4 Attachment(s)
Steve's CFMoto 250T-6a Jetmax
After a long love/hate relationship with my 650 NK I decided to get rid of it for good. There were more than a few reasons for it, and I don't want to go into that. Long story short, I exchanged it for a 2010 CFMoto Jetmax 250 with 7600km on the clock.
Here it is:
Attachment 18296 Attachment 18297
Attachment 18298 Attachment 18299
The scooter is legal and carries Nanjing plates. I am getting me the insurance Tuesday and do the yearly check sometime in April.
Well, as I have learned over these years, Chinese motorcycles suck. Scooters - less so, but still... I don't have my hopes my hopes high up for this machine, but I don't want to be unfair and biased when reviewing it either.
So, let's start:
Why the scoot?
Let's admit it: I'm not much of a rider. I don't do track days; I don't ride motocross, I don't do wheelies / stoppies; neither do I use my bike to get me them girls. All these considered, I need something practical for downtown riding. Hence this scooter.
It can surely be ridden aggressively, should the need arise, but that's not what the bike wants from the rider. It's a grandpa's ride - long, steady, practical, and utterly voiding its promise of comfort (more on that later).
Pros
1. It is practical. I went to Metro, bought a bag full of groceries and was able to fit it under my seat. Throw in a 48L Shad top box, and you have an ultimate groceries machine.
2. It is roomy. Much roomier than the Benelli 250 I used to ride. And the stock seat is nicely sculpted too, meaning your butt won't slide. I had to re-foam and re-upholster a seat on Benelli. I don't think I want to do it here.
3. Good weather protection. And again, the weather protection on the CFMoto is much better than that on Benelli 250, where I had to fit a taller aftermarket windscreen just to direct the air flow where it should have been in the first place. Nothing of that sort here - the fairing is well-designed (protection-wise) and keeps you well protected. Those warm air vents are great too. They are indeed a nice useful touch.
4. Spares. Everything could be had from taobao, and the local dealer seems to be intimately familiar with those scooters. Fixing it shouldn't be a problem.
5. Electrics work. Light shines, blinkers blink, etc. I know this is the way a bike should be, but coming from a 650NK with a steady stream of electric failures I am impressed.
6. Kudos to the CFMoto engineers for an original engine design. After all, it really is a rare fact that a Chinese manufacturer doesn't copy (too much of) something.
I will probably think of more pros and post them some time down the line.
Contras
1. Suspension is worse than terrible. The front is wobbly and is downright dangerous. That may be the tire, steering bearings, fork oil or a bent rim - I got no idea yet, but I'll get down to sorting it out. It is also jumpy, bumpy and doesn't cushion any road irregularities at all. It feels like a suspension of a 2000 yuan GY-6 NoName Chinese scooter.
Rear is in no way better - those shock absorbers don't absorb shock at all. In fact, all the impact is immediately transferred to the frame and the backbone of whoever happens to be riding the scoot. The shocks I got are non-adjustable ones, so I guess throwing them away and welding in metal struts won't change the quality of the ride that much.
In its present form riding it feels harsh, uncontrolled and pretty exhausting. I took a pillion a couple of times, and both guys complained about the harshness of the ride. I can very well feel it myself, and am determined to do something about it.
I thought I would swap rear shocks for something aftermarket, but so far I have been unable to find any aftermarket shocks for Jetmax.
2. Stock CST tires suck big time. Sure enough, they are made of some metal-infused toy plastic and will last forever, but that doesn't make them be tires at all. Those are round things that look like tires being something totally different. They don't stick in the dry at all, much less so in the wet.
I think this is the direction a certain part of my March salary will go in.
3. Plastic fairing panels are never flush with one another. There are gaps and holes pretty much everywhere. The inside plastics (black panels) are even worse; and shiny-blingy passenger footrests are downright tacky. Besides being low quality (that's where Benelli fairings shine), the panels have gotten too dull too soon. I don't know what kind of painting process CFMoto uses on its scooters, but now the paint looks lackluster, as if the scoot spent the 6 years of its life in a fishtank with 95 degrees water in direct sunlight.
4. There are some minor creaking noises here and there, but I guess an oil change (engine and tranny both) and lubricating axle bearings will solve that. If not - it may be that the axle bearings are going to take a walk.
5. Frame flexes. This is apparently where big costs were cut. It feels... well... soft and not that tight, if I may. It is a long scooter and I don't expect it to handle as an R6 would. But I would expect it to handle somehow, which it does not. It is very-very scary to take it through corners in the state it is in now. Probably overhauling and dialing the suspension will help.
6. The radio works alright. Yet I have so far been unable to make the sound system read my mp3. I have tried connecting an iPhone 6s+ (unrecognized); iPhone 6s (unrecognized); iPod Nano 5th gen (unrecognized); Yota Phone 2 (unrecognized) and a USB pen drive with .mp3 files in the root folder (recognized, not read) to it. Maybe I should use some fake Chinese AiFeng thingie for the Chinese system to recognize it - I don't really know.
7. Visual design is horrid. Well, it's not the way the thing looks, it's the way the thing rides, but still... I can't imagine what on earth the designers were snorting or shooting. From behind the scoot looks like it was butt-raped and videotaped at that. Very-very pitiful. Front is a tad better, yet it just doesn't flow. That's yet another point where Benelli shines - it is well-designed (well, except for a dashboard cluster apparently).
I can't do anything about that (which is sad), so I'll just take it as it is.
Re: Steve's CFMoto 250T-6a Jetmax
what price have you found about the diablo on taobao?
Re: Steve's CFMoto 250T-6a Jetmax
Wayat60 must be some manufacturing defect, that engine problem. Well, it's good that they replaced it for you!
I've tried a USB pen-drive, and, even though it looked like the drive was read (the light on the USB stick was blinking), nothing happened. I put .mp3 files into the root folder of the drive. Probably should have put the files in folders, I don't really know...
I'll change the spark plug for something Japanese as well. NGK or Denso or something similar.
As for Pirelli Diablo prices, the rear tire goes for 750 yuan, and the front one is 800 yuan.
Re: Steve's CFMoto 250T-6a Jetmax
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Steve_Halt
Wayat60 must be some manufacturing defect, that engine problem. Well, it's good that they replaced it for you!
I've tried a USB pen-drive, and, even though it looked like the drive was read (the light on the USB stick was blinking), nothing happened. I put .mp3 files into the root folder of the drive. Probably should have put the files in folders, I don't really know...
I'll change the spark plug for something Japanese as well. NGK or Denso or something similar.
As for Pirelli Diablo prices, the rear tire goes for 750 yuan, and the front one is 800 yuan.
Pay attention Steve about the NGK, someone told me that 90% of NGK in China are fakes, so I have choosen the DENSO. About the MP3 even though some files have the estension .mp3, but can't be read from some devices. this happens also in the car. I suggest you to check if the file has some comments inside it or some limitations. Normally I download from youtube with "MP3 tube downloader" and works not just on the Jetmax but also on the car. Regarding the Pirelli, I have found the same prices.
Re: Steve's CFMoto 250T-6a Jetmax
Steve, I have forgotten to tell you, the pen drive must be formatted FAT32 and not NTFS
Re: Steve's CFMoto 250T-6a Jetmax
Wayat60 Thank you!!! So that is the culprit! I'll try it when I'm home tonight.
Warning Light: 15 Flashes
Just as I posted that everything was fine, my Jetmax throws a 15 warning light flashes code. Might be just a service reminder, I don't know yet.
I have downloaded the service manual from bikerdoc's thread. Will read it and see what it really is.
Bikerdoc, if you're reading this, thanks for the manual!!!
Update: I've read the manual (well, read most of it anyway). As an English teacher, I am appalled, and I wish CFMoto found a laowai to check their cryptic manuscript of a manual for them. They could probably translate it into English some day.
Irony aside, according to the error code table, flashes are counted in "short flashes" (individual ones) and "long flashes" (groups of 10 of short flashes). Thusly, 15 fishes will be 1 long flashes and 5 short flashes.
The error code table states it's a problem with a fan relay - it is either disconnected or doesn't work at all.
So I guess I am in for the checkup. Will probably do it some time next week.
Re: Warning Light: 15 Flashes
So the warning light problem has somehow magically cured itself. Since the only time I saw wires reconnect and heal themselves was in "Transformers" (and my ancient Chingchong is obviously not one), I believe it must have been a relay glitch or a temperature sensor problem.
Anyways, the fan now does come on at 4 bars on the temperature display, and it all seems to be working just fine. All said, it pretty much postpones my trip to the service center until some time later.
On a side note, I went to Suzuki dealership yesterday, and they said that a Skywave 250 (or 200) will be officially sold in China some time by the end of 2016. The official "reveal ceremony" will be held on October 25th. I read couple of reviews of their latest Burgman (Skywave) 200 ABS, and I am seriously considering it.