When I was a kid back in the 1960’s we would make jokes about the products imported from Japan. And as I got older these jokes shifted from Japan to Taiwan. Well today the low cost manufacturers are primarily located in China.

It’s hard to pick up a product today and not see the “Made in China” label on it somewhere. Almost every company, regardless of where they are based in the world, is having products, or components of their products, produced in China. And these companies include some of the best known names in the world.

Today, China produces over 50% of the world’s scooters and motorcycles. This represents over 7 million units. ZNEN, the company that builds our scooters produces some 280,000 scooters and motorcycles per year. Not the largest manufacturer in China but one that is considered to be in the top tier of quality scooter manufacturers.

Earlier I spoke to the fact that the Chinese are very good at coping things, including themselves. As a result, when you consider that there are over 35 scooter and motorcycle manufacturers in China you can imagine the difference in quality you may find between them.

As you may know from experience, looks can be deceiving. Just because the pictures on the internet of two scooters look the same doesn’t mean they are when they arrive in a crate at your home. Compare the price, the warranty and the commitment of service that is offered. The better it is the better the product usually is and reflective in a higher price. But please be careful here. I’ve seen internet resellers that offer long term or lifetime warranties. “When people offer things that are outside the norm of others in the same industry it usually causes a light to come on for me”. When you read the details of their warranty they in fact only offer that on a limited number of parts and that is only if you have had the scooter assembled by a certified mechanic and also had all the scheduled maintenance done by a certified mechanic as well. So in reality, when you put the scooter together and change the oil yourself, when it arrives, you have voided the warranty. Others only offer a 90 day part warranty on the engine and nothing else. So the frame, electrical systems and battery are as is, with no warranty. And what are you going to do if you feel they took advantage of you when they are located thousands of miles away on the other side of the US?

A quality scooter is comprised of many components and the quality of each is very important to its overall reliability.

The frame is the backbone of the scooter. How good was the steel that was used to manufacture it?

The wiring harness and electrical components and switches are the nerve system of the scooter. Are they made of high quality material?

The body panels’ covering the frame gives the scooter its personality and appearance. What grade and thickness of plastic and metal where used to make them?

The brand and quality of the tires, brakes and battery can make a big difference in the safety and reliability of the scooter. ZNEN and Carolina Scooters have sourced some of the better components for our line of scooters. For example we use Yuasa batteries, Deli carburetors, Gates drive belts and Department of Transportation certified fuel hoses, catalyst, and front turning lights that meet the latest DOT 16 inch distance requirements.

We could buy a cheaper scooter but in the long run our customers wouldn’t be happy. And if there not happy, we aren’t happy. So we decided to do it right or not do it at all. Life is simply too short to have a bunch of unhappy customers talking trash about our company and products on the internet scooter forums. We hope you agree and join us as we address the high cost of gasoline.

If you ever feel that we don’t offer the best scooter, warranty and service for the price please give us a call or drop us an email. We do care what you think!