Chinese Scooter Club

BeachBoy · Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:11 am New Roketa MC-17 150T - new pics

I'm an experienced "big bike" rider with over 30 yrs. on the road but this is my first scooter.

6/24/08 I just got my new Roketa MC-17 150T. This scoot looks pretty good posing in its "retro look" Sicily garb, but no-one will confuse it with a luxury rig. The US dealer set it up and delivered it without any big hassle.

First, many riders and some uninformed chaps on lesser known forums knock the Roketa line without knowing much about them and what they're capable of. Hey this scooter looks compact and impressive - if one likes traditional styling v.s. the oft-seen and much copied "euro" look.

Upon arrival pressing the yellow starter button zinged it fully awake. Off the line its fairly quick for a 102 kg machine. In the keeping-alive department from 0-to 40 mph she'll smoke a lot of cagers in the stoplight grand prix.

After day one:
It now has to be kick-started since the starter blew out on the first day after the Dealer flooded it (probably bad solenoid or wire). Fast forward: Two kicks is usually enough to bring it to life unless it sits for a few days. It has 170+ kilometers now and seems very thrifty on fuel using only 1.35 US gallon.

The Roketa short case 1P57QMJ 150cc engine (a Honda GY6 clone rated approx. 9-10 h.p.) accelerates my 238 lbs. reasonably well considering it doesn't reach very high rpms (yet). These little engines need to wind up to put out good horsepower. Today it ran up 54 mph before I had to cool it for a stoplight. Overall it is a fairly quiet running scooter and is super easy to park etc.

I found the thinly padded seat to be a bit of a torture rack, thankfully my rides are short ... its high on the get-a-better-one or lets-have-one-custom-made list.

On tight turns she'll lean over as much as you dare on its two tiny 10 inch tires. Watch for bumps and fissures in the roadway as the light duty shocks & tires don't seem to like rough pavement at high speed. Make no mistake, this is a scoot best suited for smooth suburban side streets, alleys, lanes and slower city traffic. Pick a 13 inch rim combo, or better yet, choose a 16 inch wheeled scooter like the Kymco; you'll really appreciate the more stable ride and handling.

Fit and finish seem a bit better than what I'd seen on 2004-05 Tank Touring models using the same engine although the blue metallic paint does seem thin on the edges. Instruments work well and the controls are simple and easy to use. One rather odd bit; body mounting & panel screws are a soft gray color rather than having chrome or cadmium plating. One can use the under-seat bin to stow a helmet & papers etc. Sadly, this model has no rear luggage rack. In this day of stratospheric fuel prices it sports a locking gas cap. I changed the oem battery for a new gel unit as it tested low voltage under load.

For those wanting to do a bit of tuning and hop up work the other, taller GY6 long case 150cc engine used in models other than a Tank or Roketa is the hot ticket, like the Strada RX200hp. Accessories, racks & engine kits are starting to appear for many GY6 based scoots but the Roketa seems to be destined to stay low on the horsepower v.s. rpm, few accessories-available totem pole. Considering its low price of $1100 +/- USD its still quite a bargain for a student or person on a budget. A dealer right down the street charges $1950 + tax for a Lance Retro Classic with the same 150cc engine.

Perhaps one can now understand why you'll see a few Chinese scooters on local For Sale lists and online. Basic maintenance, though not heavy in requirements, for the Roketa or other GY6s can be costly due to tight frame access and the resultant extra tech time. Not many housewives or students have an air ratchet ready at hand for replacing that worn drive belt. Common GY6 hard parts seem readily available but the more complex and esoteric model specific or "soft" parts are harder to locate and obtain for those used to quick service auto shops or cycle stores.

The User Manual is written in pidgin English and seems almost useless. For those wanting to do their own tune-ups patience will be a virtue as access to the electrics and for changing the spark-plug is almost nil. Your local scooter forum will be more help, believe me.

I use it for quick trips and short commuting at 35 mph. Guys ask how-much & how-fast questions. Women think it looks "cute". Given that scooter & cycle techs charge $65-75 shop rate I prefer to do my own mods and service work.

Given it's very affordable price I'm satisfied overall with this little scooter's performance but mildly annoyed at the lack of quality chrome switchgear and the rather pedestrian fittings. But then it would come at a higher price no doubt.

Now where did I put that torque wrench?

Below is Tank's version of the Roketa MC-17 in white ... they're identical.

7/23/08 P.S. In the give-credit-where-its-due dept. the two fenders are easily removed to gain access to electrics and intake tract on the left side. More on the starting circuit and its repair saga. I replaced the defective starter relay with a heavy duty auto starter switch for only $9.00 with no problems, starts quicker than before.

8/9/08 After coming on several months of ownership I'm beginning to appreciate the hardiness of this little beast and the able gusto which the fierce engine has in hauling 460 lbs to 54 mph. I don't baby this scooter one little bit it in our scorching summer heat. This Roketa takes a lot of punishment and keeps coming back for more; she always starts right up and even sings as I head off for work.

Too bad it doesn't have a better rep 'cause she certainly deserves more credibility and respect. According to a local scooter tech the particular Bashan-sourced engine fitted in the MC-17 150T is higher quality and more robust than many of its more expensive Chinese competitors. IMHO this easy-on-the-pocket scoot has to be the most under-rated and reliable 150cc machine on the market.

Fox · Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:53 am

I saw a girl riding one of those one day only it was branded "Tank".

I have a 50cc scooter with 4 gram rollers so I have pretty good acceleration, but she absolutely smoked me off the line. If it weren't for the red lights I would have been left in the dust. I like the classic looks, but I would never buy one because of the hassle of getting to the engine and electrical stuff.

BeachBoy · Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:50 pm Cheap Starter Relay Fix

Remove left side panel - 3 screws. Discard old defective oem relay. Drill 1/2" diam. hole in thru side of under-seat bucket. Attach Red and Black Wires to a heavy duty starter switch poles (Checker Auto $8.95 US).

Push Starter Switch into hole and tighten. Now you can key start the scooter direct upon lifting the seat. Switch is designed to carry 150 amps, more than ample to start her up safe & secure.

BeachBoy · Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:09 am Small Oil Leak

Apparently the small dripping oil leak wasn't serious - yet.

About 2 weeks after purchase found a few drops of oil under the engine. Closer inspection revealed no oil leaks from the valve cover yet it was wet in that area.

It turns out the Oil Separator / Vent Tube to the Valve Cover wasn't attached / clamped securely allowing a small leak. Replaced the spring type clamp on the vent tube close to the barb end. Yet oil continued to leak (drip).

It also appeared that the Valve Cover rubber gasket hasn't much sealing surface left, e.g. flat. Applied black high temp silicone RTV to both surfaces and success, no more oil leaks.

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