Kymco 250 Venox

[music man]

I was down at a motorcycle shop getting my front wheel checked out today and this particular shop sells Kymco Bikes. While I was waiting for my bike the dude behind the counter asked me if I liked my little 250 and I said yea, so he say's let me give you the "Kymco" experience, grab your helmet and come on. He let me ride a Kymco 250 Venox.

I am not lying to you when I say that this thing rode 100 times better than my GZ, it had way more power(29hp I think he said), rode smoother, shifted smoother, hell it rode smoother and felt just as powerful as my sisters 600 shadow. I don't know how reliable these things are, but they are very nice to ride. When I cranked that bad boy up I thought he was lying about it being a 250, very throaty sounding, it took off out of his parking lot like a rocket compared to the GZ, Shifted smooth through every gear, it was going 70 before I knew what was happening. Like I said though I don't know how reliable Kymco products are but I was still impressed, Except for the fact it was a little pricey (like 4,299 I think) for a 250, but all in all still impressed.

Just thought I would share for anyone who might have been curious about these bikes.


Later

[Magnar Infectus]

Blasphemer! Burn the Heretic! Purge the unclean.

J/k

Not a bad looking bike. It's a little "high tech" looking for my taste. They don't sell them near me. The closest dealer is in Miami.

[Sarris]

Chinese crap.

:tdown:

[music man]

I have no doubt that it could be chinese crap, and I DID RIDE THE GZ HOME didn't I. LOL! I just figured I would at least share what info I did get about the bike from riding it, just in case someone was interested. And yes as far as looks it is definitely not a cruiser even though they call it one. Hell a Ford truck drives nice probably got plenty of power, and not bad looking, but that don't mean I want to give up my Chevy for a raggedy Ford. LOL!



Later

[RichInFla]

My buddy just bought one of those a couple of weeks after me taking my class. It's much bigger than a GZ and it was a v-twin. Mechanic at the shop (his buddy), said it was much bigger than a 250. It looks like it too, next to my GZ.

Of course, he also paid $4800 out the door, where mine was used and about 1/3 the price. Sure the gas mileage is lower as well !! And I think it's Taiwan-made...

In either case, I think I'm better on my GZ !!

[music man]

Me too , I just thought that it rode good, they claimed that it got over 60 miles to the gallon. I don't think I have seen a 250 that I would give that for, if I am gonna break 4 grand I am at least getting a Suzuki savage 650. And I think your right about the Taiwan thing.



Later

[Easy Rider]

I am at least getting a Suzuki savage 650.

Now called an S-40.
At 418 pounds and water cooled......you could almost get a new S-50 for the price.

I can't see getting a significant power increase unless it is a high compression design, burning premium fuel.......or it's a 2 cycle.

Just upping the gear ratio a bit makes a GZ seem a lot zippier.....think 16T! :)

[music man]

I don't think it is a two stroke and it does have a significant power difference over the GZ. But yea that was my point, for the price you could get a lot bigger and probably nicer bikes with a name you recognize on the side of it.

[RichInFla]

Just upping the gear ratio a bit makes a GZ seem a lot zippier.....think 16T! :)

Man, I wish I could do that myself !! And yes, I've read the posts and the "how to", just not that mechanically inclined I think. Hell, if it was a frickin' computer, I'd be all over it !! (Yes, I'm a GZ ridin', tatooed computer geek. One of these days I'll post a pic !!)

Thanks.

[Easy Rider]

Just upping the gear ratio a bit makes a GZ seem a lot zippier.....think 16T! :)

Man, I wish I could do that myself !!

When it comes time, do you think you can adjust the slack in the chain yourself ?? That is probably the hardest part of changing the front sprocket.......and re-adjusting the rear brake. Removing and replacing the sprocket itself is the easy part of the job.....if you have a few basic tools.
OR......
If you get lazy like I did, it only cost me about $ 65 total to have the dealer do it. $18 for the sprocket and 1/2 hour labor.

[Graydog]

I don't think Kymco is mainland Chinese crap. It is a Taiwanese company and although not as reputable as Susuki and the rest of the Japan models it is not in the lower class with the mainland Chinese junk. Some reviews are very good and improving everyday. Those of you on the forum over 50...remember the term "Jap Crap"? Wasn't that long ago.

The Korean Hoysung GV250 is very high quality and gets pretty rave reviews in most MC mags.
They come with a 2 year warranty. It is a much larger bike with more HP. I kept a friends while he was temp. out of state in my garage. He said "ride it as much as you like' so I did. It just blows our little GZs out of the water! More comfortable, all the gauges, better looking, better sounding, no problem on the highway cruising at 75-80, and if you remove the "badges" it gets looks of respect from the big boys. If you don't tell anyone it is not a 750+ they will not know.
Sitting beside the GZ in my garage it made the GZ look like it need training wheels! :roll: It is still a 250 and you can't make it do things an 1100 will but people seeing you pass don't know that! :whistle:

Of course opinions vary. Now don't get angry with me for saying this...but....I consider our GZ250s to be of very poor quality compared to other bikes I have owned. But you get what you pay for and I knew that going in when I bought this bike.

[Easy Rider]

Now don't get angry with me for saying this...but....I consider our GZ250s to be of very poor quality compared to other bikes I have owned.

Not at all......as long as you can back it up!
Just exactly WHY do you say that......and what "other bikes" are you using for the comparison ??

[music man]

Hey Graydog,

I will agree that it "seems" to be a very nice bike, but for the price I would have to know somebody that has logged some serious miles on one before I laid down that kind of money on it, but barring the whole dependability issue, it was a very nice ride.


Oh yea also Graydog, are you comin over to Hot Springs this weekend? I have been Meaning to come over your way one day just haven't had time, there is this awesome flea market/antique store over on the other side in Benton that me and my wife used to go to that I have been meaning to go visit, just haven't had time.

[Graydog]

Hey Graydog,

I will agree that it "seems" to be a very nice bike, but for the price I would have to know somebody that has logged some serious miles on one before I laid down that kind of money on it, but barring the whole dependability issue, it was a very nice ride.

The Aquillas are only $3500 at the Kaw. sports center on University Ave.


Oh yea also Graydog, are you comin over to Hot Springs this weekend? I have been Meaning to come over your way one day just haven't had time, there is this awesome flea market/antique store over on the other side in Benton that me and my wife used to go to that I have been meaning to go visit, just haven't had time.

Depends on health of my elderly father. Doesn't look good right now but I still may make it for a few hours in the middle of the day. But right now I am not counting on it. If things change I will PM you on Thursday or Friday and we can exchange cell #s.

[music man]

Thats cool man, I understand about your dad and all that. And 3,500 dollars for the Aquilla would be reasonable, but that whole 4,800 for the Venox is kinda absurd.


Later

[Graydog]

And 3,500 dollars for the Aquilla would be reasonable, but that whole 4,800 for the Venox is kinda absurd.


Later

Yes, I've never ridden an Venox and I doubt it has the quality of the Hoysung/Universal GV from Korea. I kept the GV for my friend long enough to really enjoy it.

Easy Rider....I am referring to the plastic all over the bike and how often I have to adjust minor things. Yesterday I had to put the right front signal stem back on. (The bike is new.) Maybe that is normal for a bike this small...don't know....the last time I owned one this small was the mid 60s. And like I said in the post...for the price I got what I paid for. I don't think the makers are as concerned as much about quality in these small cruisers as they are the larger bikes because they are not a money maker for them.

Yes I know I am comparing the $3000 GZ to the bikes I've owned that cost $10000 to $16000.

The worse quality bike I ever owned was an early 70s Kawasaki. If I ever got lost I could just follow the trail of parts that had fallen off to get home.

I leased a Victory for a while and my God what quality! Can't beat it.

I've owned Mo-ped, Cushman, Jawa, Harley, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, and a few Heinz 57 models. I probably left something out.

[Easy Rider]

Easy Rider....I am referring to the plastic all over the bike and how often I have to adjust minor things. Yesterday I had to put the right front signal stem back on. (The bike is new.)

The plastic all over is normal for most bikes these days, even those over $10K.

I think that your experience is probably NOT typical and may reflect a really CRAPPY dealer.

Over the course of a year and about 3000 miles, I have had NOTHING come loose.....well, not totally true; I did have to tighten the mirror stalks....that **I** failed to thighten correctly after I moved them.

[Graydog]

Over the course of a year and about 3000 miles, I have had NOTHING come loose.....well, not totally true; I did have to tighten the mirror stalks....that **I** failed to thighten correctly after I moved them.

Yes you're having better luck than me. I just passed 1600 miles on this bike. I have to tighten the mirrors pretty often. I have one rear signal light that dances all over the place (my sister tells me that when following me it is pretty distracting at night as it gives a blurred effect to that side....but does make me more noticeable).
After months of trying to figure out why it vibrates like it does but the other side doesn't I asked the dealer to look at it when I had the bike in for something else. They could find no reason for it to do that. So we concluded the plastic on that side of the mud flap(fender) it is mounted to must be weaker than the other side. Can't find any hair line cracks and it has nothing to do with the stem being loose...it is tight. Just a bad piece of "rubberized plastic".

I also had to take a hammer to the underside of the seat the first day I brought it home because some of the staples were only half flushed and the covering was already beginning to rip. I tapped them in the rest of the way.

Flaws in the paint job. (I've seen that on several GeeZees.)

It's just little things like that that makes me think...."boy everyone on the assembly line must have had a hangover that day."

It's still a joy to ride compared to my larger bikes and as I said in another thread it does put a smile back on my face and reminds why I started riding years ago to begin with.

[blaine]

I put 14000k on mine this year,no parts fell off.Is your idle too low?

[Easy Rider]

I put 14000k on mine this year,no parts fell off.Is your idle too low?

14,000,000........in one year.....really ???? :biggrin:
Year and a half old thread !! :whistle:

[burkbuilds]

I'm sure he meant Km not K, and he's new, give him a break, he'll figure out to check the date on threads pretty soon.

[Water Warrior 2]

I put 14000k on mine this year,no parts fell off.Is your idle too low?
14,000 kms in one year is a fair bit. Please don't tell us it was all on the island. PEI is not that big.

[blaine]

A lot of riding in NEW~BRUNSWICK,NOVA-SOCTIA

[Water Warrior 2]

A lot of riding in NEW~BRUNSWICK,NOVA-SOCTIA
Would love to ride through the Maritimes and close states across the border. The whole area is chalk full of historic places. Did drive across Canada to Newfoundland and planned to do a real tour of the area on the return leg. Never happened though, Sept 11 cut everything short while on the Rock.

[blaine]

Never been to N.F.L.D. Hope to go this summer.

[Water Warrior 2]

Never been to N.F.L.D. Hope to go this summer.
Three things to do.
1: see Grosmore Park, think I spelled that right.
2: Go to Spear Point, furthest point east in North America.
3: Watch out for MOOSE.

[blaine]

Tnks,will keep it in mind.