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Schwinn Motor Scooters

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Schwinn Graduate motor scooterSchwinn, the bicycle company, has branched out and is now making motor scooters. Powered by air cooled 49.5cc 4 stroke engines and CVT transmissions, they have three models, the Campus, the Collegiate and the Graduate ranging in price from $1395 to $1699.

The have both electric and kick start, the Campus has drum brakes while the other two models have a combination of drum and disc.

Looks like they don’t have many dealers yet, if any, but that should change soon. I wonder if these will be going overseas against the likes of Vespa. For that matter, I wonder how they’ll fare against Honda and the other guys over here. Time will tell.

UPDATE: As our commenters have already noted, Schwinn is simply a purchased name from a bankrupt company. One of our readers, Mark, sends in this additional information: The name is owned by Pacific Cycle, Inc. which, is in turn, part of Dorel Industries a seller of child seats and all manner of other items, imported and then sold with various brand names tacked on. It would be interesting to know where (in China?) these are actually from.

Schwinn Motor Scooters

Posted on Filed Under: China, Motorcycle Business

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Comments

  1. Ignaz and Excelsior this is not.

    The Schwinn bicycle company we knew growing up went bankrupt in 1991. The name has since been owned successively by a couple of bicycle importation outfits. Today’s Schwinn bikes are contract built in China and sold at Walmart. These generic scooter models are also built by nameless Chinese factories, and available in the USA from other importers under a dozen or more different private label brands.

    I haven’t seen one and can’t judge the build quality, but they are powered by an aircooled two valve mild compression 50cc four stroke. Performance is likely “modest”.

    Tom

  2. Not surprising. A person kinda gets the feeling there’s only one giant scooter manufacturer in China that makes all the scooters sold everywhere. Not true, I’m sure, but maybe not far from true, either.

  3. I had the impression that there was one giant scooter manufacturer in italy making all the scooters… but times are a changin’

  4. The more the merrier. As long as “schwinn” can control the quality of these branded scooters they might do well. There are many, many chinese scooter manufacturers and those scooters are, as previously noted, imported by various brands. The little schwinn scooters look like yamaha vino’s and might actually be powered by the same motor (not the previous marinelli 2-stroke) by there’s not much in the way to keep the manufacturer that produces the Yamaha Vino to let a few, less than up-to-par examples slip out the side door. You take quite a chance buying one of these since they are built to a price and not to a quality standard like the ones destined to wear the Yamaha badge (or MZ or Vento, or such) and the $300 you save may not be worth the future headaches.
    Wait around until Schwinn can prove they have quality product, so far that hasn’t been the case. Otherwise buy a Honda or Yamaha and put your mind at ease.
    -todd

  5. The 2006 Yamaha Vino 50 uses a liquid cooled, three valve, 12/1 compression four stroke engine. As gear-head Kneeslideers can guess, this engine puts out considerably more horsepower than the air cooled, two valve, mild compression four stroke 50cc engines used in Chinese scooters.

    The Yamaha Vino 50s and Honda Metropolitans I inspected at the recent IMS wore “Made in Japan” labels. Despite false claims to the contrary by some importers, no Chinese 50cc scooters are clones of either of these tiny but high tech motor scooters.

    Tom

  6. I recently test drove every model scooter at the local Honda dealership. The Schwinn’s were signifigantly more powerful than the metro and the vino. The speed and punch of the metro was just silly. Might as well just buy a bike. The scwhinn models are also an exact replica of the TNG models. I think they are made by the same manufacturer or something. My only concern about buying the Schwinn is the lack of info on them. I can’t find a single review on the internet. All I can find is discussion on Schwinn as a company as we see here on this page. But even the guys at the honda shop say that they prefer the Schwinn because they have better speed and a better price.

  7. I bought my wife a Schwinn scooter about a month ago and have been very satisfied with it. The model I bought was the Graduate and paid $1395 plus tax etc. The only complaint has been the white footboard (gets dirty easily). I purchased 2 Kymco’s for use at my cottage a year ago, paid about $400 more for basically the same scooter. For the dollar, thus far the Schwinn has been a good buy.

  8. My girlfriend and I each bought a Schwinn Graduate 49cc a couple of months ago. The dealership said it will go 40 MPH but what they didn’t tell me is you had to be going down hill with the wind at your back. The Schwinn manual say’s it will pull 305 pounds. I weigh 200# and it will only get me up to 25 MPH most of the time. After driving it for a couple of hours it seems to warm up and will hit 30 to 35 MPH on flat level roads. One day I was driving to my girlfriends house and it suddenly stopped. I only had 97 miles on the odometer and it had a little less than ½ a tank of gas.. The engine just shut down like I turned off the ignition. I couldn’t get it started and had to push it 2 miles back to my house. After reading the manual and screwing around for a while, I thought maybe the gas line was clogged. I crawled underneath it and tapped in the fuel filter and the dang thing started right up. I now have over 300 miles on it and it runs fine. Mi girlfriend’s Graduate runs fine also. It’s just not powerful enough for me. Too slow. Now I’m looking a buying a Vespa LX150.

  9. I just bought a 50 sport, it had alot more power and torque,
    especially at bottom end, it won’t throw you off, but it does pick up speed nice. It tops out at about 35 mph with me on, at 180 lbs, my son weighs about 125, and he claims about 40 mph. Nice fit and finish, every thing seems well made. In my opinion if your looking for a nice little machine to cruise around on, or take on vacation it should fit well in most familys.

  10. My wife and I just bought the Schwinn graduate and we love it. We both work at the same place and it’s only 2 miles away so we get the most out of the gas milage. It does take a bit to get to 35 or 40 mph when we are both on it, but for us, it’s a nice realxing cruise. I do wish it had a little more umph, but we like it.

  12. I don’t imagine these schwinn scooters are top of the line, but as others have noted already Schwinn isn’t known for “top of the line” product anymore. That said, they do a good job of getting “good quality” product out there at a low price. Factories in China vary in the quality they produce, while most release below standard product, some actually produce some decent stuff. “Schwinn” would be using one of these better quality production houses in China to make these scooters. Are these being manufacturered by the folks at Currie? I don’t see it listed on their site, but Currie manufacturers all of the schwinn motorized (stand up) scooters and electric bikes.

  13. This is the first site I’ve found with any reviews on the Schwinn scooters. I bought a Graduate a few months ago and am a little disappointed. My experience sounds mostly like Dennis’s above (though I haven’t had any problems with the engine quitting.) On level ground, it locks in at about 27 mph, and sometimes creeps up to about 30. On a fairly steep downhill I can get it near 40 mph, but then back up the hill it sometimes struggles to get over 20. Have any of you done any derestriction on them (or did your dealer mention derestricting them before you bought them)?

  14. I recently purchase a schwinn graduate, and I LOVE it, my dad has the metropolitan, and it does have quite a bit more power, but it is an older model metro (we don’t think it has as much emissions stuff on it.) The thing that sold me on the schwinn is that I got a 1 year full warranty, i did pay 1700 for mine, but again i think that it is great. I did notice however that the name stamped on the key is “xindong”

  15. Instead of buying a second car, I bought a 2006 Schwinn Collegiate in July (got it for about $1600 before taxes, set-up, etc.) and have been very happy with it so far. It is my first scooter, and I have to admit that I wish it was more powerful, but it sure is fun to ride the 3 miles each way to and from work. I weigh about 185, and on flat pavement I can cruise at 30-35 mph with no problem; I have to ease up on the throttle to keep it under 40 on a downhill. Uphill it can slow to as little as 20 mph, which bugs me as I live in a relatively hilly area and often ride on 2-lane roads. My only real complaint is the gas gauge and gas mileage. The tank is 1.45 gallons, but my gauge reads empty after using little more than 1 gallon. As far as mileage, you can forget the 117 mpg the manufacturer claims! I get between 50 and 60 mpg, but then I’m sure the hilly terrain has something to do with that. I have also noticed better performance all around (acceleration, gas mileage) in the afternoons and on longer rides than on those short, chilly morning rides. I’ll be taking it in for its first service appointment (300 miles) in a week to have the valves, oil, etc. checked out. We’ll see if they can tweak it at all to boost the fuel efficiency. Lastly, I washed it the other day and now my turn signal doesn’t work. Overall I’m very happy with the purchase and use it almost every day. I’m curious to see how it holds up over time.

  16. about the speed issue: in order for scooters to be sold as “mopeds” in most states the top speed must be restricted to under 30mph. This is why older Honda Metro’s are faster than the newer ones. Honda saw that more 50cc scooters were being registered as mopeds than scooters which require different licensing and more insurance.

    A 50cc scooter should be good for around 45mph. Usually modifications need to be made to achieve this. Fist off, there is usually a washer or other type of restriction welded into the inlet of the exhaust port. Removing this helps the most. Sometimes manufacturers will put a limiter on the throttle slide on the carb or a restricter plate in the intake manifold. Others use a limiter on the variator to keep top speed down.

    Take a look at the many web sites dedicated to de-restricting your scooter if you think it’s too slow.

    -todd

  17. I was wrong about the model of my scooter, it is a colleigiate. i also wanted to mention that I recently took it in for its 200 mile tune-up, and it does run a little better after that.

  18. Schwinn motor scooters all are china benzhou motorcycle company made, Benzhou is an 100% assembler in china and buy all spare parts assembly .
    I bought scooter from them before, quality not good . style no special with others china maker.
    50cc, 4 stroke engine run like an dog . benzhou don’t manuafcture 50cc, 2 stroke scooter , beacuse of 50cc, 2 stroke engine cost high 30 USD than 50cc, 4 stroke engine . It is very important that they can owe money 50cc, 4 stroke engine supplier, but 50cc, 2 stroke engine need pay cash to buy.

  19. The more you pay the more u get! Spend $2000 or more and u most likely will have bought something that will last for a long time. I have a Kymco ZX50 that I bought at sportique scooters in the Colorado Springs area, and since I bought it at a reputable dealership I have had nothing but good news since. Folks u need to ask yourself a question, would buy a acura or any other brand name car over the internet? or something that suffers from inferior metals and parts? If u buy from a reputable dealership I can promise you that you will never look back, and be sure to stay with brandnames. Kymco, Genuine Scooter Company, Honda, Vespa, Aprillia, etc. Scoot free or Die!

  20. I have been a scooter mechanic for about 2 years and i recently saw my first Schwinn scooter and am not impressed. It has cheap plastic body work that is very brittle and almost half the top speed of many 50cc scooters on the market. there is also no info or support even from the dealers that sell them. Buy a scooter you can trust, not a Schwinn!!!!!!

  21. The dealer where i bought mine is always willing to do repairs on my schwinn, they have always been there for support and questions.

  22. I bought the Schwinn Sport this past July – right now it’s at 1500 miles.

    Where should I begin?

    The belt is now slipping/squeaking every time I begin accelerating. From the looks of the belt itself, it is rapidly disintegrating. The front and rear brakes have never stopped squeaking (worse than fingernails on a chalkboard). The rear brake’s rotor/drum was warped from day one – braking is uneven and jerky. The front brake’s rotor was warped because the rim itself was warped, so I replaced both. Schwinn sends a rotor that is 2.5mm thick instead of the original 3mm. It’s already warped even though the brake pads, the tire, AND the rim were all replaced at the same time! Headlight has blown twice in six months. Website hasn’t changed in six months, no accessories, no service manual, owner’s manual is poorly written (it gives two different capacities for the fuel tank for example). The dealer here in Atlanta where I purchased the scooter is no longer a dealer for Schwinn – (although that’s a plus for Schwinn since their service and attitude was rude beyond anything I’ve ever seen). The front forks have been replaced twice – once from hitting a pothole and once from being backed into by a delivery truck. The first time around, the parts took over a month to be delivered to the dealer. Second time was much better, at less than a week. Both times the front alignment has gone out within a week or so, and the forks don’t absork shocks without sticking or causing the front to dive down. Design of the gas cap causes water to be trapped inside of the cap itself; as a result, water drips into the fuel tank when you remove the cap.

    I’ve seen Chinese scooters that are much worse, but for $1799.99 this one leaves a lot to be desired.

    Despite all of this, the experience of having a scooter is wonderful. And it will be more wonderful as soon as I sell this one and get something better.

  23. I can understand the attraction of the scooter. They’re cute. They’re cheap. They’re easy to ride. Etc. But there seems to be too much complaining about a general lack of power…c’mon people, it’s a 50cc scoot what do you expect? If speed & power is that important, go for at least a 250cc or better yet, a 500! But at those prices, may as well make the committment to a full blown motorcycle. A 650 cc V-Twin powered bike will go as fast as a high powered sportscar!

  24. I picked up a sport model and think it’s great. I top out at 35 on flat surfaces and about 47 downhill and 30 uphill. I’ve been trying for the past 3 weeks to derestrict it, but no success. There’s no washer in the variator, can’t figure out what wire I might need to cut to turn off the electronic restriciton (if there is one), and I can’t find a washer in the exhaust. The only real modification I’ve made on it is to replace the air filter (which did improve acceleration)
    Next step is just to replace the main jet with something a little larger and change out rollers with something lighter, but I need to figure out which ones to order…. Does anyone have any experiance derestricting or tuning these up to make them go faster?

  25. All of these items are very helpful, as I am looking to purchase a scooter. I’d like to see some posts from people who have Honda Metropolitans or Yamah Vino’s as your posts here have dissuaded me from my first choice, which was the Schwinn Hope or Collegiate model. Quality is the most important thing, not looks. So, I’d appreciate hearing from mechanics and owners regarding the Hondas and the Yamahas. Sure, the Vespas look nice but aren’t they just way over-priced because of their name? Or are they actually way better as far as performance and durability go? Because I’d pay the price if they were indeed a superior product.

  26. I’m with Toni Ciany, I am in the market for a 50cc scooter and considered the Schwinn until I read the above comments. I’d like to hear about the quality of the Hondas and Yamahas as well and also wonder about the value of the Vespas. What about the TGBs and Keeways?

  27. Since this seems to be the only repository on the web for Schwinn comments/reviews, I’ll follow up a little on my experience with the Graduate model (see above for my previous post).

    Once fall and winter came around, I started to have a lot of problems getting the scooter started (basically anytime it got below about 40 F at night). It would start and quit as soon as I gave it any throttle. Start and quit for 20-30 tries, and then eventually it would get going. I had somebody (independent motorcycle/scooter repairman) look at it. First, it was a pain to get to the engine — had to take pretty much the whole body off (though this is probably standard for most scooters). It turned out that the valve gaps were completely off — the valves were screwed so tight that they stayed open permanently and there was very little compression in the engine. Since this has been fixed it’s been starting and running fine in both cold and warm weather. I average about 90 mpg with mine, which is not quite the 110+ they advertise but still much better than a car.

    He mentioned that he’s seen this problem a few times with these types of scooters (not necessarily Schwinn, but the Chinese scooters) — the dealer probably never even looked at the valves when assembling the scooter and after a few hundred miles this starts to become a problem.

    So, the bottom line for me is, I would only recommend the Schwinn if you have a dealer you know and trust. In my case, the dealer near me stopped selling/servicing them, and it sounds like I’m not the only one to have this problem. Otherwise, get one of the better-known brands like Yamaha, Honda, etc., because they’re better quality and the dealers will be more loyal to those brands because they also sell their motorcycles and ATVs. In any case, don’t miss out on your post-break-in service (usually after ~200 miles). At this point they can check the valves and everything else to make sure things look right, and you can avoid later problems. It’s easy to change the oil yourself, but I didn’t even think about the importance of having the valves checked.

    Finally, for those of you with a Schwinn, you can get much better owners manuals at http://www.tngscooters.com ; since the Schwinns are exactly the same as the TnGs. (You just need to figure out which TnG corresponds to your Schwinn.)

  28. I bought a Collegiate about a month and a half ago. I sorta wish I had found this website first, as the copying issue definitely would have deterred me from my purchase. However, here are my first impressions…

    The bike does pretty much what it is advertised to do, and my experiences are similar to those here. However, I am putting even more stress on the bike than most of you at 245lbs + a trunk (which is usually full) riding on very hilly terrain. I still manage to pull 15-20mph up a hill and easily break 40-45 going down. Average speed on flats is 25-30mph. The biggest problem I have had so far is cold starts, and stalls at stoplights when the weather is a bit cool (anything under 65 degrees). Perhaps I have the valve issue mentioned above? I just have to lean on the throttle a bit to keep the RPM’s up and all is good.

    It handles well, runs quiet and smooth when warm, and I love the looks. I get tons of compliments on it and even had a coworker buy one after I chose mine.

    My dealer has been selling Schwinn for about a year and seems pleased with them. He has a good mechanic, 24 hour service support and is easy to deal with. No doubt this helps.

    I have only had one thing break, the little plastic panel covering the fuses on the center column – one of the teeth which holds it in place snapped off.

    Weirdest thing – the odometer is in kilometers, so I am always having to get out a calculator to figure out my gas mileage. So far, still managing to get about 65 mpg even with my big butt on it 🙂 Still beats the heck out of a V8!

    Like derecho, I will continue to update on my experiences.

  29. Americans need to learn to adjust to the notion that not every purchase is “forever”. You get what you pay for remember?

    Consider carefully these factors:

    These scoots are made for wide mass market consumption, to be used in utilitarian ways as they would in China, etc. hence the practical style, relatively low price for the time they’ll last on average with little maintenence. They are made with some plastic parts to lighten overall weight and drag (and yes save on manufacturing costs). Maybe most importantly, people in China are smaller and lightweight so they typically get more miles fuel wise, and use these for shorter & slower commutes. Less weight=Less wear initially.

    These are a essentially step up from bicycles. $1,500 or so is fine for a year of free of car hassles or having to always pedal it. That’s like renting one for $4.10 a day or $125 a month, fairly reasonable. if it lasts longer than a year its becomes a better bargain, if it craps out and it cant be fixed, oh well. Pay $3,500+ if you want a workhorse that will last years, leaves cars in the dust at green light pull aways and if you are over 140 lbs. and wish to take hill at faster than 30mph. Light transportation is by necessity designed for light people. Common Sense!

    Not all workhorse scooters are “dispoasble”, expensive or difficult. In India there’s the Chetak. Sadly ive just read they’re currently discontinuing their classic scooter after roughly 80 years… the one which inspired Italian desingers to make a model which became the cool zip-about we all reconize instantly, yes it was originally an Indian ride NOT Italian!

    Indians do not skrimp on quality and these Cheetaks are indestructable, last forever, are totally solid (metal) and do not come in automatic varieties. Also a factor why they’re mechanically more reliable. They are what sherpas ride up to the Himalayas with a 30lb. pack load on the back or riders use to travel thousands of miles with nearly no repairs, just oiling up and fixing a flat occassionally. These are peerless quality wise, so i hope scooter manufactures can take notes and design future models in as smart a fashion, inside and out.

    Twist and go’s (automatics) are becoming more popualr in the states, but take time to read up about them on websites and scooter message boards. Dont be afraid to ask veteran riders basic questions, yes it can be embarassing but who cares- they dont know you and it beats making a costly mistake! Learn and get a feel for what is right for you. If you think you’ll be “weekend warrior” rider, and cute hunk-o-junk will do if it has low miles, just dont expect speed & power. These are often excellent learning rides. For you who want a commuter scoot with solid reliabiliy the usual names (Vespa, etc) have proven track records so your better off paying around $1800-$3000 for one. These have more mechanics too. You won’t regret it AND you can often recoup the majority of your investment as long as it hasnt been downed or is beat to hell-o. Good mechanics dont fret over miles, or wear & tear, new parts can always be ordered. Quality costs but the reward is in your hands.

  30. Kree, the Bajaj “Cheetak” is a licensed copy of the original Vespa, built and designed (yes) in Italy in 1945 by Piaggio. It wasn’t until 1961 that Bajaj began producing Vespas. Everyone knows Piaggio builds the best scooters, hands down.

    -todd

  31. For those of you who want scooter MPG but indestructable highway cruiser, you may want to consider a Kawasaki Ninja 250.

    At $2999 new it gets 70mpg and does 110 mph (freeway legal). It’s the same design for 20 years so parts are way cheap – and the used market is even cheaper (in this case, you can buy a indestructable 2 year old Ninja for less than a new schwinn).

    It’s not a scooter – but hard to beat costwise…

    Greg

  32. I read a post earlier that mentioned the “older Honda Metropolitans are faster than the new ones”, or something to that effect (see below) There is truth to the comment that in states that have moped laws, the scooters need to be restricted to 30 mph, and 49cc or less. Honda produces a Metropolitan, and a Metropolitan II. The latter is the choked-down, moped legal model, however they look identical. I’ve found the Metropolitan to be good for 37-38 mph, and consistently achieving 100+ mpg. Just to clear the air.

    todd Says:

    September 26th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
    about the speed issue: in order for scooters to be sold as “mopeds” in most states the top speed must be restricted to under 30mph. This is why older Honda Metro’s are faster than the newer ones. Honda saw that more 50cc scooters were being registered as mopeds than scooters which require different licensing and more insurance.

  34. I bought a Campus for a friend of mine recently. Bought a 2006 on closeout (making room for the 2007s) for $799. It seems to be a great little learners bike and excellent for short commutes. I have no trouble maintaining 30-32 mph with my 185 lbs on it on flat stretches (don’t really have any hills on the comutes we’ve taken it on.) She uses it to get around to the store and visits (after all, that’s about all these little scooters are for.) The dealer where we purchased it has been selling and servicing them for a few years and has been in business for quite a while. The 1 year warranty is pretty nice also. As for the ride, she just loves it. It’s her first motorized bike and she couldn’t be happier.

  35. My wife and I have a couple Schwinn Sports, on the straight even roads (not to many around where we live) we top out at 45-50mph. Then on the hills we drop way down to 20ish. have tried to find what is restricting them. No luck so far. Next time will get a Vento……

  36. I purchased the Graduate 150 and love it! No problems on acceleration, quiet, and just fun to ride! I have ridden it at 50 mph with no worries and little vibration. While it can go on the freeway, I don’t plan on it, thank you very much. A tank of premium costs me about $2.20 and will go for about 60 miles. I paid $2,100, plus tax and license, etc.

  37. I bought my girlfriend a Schwinn and she loves it. All the speed information mentioned are our issues too. Our dealers is our mechanic and he is great. We have had no problems with our scooter. It was a great deal for the money.

  38. My daughter just purchased a Lance Venice 150 scooter from an internet dealer. It is identical to the Schwinn Graduate 150 and the TNG Milano 150. It’s from the same factory. Hopefully, by setting it up carefully, it will be OK. Wish us luck. It sure looks cool!

  39. By the way, the factory is the Benzhou Vehicle Industry Group, in the city of Taizhou, 250 miles south of Shanghai on the coast. 130,000 sq ft of scooter making heaven!

  41. I would like to know where you have a way to repair and fix a flat tire in the Palo Alto area.

  42. Wow, the Lance Venice 150, aka Schwinn Graduate 150, aka TNG Milano 150 is awesome!!! Took a while to set it up, reseat one of the dashboard blinker light indicators, figure out the idle setting, figure out that the battery and mirrors and instructions were in the seat compartment which was hard to open, etc. But when it was all done… WOW. It is amazing. Not a ToysRUs scooter at all. Truly a great Vespa ripoff.

  43. I bought the Schwinn graduate 150 a few months ago and I love it. I’ve put almost 1300 miles on it without one complaint. I would highly recomend this scooter to anyone. I read the complaints about it not getting up to as fast as the manual says it will but I’ve gotten mine up to 55 and almost 60 multiple times and it seemed to do fine.

  44. Schwinn mopeds are horriable. I bought one last year and already i have had it in the shop 5 or six times for the same problem. Finally i had to put a new carberator and it has less 1000 miles. Now my tail light stoped working, my odometer, and speedometer don’t work at all. I have had so many problems with this bike that i am starting to wonder wheather it was worth buying it.

  45. I just got a 150 graduate and love it. I use it to go to work,which is 15 miles. It gets up to speed fine 50 ok. The only problem is I am not getting the 80mpg they say in the manuel. I am getting maybe 40! No hills to climb,I am about 210.Any help on this. My dealer says I have to break it in 600 miles before I see a better milage. I think he is jerking my chain! Never heard of anything like that before.

  46. Barry, 80mpg is probably at a constant 40mph. Your commute is probably full of stop and go and some ful throttle stints.

    I’m curious why people choose the schwinn over say a 150 Honda Elite or something much more reliable for less money.

    -todd

  47. Hi. I am thinking of buying the Schwinn Graduate 50cc scooter. I have a 6 mile trip to work. I won’t use it everyday, but most days I will. I have done the research and while I would like something a little more powerful, I am thinking this is a good starter scooter. If I like it…and I think I will…..I can reinvest into a Kymco (I really like the looks of them) later. I found a 2006 model with only 3.5 miles at a local dealership for 999! What do you think? From what I can tell…at that price…it is an incredible deal…and truely a starter for me!

  48. Samantha,
    You need to consider the flow of traffic. If you are riding on roads where speed limits are no more than 30 mph then you might be okay. I had a Graduate 50 and it would do no more than 35 mph. When you consider that most traffic flows slightly faster than the speed limit you want to be careful where you take this scooter. It became a safety issue for me when I was not able to keep up with the traffic as some drivers tried to pass me in dangerous areas. I liked that scooter but upgraded to a Schwinn 150 and absolutely love it.

  49. I live in Sun City, AZ and my wife and I both bought a Schwin 150cc Graduate. We got a terrific deal. Both bikes for $1400 because of the new models coming in.
    We both think they ride great, with plenty of power to get you anywhere you might want to go, excluding highway riding. They are also very comfortable, and really easy on gas. LOVE IT

  50. Hello all, I’m here looking for a manual. I just bought a Collegiate at an estate sale, with a helmet and a new battery and 38 miles of the odometer – $450.

    I don’t even know how to start it!

    Can anyone please enlighten me?

    Thanks either way.

  51. I bought a Sicilian 150 scooter at motorxtremes.com for $899. It is the exact same bike as the Schwinn Graduate 150. Made in China.

  52. You’d have to be crazy to spend twice as much for an essentially disposable scooter.

    I love my scooter, but it does have a few minor issues now and again. You better be ready to fix it yourself. The replacement parts are ridiculously priced. Quadruple what they should be.

    The little hog will go 55mph +. It’s a hell of lot of fun and the little guy is cheap enough and simple enough to let your friends ride it with 5 minutes of instruction. It’s an automatic. Just twist and go.

    Look, there is no such thing as a good, tough, reliable, scooter in North America for under $1500. All good scooters are on the other side of the pond. Personally, I’d rather pay $900 for a disposable scooter X 3 before I spent $2700 for 1 scooter sold by a motorcycle shop in the US.

    Just my opinion. Take a look at the Sicilian 150 at motorextremes.com and then Google the Schwinn Graduate 150. I hope this has been of some help. Happy scootering.

    Joel

  53. One more thing:

    The best scooter/motorbike in the world is the Honda Cub. I would kill to have one of those. Problem is, not sold in the US. The market can’t sustain it.

    It’s a crying shame!

    Joel

  54. WE BOUGHT TWO SCHWINN GRADUATE 150CC. THE BIKES RUN EXCELLENT, BUT I JUST HOPE WE NEVER NEED ANY SPARE PARTS.
    I’VE TRIED TWO DEALERS SO FAR IN GETTING A SPARE KEY FOR MY SCOOTER, BECAUSE THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TWO KEYS WITH EACH BIKE.
    SO FAR I HAVE WAITED TWO WEEKS, AND CONTACTED THE DEALERS AND THE ANSWER WAS ALWAYS THE SAME. THEY COULD NOT GET SCHWINN TO RETURN THEIR CALLS. MAYBE SOMEONE OUT THERE HAS A SOLUTION.

    LEON

  55. Kuchi…Look on the Scwhinn website. The owner’s manuels are there in PDF format. They might not be the same year but they are essentially the same.

    I got my Schwinn from a reputable dealership and have had no problems. They do the scheduled maintenance and the bike runs fine. I’ve asked them about some of the problems that I’ve read about and their stance is that they have been able to maintain the bikes they sell without any major problems.

  56. The Picture of the Schwinn Scooter , at top, is an exact match to my recently purchased Roadrunner 49 CC scooter. At least from the outside. Bought mine on the internet at less than $ 900.00 delivered to Maryland. My scooter runs well and fast enough for my age of 75. Only problem I have is the right turn signal does not work most of the time. Messages about this to the sales office ( EvoSales) in Texas have not been answered YET. Any suggestions out there as to where to begin looking. AND, does Schwinn have a service manual for their 49 CC scooter??

  57. i bought a sport in april and at 2700 miles i replaced the belt that slipped, dont bother it started slipping after 10 miles, but if you want to go faster just drill the muffler i drilled 3 holes in the bottom back and one hole in the front face of the baffle i tried 2 but slowed down and i tried one in the back next to the origonal end port dont it slowed me down to 25 mph

    but with the 4 holes i got mine going an amazing 44mph on flat ground, and that is with no wind or hill and i wieght 135

    i am not sure but i heard from a lot of people that between the piston intake and the elbow going to the carb there is a plate with a hole half the pipe size in it

    but if anyone knows of any custom, not stock, parts for this model please e mail me
    hunter_krapfl@hotmail.com

  58. I have the Sicilian 150. Less than months and the speedometer broke. The drive belt just went out on me and it is falling apart. The company (motor extreme) is unresponsive and is looking at a law suit from me for selling such a lemon and not standing behind it at all.

  59. The Chinese scooters intrigue me to no end, however I wonder about all the problems people have with them. I purchased a used used mint condition Yamaha Zuma with under 600 miles on it for 900 bucks. I would caution anyone who’s tempted like I am to buy a Chinese one. If you stick with Yamaha, Honda or possibly Kymco, you’ll be a lot better off. I have put 2000 miles on my Zuma this summer and have had positively no issues with it.
    Ride Safe,
    Jeff
    justonlyjeff@yahoo.com

  60. Schwinn is junk. The brand no longer means anything. It once stood for proud American craftsmanship, but what you get when you buy Schwinn these days is made-in-China, and not made particularly well.

    Japanese scooters — Yamaha and Honda are much, much better.

    And Vespa still sets that standard for everyone else.

    You get what you pay for.

  61. I’m looking at the Lance Venice 150 or the Lance Vinage 150. I think I recall someone saying it was another replica. Where I don’t care if it is a replica, I DO care if I has major problems, becuse I’m loking to purchase it online, and I don’t know that there are any dealers nearby (Seattle-ish)

    thanks in advance for any feedback

  62. My experience with Chinese scooters is real bad. I had a Roketa Retro 50cc, nice little scooter, 75-80 mpg, 40 mph top speed (I weigh in at 185 lbs), bought it off the www. I took good care of it, made the recommended service, etc. It lasted just about 10 months, belt distintgrated, gear box sounded like it had rocks in it, and got real hot. The gas gage quit working, and the brake light stuck on. Got rid of it and bought a Motofino Retro 150cc. The first 5-6 weeks I had it, it was at the dealers’s most of the time, went through 3 starters, the 3rd one finally lasted. Then I had trouble keeping it running, took sometimes 7-8 times to start it before it would stay running. Frequently it would die at a stop light or stop sign. The idle would not hold, I was constantly adjusting it. Fast, powerful scooter though, I could easily cruise at 60 mph, gas mileage sucked, 50-55 mpg was the best I ever did. Just recently sold it to a gentleman who runs a local small engine repair shop. I lost my shirt on the sale but at least got rid of a piece of junk. I was looking at the Schwinn’s, there is a dealer about an hour from me, but no longer after reading this forum. Now I am considering a Honda Metro or Yamaha Vino. There are several dealers of both within a hour’s drive of my home. I don’t need a highway scooter, just something that gets good gas mileage and can run errands. So I am going back to the 50cc. My advice, spend the extra bucks and get a good name brand scooter and know your DEALER! I have learned my lesson the hard way – Nix the Chinese junk.

  63. Today 10/2/7, I picked up a Yamaha Vino 50cc. Got a good deal, Yamaha has a promo going, financed part of the cost at a very good rate. (Seems very small after riding the Motofino 150cc.) My first impression of the Vino 50cc, it has the feel of a quality scooter. Two great big pluses over the Chinese Scooters, Good Dealership network & Warranty is head and shoulders above the Chinese. Go the extra bucks and get a brand name Scooter. Using hind sight, I wish I would have done this in the beginning. Would have saved me a lot of headaches, down time, and some money.

  64. Just a follow up on the Schwinn Motor Scooters. Out of curiosity I called the Schwinn Dealer who operates out of a small town about an hour from my home. He informed me he “temporarily” stopped selling Schwinn Motor Scooters this year because of the many quality problems. He also said that Schwinn is aware of the problems with the scooters and is working with the Mfgr to improve quality. I frequent many different scooter forums, and my take on the Chinese scooters is simply, buying one is a crap shoot. Some have purchased Chinese scooters and love them, no problems. Others just the opposite. The ratio of good scooters vs junk ones is about 1 out of every 3. I took the chance twice and was stung both times. But then I have never been accused of being very smart.

  65. I’m also curious about Lance scooters bought on line….any body out there with any knowledge of them?

  66. I purchased a Graduate 150 2006 New, have had it for four(4) weekends. I have put 375 miles on it, and the top speed on a flat road has been 55 mph.
    I got a good deal for it $1044.00 before tax & title, and couldn’t be more pleased. I’m looking for a new battery because I’ve heard that the Chinese batteries will fail quickly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

  68. Miket, have you considered getting another scooter too? I’ve heard that Chinese scooters can fail just as quicly as Chinese batteries.

    -todd

  69. Todd,

    On November 3, 2007, my Scooter Club is making a long trip up the Florida East Coastline to St. Augustine from Orlando through Daytona. I’ll let you know how well my Chinese Scooter does.

    Mike T

  70. Thanks, Russell for the link. I’ll give it a try. You referred to the Lance as a Chinese scooter, do you know if it is?

  71. I said they look like all the Chinese Retro type scooter. They all are very similar and probably all are made by the same Company just different names. I see you posted on the link I gave you. I’m sure someone will give you some info soon.

  73. Everyone says you get what you pay for. By that logic alone we should all buy the most expensive scooters out there. Someone could charge $2500 for a Chinese scooter and you’d think it’s better quality than the others. Any tips on what the best scooter for the money is? Is it better to get a 150cc or just unrestrict a 50cc scooter? Any purchasing information would be helpful.

  74. Who in their right mind would pay $2500 for a Chinese scooter. Quality is a matter of “excellent performance and reputation”, not price. The Chinese (inclusive) scooters have neither. A 150cc will in all probability require a motorcycle license which in most instances require a written and driving test or the successful completion of a Motorcycle Safety Course, but they are made for higher speeds. The 50cc is not. The newer 4 stroke 50cc scooters are not restricted have very little that can be modified. Modding any 50cc will result in much higher wear and tear on the engine, transmission, and belt at the higher speeds

  75. I just drove the TNG and the Schwinn both 50 cc both same vintage 2005. At first glance they look very similiar , but upon close examination there are differences.
    First the TNG has both drum f/r brakes and is two stroke vs. schwinn 4 stroke and disc front brake.
    the lights and trim are completely diferent .

    the TNG engine seems smoother and started very easily,and with its oil injection is a proven set up.
    the schwinn had only 35 miles but i know the kick start was not used as recommended in the manual.Also the lay out of ergonomics is simple and well thought out in the Schwinn and honestly i like ther Schwinns retro style better, how ever i like the TNG two stroke engine.
    I choose the Schwinn for a used scooter.

  76. Good luck with the Schwinn scooter. They have been having a lot of quality problems with them. The Schwinn Dealer near me stopped selling them temporarily last year because of all the complaints. I don’t know if he has started selling them again this year or not. Let us know how it performs. If it is a 2005, hopefully all the quality problems have been corrected by now.

  77. I purchased a 2005 Schwinn Graduate 50cc used with 600 miles for $700 cash with registration. It was slow but went 0-25 pretty fast, but 25-35 took forever and hitting 40 was a 2 mile run downhill without a headwind. These are restricted to go 30mph (as advertised) by using a small main jet in the carb or so it seemed. I put a racing clutch, slider weights, kevlar belt, bigger main jet, K&N filter and iridium spark plug and it’s a whole different scoot. Acceleration is fast and smooth all the way to 40mph. The scoot goes 45mph+ now in ideal conditions. Still gets 90+ MPG. Very fun beginner’s scooter. Parts are available online, you just need to know what you have? Mine has a 139QMB style 4-stroke engine GY6 style. I’m going to upgrade the exhaust!

  78. I can’t imagine Schwinn producing a 50cc scooter that will only go 30 mph. That speed restriction is generally limited to Mopeds. Was it originally sold as a Moped or a Motor Scooter? Big difference.

  79. I have read quite a few different views of quality of product I will only say you can buy 50 cent a pound plastic and a 50 dollar a pound plastic, so now which one was poured into the mold to make the body panels. I like the mental picture of Al at Argo taking a hammer to a side panel and whacking it to show the fact it doesn’t shatter. I have kept new chinese samples of scooters outside in the Texas sun and seen the plastic fade in 6 months and after leaving out in all types of weather an Argo with a good washing and putting some wax and a lttle armor all on the parts that like armor all the bike looks brand new. I would put a coat of high heat black paint on the muffler just so it has some extra protection from the weather. It is all about the quality of the materials used as to its durability. It’s hard to know what was used in the parts so you have to trust the importer has done his work and when a part doesn’t hold up to the elements you want the importer to stand behind the parts. I also want to restate that if it says 30 mph that is top speed on a 49 cc and that means 20 – 25 is a good cruising speed and if you try to run it at 30 all the time and weigh 200+ you won’t be happy. Step up to a 150 cc and it will run all day at 40 – 45 and get from 0 to 30 pretty darn quick. Remember safety Motorcycle courses are the best investment you can make when becoming a 2 wheel driver. You learn more in 3 days than several wrecks. It also is good that when starting you fall over on their bike not yours. Learn on a small motorcycle with clutch and gears and then a twist and go will be real easy to drive. Thanks RC

  80. I never worried too much about the exterior of a scooter. It is going to get wear and tear just from normal use. It is the guts of the scooter, engine, transmission, electrical, etc etc that are important. And as you stated, RC, you don’t know what you are getting when you buy a scooter off the internet. People need to understand buyer beware when dealing with internet distributors. Safe operation of a scooter is simply a matter of respect for the speed and power they have. I think too many people buy one, think they can just jump on it and take off, without becoming familiar with the scooter first. I also recommend Motorcycle safety courses for anything over 50cc, in some States it is required. But if people would stop considering scooters as toys and think of them as small motorcycles, so many wouldn’t get hurt.

  81. Ok dudes….for those of you who want the max performance out of your Schwinn Scooter…take a little note.
    First…put 50 psi in the tires.
    Second…adapt a small car NOS [nitrous oxide] fuel injection kit from any online hi performance auto supplier by scaling down the injector with a .032 LP gas injector jet from your local furnace part supplier.
    Third…mount the NOS trigger with a sst hose clamp next to your throttle .
    Fourth…buy an accidental death insurance policy and an Arai full face helmet and full body leathers.
    Fifth..install 110 octane airplane fuel from you local small airport gas pump.
    Sixth..fire yer little scooter up and allow it at least five minutes of warm up time by driving it around the block.
    Seventh…get lined up on a long, empty straight stretch of road……open the throttle with a slow roll while thumbing the NOS injection switch.
    Eighth…hang on for a thrill. You should be getting about 12 horsepower to the rear wheel instead of about 5. If you hear a clanging noise, ease back on the throttle a bit.
    Ninth..post how it went for you. I had to change my underwear immediately after my trial run. I did hit 59 mph after I ducked down and tucked my legs in to minimize drag. We timed the quarter mile in 20.5 seconds, which is only 15 seconds slower than my 1800cc goldwing motorcycle. It was still funner than hell and we ran the scooter until we fried the motor. We laughed so hard trying to better our quarter mile times all hunched over that our bellies hurt all evening. When we finally sobered up, we went online and started bidding on another Schwinn scooter, and are going to do it again. nwagto

  82. Schwinn is a Chinese scooter, Most any Chinese clone scooter will work, does not necessarily have to be a Schwinn. Might be able to pick up one of the clones cheaper.

  83. hello every onr i have tinkered with many many of scooters over the years and i have now owned 4 schwinn scooters,my current purchase was the new 2008 schwinn sport and i am very satisfied with it.for the price it is an amazing scooter with much much higher quality than most all other chineese made scooters,and by far the best warranty 2 year parts 1 year labor it is the ONLY overseas made scooter with that kinda warranty that tells you something right there.you can view all there different models on there website schwinnmotorsports.com

  85. If it is a 4 stroke, there are no restrictions like the 2 stroke. There are no high performace parts available for the 4 stroke that I know of. A windsheild may add a couple mph to top speed. There is a 70cc upgrade kit for the 4 stroke 49cc GY6 enginge coming out, but not sure it is available yet, and it will require some very good mechanical ability to install it.

  86. I bought the 2007 Schwinn Hope 50cc scooter. I have found NO restrictions. I looked at the exhaust, the variator, and the CDI (the most common place for restrictions) and have found none. I am going to try a bigger main jet (size 88) and buy the 72cc kit. I think it will help a lot.

    The bike is pretty nice. It was cheap and it seems to run great!!! Of course, I have the knowledge and the tools to fix it should it break.

    It does turn heads!

  87. Hi everyone, I am thinking about buying a new 2008 Schwinn Newport 150CC. I was wondering if anyone had bought one, what price they paid for it (after tax, title, etc.), and if they like it! I talked to a dealer and they said that the Schwinn accessories (like the cargo rack) are not available yet, so I was wondering if anyone had improvised and made their own rack? Or used one from another brand? Thanks so much!

    Ashley

  88. I just bought a 2005 Schwinn 50cc Graduate for my wife and 2007 Schwinn Sport 50cc for me. I like the Graduate. It’s powerful enough for the resort town in which it will be used, and gets up to around 32 mph w/ 225 lbs on it, but the Sport, which is the one I got for me, is another story. I can’t get it over 22 mph. I’m considering returning it to the dealership 22 mph is not only unacceptable, its dangerous. Where can you safely drive 22 mph?

    Has anyone purchased the 50cc sport? Can you comment on any power issues?

  89. I purchased a Honda Metropolitan a month and a half ago and have over 800 miles on it going to work and and back. It will reliably do 33-35mph on the flat, 40mph going slighlty downhill but does slow to 25mph going uphill and into 20+mph headwinds. I weigh 280+ and get 95mpg. My wife is lighter and gets 100mpg, and only slows to 30mph going up hill. Going up a steep (12% or more) grade it slows to 15mph with me on it. It is fun and has been reliable on mornings as cold as 27 degrees. It is Governed at 40mph (or 8000rpm) acording to the dealer and a website I saw and the 2006 and newer models are reported to be governed 500rpm faster than earlier models. A mechanic at the dealer has modified his Ruckus (same engine) and gotten 4-5mph higher speeds than with the stock intake and exhaust. The metropolitan’s are quiet and cute. Best of all I have saved 50+ galons of gas already. Scoot Happy

  90. Hi all: I’ve had my 150 graduate for only a couple months and have already dealt with a couple electrical problems. Nothing big, just lighting and horn. BUT, right now my ignition is broke. It seems the tabs are broken off and the key just turns around and around. I ordered a new part, but its on back order. I’m thinking of rigging something together from Pepboys. Anyone replaced the ignition with a non-schwinn part??

  91. I have recently purchased a Schwinn Graduate 2006. I didn’t received an owners manual. Do you know where I can get one?

  92. I have been selling Schwinn Scooters for over a year now and have had very few problem s with any of the ones we have sold. In fact everyone who has bought one loves it. The 50cc scooters are a bit on the slow side but all new 50cc scooters must be set not to exceed 30 MPH so if yors is faster than that consider yourself lucky. I sold Vento scooters for three years prior to the Schwinns. People here are trashing the Schwinns and praising the Ventos. In my experience the Schwinns are of a much higher quality and are definitely easier to get parts and warranty support for. The folks here who own Schwinns seem to agree on this. If they are the same MFG as TGB Brand scooters, they sure cost a lot less money. Also they have doubled the warranty in 2008 to to years warranty. That a sign that things are going well with the reliability.

  93. Piaggio is known to build some of the finest scooters on the planet. They are now being manufactured in China, same thing with Yamaha who has had joint-venture factories there for years. Even Harley Davidson has inked an agreement with a China factory to co-produce Harleys there for the Asian market. I have been to China many times and toured numerous powersports factories. Make no mistake, the Chinese are producing some high quality products and can build any quality level a company is willing to pay for. The Schwinn line of scooters is a very decent product line with an attractive price point and is quickly gaining market share. Dealer News, an industry news magazine recently polled all its franchised dealer members and Schwinn Scooters was the number one most desired addition to their lineup. Schwinn is here to stay.

  94. This seems like a very nice, well organized forum site. I have more of a question and need some direction and don’t know if this is really the place to go but I will start here.

    I have a 2005 Schwinn Collegiate which I purchased in January 2006. I tried driving it in Naples, Florida but while I don’t have a problem with the lack of speed, the roads down there did not really cooperate as there are few bike lanes and I could not compete very well with the faster cars and little older drivers.

    It is now May ’08 and the machine has not been run since March ’07. I have decided now to sell it if I can but if I do so it might help that it actually starts. The machine has all of 28 miles on it and I can’t get it to even fire. I see in the forum other folks with starting issues but have not found anybody with an “easy fix”. I need a recommendation please or do I simply call the dealer and have it worked on. Any advice?

    Thanks

  95. Hi all! I need some info. About to make a purchase of a scooter in Chicago, IL. Is anyone willing to do a side by side comparison for me of the Vino, Metropolitan, and Collegiate? I am particularly interested in all that I have read about specific scooters have trouble starting/staying running in cold weather! There will be days when I will be riding this thing in some nasty cold weather.

    Thanks!

  96. I just recently purchased an ’06 Campus for myself and an ’07 Hope for my wife. I spoke with the dealer regarding the quality of the Schwinns (as I had read some of the comments on this board) and he said they had been selling the Schwinns for three years and had gotten nothing but positive feedback on them. In fact, they looked to revamp their scooter line and nixed another brand (didn’t specify) and said they held to the Schwinns because of the feedback and popularity.

    For my part, both scooters are 50cc and are exactly as advertised. We were told 30 mph max and that’s about right. I got it up to 41 on a downhill with full acceleration, which was fun, but uphill it hovers around 20.

    They’re certainly not the most collectible scooter and their design is a knockoff in just about every aspect, but for an inexpensive learner’s bike they make the cut.

    More online support, feedback would be nice, though,

  97. I recently purchased my first scooter, a Schwinn Graduate (50cc). So far, I’m not too dissapointed, but not ectatic either. It takes a while to warm up, but then will run about 20-25 mph. After 20 min of operation, it may get up to about 30 mph. I have about 160 miles on it so far and hear a squeaking (a belt perhaps) when I try to accelerate. But, nothing major has broken and I am really enjoying having a scooter. To date, I haven’t taken it back to the dealer to address any of these issues, so I’m not sure yet how easy parts/etc… are to deal with.

  98. I just bought a schwinn newport 50 today may 24th.
    It will be delivered in the morning. I got it at full throttle motor sports in lansing mi I paid 1369 before everything else. With every other expense it came to 2082 out the door. I have not driven it yet but i will tommarow and i will give honest opinion then

  99. I put 13 miles on it so far. I’m 240 lbs and it tops out at 28mph. It came with a 2 year warranty. However at 200 miles it needs to go back to the dealership for servicing. Then again at 600 miles annd then again at 2500 and 5000 miles. If this is not done then the warranty will be void. The mpg at the dealership said 117 mpg.
    The Manual says 100 mpg for a 180 pound person. The gas milage is still much better then the ford focus I drive which gets 25-30 mpg. I’ll let ya know more when I know more.

  100. MY GIRLFRIEND GOT A NEWPORT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND ITS A LITTLE UNDER POWERED.DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEM FASTER YET?

  101. I’m about to buy a Schwinn Newport 150. I’ve pretty much made up my mind about it, but would like to know if any of you have had bad experiences with it. People seem to have complaints about the power that the 50cc puts out, but im sure that the 150cc will push me(230lbs) around fine.

  102. I’ve been riding a Newport 50 for about a month. I bought it new, paid just over 2K with tax, etc. I ride it to work and back twice a day during the week, and use it for short errends on the weekends. I’ve put about 160 miles on it so far. So far so good. My commute is just over 3 miles of mostly residential streets with moderate hills.
    I live in a small community where, I’d say, 90% of the streets are 30mph or less, so the small scooter is usefull. I do believe the thing is limited at 30mph. If I’m crusing full speed at the crest of a hill and have a good tail wind behind me, I can feel the engine back off right at 30 on the speedo on the downside of the hill. One would think I could get at least another 5mph under such conditions. Also the combination of uphill grades and my heavy (230lb)body slow her to about 20mph at times, which is frustrating. If I could do it over, I’d spend the extra $100 or so and get the 150cc version. Actually, I’ve considered trading it in on the Newport 150 if I continue to enjoy riding it as much as I have been.
    I drive an ’07 Mountaineer with a V8 that ran me about $40/week in gas. I’ve used about $4/week with my scooter, so I figure if I drive the scoot just 50% of the time, I will pay for it in savings in less than 6 mos. If gas keeps going up at the current rate, the break-even may come even sooner.
    I’ve had nothing but fun riding the Newport. It fits me just fine, and aside from the occasional power issues, goes as fast as I need to go most of the time. The only thing I’m going to have the dealer check out at the regular maintainance visit is an intermittant squeek in the headset at slow speed turns. By the way, I have to borrow a pickup and haul the scoot to the dealer 88 miles from my town to get service. No one in town sells scooters! The few motorcycle shops are Harley oriented and seem to have a cultural prejudice when it comes to bikes made in China, so I’ve been told not to bother bringing mine in.
    I’d like to hear from other Newport owners about mechanical issues, self maintainance, etc. One thing I wonder about is how to handle a flat tire on the road. Also anyone who has tweaked the 50cc bike to get better performance, please share your info.

    Bill Bays

  103. after putting just 33 miles on it it broke down (newport 50) it now has 36 miles on it because of the 3 miles i had to push it home. So back to the dealership it goes to get fixed hope others are having better luck than i.

  104. Hi all, the Campus is running fine, just about 70 miles on it. The only problem is that my seat won’t stay locked shut. When I get it to stay closed all I have to do is push it in once or twice and it pops open. It’s not really a problem as long as I don’t lock anything valuable in there, but I was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences or suggestions.

  105. Dennis-
    Please describe what happend on your breakdown and how you plan to resolve it.
    Thanks

  106. Bill Bays-
    I was making a second round around the block. Then the scooter lost all forward momentum and then it shut down. I called the company that i purchased the scooter from and they said to bring it in and they will fix it. The 2 year parts and one year labor is what turned me onto the scooter to begin with. Honda and Yamaha have only a one year warranty. However I live almost 70 miles from the place where I got the scooter and I’m at the mercy of anyone with a truck. I wasn’t expecting this from a new scooter and i’m not very happy. I plan on riding the scooter 20 miles one way 4 times a week to go to school and I hope once it is fixed that it will be able to handle the 40 mile round trip 4 days a week. After a breakdown with only 33 miles on it I’m almost scared to even attempt a 40 mile journey. I wish I would have spent the extra money and went with the 150. However this is the first scooter I have ever rode and I wasn’t sure if I would like it as much as I do. I have already signed up for a Motorcycle safety course. The class wont take place until almost the end of July .However if you plan on trading your 50cc in for a 150cc you might not get a very good price for your scooter. If that is what you decide to do let me know what kind of trade they gave you.

  107. My sister has owned a 2006 campus 50 for 6 months now(even though I,m the one who mainly rides it now). With the exception of some minor issues it has performed as well, if not better than other 50cc scooters out there. I’ve ridden it to and from work (25 miles each way) and live to tell about it. After the tune up that Ultimate Cycle and scooter in Chattanooga Tn. Gave it, It easly will hold 35 mph on a flat road and 45-50 down hill. going up hill I drop to 20-25 mph.
    My sister has gotten a 2008 Hope 50 and can only get it to 30 on the flat road. I’ve been told that the o7s and newer are governed down for legal reasons so if you want a faster 50 get an older one. I’m buying one of Schwinns 150 scooters for the extra room and power which is necessary for the kind of riding I do.
    A good dealer makes all the difference in the world. If they don’t like the product they carry, they won’t go the extra step to make it work for you.

  108. Hllo i bought a shwinn from my co-worker last spring work awesome, until 2 weeks ago. we cleaned everything all the lines gas tank oil carb you name it and its still not working. The dealer offers me no help im lossing my mind with gas prices and have little to no money as it is.My girls father and i are doing it are selfs the thing runs but when i give it gas it accelerates for 5 miles per hour then stops accelerating but does not stall. He thinks the clutch is the problem and i cant find a site to order one can someone give me some kind of advice besides trtading it in, like i said no money atm.Other than that it rocked , i wieght 175 could get 35 on flat roads so i like it could someone help me, please.?

  109. Sorry, its late im tired , its a Shwinn Graduate. Its got 1800 miles on it and the oil has been changed along w/transmission and so was the fuel filter. I really hope i didnt pay 1500 dollars for 6 months.

  110. recently debating purchasing a TGB Sunset 151cc…looking if anyone has any imput..appreciation in advance to all comments!

  111. My wife and I purchased an ’06 Schwinn Collegiate despite the dealer’s warnings about known carburator issues. It’s been nearly 2 yrs and we have 700 miles on it. Everytime my wife or son try to ride it, the engine quits when they come to a stop. Anyone have these issues and what did you do? We are very dis-satisfied with this POS and would like to get rid of it. I am afraid we are stuck. Also i read an ealry post from someone that stated a 50 cc engine should do about 40mph?? My son weighs 135 and has had the speed up to MAYBE 30mph. Downhill. I would NEVER buy another one of these Schwinns.

  112. i have a 2007 schwinn 150 sport LX so far i have put almost 200 miles on it with no problems…i did some digging and it seems they just started making the scooters a few years ago…i can understand that some of the earlier models would have more trouble than the later year models…also i wouldn’t trust a POS 50cc…..what are you gonna get from that??? get the 150CC it will go 50-55 on flat…and i’m 180lbs….it gets around 60-60 mpg…which aint bad…keep care of the scoot maintain regular oil filters and the scoot should run fine…we paid like 2300 out the door…and another thing…i cant find ANY aftermarket products for the schwinn…i am looking for a nice cheap windshield and a cargo box… and possibly a high performance muffler for more speed!! if anyone has any info or would like to add anything email me……..nate_lister25@hotmail.com

  113. from my understanding given to me by my schwinn dealer is that the 06 and earlier models had some serious carb issues i own an 08 newport 150 and an 08 laguna 50 the 150 goes about 55mph or so and the laguna maxes out about 35

  114. My question is regarding insurance…can anyone tell me estimate for a 150cc? I just realized you need a motorcycle lic to ride a 150cc or larger.
    Thanks!

  115. insurance is based on so much its hard to say but i have state farm and its about 19.00 per month for full coverage in augusta ga

  116. I have Progressive for four motorcycles (up to 750cc) and I live near Oakland CA. My total premium with comprehensive coverage is less than $200/year for all four. They are also very responsive and took care of everything when I was bumped by a car. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone. I have Allstate for my cars and though they have great rates and service, they couldn’t quite match Progressive on the bikes.

    -todd

  117. I have a 2007 150 Graduate. It has 230 miles in two months. I have not had any issues. Bought it from a reputable dealer and expect them to take care of any issues for the first year. I weigh 168 and have gone 57 mph and get approximately 60-67 mpg. I was also looking for accessories. I have checked out the TNG site as well as the Lance site they sell the Millano and the Venice. They look identical and have accessories. I may try buying some thing from them. I downloaded a GY6 motor manual and it helped with the 200 mi oil and transmission oil change. The Schwinn owner’s manual is not the best. I also downloaded the TNG manual. There are sites for GY6 engine parts and they may work on the Schwinn. I would do some research and ask questions prior to getting any parts especially if the scooter is still under warranty.

  118. CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE EASY WAY TO MAKE THE HOPE 50 CC SCOOTER GOT FASTER CHEAP? MY OLD LADY IS 125 AND IT HARD TO GO OVER 32-35 MPH. IS THERE A REG OR RESTRICTION IN THE EXHAUST? EMAIL A100DORK3YAHOO.COM IF YOU CAN HELP. OTHERWISE BEEN A OK SCOOTER.

  119. Hi everyone , I recently purchased a schwinn 07 sport on clearance for $ 1,400 out the door ! So far I cant complain . Did have to get the battery replaced a week later , covered under the one year warranty offerd ! I enjoy and think its built well for the price . It does an easy 40 on a flat with me and my gear weighing in at 160 + .. It goes 30 mph up most hills and 20 mph if its steep ;( .. But downhill is another thing . seems the derestriction is at fault there lol .. Ive hit almost 60 mph but wont push the lil 50 cc to much . There not built to go beyond 40-45 mph when it comes down to it . Gas mileage is decent I average close to a 100 mpg . If anyone wants accesories or info , check out the company website . Schwinn.com . Many after market accesories can be used as well ie. windshilds , cargo trunks , pegs , exhaust systems . I,m no mechanic but am mechanicaly inclined to notice that derestriction could be very easy as a larger main jet acompanied by removing the throttle plate on the carb as well as customizing the air box intake . As well one can get diff rollers for the belt , just like changing sprockets on chain driven rides .. Last but least the exhaust would need some custmizing or replacement lol .. But after all that and the cost , one would be safer and better off on a 125 cc road bike ! Mopeds are simply not built to handle and run fast , except 150 cc and above ! Have fun everyone and enjoy the scooters while you pass the gas station time and time again !!!!!

  120. I was told that the new 50cc scooters dont run right as for they ship the carbs in non-rust coating which clogs the jets- per 3 dealerships common problem. (hard start,cough,lack of power). someone also said something about cutting the pink wire to the cdi box which makes the sensor think the rear wheel is not moving, making the scooter always go full throttle? does any of this sound right to you? my fiance is tired of it not going above 30mph. and aftermarket parts cost a ton for a cheap scoot. thanks

  121. I was just told the new bikes (08) come way rich and need to be leaned out( make then faster and run better). I have advise coming in from all over the us from different techs, i got bored and sent many emails, i will post and let you all know what i find, this may help a bunch of people. seems to be the only way to find info on these 50’s anywhere.

  122. I purchased a 2006 Graduate 150cc. The power is perfect to go anywhere in town and it accelerates to 50 mph quite nicely. I have no doubt that I could reach 65 if I needed to. I would never purchase anything less than a 125cc for in-town driving due to speed limit ranges from 25 to 50 mph. Overall it has been a decent scooter but for $1800 I definitely got what I paid for. There have been a few bugs to work out such as the power spontaneously going out (loose fuse), the gas guage not working (bad sensor), the bolts holding some plastic engine covering came out (easy fix with a few zip ties and then replaced the bolts), and I already had a light bulb go out on me. So needless to say the warranty came in handy but the issues have been aggravating to say the least. However, this year there have been no problems as of yet. Maybe the new models have improved? I will say I would have paid more for a Vespa if they were available in my area. Overall, I would say a decent “starter” scooter and again the larger engine is definitely worth the $$.

  123. Aloha to all.. im about to make my purchase on my first moped but the more research i do the more im getting confused and frustrated. my choices are: the Shwinn 2008 newport 50, Shwinn 2008 laguna 50, Kymko 2008 Agility 50, or 2007 Sym dd50. my commute into waikiki, from home, is only 6miles and pretty flat. u all seem so knowledable. i really dont care of the speed to much but really just want my monies worth with- out having to worry its going to break down for awile or maintaining it. which one would u buy?All feedbacks greatly apprecited. Mahalo.

  124. the 1st thing to do is sit on them all and see which one you feel best on 2nd would be to test ride them if at all possoble and 3rd or maybe this should be 1st is to look over the dealerships and find which one looks as if they promise service after the sale i have a laguna 50 and love it but top speed on a flat has been about 35 mph

  125. I own an ’08 Schwinn Hope 50. It appears true that the gas mileage is overrated, but at 60 MPG, no big. I’ve gotten speeds up to 45 MPH on it at about 130-140 lbs. It does not appear to have a governor on it, but there is a plate on the carb that can be adjusted a little. These come with a 24-mo warranty – better than any Chinese bike I found. My only complaint is lack of dealers, since you do have to haul a downed bike in somewhere or other.

    I do have mine in the shop now (under warranty) for that sudden-death problem. Air filter was clean, battery good, carb in working order, so I suspect a clogged fuel filter, but we’ll see. For short-haul basic transportation? No complaints. I wouldn’t rec as a sole means of transportation, but for the price, you could upgrade every year for cheap and make a college student very happy in the process with a still-intact warranty to rely on.

  126. I got my fiance the hope 50 and its now in the shop, lack of power. cant get it over 30mph and shes 125.

  127. 45 mph for a hope 50 is pretty good as my laguna 50 will max at about 35 to 37 on a straight

  128. I trying to decide which scoot to purchase – a Schwinn Valo 150 vs. a SYM HD 200. The Sym is $1000 more. Is it worth the added cost? Randy

  129. I will not buy another schwinn. mine sat in the shop for 2 days. everyone who rode it noticed a problem, when they worked on it, no problems found. salesman told me 40mph, service told me 32mph tops which is what we can get it to, for a 50cc. now the closest other shop that services these are 2 hours away. time to sell it and buy the fiance a honda metro.

  130. Nick , have you thought about replacing the air filter, fuel filter and as well upgrading to a larger main jet ? One could swap back any after market parts if service was needed ! As well I would be trying to compare my throttle plate on the carb verses other ones of the same year , We all know china is the nation thats pushed further than any other on production quotes . I seriously think its just a fluke bound to happen when chinese are forced to assemble so many bikes regardless of the Quality of parts . Even proffesional technicians may over look somtething!! As well are you using regular gas with low octane ? That would be a serious slow down with a little 49.50 cc .. I use only premium and recommend synthetic oils after the true break in procedure , not the 100 miles the manual suggests as a break in point! Wish you the best of luck no matter . Im not sure in my closure if its just the model and its quirks ? I have the 07 sport and easly hit 40 with it and 20 above than if a hill is a mile plus in decent !

  131. danny. i was messing around with it last night. the carb screws were set all the way in. i tweeked the carb and she rode it and got it to near 40mph. up hill around 32mph. it was chokeing it self out. my shop didnt see that? I use 93 oct gas only. and i am going to order a airfilter asap. im kinda confused on the throttle plate? am i over looking something? what and where should i look for it. i know my harleys and old bikes, but not this scooter stuff. thanks for the advise. time to find a new shop

    nick

  132. Sorry i forgot to add, it now has 100 miles, and still has stock oil, plug, and filters.

  133. Last night i adjusted the carb more. added a NGK ird plug and synth oil. Didnt seem to make a difference at all, but it was hot and humid out also. The stock plug I was told was a chinese. but it was a champion plug. Just waiting on airfilter now.

  134. I WAS TOLD THIS INFO FROM SOMEONE ON THE INSIDE, IF THIS HELPS ANYONE.

    There’s a bushing in the clutch that restricts the clutch. If you pull that out you’ll get a little more speed (that is if the dealer didn’t remove it already). There’s also a screw in the cdi that you can tweak a little to improve performance a bit.

  135. good news. Got the scooter to 42mph straight line and about 35 going up hill. im 175 and it now runs great. i did all of the above and it is night and day difference. the CDI did alot. Havent done the clutch mod, or airfilter or exhaust yet, but that is soon. the exhaust will be a stocker with a modified can. k&n cone filter and maybe some new rollers and jet kit. My goal is 45mph and no big bore. they say there limited to 35mph. but all night tonight i got 40-42 and that is straight line. scooter now has 101 miles and the fiance is happy with the speed and it runs, idles alot better, smoother and has more pep. Anyone got questions email me at a100dork3@yahoo.com i have spent alot of time on this silly thing, but now i have a goal,lol

  136. A couple of quick service questions for y’all. I own and am referring to a 2006 Schwinn Graduate 150 with approx. 1200 miles on it.

    First, and most important, I’ve not done a lot of service work myself on motorcycles or scooters, so does anyone know where I might be able to acquire a shop manual, or if there is a website with very detailed service info for this scooter?

    Second, I’ve had electrical problems beginning at about 1,000 miles. Essentially, it seems the battery is not being charged, so there is simply no electyrical power for lights or starting after the scooter is ridden for more than a couple of miles, or if it sits for three or four days. Is this a common problem, and is it likely just a crappy battery? A friend thinks it is a bad “regulator,” and forgive my naivete, but I know little about electronic systems. Anyone had and solved this problem?

    Third, is there a non-dealer source for parts? My headlight is busted and I dont’ want to spend $120 on one from the dealership.

    Fourth, I’m looking for confirmation of the engine model for this particular bike so that I can more easily and thoroughly search for parts/information.

    Finally, and this is not really a question, I’ve been having shop trouble. Because the scooter is out of warranty (Schwinn had not yet increased their warranty to 2 parts/1 labor when I got my bike), the dealership doesn’t seem to give a crap about it. When I took it in for service while it was still warranted (warranteed?), they did the required tune-up etc. but rather than replace or fix the charging problem they told me that I shouldn’t let it sit so long (it had sat for about a week prior to its service), and that it was likely just a one-time problem. It’s nto a one-time problem, but since it’s not under warranty anymore they basically have given me the finger. I have already talked to their management, etc. and done all the proper frustrated-consumer errands, and to no avail. Ought I to contact Schwinn directly, and how?

    My appreciation to all of you. Please feel free to reply on this forum or to email me directly at acorder at gmail.com

    Cheers,

    Marco

  137. spent weeks researching scwinn scooters, nothing on internet. they almost seem foriegn to everyone incuding dealerships. all i know is the 150 is called a gy6?

  138. It appears that the Graduate uses the same plastics/bodywork as the TNG Milano (as noted earlier with the lawsuit info). Does anyone know if the mechanical/electrical is similarly analogous?

  139. Nick , glad to hear of your victory , kudos to you ! The plate I spoke of is right where the throttle cable attaches to the carb , just like new lawn mowers the plate stops the throttle from going any farther than that point . By the way now that you are on track with breaking it in . Make sure to remember that its best to accelerate hard and vice versa the first few hundred miles to truely seat the rings in place . As well once its fully broken in you should notice a few more miles of speed , might try a winshield then and most likely youll be hitting 45mph on a flat !

  140. ya, thats my goal. 45 mph on the flat. I read somewhere some guy had a big bore and went 47? i will have to send ya some pics when i get the exhaust done, should run hard and look cool if i get it chromed. The old lady is complaining i just bought it to work on and make it go fast, ummm ya. but she likes her wedding present too,,lol
    I will look at the plate tommorrow.

  141. Congrats, btw, on the engagement/wedding. My Schwinn is pretty much the first thing my wife and I bought after we got married. Must be something romantic about them.

  142. WELL, she wanted a pink scooter and not a harley,lol. open the garage there are 5 harleys and 1 pink scoot, people wonder,lol

  143. I had a muffler for the hope 50 sent to me, and it is totally wrong. i think it is for a 150 model. it is oval and not round. kinda high and a little chrome trim on the side. the part number is that of the one dealerships say fits my bike, but the head tune which bolts to the engine aint bent enough for it to go up to the exhaust port. also the bolting brackets are bigger and wider. cant find pic on internet, if you 150 owners can send me a pic of your exhaust maybe i can see what it is. I may sell it, i have no use for it. will be a good exhaust to modify. a100dork3@yahoo.com if you can send pics or want to see pictures, but it will not fit the hope 50 model by far

  146. I LOOKED AST THE NEWPORT 150 EXHAUST PICTURES, THEY KINDA LOOK THE SAME, I WILL HAVE TO EMAIL A PC OF WHAT I GOT. IT IS A OVAL CAN?

  147. no and also you should try scootronics for upgrades and also you can get info on scootdawg.com

  148. Update on my Newport 50: She just turned 380 miles. I had a local shop do the initial break-in maintainance, rather than haul it 90 miles to the dealer where I bought it. The only thing they couldn’t do was set the valve gap. I will have that done by the dealer when I get a chance to haul it down to them. The oil was dirty, but he said that was normal. He also said that the transmission fluid looked “a bit metalic” which may just be due to the fact that it’s new and in the break in period. If subsequent fluid changes look clean, he said there’s nothing to be concerned about. The rear brake needed adjustment, but other than that the scooter has been reliable and trouble free.

    I’ve been getting 70mpg (I’m 235lbs)and 30mph top speed with the annoying slowdown to 20 up a hill.

    We discussed performance modifications, and he said he’d be more than happy to do them if he can find the right kits. We talked about the various de-restricting mods and installing a big bore kit to bring the displacement to 70cc and the top end to 45mph. I’m not sure if this would be a cost effective upgrade, after all a new 150cc bike would not be that expensive. I’m seriously thinking about it, though. I’m glad I found this shop. He just started selling the Hyosung line of scooters, but he’s ready and willing to do what ever he can on my Schwinn. I probably will buy my next scoot from him.

  149. WHY DO A BIG BORE KIT FOR 45MPH? MY FIANCES HOPE 50 DOES 42MPH STOCK NOW AND ITS NOT EVEN BROKE IN YET, ALITTLE MORE TWEEKING AND A AIRFILTER/JET MAY BE ABLE TO GET IT TO 45MPH. BREAK IT IN AND ADJUST IT FIRST. THEN SEE WHERE IT GOES. I HAVENT EVEN ADJUSTED THE VALVES YET!

  150. I had quite a few emails about making the schwinn 50cc go faster, i sent some replys. if you guys get it to work, give me some imput. it worked on mine, might not yours. everyone seems a little different.

  151. Will-420

    I had the same issue. First, change your spark plug.. then clean, or change your carborator, then completely empty your gas tank. Siphon it if you need to.. LET IT DRY OUT 100% With gas cap off over night. Fill it up the next morning, make sure its primed up.. then VrooOOOm!

    My step father reccomended that I do this.. It worked. (Something about a vapor trap? And debris in my gas tank..) I went two weeks without it cutting off over about 7mph..

  152. IF SOMEONE NEEDS A STOCK EXHAUST GOING TO POST A BRAND NEW ONE ON EBAY TONIGHT. CHECK FOR MEMBER NAME (00SPORTSTERRIDER). WOULD BE A GOOD EXHAUST TO MODIFY. IM GOING ANOTHER ROUTE. HONESTLY IDONT KNOW WHAT THIS ONE FITS, PART# WAS FOR A 50CC HOPE. BUT IT DONT FIT, SEEMS LIKE A 150 EXHAUST. ILL HAVE MEASUREMENTS AND PICS ON THERE TONIGHT.

  154. Have a Lance Vintage 150cc and am looking for a windshield. Anyone know where I can get one that fits for sure? Thanks.

  155. I have a Schwinn Valo 150 that has left me stranded twice in one week. The motor stutters and then just dies and will not start again. Can any one help. It was back to the dealer the first time but I was hoping to educate myself somewhat before I take it back in Tuesda. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. The dealer said it was a leak in the fuel line the first time.

  156. The 50 seems to be getting faster with the mods and its break in. run’s great now!! may not mess with it anymore. wonder how fast it can go before blowing up? lol

    someone buy my exhaust!!! link above

  157. I just purchased a shwinn laguna 50… had to go out of town for it. I’ve got 30mph max, still in break in period. Anybody got an suggestions on how long the break in period is before I look into modding it ad is there anything else I can do to boost performance. The thing really seems like it is being held back when accelerating…..it’s like I can feel the restriction holding it back…

  158. I have a 2008 newport 50..has anyone with a 50cc ’08 tried to tweak the carb at all? It appears there is a brass plate over the adjustment. Has anyone removed this? if so how did you get it off?? I can only get about 29-30 flat. I’m putting in synth oil and changing the plug tonight. Any thoughts??

  159. I have a Schwinn Graduate 50. It has been at the dealer now for over 6 weeks because pacific-cycle can’t get parts to the dealer. First, it took almost 4 weeks just to get one part from China. Then, it took 2 shipments of a damaged part over a week and now I’m still waiting.

    NOBODY at the company answers a phone! Does anybody work at this company??? I would seriously recommend to people to NOT buy a Schwinn. This is beyond ridiculous!

  160. This is odd because my dealer told me all the parts are located in Indiana and that they can usually get anything they need within a day or two??

  163. NOT ALL PARTS,i got something sent for me from a pacific warehouse here in IL 2 hrs from me. took 1 day to get.

  164. bought a schwinn sport 50 2 wks ago. on the day i bought it i derestricted the cvt, installed a no rev cdi and new performance coil and plug. the end result is 48mph on a straight and 35 uphill. i also modified the throttle plate. i wasnt so sure about schwinns but i now love them. p.s for instructions on how to derestrict your schwinn, go to scootertherapy.com. they are the same as kymcos.

  165. guess i havent seen a throttle plate on the hope model. dont know if they are different then other models, someone enlightin me on what to look for i guess? dont have carb issues, but dont see a plate?

  166. casey serr ive tried scooter therapy and i cant find anything on derestricting. i would love to do the necessary modifications to make my newport 50 preform better. could you direct me in the right direction?

  168. btw forgot to add. I just got it today and so far it’s great! I just want it to go a little faster and for as cheaply and especially, as reliably as possible

  169. Just ordered a CDI upgrade and a coil. Going to do a airfilter also. Ours now goes around 42-45, ill post back later and see what it does. may rejet the carb also. darn it i want 50+.

  170. I am thinkig of purchaing 150 Newport. Want more than just 35-40 mph. Heard this was a good bike but everything all sold out where I live. Would anyone every suggest purchasing a scoot on line. Still a guarantee on them and what if it doesn’ work when I get it and if it is damaged on arrival?

  171. if it is a brand new bike it will have full warranty. And if it gets shipped to you via truck frieght, it should be fully insured. i would buy online if the price was right.If it is someones used bike get many good pictures!!!of all angles before it bought.

  174. the cdi adjustment on the stock cdi did wonders tho. just want more. by it livened the stock up quite a bit

  175. Just bought a new schwinn valo 150. Would like to install a windshield. Does anyone know the best place to order from?

  177. hello i have a 50cc graduate, paid 1100.00 for it.i’ve had it in the shop 4 times, 1 for the ignition(key quit working) 4 times for the kick starter not returning to position. it always started hard. battery has been replaced twice so far. it has over 680 miles on it now and it goes on average 35-40mph. uphill 20-25. all that i have done, so far, overfilled the tires and smoothed the exhaustpipe inlet. has anyone thought of swapping out the motor for a 150cc? they did produce a 150cc grad. if anyone has the 150cc graduate, could you get some measurments off it for me, i wanna see if it would be possible. mabe some pix to referance by. motor mount locations and measurments…thanks, Dan

  178. Took the rear ugly mudflap off the wifes bike, took her ugly LP bracket off and cut the edges and refelectors off and hid the bracket behind the LP and used a chrome plate frame, cleaned up the back of the back very nice. Makes it look very old style. these schwinns can look neat with some work. her seat is going to my buddy for custom work, put her on pink grips, waiting for my engine parts now. and last we may do white wall tires for that classic look, people stop her about her pink schwinn everytime she is on it. So far she loves it no problems really!!!

  179. I have a graduate Schwinn, and I need to figure out some of the problems… It takes a few times to start, and then will just stop after a few seconds. When I get it to go (finally) I’ll ride it for about 100 feet, and then it just teeters off (and dies) and also if I stop at a stop sign it just dies, too.
    It goes at about 10 miles per hour for the first mile, and then goes up to 15 miles per hour, and will speed up to 35mph after the third mile. The battery is fine (checked it), and there is plenty of gas.
    Why is this, can anyone help?
    Thanks, Joni

  181. Also replace the spark plug with a NGK CR7HIX Iriduim Spark Plug. dont buy these off the scoot sites, there $10-14.99 off the net or at o’rillies/autozone they are $6.99. Changing the plug made it run smooth and so much easier to start. Most chinese scooters come with crap plugs, I also learned this from other dealerships experence’s.

  182. I was looking for a scooter rack and cargo box for the graduate 150. The Lance Venice appears the same and comes from factory with one. The Schwinn site continues to say the accessories are coming soon. I found a website selling them and other parts that appear will fit the graduate/newports. http://www.partsforchinesescooters.com. From reading the information on the site, they may have some knowledge on what would work on the Schwinns.

  183. Nick-

    Is that spark plug for the 50cc? I’m thinking of replacing mine in the graduate 150; not sure exactly what plug it will take…

  184. I second the cdi. I have changed the oil to synthetic, made sure there were no hoses kinked, then tweaked the cdi. Went from 28-29 flat to almost 40mph today. ’08 Newport 50 and i’m about 150 lbs…

  185. Gt right on. i started with the carb issues and got quite a bit, then the cdi got me alot more. starts so much better and more pep with the new NGK plug also. The bike needs to be running good before you do a cdi mod, most people just want to crank it, and if it dont run right, messing with the cdi and not getting fuel for the spark, you can burn things up!!

    If anyone needs pics of doing mod’s, i have had so manyyy phone calls and emails on how do do this contact me @ a100dork3@yahoo.com and i will see if i can help.

  186. My 2006 Schwinn 150 has a locked seat.
    It no longer unlocks when the key is turned left.
    How do I unlock it without the key working?

    Thanks for the suggestions and help.

  187. just dropped the wifes schwinn seat off to my buddy who does custom interiors. it is going to look sick! if anyone wants a custom seat done you can send it to him and he can do anything you could think of, flames, tribal, pink, red, blue, gator, you name it.!! if you want his contact info. email me @ a100dork3@yahoo.com. he is cheap and fast and does sweeeeeet work. He is in IL.

  188. Just added the new aftermarket No limit CDI box and matching performance coil. Dont waste the money, didnt do anymore then the stock adjusted CDI and stock coil and was near $100. and scootertronics took almost 2 weeks to get it here.

  189. nick-how did you adjust your stock cdi? i’ve checked mine and i don’t see any adjustment. i’ve also tried afew other things I’ve found online but nothing has worked. sorry to hear you didn’t get anymore gains with the cdi and coil, i was waiting to hear how it turned out. A couple of sites I’ve been to say theres nothihg you can really do to get more out of it, short of changing cc’s. and that is very expensive.

  190. She just said she put cheap low octane gas in it, that could be why also the bike is not running correct or the coil hasnt seemed like it nots making power. i will keep ya posted when we put the good gas 93 oct back in it. dan email me at a100dork3@yahoo.com. i will send ya pics of the cdi mod

  191. Eddie-

    I also have a 150 Graduate, and the seat has never opened when turning to the left for me, at least not since about a week after I got it. I’ve gotten used to turning it to the right instead. Maybe one of these days I’ll see if there’s something mechanical screwed up…

    Anyone know if the NGK CR7HIX is also the correct plug for the 150cc? I also need a new regulator to solve my electrical/charging troubles. I’ve seen them from as low as $20 to as high as $50; anyone know if there’s any difference at all, or is a cheap Chinese scooter part just a cheap Chinese scooter part?

  194. Hi,
    I am about to purchase a 2008 Schwinn Laguna 50cc for $1900.00 do you think this is a good price its tax and everything included. I would greatly appreciate your suggestions.

  195. Not bad, i payed more for the wifes hope, but she had to have a pink one, so i payed the premium for the last pink one.

  196. dennis, go to scootertherapy.com, click on the advice help and tips, click on how to derestrict a kymco moped. itll show you how to remove the variator restrictor, takes about 10 min. for more info check out the scootdawg.com forum, its one of the best out there. all sorts of tips and tricks out there.

  199. Hi Nick,

    Would you mind sending me the CDI mod pictures as well? I have a 2007 Graduate that I would also like to tweak, also you mentioned earlier you did something to the carburetor, could you let me know what you did with that as well? Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated.

    ryancubsfan@gmail.com

    Thank you!

  200. ryan,

    email sent. please you guys post, i want to make sure it is all working for you to. i has helped alot, some it has not.

  201. MAYBE I SHOULD CHARGE $20 PER EMAIL,LOL WHAT IS LABOR RATE THESE DAYS? $70HR,LOL AND THE DEALERSHIPS DONT KNOW JACK!!

  202. well the wife rode her scoot to work today. nice cool day, perfect for engines. she rode it up our steep a@# hill and she said it went right up. the coil and no rev cdi didnt get more top speed, but she said the low end and climb are great. better then stock cdi mod, maybe it could be just the higher output coil and bigger plug gap (more spark)(more power)with more fuel.
    I still dont know if it was worth the 2 week wait and the $100. but she said it went up at 30-32mph and last time was 20mph tops. and there is still the cheap 89 oct gas and not the 93 oct we always run. the good gas should make it run even better

  203. Ok. So thanks to Nick, I’ve gotten my moped to go well beyond 40mph however, this is only on the flats and downhill. I have not been able to adjust the carb yet. According to everyone’s instructions, there should be a little slot-type screw to adjust it and it should be around the same level as the blinker on the left side.

    The thing is, that mine is just a circular brass “plate” with a tiny little hole in it. Any ideas on what to do there?

    Rocky’s too fast for you, see! MAAAH!

  204. sweet. good to hear. you may have a plug in it from the factory for emmissions so you cant adjust it. harleys come the same way. mine was out, but heard others have it, so i never seen one, ours was gone with no plate over carb, exc… most dealers say they take them out to get them running right before they sell them. i have heard this from many. take it back to your dealer to have it removed and tell them to adjust your carb, if not have them take the plug out.

    ours dont go 40mph up hill either, but around 30-32 depending on how steep. our performance coil helped the low end also, them you can buy along for $39.00 @ scootertronics. wouldnt waste the $ on the cdi combo with coil, our aftermarket cdi didnt do much.

    email me back if you got any more questions. i had so many emails in 2 weeks , whats your real name 808c?

  205. I have a schwinn campus in perfect shape, but I took a new job 26 miles away from home so I won’t be able to use it any more, it has just a little over 300 miles, can anyone give me any ideas where can post it to sell it for a reasonable price? i was thinking somewhere between 1200 to 1000 is a good price…..any suggestions?

  207. btw. Nick my name’s Curt. Nice to meet ya. I just rode my buddy’s 72bore 2 stroke and I am now bummed! lol. It felt SO much better. :/

  208. my buddy had a 50cc 2 stroke zuma with a pipe, big bored kit, and alot of mods. it would ride wheelies for days and go 60. they are much better the 4 strokes by far. get a 80cc kit for your schwinn, pipe, and mods. it will be just as fast

  210. ya, the 2 strokes are nice. they have a good power band and fun to play with. you can do alot to these schwinns also. my goal is just to see what i can get out of it, without big bore or tearing it apart. tuning and bolt on’s only. should be enough for us.

  211. Yep. Gonna definitely get a bore kit, gearup, carb, and mod the exhaust. It’s not that I want to go fast(er) but I just cannot stand the uphill struggle; the full throttle burst of…….slow. I also want to be able to get to comfortable speeds swiftly so that I don’t get rammed from the back by old ladies who are not paying attention.

    Anyone know where I can acquire such parts?

  213. 808C..i have a newport 50 ’08..my carb has the same “plate” over the carb adjustment. I tweaked the cdi and get almost 40..uphill still kinda stinks though. My carb seal has a tear in it. I called the dealer yesterday to order me a new one and they’re replacing the whole carb for me!! Hopefully with the new one i’ll be able to adjust the carb on it and get a little better performance.

  215. Good luck, GT.

    Yo Nick. I got that site on bookmark :p. Have you seen the chinese scooter club?

    http://chinesescoots.forumwise.com/forum.html

    Good site with lots of info. After much thought, I think i’m gonna trade my 50 in for 150 vespa and take the insurance plunnnnge. It shouldn’t be too much money and those things are pretty quick and actually have balls :p. No lagging up hills.

    The way I see it is that no matter how much I tweak the 50, it will always be a 50 and lag like that up hills. If i mod it and increase the bore, it then becomes illegal and although most cops will not pull us over if we’re following the speed limit, it only takes on stop doing 40 in a 20 to get me a thousand dollars worth of tickets.

    1) Driving a motor vehicle without insurance
    2) Driving a motorcycle without license
    3) Speeding
    4) Illegal modifications, etc etc (if they choose to do that).

    I’d rather not have to even worry about that. Also, i’ve calculated my 50’s gas mileage at about 40mpg. 40!!!!! WTF???? 40. This is probablyh because I live in a hilly area and i’m almost always full throttle. Might as well get a 150 and pay the insurance. I’ll still save money :p I think. I also like that it’s legal to have two people on it. My lady would love to go cruising on it (so she says)

    BTW, my little four banger car gets about 13 mpg (stupid supercharger! :p) so Even spending another thousand or so on the upgrade is worth it.

    What are your thoughts, dude?

    Pees

  216. Nick, I checked my cdi and it is different, no cover under the glue. I also tried cutting into the case but i didn’t find any wire, I saw this on web somewhere.
    one site i went to said the best gains with keeping the stock mpg the same were changing the variator weights, I think they said to keep half stock and change the others to 4 or 4.5g , alternating they of course. good luck.

  217. as long as your bike is still registored a 50 cc. you will get no tickets, no one will no better you big bored it and so on. its still a 50cc in the states eyes. and yes a 50 is a 50. people dont buy them for power and speed. we may get 60-70 mpg , but far from the 119 they claim. iw ould get a vespa in a heart beat, we are looking for a 60’s vespa now, but going to keep the 50 also as for it is fun. all my friends are cops. i know the law’s,lol and he told me the same as above.

  218. Hrmmm. I might be changing my mind…..again. GOD DAMMIT I’M LIKE A WOMAN! :p (jk, ladies :p). I really don’t want to take the loss etc etc.

    Maybe i’ll try the roller weights first to see if that helps and makes me happy. If not i’ll go with the bore kit. I wonder how loud that 82cc kit would be and how much more maintenance i’d need to do? It would also void my 50’s warranty. DAMN!!! :p

  219. I just found out from my insurance company that full coverage with medical would cost me 206 bucks a year for a 150cc. HAH! I guess I know now where i’ll be going.

    If I take a defensive driving course (for motorcycles). It’s a 50% discount

    103 bucks a year! :p

  220. see people talkin about changin their roller weights, i had an old honda that i put lighter weights on, it accelerated a lot better but i lost some top end, had to change the clutch springs twice before i found the right combo blue springs and 5.5 gram weights.

  221. yes. you have to give alittle to get a little. certain springs will give you more top end, the others will give you torque, but they dont give you both. you make up for it elsewhere. some people mix and match,but gets you close back to stock weight

  222. I just purchased 2 – 2009 Schwinn Sport 50. I only have about 35 miles on them. They will go 30-34 depending on terrain. Does anyone know how to make them faster?

  224. The 150cc version is the same as the SSR metro and Tank Viaggio. I think there is one other re-brand too.

  225. First off I know I’m an idiot…..

    I locked my keys in the trunk and my spare ring is gone. For the life of me I can’t pry it open. I have a graduate 150 and I’m looking for where the seat lock cable is…. can anyone help???

  227. Patrick: You’re not an idiot. It happens to all of us. For some strange reason, we are compelled to do it! The last time it happened to me (last night lol), I easily pushed through the carb cover and got my key out. I hope you have that same cover.

  228. Help! Anyone tried to change the transmission oil on a Newport 150? the hole that they show as the one to add the oil is smaller in diameter than a AAA battery and vertical! They say to use a funnel! HUH? What kind of funnel would work with this? I keep thinking I am not seeing the right hole…but it’s the only one even close to the pic in the manual! Any insight?

  230. Patrick-did you get your trunk open?I know you can get to the ignition thru the front cover,I don’t know if you can pop the trunk from there, but you can get it started by taking the bottom of the switch off and turning by hand( the switch inside the cover you removed, where the wires go in)

  231. Nick: I installed Dr. Pulley 5g weights and the difference is dramatic. It’s a completely different moped now. Raising the rev limit on the CDI, Installing an NGK iridium plug and high performance coil did very little for my laguna50. After de-restricting the CVT, downhill was the only time the moped felt comfortable. Any upward incline sucked. After changing to these Dr Pulley rollers, I’ll do 40-45 on the flats (depending on wind) and get there quickly. A lot less waiting for my speedometer to rise. It no longer crawls up. It moves! I’m still gonna do the bore kit, though 🙂

    With what you’ve done with your moped, these weights would possibly be what you’re looking for. I’d change those before you do anything else like exhaust and stuff unless you’ve already done it. I got mine from Ebay from some dude in taiwan.

    Cheers!

  232. i though of changing them, but was trying to see what i could get out of it STOCK before i tore into the whole scooter. im sure the weights would work great. done some more tweeking. scoot runs real good.

  233. That’s cool 😉 When you do change them, you will be super happy 😉

    Btw it took me 9 minutes to change my weights and fricken 15 to change my damned coil

  234. I just purchased a Valo 50. I love the design and handling but the power is pathetic. The middle half of the throttle range is dead..it feels like you just turned the throttle off. Is this normal? It will do 35 mph on the level but slows down to 20 on a slight hill. Downhill, the limiter keeps it at 35 also. Also, the gas mileage seems to be poor. Are all of these problems normal or is it still breaking in? Thanks for you help.

  235. The poor gas could be just breaking in, and your speed is limited to 35 on flat. Ours did 20 up hills also. for tips on speed read all of the above posts from 1/2 way up the page down

  236. Nick, I tweaked the carburetor screw and the CDI screw and now I get 40 mph on the level and 25 mph up a medium size hill. I am a happier camper! Thanks alot.

  237. GOOD TO HEAR. Just keep tweeking. every scooter runs different, you can get more or less out of them. go to thinner oil like fully syn 10w30 honda oil and the ngk ird plug and you can get a little more, and good maintaince.

  238. Nick, Well I am confused My CDI is completely covered in “black plastic” I do not see any adjustments at all and I have read all your remarks/replies. (I even went on EBAY to look at CDI’s for sale… they all look just like mine completly black with a white connector on one end .. but no screw to adjust) Am I crazy? Please help..

  239. Jeff, if yours is like mine, there is a little rubber plug in the opposite side (about 1/4 x 1/2 inch). Remove this plug and underneath is a tiny variable resistor with a tiny screw. I turned my screw clockwise in half turn moves and then took the scooter for a ride. I ended up 4 turns in for the best performance. If I went further then its hill climbing speed went down. I hope this helps you.

  241. NICK:
    I guess my Hope is a little different from the one your girl has. I did the cdi mod and got about +2-3mps out of her (at least now she’ll do 30mph pretty consistently), but when I got the carb plug out and tweaked the set screw for the needle, it didn’t do a thing. I went in 1/2 step increments till I feared the screw was going to come out and got nothing. I removed the muffler/exhaust to check for limitors, and there are none. Is there something I am missing?

  242. I purchased a Graduate 150 in the summer of 2007 to save gas for a daily 20 mile commute. Unfortunately, I was not able to get licensed for the bike til the spring of 2008, so much of my warranty time had already expired. I discovered by the first 300 mile fluids change that the stated gas mileage was inflated twofold. I also discovered that the 0.8 quart oil capacity was an overstatement; and that the oil overflow tube on my bike had been installed incorrectly, causing the excess oil to back out of the air filter. By the way, the dealership stated this incorrect installation on the overflow tube, then went on to explain that schwinn warranty did not cover this. Other items that have been a major headache are a rear brake that will not hold adjustment, idle that will not hold when the bike is stopped (a real pain in traffic); and numerous bolts that refuse to remain tightened. I had lost several bolts by the 300 mile checkup point; and several others since that time, even though I have tried to check all that I can on a regular basis. Bolts have come lose from the transmission housing, air filter housing, fender, muffler brackets, and most recently both bolts holding the right side rear triangle together fell out on a 20 mile trip, leaving only the shock assembly to hold on to the rear wheel on that side. The only two things consistent so far with this product have been the poor workmanship and the stance of Schwinn that nothing is covered by warranty. I now have 2500 miles on the bike and only hope I can get it to hold together long enough to get it sold.

  243. Please do NOT buy the Schwinn Graduate 50cc.

    I have owned one for a year and a half, with 1800 miles on it now. I drive 4-6 miles a day on it.

    1) Key switch (ignition switch) has literally disintegrated twice, internally. They use some form of metal that just falls apart after a few months. I have jerry-rigged mine to work, I don’t recommend you do the same, my wheel lock and glove-box latch no longer work because of this. I am putting a tractor switch on it this weekend. FAIL!

    2) Flashers do not flash anymore.FAIL!

    3) The dealership (Schwinn retailer) cannot get it tuned right, it has an annoying hesitation when accelerating and ALWAYS has. FAIL!

    4) Rear brake needs adjusting every month or so.FAIL! Front never does and is powerful (disc).

    5) Has mysteriously shut off on me, after going only half-mile long before the engine could have possibly overheated. After waiting a minute or two, it restarted. This happened twice. FAIL!

    6) The starter does not function properly. I have to hit the “start” button REPEATEDLY if the weather is cold before the starter actually does anything but whine/buzz. FAIL!

    7) The “Schwinn Quality” logo that sits on the instrument panel fell off the first week I had it. Some quality. FAIL.

    BUY THE YAMAHA OR THE HONDA. The Schwinn looks great, but cannot be trusted.

  244. THATS WEIRD. WE HAVE HAD OURS ALMOST A YEAR, AND NOT A GLITCH. NOTHING HAS BROKE, CAME LOOSE, RUNS GREAT, HOLDING UP WONDERFUL. NO I GOT IT RUNNING BETTER, I WOULD BUY ANOTHER IF I HAD TOO. IT ALSO SITS IN A GARAGE ALSO. NOW HAS 350 MILES. DEALERSHIPS CANT TUNE THEM. I KNOW I GOT SO MANY EMAILS ASKING FOR HELP. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE A BIG WASTE. ITS NOT A MONEY MAKER FOR THEM, JUST ANOTHER FRANCHISE TO PUT ON THE DOOR,

  245. FOR SALE- 2 stock exhaust for schwinns, brand new. never mounted. 1 for a 50cc fits the 08 hope, but has a different style of a exhaust shield, looks better. also have a 150 cc exhaust. I know it is a schwinn, but dont know what it fits. has neat chrome shield.

    email a100dork3@yahoo.com for pics and info. I was going to cut them up and make cool exhaust (loud no baffles) stock looking, for the wifes. id rather leave it alone it runs great now. retail is $110+ each. genuine scwhinn powdercoated black and I have one seal ring that goes with to the first buyer of whatever exhaust pipe.

    and i will tell you this, i had a hell of a time getting exhaust. the part numbers listed for your bike, if you order them, you will get the wrong exhaust!!!!

  247. Selling our hope scooter. may have a like new aftermarket cdi box and coil for sale also. i will just put mod stock one back on, so someone can have full warranty. IF someone in IL and wants a nice pink scoot for the wife, let me know. Ours is very nice, under 300 miles and like new.

  249. I bought a 2008 Valo 150 ( Schwinn ) I got it from a good motorcycle shop near home so I can take it back for work if needed. However it is doing great and getting 63 MPG at this point. I have not finished the 300 mile break so it may get a little better. I have to tell ya guys it is a nice scooter and it is doing exactly what they said it would do ……….

  250. I’ve been reading this thread, and no one has yet answered a question that has been repeatedly asked: How would one change a flat, by the side of the road? What tools would be required, etc?
    Similarly, how long at a time can one safely operate a 50cc without stopping and cooling down?
    I would like to use one for longer trips than most people use scooters for, but I don’t want to ruin the bike in the process.I was thinking ride three hours, and let it cool for one.That’s probably about all I could take myself, but would that be adequate rest for the bike?
    Thanks in advance to anyone willing to answer these two questions…

  252. SHANE,

    I dont see what you couldnt ride it all day. on trips if not in town it shouldnt (engine) work as hard as stop and go. the wife took hers on a scoot ralley and went up even some monster steep hills and had no issues. We run fully syn oil to help cool it alittle and a thinner weight so it dont work so hard. the 15w40 seems very heavy for a little aircooled 50cc motor, and a different spark plug.

    I hate to say this, but even tho a scoot tire has a tube, if your worried about a flat, get a bottle of green slime (autostore). that stuff will seal anything fast and atleast maybe get you somewhere. or fix a flat it atleast has air. otherwise fixxing a flat on the side of the road could be a pain and so on. or take a small pump.

    not much info, but my thoughts

  253. NEWPORT 50 AT 1600 MILES
    I bought her new early May 2008 at beginning of the gas crisis. What started out as an excellent way to commute to work and save money ended up as love affair with scootering.
    I’ve ridden her daily throughout most of the year, except recently when the Kansas weather has become frigid and icy, but she’s good to go whenever I am.
    The only major complaint I have with this bike is the electric starting system. The weak little battery crapped out on me in October when the temps dropped below 50, so I replaced it with the OEM unit ordered by the dealer, and added a Battery Tender. Now I get pretty much the same result as with the original battery. The bike will not start with the electronic system first thing in the morning, and I have to kick her over after she has sat outside work all day. In between, the electric start works. I’m thinking either the OEM battery is a turd, or the starter system lacks the nut to turn the thing over when cold. Not a big deal, I kick start her with no problems.
    Other than that, I’ve changed out the oil twice, replaced the spark plug and a burned out tail light. Nothing more.
    She is not a fast machine. I gave up on the idea of performance tweaks when I decided to buy a new scoot. She is restricted at around 32mph, and slugs down to 20 or less on long or steep inclines. I’m kind of on the big side (6 ft, 225) so that’s no doubt part of the problem. That’s also why I get only 60-70mpg. But as a big guy, I would say the bike is well proportioned for riders of my size.
    The underseat storage is great for a small scooter and everything has remained attached and intact. Dealer support has been OK, I haven’t needed to use the 2 year warranty Otherwise she is a fun and reliable, very agile, good looking and economical way to get around. As I mentioned, she’s responsible for getting me obsessed with scootering.
    Will I buy another Schwinn? Probably not. There are too many good choices available in bigger bikes. Would I recommend it as a good value first bike? Yes, but if I knew then what I know now, I’d look in to other manufacturers first (Kymco, SYM, Genuine) if possible, and compare dealers. I really like the dealer that sold me the Schwinn, but scooters are a side line for their motorcycle business. I truly believe you buy the dealer as much as you buy the scooter, and there are some great all scooter dealers out there if you happen to live in or near a metro area, so go there first if you can.

  254. can anyone tell me how fast a stock newport150 will go.im about to buy one and need to go on the freeway sometimes and want to make sure ill be okay.the city i live in has alot of hills

  256. UPDATE TO 1600 MILE REPORT ON NEWPORT 50
    Within days of posting the above report, my Newport crapped out on me while on my ride home from work. Just stopped. I hauled it in to the dealer and they found the carb jets were completly clogged shut. I use Stabil in the gas and buy premium. They charged me 2 hours labor to take apart and clean the carb at $78.50/hr. Not covered on warranty. They said these things are common with small engines. Does that sound right? Not such a happy Schwinn owner at the moment.

  257. bill b,

    when i had my schwinn and it didnt run good. i emailed and called like 30 dealers around the country for info. they said that was common. some of the webcites say thats common also. they are a cheap jets. kehein jets fit these carbs and when i redo my carb again i will buy a good jet. wouldnt hurt to put a good fuel filter on it also. common with small engines? i dont think so. just cheap quality jets and filters. i was also told when the carbs got built they used at the factory like a rust prohibitor that also cloggs the jetts from the FACTORY. i was told that buy other dealerships around the midwest. id call around for example and you will find out what i am telling you is true! certain dealers clean the carbs and tune them before they sell them, most do not and this is where your problem is. Just a crappy dealer who got you. plus they come lean from the factory and with carb tunning you can make them run smoother and faster!

    good luck

    a100dork3@yahoo.com with more questions. you can read all my posts above

  258. I have (and had) small cc bikes from the ’60s and ’70s and they’ve never had clogged jets, only the bikes that have sat for 10 plus years. There’s probably some sort of reaction happening with the gas and the jet material or something they added to the fuel system. You definitely want high quality brass jets in your carbs. Either way, they owe you.

    -todd

  259. there is a alum plug in the side of the carb and behind that is the adjustement to make it rich or lean. you know by looking at this, if it is removed the dealer adjusted the carb and got it running better before they sold it. if not it will still be in there. same as with my harleys. they have to do that to pass emmissions. all bikes come real lean from the factory. it gives it that (hicup) in the throttle.

  260. same dead engine problem others have talked on, seems as though everyone has advice or stories about how to fix/mod everything else, but noone has really written in any detail on how they fixed their issues with the dead engine….any adivce. I have changed spark plug, fuel filter, Checked all fuel lines, changed the carb and tuned it, checked compression (solid at 100PSI with no leak after 5 min), shot wires to include CDI, verified fuel flow up to the carb and in the intake manifold and have found nothing. The bike will start right up and run about 20 seconds, get to about 7 MPH and then slowly dies out, wont start for about 20 tries, then will get going again and die out. does this for 10 min or so and sometimes it will catch but only go about 15 MPH and will run until i idle and then it will die, sometimes it will never stay on. Wondering if i should just change the engine? not too familiar with small engine maintenance so that is the last thing i can think to do. i have plenty of spark, compression, fuel flow, just cant keep the scooter on for more then 1 minute and when it does run it runs really slow. only has 300 miles on it, schwinn graduate 50cc, wont kick start either, never did. thougths?

  261. if anyone is interested i may have a near new stock modded cdi for sale and matching coil. might have sold scoot, and it had a aftermarket cdi, stock cdi worked much better. dont waste money on aftermarket crap

  263. changed all the vaccum lines as well, even had a good friend who has worked on scooters for like 20 years work on it for a week or so off and on and he said everything was imacculate. Only thing he did not tear into was the engine because he does not have much small engine knowledge nor the parts to work on the 50cc engine if we messed something up at the time. it pulls a good vaccuum off the manifold. I pulled the gas line going into the carb and sucked a vaccuum as well as left the vaccum from the manifold, both created good gas flow, good aspirated gas as well out of the carb into the manifold. that is why the only thing i can really single out if the engine because everything else has seemed to work accordingly. A few of the posts had mentioned vavlve gaps being off? think that would lead to this? also my break in was a little hot so may have overheated the engine a bit? still has compression with no leakage, all the info i could find says 50cc scooters only need 100 psi to run and mine was right at 100-105..?

  265. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN A EITHER A 150 CC OR A 50CC BRAND NEW STOCK SCHWINN EXHAUST OR A 50 CC SCHWINN AFTER MARKET CDI/ COIL PLEASE EMAIL ME AT NZIEGLER@ISTATE.COM ASAP. SELLING THE SCOOT. OR I WILL KEEP THE AFTERMARKET STUFF ON AND SELL THE STOCK CDI WITH MOD. COIL WITH LESS THEN 75 MILES ON IT.

  266. I had purchased a 2008 Schwinn Newport 50 back in June from a local dealer. I live in Buffalo, NY and I don’t need to get on the thruway or major highways to get to where I am going. I haven’t had many problems with this bike, but I noticed that if you don’t use 93 octane in it, it likes to sputter a bit. this bike doesn’t like the cold at all, I took it off the road in the middle of December 2008 and I put it back on the road in January 2009. It starts slow when you are at a dead stop and when there is a hill or a small grade. But on flats it flies. Other than that I love this little bike. It costs me $1.40 a week to fill it. A lot of compliments are offered about this bike. I would like to know though, is there a place where I can buy a sidecar for this bike?

  267. I ONLY RUN 93 OCT IN THE WIFES SCOOT. RUNS SO MUCH BETTER. 89 DIDNT RUN QUITE RIGHT. USUALLY YOU ONLY NEED HIGH OCTANE FOR HIGH COMPRESSION. THE SCHWINNS ARE VERY COLD BLOODED THATS FOR SURE!

  268. I have the 2009 Schwinn 50 VALO that I got in 2008. I love it. My other half tryed to ride it one day and drove into the side of our house and . The Valo still runs good but I need a right side rear view mirror. I have tryed at the dealer but I am geting the run around. Would someone help me with this. (Where do I get one and how much would it cost ?) You may E-mail me or write Melvin Wilson P.O. box 103 Barclay, Maryland 21607 Thank you very much

  269. I have a stock CDI with the mod done as seen in posts above with a stock coil for sale and wire. has maybe 100 miles on it, just sold our schwinn and have the cdi and exhausts left. send offer to nziegler@istate.com. it will pep up that bike for sure.

  270. I have a schwinn sport 50 and it has been great to me. stock it would top out at about 35 mph. OK for around town but I wanted more. It has since been modded out pretty good. i’ve added a high output coil, iridium spark plug, no rev limit cdi, dr pully rear clutch, polini variator, an mrp racing exhaust, an uni filter, and re jetted it. It now takes off much better and hits a top speed of about 45 mph and my motor isn’t even topping out completely. When I added the electrical mods before I did the transmission upgrades it reved much higher than stock. Now it does about the stock rpms but with 10 mph more speed and better acceleration. I also have a 72cc kit coming in the mail and will be adding that shortly. Hopefully that will top my motor out. If not, Then I’ll add a keihin 20mm carb, and a high performance cam.

  271. I purchased a Schwinn graduate 150 last summer, I am very happy with it.The only problem I have had with it is the Throttle was a little loose when I first got it.There is plenty of roll-on power and I average about 60 mpg.I ride it to work every day weather permitting,about 12 miles round trip.I have had it up to 55 mph on flat conditions.It is almost prime riding weather here in Nebraska and I am ready to ride!!!

  272. I bought 4 schwinn scooters last year and I’m glad I did. We looked at several makes and models before deciding on the schwinn’s. The Schwinn’s were cheaper, got up to speed better and had a high end speed. We have two sport 150’s, one Collegiate and one graduate. The sport 150 will do 60 easly and get around 70 mpg. The collegiate will get up to 40 but does take a bit and gets about 115 mpg. The Graduate however we have had a few problems with. Last fall the dealer put a new carburator on it after messing with it for some time. It seems to run ok but we need some nice weather to get a better idea. The dealer has been great for us as well. My son has a friend with a Honda so they ride around together. The Honda lacks in everything compared to the Schwinn.
    Overall, very happy with the purchase!

  273. Hi all!! Great to see some info on the Schwinn scooters. My husband and I purchased the 2008 Hope 150 and 2007 Newport 150. We’ve ridden them the last two months and LOVE them. I weigh 125 and my husband is 200lbs. and have no problem jetting up to 60+. They feel like solid machines. Smooth, quiet and start right up (as long as the kickstand is up 😉 We are planning lots of vacations with these scooters. We almost went for the 50cc’s but decided that we might want to hit some 50mph highways. The price was almost the same! We got a great deal: $3500 for both, WITH cargo racks/carriers, 3 helmets and a windshield for me. So far, we’re really happy with them. (knock on wood)

  274. I am thinking about purchasing a new Schwinn Newport 150, also looking at a used 2007 Genuine Buddy 125. The Schwinn is like 2200 brand new and the buddy is 2700 used. Does anyone have the newport 150, how do you like it? Trying to decide which way to go. Thanks

  275. Hey guys I hope this helps. I bought a Schwinn Collegiate 06′ from a newspaper ad. The 50cc scooter had 18 miles on it at the time. $1000. Now I have put 3300 miles on it with few problems. I live in Michigan so we do have some cold weather. It does have trouble starting and staying running in cold weather. I average about 34mph. I weigh 140pds. Overall in the summer this thing is great. Schwinn says it gets 118 mpg but I get about 95mpg. The starter works but sounds funny at times. Also, the kickstart works sometimes, but at times it will jam up in a way. Overall I’m happy with the buy so far. Anyone have more miles than me on their 50cc?

  276. I have 2 scooters, Yamaha Zuma 50cc derestricted, and an Apilia SR 50 factory derestricted, both have over 3000 miles on them. Neither has ever needed to see the shop, both are 2-stroke, fast and easy to maintain (oil change, ect) My Aprilia will go 57mph, 42mph uphill and around 50 on the flat. Zuma slightly slower. I weigh 200lbs, my girlfriend 125lbs and we are both comfortable. I’ve looked at the Schwinn, I’m constantly looking for others to join my collection, I’ll wait for more reviews, but thought I’d lay in my recommendations. Buy Italian, like a Ferrari, Masseratti, Lambrighini, Pavoratti, Spaghetti, and Cannoli’s these things are sweet. Aprilia Factory SR50., *****

  277. Tweaked the CDI box, 4 turns cw as a previously noted. Worked like a charm, got 5mph and helped throttle response.

  278. We looked at the Vino 150 and the Schwinn Newport 150 and bought the Newport. I love it and have been able to get it up to 62mph. It is a little on the light side and I don’t like to ride it when the winds are high. I ride on country roads most of the time and the wind can really make you lean. Aside from that I love this scooter.

  279. Now I have had the 2006 Schwinn Graduate for 2 years, 2500 miles. I’ve had to limp it along the whole time.

    –Still has hesitation when it accelerates, but the dealer is useless and I’m not sure how to check it out.

    — The factory sent me a new ignition switch for free since the last one (which was the 3rd switch the bike has had) crapped out but was out of warranty. I had to do the labor myself, which was easy enough.

    — Connectors on the ignition switch went bad and would only work if you wiggled them, so I had to toss the connectors and just splice the wires directly together. This part works like a champ now.

    — They also sent me a new relay for the turn signal, but now the turn signal switch jams. Relay works fine IF you can get the toggle switch to toggle.

    — Ignition power switch/toggle is sticking, sometimes almost impossible to toggle it to “on”.

    — Finally, it’s beginning to stall and the power on it is horrid. Where it used to cruize at 25mph going up a slight hill that I drive every day, it only does about 10. I haven’t ruled out a clogged fuel filter (which is no fault of Schwinn at all), I have ruled out maintenance— all the oil and tranny oil is fresh.

    Overall, the bike has gotten me where I need to go sometimes, sometimes it just konks out, mostly due to electrical/switch problems.

    Like I said about 20 posts up, GET THE HONDA OR YAMAHA!!!! Better yet, a Honda Shadow, lol.

    Does anyone know where the fuel filter is on this bike? I see what might be a fuel filter up close to the gas tank– shaped a lot like the thermostat an a car- (round with a cone shape to it)— two lines coming out, but I’m not totally sure. I’ll have to try to burn off more of the gas before I try to remove it.

  280. a ways back i read a lot about the scooter mysteriously dying, it will run momentarily and then lose power and shut off, as well as slowly over time losing power…finally found a good fix as i dealt with this for 6 months. I had lot of mechanics look at it and I did a lot of work myself…went through the entire fuel system, changed out fuel fiter, verified aspirated fuel was being spread into intake manifold, checked all the vacuum lines, swapped out a carb, swapped in a new CDI/Coil/spark plug to check…didnt fix it, compression was not bleeding down, stayed at just over 100 psi…which is low by the way for the 50cc graduate, should be upwards of 150-170, and on and on….bottom line was after all this the problem ended up being just a stuck exhaust valve, it was staying open, you can check this by taking off the silver cover on the front side of the intake…simple 5 min fix and cost nothing…just an adjustment. so if you randomly find that your scooter is losing power and eventually starts just slowing down and turning off mysteriously…take a quick second to check this and it may solve your problem and eliminate the money and headache i went through

  281. I have a 2007 Schwinn graduate. Bought it with 90 miles on it. Was working fine, I was riding around stopped for gas, went to start it back up and it was dead. Nothing. Tried kick starting it too and nothing. I’ve noticed a few people having similar problems…how do you know if it is the battery or the regulator or something else? Wasn’t too much fun pushing it home. Thanks for any info.

  282. Where to start… a nice try that failed? My son bought one and it’s had several problems. The charging system is barely sufficient to keep the battery charged, improved by using led lights. The kick start moon gear broke. The plastic will break easily. Throw away the factory spark plug plug and get a NKG replacement. Power is (was) weak kneed, even for a small bore scooter. And the biggest disappointment, a dealership that seemed to not really care, so bad I drove it 90 miles to find a shop with a better reputation and level of service. Eventually we installed a big bore kit to get acceptable acceleration. It’s taken a lot of effort to get what we should have gotten in the first place, something that ran well enough for in town transportation.

  283. Love my Schwinn Graduate. Bought it new in 07′ and I’ve broke down once, intake manifold cracked in half. I weigh about 130lbs I hit 65mph all the time from stop light to stop light. Up-hill I can hold about 50mph (7-8%grade). After reading these reviews it seems the company doesn’t have a consistent build. some get terrible scooters and others get pretty reliable ones. Anyway, its cheaper(if you get a good scoot) and much easier to park than a car.