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Brittany
unregistered user
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Oct-13-05, 09:57 PM (EDT) |
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"Nam Bikes"
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Has anybody ever had experience with an Ebay scooter seller Powder_Scooter? I am interested in a bike that they have but I dont want to be stuck with a Vietnam Lemon.
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elduderin0
unregistered user
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Oct-13-05, 11:11 PM (EDT) |
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1. "RE: Nam Bikes"
In response to message #0
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i was looking at powder-scooter on eBay also. i do not know anything personally about them, but i just called a friend who is a vespa mechanic and he told me to stay away from ALL vietnam "restorations." if you do a search on the internet (like i just did), you will find stories of people that bought and got screwed. apparently, in vietnam, india, and indonesia they are taking broken down/beyond repair scooters and putting new paint jobs and decent chrome on them and selling them on eBay and over the internet (to the american market). my friend told me that he refused to even work on any scooter from vietnam because they were so bad it was not financially worth starting. i also saw this statement by other shops on the internet. i guess if it looks too good to be true, it really is. |
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isaiah williams
unregistered user
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Dec-04-05, 00:06 AM (EDT) |
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2. "powder_scooter restored vespas"
In response to message #1
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I saw your enquiry when I googled powder_scooter. I recently bought a restored '67 Vespa 150 VBC from them on ebay for $2025. I cost about another $1000 for taxes, customs, shipping, registration, licences, etc. The bike is beautiful! Runs perfectly and looks like new. The people are friendly and pleasant to work with. I'm very pleased and somewhat relieved that so dicey an undertaking as buying a vespa on ebay from Viet Nam can turn out so well. This outfit, atleast, is for real. |
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cphilip
Member since Jul-16-03
7408 posts |
Dec-06-05, 10:38 AM (EDT) |
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4. "RE: powder_scooter restored vespas"
In response to message #2
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>I saw your enquiry when I googled powder_scooter. I recently
>bought a restored '67 Vespa 150 VBC from them on ebay for
>$2025. I cost about another $1000 for taxes, customs,
>shipping, registration, licences, etc. The bike is
>beautiful! Runs perfectly and looks like new. The people are
>friendly and pleasant to work with. I'm very pleased and
>somewhat relieved that so dicey an undertaking as buying a
>vespa on ebay from Viet Nam can turn out so well. This
>outfit, atleast, is for real. Wait till you finaly have to take it apart and see whats inside.... The bodge em up to run for a while... eventualy you will find you probably need a complete new engine because they rigged that one up to get it to go for a while... or worse.... a frame or fork. These are not worth the risk. Unless you are prepared to double your money in them in a year or two or three. |
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JZ N Prickle
Member since Aug-5-05
350 posts |
Dec-04-05, 01:23 PM (EDT) |
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3. "RE: Nam Bikes"
In response to message #0
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If you dont want to get "stuck with a Vietnam Lemon" as you posted, follow your own advice don't buy one. Learn from others mistakes who bought one, dont do it. I know the shiney paint is tempting, Go buy a scooter from a local dealer near you or a used one from a private local person, you need to see it, touch it and test drive it. You'll be glad you did! Keep looking locally and good luck! |
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John B
unregistered user
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Dec-08-05, 01:14 PM (EDT) |
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5. "RE: Nam Bikes"
In response to message #3
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Out of the twelve or so Asia restorations I've had through my garage this year ONE was a good bike. These ranged from ScootRS bikes to un-named guy form Thailand. I've never seen a bike that looked like it would "brake in half" but terrible motors, brakes, forks, swing arms. Recently a VBB with a broken shift tube and the wrong throttle tube. The shift tube was broken before and poorly welded and they had wrapped some wire around the throttle tube to make up the half inch of play there, it came off.
As far as I'm concerned, if you want to buy a nice restored bike, irregardless of where it comes from, if you can't lay your hands on it or trust the person selling it, DON'T buy it. You would be much better off finding an un-restored bike in OK shape and restoring that. If it's got problems you'll know about them up front. If the cost is to much, do it in stages, first the motor, then the body, something like that. Plus you get the satisfaction of knowing it’s something you’ve done, if not with your own hands then something you had done at least.
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Voodoo
Member since Jun-20-05
198 posts |
Dec-09-05, 00:27 AM (EDT) |
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6. "RE: Nam Bikes"
In response to message #5
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LAST EDITED ON Dec-09-05 AT 00:28 AM (EDT)
Ya know, this is getting interesting. Now we have John B (unregistered user) who has a shop and has only seen 1 out of 12 asian bikes that was a good bike. OK, where did the good bike come from??? Where did the bad bikes come from??? Where is your shop??? What was wrong with the Scootrs bike???The plot on Nam bikes gets thicker. There's a guy in Orange County Cali (www.oldschoolvespas.com) who is bringing in Asian bikes. Like others, he has been lambasted on this site. ( do a search) However, on his website he has this posted: http://oldschoolvespas.com/vespa/massimo.pdf It, apparently is a letter from a Vespa certified mechanic named Massimo testifying to the fact that the oldschoolvespas are sound. Now Massimo has opened a shop in Newport Beach, Cali, called Ciao Scooters. Searching this database, Massimo, apparently has a good rep and previously worked at Vespa of Newport Beach. More grist for the mill!!!!!! "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky |
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John B
unregistered user
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Dec-09-05, 01:22 AM (EDT) |
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7. "RE: Nam Bikes"
In response to message #6
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I believe Massimo has closed shop.
I always make a point of asking where the bikes come from, and rarely get a straight answer. Most of them I believe were second hand. One case in particular; The first owner asked me to help with some electrical work. The owner told me he was looking to sell it, and wanted everything working. After checking the bike out I suggested he sell it out of town I didn’t think it would last to long and didn’t want to see it when it broke. It didn't ride well, and the motor did not inspire confidence. So a few months later I get a call, SURPRIZE the same bike, new owner. The crank ate the clutch side cage for the ball bearings and one of the covers for the spring gear popped its rivets. So after a lot of work the people were finally happy with the bike. Should the guy have sold it to them for $2700, Hell no; should he have returned there calls at least, Hell yes. He didn’t call them back because he knew he dumped a lemon on them. I've argued about the ScootRS bikes on here before and don't care to get into it now. I exchanged some posts with Randel, some one found the bike on the ScootRS listings and then the thread mysteriously disappeared. Hmmm… The one good bike was a stock Series3 LI150. The owner actually bought it in Vietnam with 2 other bikes, those not so good. He did not specify who the seller was.
What’s all this got to do with the original thread? Some one asked for advice, in my opinion if you’re afraid of buying a bike that might not be what it seams, then don’t buy one you can’t check-out, or have someone you trust check-out.
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Voodoo
Member since Jun-20-05
198 posts |
Dec-09-05, 01:35 AM (EDT) |
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8. "RE: Nam Bikes"
In response to message #7
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Looks like you're right, Massimo's number disconnected!!!! "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky |
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