Need Help Choosing a Bike

[bikerdoc]

Wow. I haven't really considered a scooter. I read your review and, yes, that sounds like a reasonable option. Never rode a maxi-scooter before, will ask someone around for a test ride.
Are there any downsides to the scooter you have? Anything you aren't satisfied with? How does it ride with a passenger?
Thanks!

I was never into scooters when I lived back in NZ and OZ, but once I hit Asia many moons ago, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia etc, I found how versatile the average scoot could be. Nautrally all the scoots I had the opportunity to ride in these Asian countries were all Jap ones, so they offered solid rides. When I got to China 10 years ago there wasn't a lof of choice of anything. Small capacity scooters are n ot my thing, but the maxis are. I had a CFMoto CF250T-ViP Fashion for a couple of years and while it wasn't a true maxi scoot in many respects, it was a huge scoot. The Honda Helix which is what the CF250T-ViP is based off, was a great ride. A little long - I didn't like 13" wheels,as I like sitting a little higher than the car roof line in front. I still had a great experience with that scoot but it topped out 110km/h (the Jetmax can do 140km/h) I sold it to a German guy in SH for not too much less than what I'd paid for it. Naturally I'd added lots to it, and it was well looked after. After that experience I was happy to go with another CFMoto ride. One of the interesting things was that in the first month after I bought it, there was one thing I found a major problem with and that was the amount of heat from under the seat. I mean it was baking under there. I put chocolate (one of my few simple vices - the others are too complicated for inclusion in this thread) under there and it would be soft as. Around that time, I got a call from the shop I'd ordered the Jetmax through, and asked to return the bike (date and time chosen by me) and a technical person came from the CFMoto company and swaped out a range of items. The ECU, shocks, petrol cap, EFI unit and a few other items I can't recall (though I mention them in my review under the scooter section of MCM and other fourms too ( www.maxi-scoots.com ). The heat under the seat was also remedied. Now that was better than anything I've heard or read about most other motorcycle manufacturers in China. I mean I didn't contact them, they actually caught up with me. I'd have been none the wiser. That to me speaks volumes about CFMoto.

The only downsides to the Jetmax are that it can't do offroad, but that is not a limitation isolated to this scoot. I wish it had a park brake at times, like many bigger capacity maxi scoots do. The finish while good is not to the same standard as a Jap or European maxi scoot, but then I'm not paying those prices. You might want to check out the online Australian motorcycle mag ( www.scootersales.com.au ) that did a basic comparison between three scoots a Piaggio's X7 300 and Kymco's Downtown 300i with ABS. The result was that for the money the Jetmax held it's own. Overall I like it. Sure it aint the same as my Burgman Executive 650cc or the Piaggio's X7 300 and Kymco's Downtown 300i with ABS as tested by scootersales Australia. I do like the Jetmax for all the reasons stated previously. Admittedly it's a scoot, but I have no hangups about that. Hell Asia and Europe are full of them, they're a big part of the motorcycling market.

As to the Jetmax.

I like that I can blend in, ride into many places and not feel too inconspicuous. It is quiet too and fuel efficient. I also get to keep clean, and again the fact that there;s huge underseat storage with a light is just sensible.

I've changed the mirrors, to the ones found on the CF650NK, changed the headlights to Xenon HID's, added lots of little things e.g. a seat squab to lift me up an inch or two, a cigarette plug adaptor so I can add more electronic gadgets... I run my smartphone complete with GPS (GamrinXT) placed on mounting bracket attached to the top of the dash. Even in the rain it stays dry, something not easy to acheive on a motorcycle. I've got a water bottle bracket holder attached down by where the left inner fairing which allows me to reach down with one hand while riding and have a drink without stopping or doing the same at a set of lights. Try that on motorcycle... not so easy, I know. The inbuilt radio and USB MP3 player and associated speakers could be better, but then it isn't a Goldwing. The MP3 USB plug also is powered so one can run any USB powered device from it like I do a smartphone, but it is a power source tied into the ignition being in the ON position. This is why I hard-wired a power source directly to a live wire, so I have a source available not just when the ignintion is switched ON.

As for riding pillion, the Jetmax rides and goes like the pillion isn't there. Handles two up riding with ease. Pulls from a standing start like no ones moving, and I don't try that hard. I'm mindful of the wear and tear the centrifugal clutch does through so don't abuse it.

Honestly the Jetmax does really well, and is not a typical Chinese scoot, like the one scooterchick found in Canada and posted her findings and problems with a SAGA here on MCM. I managed to even convince a sceptical mate to buy one, on my say so and nagging, and he's a tough sell. He luvs it. He's had his fair share of issues, but then he rides his bikes like they're enduros, which none of them are.

I've changed the rear shocks for a couple of nock off adjustable Chinese made jobbies, with adjustable preload and dampening etc. I've also gone for bigger international branded tyres, and had welded a couple of tabs to the centre stand to compensate for the oversized tyres. I was getting 10000km to the standard rear tyres which are ok, but I like nice sticky tyres. I did find that the standard rear tyre from the factory would get a little squared off in profile close to the end of life of the tyre around 10000 km. The standard front tyres were getting double the life or standard rear, at 20000 km.

I'm not sure, you could find a test ride since they're not a scoot found on dealers showroom floors, and even when they are, dealers are even hard pressed at times, for a prospective purchaser to sit on a motorcycle, until some money is down. You can find a few around, in places like SH. Otherwise a CFMoto authorised dealer will only order one in on a pre-order basis. Not the best marketing tool. But the there are actual CFMoto only dealerships around.

BTW, have you considered a Regal Raptor 350? They make a couple of 350's which are really 320cc, ones a road bike and the other is a bobba style. Not too bad looking... priced around the high twenties from memory. Or you could do a HD 883cc sportster for under a CNY 100K. A genuine, new 650GS will set you back an easy CNY 100K if not more. They did have a special on the 650 single cylinder rotax engined G650GS (engine made by Loncin in China) but that specials likely ended.

http://www.cfmotoclub.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=87002
Photos show the Jetmax then lots of the newer Jetlux which looks more photogenic but I think having seen it in the flesh is way less functional (smaller wheels, thinner front profile and less weather protection), as well as photos of both the 650NK and 650TR. Got to say though that the model in red looks hot, and I'm not referring to 2 wheels! ;)