General Maintenance

A well maintained scooter may go 50,000 miles or more before a major rebuild. A poorly maintained scooter won't even last 5000 miles.

General Maintenance Information

Your engine and transmission will love regular oil changes! The most important thing to do is regular oil changes for four stroke engines. consume their engine oil, so you don't have to worry about changing it. Our scooters only hold about a quart of engine oil. The bigger Yamaha scooters have oil filters. Given the small displacement (engine size) of most scooters, they tend to get run hard. The small amount of oil, lack of oil filter and high rpm usage leads to oil breakdown much quicker than an automobile. I change my scooter oil every 1000 miles. This may sound extreme, but consider two points:

How long does it take you to go 1000 miles? Unless you are riding a 250cc scoot on the highway, it will probably take you a few months. It's not like you need to change it every week. If you are putting on a lot of highway miles, the engine is probably not being stressed with a lot of stop-and-go riding. You also are less likely to run the engine through a lot of hot/cold cycles. In this case you may be able to extend the oil change time. But I wouldn't :>) Given that most scoots only take a quart of oil - what is the cost of a quart? Even the very best synthetic oil is only $6 a quart. If you have a 125/180/200cc you will also need a 50 oil filer. That's only $56! Is that cheap or what? As for oil, use a top quality oil made for smaller engines.
Remember that changing your oil is WAY cheaper than replacing your engine.

Maintenance schedule in a nutshell:

Every 250 miles or 1 month:
• Check engine oil and battery levels. Add the proper fluid if necessary.
• Check and adjust tire pressure.
• Check all lights and horn to be sure they are working, and replace bulbs as necessary.
  
  Every 1000 miles or 6 months, in addition to the above:
  
• Change engine oil on four stroke models (and oil filter if applicable).
• Check tires for wear and cracking.
• Check for smooth operation of brakes and throttle. Lube cables and pivot points as necessary
• Check all fasteners/fittings and tighten as necessary.
• On the two stroke scooters check for proper operation of the oil pump, and adjust if necessary
  
  Every 3000 miles or 1 year, in addition to the above:
  
• Change the transmission oil.
• Clean out the air cleaner and dampen the foam filters with motor oil (as appropriate - foam filters only).
• Replace the spark plug (not really needed on the four strokes, but it's cheap).
• Check brake and clutch shoe linings.
• Check/clean/lubricate brake and throttle cables.
• Check drive belt for wear and cracks. Replace as necessary.
• Drain the crankcase breather tube (4 strokes only, if so equipped)
  
  Every 5000 miles or 2 years, in addition to the above:
  
• Change the radiator fluid for 125, 150,
• Check/adjust the valves of 4-stroke engine
• Inspect the variator (front shieve) and rollers. Clean out the old grease and re-grease.
• Inspect the clutch (rear shieve) and rollers. Clean and re-grease as needed.
• Check battery connections to make sure they are tight. Clean connections as necessary.
• Check all hoses (vacuum, fuel, oil). Make sure the connections are all still tight. Look for cracks or leaks.
• Check the steering head bearings and wheel bearings for play and wear. Adjust or replace as necessary.
• On the two stroke scooters, decarbonize the cylinder head, cylinder, piston and muffler. Inspect the piston, rings, and cylinder for wear.