Magnum Has Arrived, General Observations and ??'s By ellpee (Read 1,373 times)

[ellpee]

Just took delivery on a new Magnum, now sitting alongside the public road with no wheels/windshield,rear panels/mirrors. Assume lug nuts and battery are under seat, but how do I open the seat compartment? URGENT -- can't very well leave it sitting out there all night.

[alleyoop]

I believe those open with the KEY, LOOK on the ignition and you have to turn it I belive to the left passed the on position.
Alleyoop

[alleyoop]

You can also get your hand underneath and pull on the cable.
Alleyoop

[ellpee]

Resolved. (By my wife, I blush to admit.) Yes, key turn to left without pushing it in, and a little jiggling on the back of the seat at the same time did the trick.

[alleyoop]

Great!! but you will never hear the end of it
Alleyoop

[ellpee]

Ain't it the truth. Tried to open the seat again in the evening and AGAIN had to get her to do it. Guess I'll just declare it HER scoot and sit in the back when we hit the road.

So anyhow, the summer scoot saga now begins. Arrived in good shape (don't ask me about the problems getting it delivered on our narrow gravel road) except for one reflector chafed against something and needs replacement. Vendor says Ice Bear will send me a new one, no problem, hope he's right. Still need to put on the rear fenders, check all fluids, tire inflation, etc. I paid for a full PDI before delivery, hope I can take that at face value. Any comments on that? If Ice Bear says they PDI'd it, can I take that to the bank? I am frankly VERY skeptical that ANY jobber/wholesaler, Ice Bear or anybody else, is going to do all the stuff one reads about regarding PDIs -- replacing fuel lines, vacuum hoses, electrical connectors, etc. If they sell "Ching Chong's" product, why would they effectively admit the factory produces crap and the first thing anyone should do is replace it all? Will still change oils after the first few hundred miles. Came with rear tires/fenders NOT assembled, which is a good thing, gives me a good look at all the drive machinery before I put on the plastic. But it does make me wonder how they did a PDI and put .2 miles or so on the clock with the rear wheels not mounted. Would be glad for any general info about the motor, which unlike my Roketa is a horizontal model -- is this a variation on the Linhai 257? Have to investigate the fusebox situation on this scoot too, that was an issue on my Roketa. Digital gauges on this one are cool-looking as long as they work. Noticing at idle the illuminated bar on the speedo (tach?) blinks; what's that all about? (Haven't read the manual yet, it might be explained there.) Hoping it just means the engine is in fact running....

Even in the short (200 yards) drive from where they had to unload it, I noticed a definite difference driving a trike versus a two-wheeler. Will take some getting used to. There's a sticker on it that says when turning one has to be below 5 mph! Yeah, like that's realistic.

[ellpee]

Didn't find a fusebox, just one in-line fuse off the battery. Reverse is interesting -- kinda "jumps" when it starts up in reverse, takes a delicate touch on the throttle. Fortunately, not something I'll need to do very often. Pushes easily enough on relatively flat surfaces despite ~550 lb.

[rapidjim]

Ellpee I sent you a PM

Jim

[alleyoop]

It would be good to know JUST what ICE BEARS PDI's consists of
After all you are paying extra for it and the customer should know what he or she is paying for.

Well I know I would ask WHAT I am paying for and would want a list. I am sure they have a list so whoever is doing the work knows to at least inspect and or check each thing on the list.

1. Do they change the hoses for good quality ones or do they already come with quality hoses etc.
2. Do they change the Crankcase Oil.
3. Do they change the Tranny Oil.
4. If water cooled do they put in GOOD coolant.
5. Do they check to see that all options lights, guages etc are working.

I am sure they go around and make sure everything is nice and tight.

They probably do Start the motor to make sure it gets gas and runs.
But the carb is NOT likely to abe adjusted since more than likely the Fuel Ratio Mixture is plugged up. So that will become a problem with temp changes because they do set the carbs to run lean to pass emissions.
Alleyoop

[ellpee]

Got all the registration red tape accomplished this afternoon, so going to take it for a short spin around the neighborhood this evening (on mostly steep gravel roads, YIKES!). Alley, your questions are the right ones, at least for me. The full PDI, as posted on this forum, is a BIG deal; have to wonder whether anybody, Ice Bear or otherwise, would really do all that. I've gotta believe replacing tubing, electrical connectors, filters, and on and on and on per Big PDI, would be a major cost in time and material, and in a way sort of a self-indictment of the quality of their product.

TWO HOURS LATER: Rode about 7-8 miles, out of our neighborhood on one steepish gravel road, a few miles on pavement, and a mile or so back up the hill on another steep gravel road. Handling is of course WAY different from my Roketa, nothing "bicyclish" about it at all, but also not quite like a car. Had the feeling I really needed to keep a good "handle" on what was going on with the front wheel. On the gravel roads, predictably rough but manageable at low speeds, and ample power on the uphills, which probably approach 10% for a couple short stretches. On pavement, 40 mph seems really, really fast, probably just trike newbie nervousness.

[rapidjim]

Jun 26, 2013 18:12:07 GMT -6 alleyoop said:

It would be good to know JUST what ICE BEARS PDI's consists of
After all you are paying extra for it and the customer should know what he or she is paying for.

Well I know I would ask WHAT I am paying for and would want a list. I am sure they have a list so whoever is doing the work knows to at least inspect and or check each thing on the list.

1. Do they change the hoses for good quality ones or do they already come with quality hoses etc.
2. Do they change the Crankcase Oil.
3. Do they change the Tranny Oil.
4. If water cooled do they put in GOOD coolant.
5. Do they check to see that all options lights, guages etc are working.

I am sure they go around and make sure everything is nice and tight.

They probably do Start the motor to make sure it gets gas and runs.
But the carb is NOT likely to abe adjusted since more than likely the Fuel Ratio Mixture is plugged up. So that will become a problem with temp changes because they do set the carbs to run lean to pass emissions.
Alleyoop

Here is the new check list that Ice Bear (CA) uses for their PDI

1. Assemble all fenders and parts using locktite.______
2.Change engine oil and gear oil _____
3. Tighten axle nuts_____
4.Tighten brake rotor and sprocket bolts_____
5. Tighten handle bar bolts____
6. Tighten steering stem nuts_____
7.Check brakes and brake lever adjustment_____
8.Check throttle adjustment_____
9. Check chain/belt tension and adjustment____
10. Check tire pressure_____
11. Charge battery____
12.Tighten kickstand and center stand_____
13. Check pull start and kick start_____
14. Set idle adjustment________
15. Check all fuel lines____
16. Check all eletrical connections____
17. Check all lights_____
18. Check killswitch ______
Signature___________________________________________ Date


Jim/Owner
Rapid Repair

[ellpee]

Very helpful, Jim, and I will be doing all those things in the next couple days, because I just got word from Ice Bear that they did NOT get a PDI request from the vendor in connection with my order, although I have numerous EMails referring to "fully PDIed" and that service was certainly included in the price. I'll be pursuing that with the "gentleman" in question -- wish me luck. Safe to say he can expect no more business from me in future.

When the dust settles, I intend to write a lengthy description of everything that has transpired between March and now, naming names, and will post it here, other scooter forums, Angie's List, Better Business Bureau, and everywhere else I can think of. My Roketa purchase last fall went just fine, so I'm really surprised at what appear to be numerous shenanigans this time. Forum bosses, are there any rules about posting that kind of thing as long as I watch my language?

Oh yeah: any 2012 Magnum manuals to be found on the forum or elsewhere?

[rapidjim]

I have seen this before and it makes me ill.

Some dealers charge for the PDI that is done at the factory, China, which is not a PDI, it is a quality control check. but that is how these dealers make more money and use it as a selling tool to make customers think they are getting a great deal and their machine is ready to go. It is an out and out deception. I have lost a couple customers due to price because of this deception. Of course my price is higher for a FULLY PDIed ASSEMBLED machine becuase it is just that ... Ready to ride! Not a China Factory QC that they are calling a PDI.

Another "trick" that I have seen and have commented on it before, some dealers offer a 3 month warranty on Ice Bear trikes and charge more if you want the 6 month warranty and 1 year motor warranty. Ice Bear Trikes are warrantied from CA for 6 months parts and 1 year on the motor or 1500 miles at no extra cost to the dealer. Full warranty and limitations .icebearatv.com/warranty" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.icebearatv.com/warranty

Another thing that caught my eye. You said you have been waiting since March for your machine, yet you also say it is a 2012. Anything made after Jan 1st is a 2013. Something just doesn't add up here. The Chinese use calendar year for their model year. Not like the US that start selling the next year's model in July. Example: If it is made Dec. 31, 2012 then it is a 2012 if it is made on Jan 1, 2013 then it is a 2013.

Sorry you are having a bad experience with this dealer, hopefully nothing goes wrong and you have to deal with them again over a warranty issue.

Jim/Owner
Rapid Repair

[ellpee]

Yeah, bummer. He ambushed me, because my first buy from him (Roketa) went fine -- no issues at all. That warranty thing was also in play; he hyped an "extended warranty" for an extra $100, I declined, but have yet to get that $100 back. Yes, I paid in advance for a Zodiac he couldn't deliver, settled for a Magnum, he refunded $200 but still tried to hang onto the $100 for the warranty I had declined. So that $100 is at issue, PLUS whatever part of his price was for the "full PDI" he never told Ice Bear to do.

As I said, I'm going to post a highly detailed PDF soon describing all this from A to Z, in the hope of saving others from a similar experience.

Oh, by the way, the stamped manufacture date on the little metal plate is November 2012, which makes it a 2012. Are the 2013's different in any significant way I would recognize? Moot point, since I got what I got, but just curious. I've seen numerous posts about 2012 Magnum improvements, but none about 2013's.

[rapidjim]

The 2013 is the same as a 2012 Modified.

Jim