Overall I am pleased with my Zuma II. Simple to ride and quite practical in an urban area. I routinely commute about 15 miles each way to work with no problems, rain or shine. Not to mention never having to worry about parking downtown! Small enough to fit on half a sidewalk and lock to a signpost....
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Overall I am pleased with my Zuma II. Simple to ride and quite practical in an urban area. I routinely commute about 15 miles each way to work with no problems, rain or shine. Not to mention never having to worry about parking downtown! Small enough to fit on half a sidewalk and lock to a signpost. The engine seems to run well. Quick pickup off the line makes it easy to get out of the way at an intersection; a little lag around 15-20 mph, then a stronger band of power up to 30 mph, and I get about 40 mph top speed on a level surface (32-35 uphill, maybe 43 downhill). Stay off highways, of course, but it is fine on back roads, and even on many numbered local highways in my area. Very stable handling; I have hit sizable potholes and patches of sand and kept control. A friend of mine with the same model has even ridden it (slowly!) on a snowy road and been OK - would certainly not recommend this to anyone, but he has dropped a motorcycle under similar conditions and says the scooter was much easier to stabilize; lightweight and low to the ground. Tire traction is quite good, even on bumpy roads. 45 degree lean around corners is no problem, and you can swerve around obstacles very quickly. Can carry a passenger reasonably comfortably - acceleration is a bit slower in that case, and you have to be more careful about potholes or it will bottom out the suspension (uncomfortable). Also it may be difficult to see behind you as the mirrors do not stick out far to the side and the passenger may block your view. Has an electric quick-start although I often need to use the quickstart to get it going if the engine is cold, especially in colder weather. Has been quite reliable in general and it is a joy to get minor repairs or tune-ups for less than $100! If you know how to do repairs yourself, it is quite straightforward mechanically. Burns a little oil with the gas and lubricates itself, so no need to do oil changes. Had it in a New England barn for over three years while I was away, not professionally prepared for storage at all (rushed departure), and got it running when I got back just by clearing a bit of goop out of the carburetor and replacing the battery. Expect some brown smoke if you haven't ridden it for months; it clears up after a bit. The front brake is not as strong as I would like - possibly just needs adjustment, not sure. Rear brake is strong enough to lock the wheel. OK suspension, though not much travel, so you need to cut speed on poorly paved roads. Have ridden it briefly on dirt roads and it was fine. Good dual headlights, very visible. Fuel tank doesn't hold much; don't plan on going too far from a gas station. I get maybe 60 mpg: the two-stroke engine is not so efficient. If you ride close to the top speed, it will run low on gas more quickly than if you stay in the 30mph range, since you need to keep the throttle wide open for the last few mph. My model doesn't seem to have any under-seat storage, which is unfortunate. There is a rear rack you can tie things to, and a helmet lock and a U-loop for a cable lock (necessary in urban areas for such a lightweight vehicle - two people can get it into a pickup truck without much effort). Rear-view mirrors are a pain to adjust; you need to do some magic with two wrenches to get them to be tightened in the correct position if they come loose. All in all, I would recommend this scooter if you are looking for a used one. (Was inexpensive new, too.) The current models sound like they may be faster and have better storage.
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