I'm in my first year...

[AliJax]

Of motorbiking.

Hello all, I ride a 50cc Gas Econo-mee, Bought from Remnants in Tauranga and in my first year I've enjoyed the ups & downs of owning a motorcycle.

If your unfamiliar with the Gas Econo-mee I've been told it looks like a Mountain Bike with an Engine from a Honda, it has a semi-auto 4speed gear box too 16" wheels & disc brakes front & rear available in Silver or Black.

So far I've had bolt & nuts fall out, swing arm rod loose, but thats probably a mix of my own inexperience and the lack of REAL assistance from Remnants.

I'm mostly kitted out with gloves, helmet, shoes & Jacket and will be looking to keep my bike for the foreseeable future, I do however need get spares, Remnants are not the best at providing customer service I have found when I ask them for a Manual they tell me they don't provide one.

I'd appreciate if anyone else has had one of these bikes and can offer some practical weekly checks I can do to it & things like type of Oil, brake fluid, head lamps, indicator lamps & spares alike.

[mazz1972]

Sounds fun! Have you got a pic you could post?

[Nasty]

Sounds like fun ... definately want to see it ... what sort of gear do you wear?

[Roj]

Of motorbiking.

Hello all, I ride a 50cc Gas Econo-mee, Bought from Remnants in Tauranga and in my first year I've enjoyed the ups & downs of owning a motorcycle.

If your unfamiliar with the Gas Econo-mee I've been told it looks like a Mountain Bike with an Engine from a Honda, it has a semi-auto 4speed gear box too 16" wheels & disc brakes front & rear available in Silver or Black.

So far I've had bolt & nuts fall out, swing arm rod loose, but thats probably a mix of my own inexperience and the lack of REAL assistance from Remnants.

I'm mostly kitted out with gloves, helmet, shoes & Jacket and will be looking to keep my bike for the foreseeable future, I do however need get spares, Remnants are not the best at providing customer service I have found when I ask them for a Manual they tell me they don't provide one.

I'd appreciate if anyone else has had one of these bikes and can offer some practical weekly checks I can do to it & things like type of Oil, brake fluid, head lamps, indicator lamps & spares alike.

You should have got an owners manual for the bike which should have all the basic details, otherwise try and find an aftermarket manual for the bike

The maintenance checks are pretty simple, you should be able to do the basics yourself.

[AliJax]

Thanks for your replies, I shall get a photo up soon.
Is it a legal requirement for a Manual? as Remnants feel it is'nt.

[AliJax]

Whilst cleaning my Gas Econo-mee this weekend I've found a rather disturbing bit of news the "swing Arm is cracked" :shit: .

I called the company I purchased it from who said straight away that he'll repair it, but I know it'll happen again (another GAS Economee had a similar downfall). So I'm looking for a refund & Now I'm off the road :angry: .


If there are any other Owners of the GAS Econo-mee, please be aware & monitor the Swing Arm.

[Lissa]

Oh bugger :(

Have you got a pic of your bike, just curious to see what it looks like.

[AliJax]

Picture as Promised

[Nasty]

That is quite a funky looking beast .. I hope they give you are refund .... and you might be able to get one like mine ;)

[kneescraper]

That weld looks like turd....what did you pay for it. Its a coool looking ...errr moped? I wouldnt mind one to ride to work.

[Mr. Peanut]

A Chinese bike falling to bits? No WAY! :shit:

[Guitana]

Nice Stress Fracture!!
This is due to bad design the swing arm tube is too smaller diameter to handle the weight of a rider and the end of the gusset has been undercut during the somewhat shabby welding process! If you look at the bottom of the gusset where the weld finishes you will notice a dent, this is where all the pressure of the rider is loaded at that point causing it to fracture!!! This is a disaster waiting to happen and the importer should be made aware of this if both sides of the swing arm were to fail during a ride the consequences could be fatal!!!
I would also suggest checking the area where the swing arm is connected to the frame and the monoshock, the load at this point must be stressful!The fact that you can ride this death trap two up is even scarier!!!!!!!
I'm very surprised that the LTSA has passed these vehicles for usage!! If I were you I would send photo's or even take the bike to them to inspect! Other riders out there who have purchased these bikes may be in the same situation and could have not noticed the fracture and may have accidents because of this! Contact the LTSA today you may save a life send them an email with the pictures(take some more!) This is dangerous!!!!!!!
Do not accept that welding this up will fix the problem it will only fracture again usually next to the weld! These bikes may be OK in china where the average rider weighs 40kg but wer'e talking corn fed white boy, more weight!!
Get your money back and stick to Jappa's!!!!
Good luck!!!!

[Guitana]

That weld looks like turd....what did you pay for it. Its a coool looking ...errr moped? I wouldnt mind one to ride to work.

Not if you want to live!!!

[AliJax]

I agree, don't buy one of these. The first 500kms we're scary as bolts fell out, then I took it to a Motorcycle Mechanic who tightened everything & It ran sweet for 1500kms then recently the electrics started to fail & now this fracture.

[AliJax]

Well not the response I was looking for from LTSA. I spoke to a girl at the Vehiocle registrations who was NOT interested and said that it was my style of riding that may have damaged the bike.

She said that because there is one complaint does not constitute an investigation, she was'nt even interested in looking at the photos.

I've now sent them an email with the pictures.

Watch this space.

[Guitana]

Well not the response I was looking for from LTSA. I spoke to a girl at the Vehiocle registrations who was NOT interested and said that it was my style of riding that may have damaged the bike.

She said that because there is one complaint does not constitute an investigation, she was'nt even interested in looking at the photos.

I've now sent them an email with the pictures.

Watch this space.

Oh yeah it's too late when some poor prick gets killed on one!! Keep that correspondence it may come in handy at a later date!
To be quite honest I'm surprised these bikes are able to be road legalised just looking at that swingarm makes me cringe!

[AliJax]

Thankfully a bit of sense has slipped through the net.

I got a phonecall from a chap at the local office in Auckland, who is inteterested in my case, he's got the photos and is coming out to see the bike sometime this week.

A step closer for the little guy.

[Dodger]

A mate of mine owns something a bit like this beastie.
His is a cheap Chinese knock off, but he hasnt had any real problems with it.

That being said he also hasn't done many k's on the thing.

[AliJax]

Hi Dodger, Ask your mate to keep an eye on the swing arm, bolts falling out of the wheels & the swing arm nut falling off - which resulted in the swing arm bolt working its way out.

I've had other problems with my bike (to many to list) its only done 2100kms.

Let me know if he has any further probs cheers - together I hope we can make a difference & hopefully save someone having an accident.