SBF X8ers Cafe 2009 / 2010

[recko]

I think the replies in this thread seem quite useful to newbies, it's good for them to gain some troubleshooting knowledge on their own machines.

 

I'd like to add on from Resse bro's post is that having a headlight switch is useful because if the batt is weak and your bike has the headlight on automatically by default w/o a headlight switch, then it will weaken the batt even further as there might not be enough voltage to support/start at all. (Experts, pls correct me if I'm wrong!!! )

 

I dun ride a X8 or X9, but these are experiences I've gained from some of my frenz and relatives who are riding them... CHEERS!!!

[Reese]

dat's the only reason why i installed the switch... as runner is automatic transmission, there's no way to jumpstart except thru slave cable on another machine

[un-sith]

hmmm, to check if its weak battery, without multimeter or voltmeter, try hitting the horn once. If it sounds good, which means batt is strong, then u shd diagnose other possibilities.

 

perhaps spark plug cap came loose, starter motor weak etc

 

2 cents

[newbee]

Hi there.... me newBee

 

Any one know how to adjust the time show at the meter? just bought my bike and only realise the time not match....

 

Thanks

[sid]

open the left hand side glove compartment, at the top right hand corner (or left) there is a knob tat states 'RES' turn the dial to adjust the time

 

Welcome to the X8ers club

[newbee]

Thanks....

[sid]

No worries

[weeliano]

Hello fellow X8ers!

 

So far my scooter has been performing admirably and I'm quite satisfied with it's performance despite it's problems in the beginning. Right now I face another problem but I think for this one, I am partly at fault. It was raining very heavily recently and I had to ride in the rain and sometimes during the evening. In order to increase my visibility I managed to press the light switch downwards all the way until both lights are on and the switch stayed there when I pressed at the corner of the switch. I've been doing this during rainy days and what I didn't realize was that I'm depleting my battery faster than I can recharge it!

 

When I went to start my engine on Saturday morning just to warm it up in the rainy and cold weather, the starter motor just won't budge and the light indicators showed a marked decrease in brightness. I knew immediately that I'm out of battery power. I opened the battery hatch and measured the voltage using a voltmeter and it was around 11.1Volts, and at the same time, the battery was powering the storage light. I thought that was it, I have to send the bike to have the battery recharged. Luckily I remembered I had a couple of high powered Lithium Polymer batteries I used for flying model planes and they are rated at 12Volts and more than 2000 mAh. I managed to hook up one of the battery and successfully started my engine! Now all I have to do is to ride around until my scooter's lead acid battery is recharged.

 

Besides sending the scooter to the workshop to get it recharged, is there any device out there I can use to refresh and re-charge my battery when it goes flat?

 

Hope my experience will help everyone keep an eye on their battery.

 

Cheers!

[sid]

The issue of batteries or battery not charging is a common problem with the newer X8. Makes me wonder are there any faults from the bike?

 

So far 2 X8 faced this problem in the past week alone. And both less than 1 year old.

[newbee]

hi,

 

can i ask how to add "water" and i know that X8 have reserve petrol, how can i use the reserve petrol if i run out?

[sid]

what do u mean by add wayer?

 

for X8 we don't have a lever or a switch / button to start using the reserve petrol. It will automatically starts using the reserved petrol once the fuel light indicator turns on.

[weeliano]

Hi newBee,

 

If you are referring to adding water for your liquid coolant system, then you must unscrew the right hatch using a philips screw driver that comes in a mini tool kit under the seat. When you have removed the hatch, you will see a coolant cap. Unscrew the coolant cap by turning counter clockwise, and before you unscrew the coolant cap, make sure the scooter is not running and has cooled down at least 15 minutes. Unscrew slowly and carefully. To top up the coolant, USE ONLY DISTILLED water, you can use "Battery Water" they sell at gas stations, as it is the same thing. If you are using specially formulated coolant, just follow the instructions that comes with it, usually you will need to mix 50% distilled water and 50% coolant.

 

Actually, the best thing for you to do is to take the X8 manual, sit down and read through it completely. You will find most of your answers for your questions regarding the X8. I also highly recommend this book.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Scooter-Book-Everyth...g/dp/1844250954

[weeliano]

Last Friday,my Scooter battery went Flat! Apparently, my riding around for a week is not enough to charge up the battery. I ended up having to leave my scooter at my workplace and go home by public transport! I returned the next morning and re-started my scooter with my portable LiPo Battery and decided that I had better re-charge my scooter's battery with a proper charger.

 

Drove my scooter to Sim Lim Tower and bought myself a Newstar Lead Acid "smart" battery charger for $28. I also bought a new sealed 12V lead acid battery and crocodile clips and wires for electric start up emergencies. Once I arrived home I removed my scooter battery and hooked it up to my charger. When handling the scooter lead acid battery, be very careful, as the acid drops can eat your scooter's paint job as I've discovered, do not let the acid drip onto your marble floor or else it will start to dissolve the surface and cloud it. When I measured the voltage before charging, it was around 9V! It's almost dead! After charging it for about 18 hours, it measured more than 13V.

 

I'm happy to say now that starting up my scooter is a breeze and I can feel that it's more responsive and peppier! Also I discovered that it's a good practice to dust your scooter with a slim toilet bowl plastic bristle brush, but of course do it when the scooter is cold, otherwise the brush will melt! There is a hatch under the seat of of the X8 and removing that hatch will give you access to the carburettor and the throttle springs. Recently, my throttle doesn't spring back as smoothly when it was brand new, I thought it was the rain, but after dusting the spring, the throttle now springs back easily.

[weeliano]

Hi all,

 

My X8 cannot start this morning but the head light is on when I turn the key.

Can someone please give me some advice as I am very new to biking?

My X8 is coming 5 months old and mileage is 4K+.

So far only changed engine oil twice at 1K and 3K, nothing else.

 

Best regards,

Lawrence Yeu.

 

Hi Lawrence, it's a late reply but I guess my experience will help other X8 owners when they encounter this problem. Your problem sounds exactly like the problem I'm experiencing for the past week. Since your light is still on, it is most likely a weak battery. My X8 is also around same age as yours and nearing 4K mileage and went for the 1k and 3K servicing. I attribute my weak battery to having 2 of my headlights switched on during rainy weather ( you can read about it here)

 

The battery compartment is located right under the seat with the battery hatch removable with the philips screwdriver that comes with toolkit under the seat. If you have a spare 12V battery with enough amperage, you can try hooking it up (make sure the polarity is correct!) and try to start the scooter and drive it to the nearest service center. If not, you can try to charge the battery yourself using a Lead Acid battery charger available at the Sim Lim Tower basement store selling rechargeable batteries. You can read about my experience here

 

Hope this is informative to all!

[weeliano]

Does anyone know where I can get a little bit of the Champagne Gold paint for my scooter? I've been getting all sorts of nicks and scratches to my body work and just want to patch it up. The colour must be exact otherwise it won't match the original metallic Gold.

 

Went to Future Scootering just now but realized that they don't sell the paint. I was referred to a Goh Leng by Mr. Yap, called the number but no one picked up.

 

Any referrals would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

[matchbox9]

Originally posted by weeliano@February 05, 2007 02:18 pm

Last Friday,my Scooter battery went Flat! Apparently, my riding around for a week is not enough to charge up the battery. I ended up having to leave my scooter at my workplace and go home by public transport! I returned the next morning and re-started my scooter with my portable LiPo Battery and decided that I had better re-charge my scooter's battery with a proper charger.

 

Drove my scooter to Sim Lim Tower and bought myself a Newstar Lead Acid "smart" battery charger for $28. I also bought a new sealed 12V lead acid battery and crocodile clips and wires for electric start up emergencies. Once I arrived home I removed my scooter battery and hooked it up to my charger. When handling the scooter lead acid battery, be very careful, as the acid drops can eat your scooter's paint job as I've discovered, do not let the acid drip onto your marble floor or else it will start to dissolve the surface and cloud it. When I measured the voltage before charging, it was around 9V! It's almost dead! After charging it for about 18 hours, it measured more than 13V.

 

I'm happy to say now that starting up my scooter is a breeze and I can feel that it's more responsive and peppier! Also I discovered that it's a good practice to dust your scooter with a slim toilet bowl plastic bristle brush, but of course do it when the scooter is cold, otherwise the brush will melt! There is a hatch under the seat of of the X8 and removing that hatch will give you access to the carburettor and the throttle springs. Recently, my throttle doesn't spring back as smoothly when it was brand new, I thought it was the rain, but after dusting the spring, the throttle now springs back easily.

Hi Weeliano,

 

I suffer the same problem recently. I forgot to close the hatch behind the seat, thus the lights in the compartment was on for a few hours. Until i discovered, the battery has went flat. I totally cannot start my bike.

 

I have been riding my x8 for a year and decide it abt time i change a new batt, so i call for towing to a bikeshop to change the battery for me. I had to take bus home and leave my bike there. Its really so troublesome.

 

Is there any " jump start kit" availabe in the market that is small enough to keep in the bike? so that we can use in case of such incidents.

[weeliano]

I will post pictures of my own startup kit. Its not that difficult to make your own actually. Watch this post for the pictures.

[weeliano]

Here's my own Emergency Battery Startup Kit.

 

I bought this 12V 7mAh Sealed Lead Acid battery and made my own crocodile wires using components bought from Sim Lim Tower. It's advisable to use the thickest wires possible to prevent the wire from overheating.

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/3183/battwiremj6.jpg

 

A cheap voltmeter is used to measure the voltage.

 

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/9151/selfcheckxm3.jpg

 

 

This Emergency "Jumpstart Kit" works great, but remember, it's just adequate for starting the motor and the wires should be removed immediately once the motor is started.

[matchbox9]

Hey Weeliano thanks for sharing your DIY jumpstart kit.

[larree]

Hi all, im interested in getting a x8, would like to check what is the current market place for 2nd hand x8?

[recko]

Originally posted by larree@February 12, 2007 04:48 pm

Hi all, im interested in getting a x8, would like to check what is the current market place for 2nd hand x8?

Hi, you might wanna check out this sale inside the Garage Sales. Just helping my friend here...

[newbee]

 

Hi,

 

Yesterday i ride my X8 from woodlands to Changi Expo and from then ride to Bugis, When i reach Bugis, I heard some noise come from my X8, the noise sound like a big fan blowing and after a while it stop.

 

May i ask what is the problem/

 

Thanks

[firestorm_33]

Originally posted by newbee@February 15, 2007 10:56 am

 

Hi,

 

Yesterday i ride my X8 from woodlands to Changi Expo and from then ride to Bugis, When i reach Bugis, I heard some noise come from my X8, the noise sound like a big fan blowing and after a while it stop.

 

May i ask what is the problem/

 

Thanks

don't worry....

 

it's just your raditor's fan activated.....

 

normally if the bike temp is hot, the fan will be activated to keep it cool....

[Simply80Chup]

Selling away X8 registered in 2005. FZ plater. Low milleage. Below 18000km. Accident free. View in Pasir Ris. New Tires and Belting. Engine oil change every other month. Everything else stock. Good bike for commuting. Selling $5.5K negotiable. Pm to deal. Have a gd day!

[Windust]

Any review or news when is it coming to singapore?or izit even coming?