one on the movie www.evosales.com/pd_fast_scooter_250cc.cfm) was so fast, they told me the car was not even close.

Even a 200LB rider could break 80 with a well tuned carb and no other parts. The weight is not so much a factor as the aerodynamics, you need to lean forward. Anyway, your take on it is good enough for me and shows that our numbers of 80 to 85MPH are not an exaggeration since you are saying 80 is possible (meaning that 81 is too and that's as advertised 80 to 85.)

This scooter is perfect for people who need to go on highways on a regular basis. The pickup is amazing too for a 250 engine.

Rony
evosales.com

[90GTVert]

While I am not a fan of the Chinese scooter alarms, the one on my RR Racer is far better than what Tank, Roketa, et al, ships, and I have not had any battery drain issues with it. I don't use it either, but that never stopped the drain with a Tank alarm. The few times I did use it was just to try the remote start and it worked fine. Neither of the new Tank remote start features worked consistently.

Now to keep things in perspective, my Yamaha Majesty did not come with an alarm system at all. Stan

flhtri said:

Dont let the alarm issue be of any importance! If someone wants your scoot they will just grab it,hell they steal Harleys at bike week right from under your nose. My experience tells me to disconnnect any alarm system right away as they tend to burn down the battery.