Auto scooter or a small cruiser (Phantom, Boss, Lifan, Keeway)

[Agusts]

Just a quick feedback about the Keeway Superlight 200cc that I rented and went to Krabi and back (from Patong).

 

Well, it turned out to be not such a good bike after all, problems with engine, breaks, so so gears and lights and so on.

 

To start with it had a large round seat, but then my knees were up at the top of the gas tank level, so I thought if my legs were 10cm or 15cm shorter I would be more comfortable (I am 175cm, 5-10"), I felt no lumber support, like I was squatting a bit. But the pegs were flat and large, so that was very nice.

 

The tires were also huge, and nice shocks/forks, you don't really have to worry very much about the potholes and the road, it goes over anything without feeling too much the bumps (that is as oppose to my scooter of course).

 

But the gear changing was a hassle, I knew that as I used automatic for years, but the gear had to travel quite a bit (about 5-10cm I would say) and needed a strong wack, hard if you don't have a boot with hard top side (no heal change lever). I could never get it into the neutral either when stopped, but it would sometime jump into it from 1 to 2 - a pain occasionally. I wouldn't want to ride this in a town with heavy traffic.

 

Back breaks made a horrible noise, even when warm it made a loud scream, funny as everyone knew I was coming, annoying but I guess that can easily be fixed.

 

Now the main issue was the engine, I don't know what was wrong, but it would rev happily when not in gear to 7000rpm, but under load it would only go to 5000rpm (in all gears, but worse in high gears), then started to stutter and have hiccups (like heavy laboring etc.), it could have been an easy carburetor issue, but I think most probably the piston rings and engine was gone, hard to say, but it was a pain, up a slight slope or even on the flat, couldn't go faster than 70 kph, even slower than my scooter, got worse on the way back.

 

Noise and vibration from the engine and the rest was also quite noticeable, but then again this bike was not a good example, I have seen (never tried) other bikes in this category around town making less noise and moving much smoother when they take off.

 

Also the GPS on my phone showed +7kph is on the odeo, but I am thinking maybe I need to check my GPS properly first !

 

By the way the side wind disturbance was still there, less though, although the bike is heavier it is also bigger in size, but generally it is more grounded than a scooter for sure. You need to get used to the big handle bar and long wheelbase and large tires for leaning and going around the corners, big difference from a scooter, but it comes naturally after a while. Other cars still don't give a damn though, I think for Thai car drivers anything on two wheels don't count as a vehicle on the road... !? (I open another thread about Thai driving/riding habits....) 

 

The gas consumption was about 4.5 litre per 100km , give or take - with large 11-12 liter tank it can go about the same as scooters or a bit more with that consumption...

 

Okay, perhaps I should have tested this bike properly before taking it on a long trip, but I can't believe they rent a bike like that, even when I returned and told them, they said there is nothing wrong - Keeway maybe under powered but it shouldn't be like that... !? 

 

All in all, I didn't have a good experience with this bike, but I would like to take a Phantom or Boss for a ride, just to see the riding position and comfort on the road, I am not a speed freak, so don't mind these under powered bikes as long as they give something extra over scooters for longer rides (which I didn't feel much with this bike). Ultimately to avoid the hassle of gear changing, maybe a second hand PCX/NMAX is a better option for the long trips.

Edited July 3, 2017 by Agusts