Kendas vs City Grips in the wet w/ABS?

[Stig / Major Tom]

I imagine that the new LIKE150i ABS is shod with Kenda tires again.....or maybe they went with Maxxis this time?

I would love to see comparison wet braking tests run with this budget* scooter's two wheel ABS using the Kendas vs Michelin City Grip tires. 

Testing for wet stopping distances and control - how effective is ABS when using nylon tires vs rubber/blend tires? Some of us have experienced the thrill of Kendas in the wet during hard braking!#

Also, would be interested to see the same tests run on the non ABS LIKE200I.

*surely the Like150I is the lowest priced two channel ABS  scooter in N. America?
#I only commuted in the wet on Kenda tires for a very short time , before installing CG's.
Stig

[Jonnielights]

Kenda's in the wet, yeah; thrilling like Action Park!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/danm3/35-horror-stories-that-prove-action-park-was-the-6wr?utm_term=.yhmA8wm5oZ#.cazE1wRD2z

I can't wait for my new city grips to be mounted next week.

Jon

[Jonnielights]

Hey Stig,

When I get the City Grips mounted, besides the breaks, is there anything else I should ask the mechanics to take a look at?

Jon

[Stig / Major Tom]

Hey Stig,

When I get the City Grips mounted, besides the breaks, is there anything else I should ask the mechanics to take a look at?

Jon

I agree that street-side DIY servicing is out - so, yeah check your brake pad thickness and air filter cleanliness (though both should be fine at your mileage), do a gear oil change, install the Iridium plug. Take it easy on the new tires to scrub them in.
Ask them about experience with valve clearance checks on LIKE200i's, as this might be your biggest service charge. ....some say if idles and starts easily and not clicking - valves are fine. Us DIY guys would be doing a valve check at your mileage....but we rarely find anything wrong.

Stig


If you ride at night - the headlight is not much to brag about - but things can be improved by adjusting the aim less into the distance and more down in front of the scooter. A screw is under the headlight in the plastic - no need to remove anything. Screw it IN to lower the beam, out to raise the beam.

[Snoopzilla]

I imagine that the new LIKE150i ABS is shod with Kenda tires again.....or maybe they went with Maxxis this time?

I would love to see comparison wet braking tests run with this budget* scooter's two wheel ABS using the Kendas vs Michelin City Grip tires. 

Testing for wet stopping distances and control - how effective is ABS when using nylon tires vs rubber/blend tires? Some of us have experienced the thrill of Kendas in the wet during hard braking!#

Also, would be interested to see the same tests run on the non ABS LIKE200I.

*surely the Like150I is the lowest priced two channel ABS  scooter in N. America?
#I only commuted in the wet on Kenda tires for a very short time , before installing CG's.
Stig

Can confirm my Like 150i has kendas and has to be lowest priced two channel abs scoot. 

[Jonnielights]

Stig,

I get the driveway to work sometimes, so things like gear oil and and air filter, I have already changed.  Head light, tail light and running lights on fairing I have also changed to all LED (big improvement and highly recommended) as well as adding LED strip to the top box.  I'll do the plug myself and as for the valve clearance I'll do it myself but I don't know much about it, so I'll ask questions before I intend to have the seat and front panel off for the spark plug install.  Probably first or second week of August.

I don't want to pay for work I can do in a primarily standing position, these guy come at like $80+ an hour so the tune up stuff is up to me, I just lack the kit to lift the bike, and balance the tires and figured I should have the breaks checked while the wheels are off.


 Jon

[PaulF]

I imagine that the new LIKE150i ABS is shod with Kenda tires again.....or maybe they went with Maxxis this time?

Hey Stig, did your Piaggio come with Maxxis?   Mine Medley has them and I was wondering if yours did as well.  So far so good with them but I might change them over to a better sticky tyre for winter next year.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Hey Stig, did your Piaggio come with Maxxis?   Mine Medley has them and I was wondering if yours did as well.  So far so good with them but I might change them over to a better sticky tyre for winter next year.

Yes Maxxix, but unless my cell phone weather app fails me I never plan to ride that little beauty in the wet!
That is when I take the LIKE200i with the Michelins!
But, yeah, the Liberty's next tires will be City Grips - good tires and they last a long time on my LIKE.
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

Stig,

I get the driveway to work sometimes, so things like gear oil and and air filter, I have already changed.  Head light, tail light and running lights on fairing I have also changed to all LED (big improvement and highly recommended) as well as adding LED strip to the top box.  I'll do the plug myself and as for the valve clearance I'll do it myself but I don't know much about it, so I'll ask questions before I intend to have the seat and front panel off for the spark plug install.  Probably first or second week of August.

I don't want to pay for work I can do in a primarily standing position, these guy come at like $80+ an hour so the tune up stuff is up to me, I just lack the kit to lift the bike, and balance the tires and figured I should have the breaks checked while the wheels are off.


 Jon

Good for you!
A LIKE200i valve adj. walk thru I did a while back.
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=11948.msg119604#msg119604

and another...
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=13135.msg131058#msg131058

You are experienced with your scooter - but for safety I will add this : make certain you feel a little up/down movement in the rocker arm when you grab the adjusting nut & screw. This insures that when the chain sprocket is aligned properly you are indeed at top-dead-center on the compression stroke!
We had a member get it all sideways when he performed a valve adjustment on the wrong stroke! He forgot to check for rocker arm movement.

Stig
Stig

[Jonnielights]

Thanks Stig.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Stig,

I get the driveway to work sometimes, so things like gear oil and and air filter, I have already changed.  Head light, tail light and running lights on fairing I have also changed to all LED (big improvement and highly recommended) as well as adding LED strip to the top box.  I'll do the plug myself and as for the valve clearance I'll do it myself but I don't know much about it, so I'll ask questions before I intend to have the seat and front panel off for the spark plug install.  Probably first or second week of August.

I don't want to pay for work I can do in a primarily standing position, these guy come at like $80+ an hour so the tune up stuff is up to me, I just lack the kit to lift the bike, and balance the tires and figured I should have the breaks checked while the wheels are off.


 Jon

Hello Jon, any chance you can post a DIY on the LEDs you've installed on your LIKE200i?
Bulbs you used? etc.
Or, if not, some photos of them lit up?

Lots of folks have talked about adding LEDs to the LIKE.
Stig

[Snoopzilla]

I imagine that the new LIKE150i ABS is shod with Kenda tires again.....or maybe they went with Maxxis this time?

I would love to see comparison wet braking tests run with this budget* scooter's two wheel ABS using the Kendas vs Michelin City Grip tires. 

Testing for wet stopping distances and control - how effective is ABS when using nylon tires vs rubber/blend tires? Some of us have experienced the thrill of Kendas in the wet during hard braking!#

Also, would be interested to see the same tests run on the non ABS LIKE200I.

*surely the Like150I is the lowest priced two channel ABS  scooter in N. America?
#I only commuted in the wet on Kenda tires for a very short time , before installing CG's.
Stig

Actually I take that back my Like 150i does not even have Kendas!   WTF!?!?  Cheng Shin tires!?!?!  What the hell are these?  Never heard of this brand...  oh ok after doing some research I guess maxxis is just cheng shin tires “rebranded” since maxxis apperenty sounds better.

[hypophthalmus]

Some nitpicking:

The tread on tires is always rubber. The structural cords can be nylon or polyester, but I'm not aware of any advantage of one over the other. The quality of the rubber is what makes the difference for traction. The only time I've seen purely nylon tires was on my hand pulled garden cart.

I think the wet ABS braking distance would be a very interesting test though.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I cannot speak with knowledge --  but we have Continentals, 3 kinds of Michelins, Pirelli, Kenda and Maxxis scooter & motorcycle tires.
Only the Maxxis and Kenda tires are marked "NYLON", none of the others speak to the tire substance. (some say RADIAL, others don't )

Stig

[Forbes1964]

Wouldn’t it be nice if scooter tires were tested and given standardized grades like automobile tires? That way we could do a more direct comparison. —- treadwear, traction, and speed ratings are all standardized on car tires. They aren’t exact. But they give us a good starting point rather than simply flying bind .


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