Performance Zumas

[Matty1081]

Why didnt someone tell me that Zumas are better stock.. I got all excited and bought both kits 1&2 at the same time, i spent hours trying to do stage1, now its been 2 months since i have rode it. It has been in the mechanics shop for over a month, he finally got it started.. I still have no power past 10mph.. he told me i got took on all of these parts, that all i needed was a pipe and the carb to be jetted and an upgear kit. If i would have just done that it would have been around 300 dollars parts included!

But now i have spent over 500 dollars on parts, i have to spend around 200 dollars on the mechanic just to get the scooter to run as fast as it did stock.. I have a carb and a cylinder that i dont want to install anymore because of all the stage 1 issues..

I dont imagine that i will get any positive response from Erich about returning any of these brand new parts because i opened the box. I miss the good times i had on my stock zuma and wish i could go back, I also miss all my money too.. All i want is to ride my scooter again and not have to stress about this anymore.. thanks for reading the sob story

[cal_gecko]

Yikes .. are you sure everything was installed correctly? I haven't installed the stage 1 kit <yet>, but I know a lot (most) of the guys on this board have, and seem to have noticed a big difference.

[XPS1210]

okay to start... really i don't see why you can or would talk trash about erich as he has done nothing but help people out... in addition... to say you were taken... man there is no guarantee when it come to performance parts... your post sound pretty crappy imo!


2nd, the zuma for some reason doesn't like to go faster with the stages as the vino or other scooters do... how ever it pics up take off...
best i can say is as with all performance upgrades.... never know how it will effect the bike and reliability... it's on you once you start modding it, not erich...

i have stage 1-3 on my scooter and am not overly thrilled with the top end... how ever don't believe that erich is to blame and am working on trying to correct the top end on my own... as it's my choice to have modded it... erich didn't make me, nor can he guarantee how each scooter will react to upgrades...

[King Vino]

I've forwarded this thread to Erich for review. As I've said in the 99% of YMC mechs out there have no experience servicing 2 strokes, or scooters, and even less with staging. Most all issues are something so simplistically simple most mechs want to hit themselves in the head with a wrench, and I'm sure this is another such event. you should here from Erich shortly. You'd be amazed how costumer service orientated this guy is.

[Lennox]

got any "used" parts for sale?

[erich]

Well to start, anyone reading this thread, please email me, or post a message in the forums before ever taking your scooter to a motorcycle shop. The reasons for this are as follows:

1. Most m/c mech mod dirt bikes. Most do not know anything about scooters. Just as referenced in the post above, the mech said to get a pipe, carb, and you would be fine. That is great advice for a DIRT BIKE! Not a cvt scooter.

2. They charge you money! If you have bought parts from me, you have already spent money, so why spend more? The money you spend on parts, is not just for the parts. I do make some money doing this, believe it or not, and I offer anyone that has bought parts free tech support. If you have a problem, email, post or call me. If you have bought parts, you should have my direct number, and I am more than happy to help. Customer satisfaction is one of my goals.

I have not had a problem presented to me that I have not been able to solve. Most people that have lasting problems have not talked to me.

Now this is not to say that there is no good mechanics out there, that would include myself and I will not make that generaliztion. I will say that there are very few good scooter mechanics at motorcycle shops. If you have to take your bike to a mech, see if there is a scooter only shop in your area. Anyone that deals exclusively with scooters should be of great help.

As for this issue specifically, did you get a metrakit pipe? If you did, I will bet you that you still have the restrictor that is installed at the factory in the cylinder end of the pipe. One reason I only sold those to fill a gap in Tecnigas availability. They are good pipes, just the restrictor has to be removed. That is something that any mechanic would have seen, which may give you an indication of his scooter tuning abilities. One email would have solved this months ago.

I'm sorry that you have had so many issues. It is not the typical thing as you should read throughout this board. Any issues (such as the '04 Zuma Stage 2 top speed) that come up I always get a bike in my hands, figure it out and relay that info to everyone (not just my customers), free! BTW I have TC CDI units in and am working on that issue right now.

Let me know what happens, and if you feel like you have been "taken" we can work out something on the Stage 2 parts that you have not installed, or you can probably sell them to someone on this board.

[Matty1081]

For starters, my intent was not to trash Erich personally, im aware that he is busy and i believe he tries to help people with their problems.. Im frustrated cuz i just miss ridin the scoot! I only said what the mechanic had told me about being taken. he supposedly has been the az scooter guy for the last 19 years.

When i recieved the kits i had no intention of doing anything over my head, i just wanted to install the metrakit pipe that i got.. Can you see the restrictor? I dont know what a restrictor looks like so i wouldnt know.. I was very pissed when i lost power when installing the pipe. I immediately asked why on this site and was told that the clutch and pipe dont work without each other.. So being crazy, i tore into the clutch and somehow jacked up the starter clutch, i managed to get the springs in though..

Im not too happy with my mechanic right now anyways about his work.. i will tell him that there is probably a restrictor in the pipe. hopefully that will do it.

Sorry if i sounded like a punk, i'll let you know the outcome to this mess.. thanks

[XPS1210]

if there is a restrictor in the exhaust, then it will be right at the opening that mounts to the head... it will look kind of like a funnel... if there is one, tkae a drill or something that can pull the piece out and it will then be "unrestricted"

sorry to have sounded grumpy... i didn't mean to make you feel bad or anything...

if you want i can try and walk you through installation if you need more help... i've stage 3'd mine.... working on extra's as well... pm me if you need more help with it... also, erich is a awesome wealth of info if i can't help you out...

[King Vino]

We're all insanely loyal to Erich. :)

[Matty1081]

when i installed the pipe i didnt see anything that looked like a restrictor.. i asked the mechanic to look and see. If he cant figure something out i'll just have to take it to an all scooter mechanic.

Let you know of any progress.. thanks

Oh yeah, has anyone else installed the metrakit pipe for the Zuma?