FAQ

TUNING

1. What is scooter tuning?

The direct translation of the English word "tuning" is tuning, adjustment. This word is most commonly associated with cars. Even a person who is not interested in it would likely immediately think of a custom plastic body kit for a Mercedes by Brabus when they hear the word "car tuning." And they would be partially right. When talking about cars, motorcycles, or scooters, tuning is the process of modification aimed at changing the manufacturer's specifications. This process can indeed be directed towards the scooter’s appearance (in this case, the term "style" is often used), to make it more individual. It can also be directed towards the suspension to make it stiffer or, conversely, softer. It is commonly applied to the engine to make it more powerful. It can apply to any other unit. This process can be very detailed, for example, if the scooter is substantially modified to participate in road racing and moves far from its factory base. The process can also be relatively simple, like when the scooter seat is reupholstered in a different color leather just because the owner wants it. All of this and much more—scooter tuning. What matters is the successful realization of the desire to change something that is industrially manufactured.

2. I have a scooter, and I would like to increase its engine power. Will it be hard for me to understand how to do this?

It is absolutely possible to figure this out, but it will require interest, effort, and time. At the very least, you will need to understand the basics of two-stroke engines and scooter transmissions, gain practical skills, and learn how to disassemble and reassemble the scooter's engine down to the screws. As with any other field, there will be setbacks, difficulties, mistakes, and breakdowns along the way. You watched a few videos, read a few articles, heard a few stories about tuning and got inspired, thinking, "I'll do it quickly, I have my hands in the right place!"—this scenario will only lead to unsatisfactory results. Dare to try, but don't expect good results immediately. Start with simple maintenance tasks, such as changing the belt and variator rollers, and gradually move on to more complicated tasks. It is very possible that during this process, you will realize that it’s not fun—it’s okay, tuning is not for everyone.

3. I don’t want to get into technical details, I just want my scooter to be more powerful/faster. Are there any ready-made and tested configurations?

Most likely, the answer is no. Of course, you can use someone else’s successful experience as a starting point, but you cannot be completely sure that you will personally achieve the same result. First, experience is not experience at all. It’s one thing if your personal friend has been tuning for about ten years and is ready to help you, and quite another if a “friend in a WhatsApp group” recommends something. Friends can say/write many things. There is indeed a lot of useful information online, but unfortunately it is lost in tons of unnecessary waste that needs to be sifted through. Secondly, scooter manufacturers have repeatedly changed the design of the same models. Sometimes more significant, sometimes less significant. For example, you found a reliable article with an overview of a successful engine tuning for the 1999 Aprilia SR 50. And you have exactly the same Aprilia, but a 2001 model. Unfortunately, in your case, such an article will practically be useless: these scooters have different engines. What if the author of the article misidentified the production year of his scooter? And what if you are not the first owner of the scooter and cannot be sure what modifications have already been made to the engine? There are many “what ifs,” so going back to the question, there are most likely no ready-made configurations.

4. Wouldn’t it be better to pay and have an experienced mechanic adjust my scooter so I don’t “mess it up” myself?

As they say, the owner is the boss. If you think this is the best solution, try it. However, in general, we do not support this approach for the following reasons. First, there are very few “experienced mechanics” who are qualified and willing to perform such work. Advertising promises of “adjustments of any complexity” and “all kinds of work” mean nothing. People who have had bitter experiences in this field constantly turn to us and are now trying to deal with the consequences themselves. Secondly, tuning services for scooters became popular in Europe precisely because many scooter fans were curious and able to work on their own. Unlike, for example, a car, a scooter is much simpler in construction and, most importantly, does not require such a huge arsenal of special tools. Therefore, the desire to entrust your scooter repair to someone else, even for payment, contradicts the concept of scooter tuning itself, where most of the fun lies in the process itself.

SHOP

1. How can I know what you have in stock and what you don’t?

Products with a purple button Add to cart are available for ordering. You can add them to your shopping cart and place an order. You can see the exact delivery time by opening the product page.The image will indicate which warehouse the product is in or when it will be available soon. If the product is not in stock, you will see a grey non-functional button and the inscription Out of stock. Information is updated immediately.

2. When will the item I’m interested in be in stock?

We do not have an answer to this question with acceptable precision. First, it depends on whether such parts are available from the supplier. Externally, it may seem like suppliers always have a lot of parts, but this is misleading. For various reasons, some parts may not be in stock for several months. Secondly, there are shipping delays. Thirdly, it also depends on the demand for specific parts. For example, some rare parts are sold only once or twice a year. Of course, these parts are rarely available.

3. How can I order an out-of-stock item?

Unfortunately, we cannot. For many reasons, some of which were mentioned in the previous question, we cannot guarantee an acceptable delivery time 100%. Therefore, we do not undertake such work.

4. How can I get a discount?

SCOOTER-ZONE regularly sells hundreds of parts with discounts, which are indicated on the stickers next to the product photos in our catalog. Both the range and the value of these discounts change regularly, but overall, our price level is always stable. Many parts are even cheaper for our customers than in official stores. We do not offer any additional secret or hidden discounts.

5. How can I get a “wholesale” price/list?

Nothing, we only work in retail.

6. Why so expensive?

On the contrary: we have a 1:1 same price as the suppliers’ websites. This can be easily seen when browsing foreign websites. Customers who have previously worked only with low-quality Chinese parts sometimes have the illusion of high prices. But it is just an illusion.

7. Which variator is better: Malossi or Polini?

Both variators are excellent! If one of them were good and the other bad, we simply wouldn’t offer you the bad one. Just like, for example, we don’t offer Chinese variators from Dai-raku, Ice-hitch, Hrenoshi, Bayo-shmayo, Shchi-Em-racing—they are, in our opinion, “bad.” If all our customers chose, for example, Polini and no one bought Malossi, then we might offer only one of the most popular variators. But that is not the case. Some of our customers choose Malossi, others choose Polini. Everyone has their own reasons: some like the equipment, others like the color of the logo, and some are influenced by a friend's advice—there are many reasons. We offer the choice, there is no answer to the question of which is better.

If all our customers chose, for example, Polini and no one bought Malossi, then we might offer only one of the most popular variators. But that is not the case. Some of our customers choose Malossi, others choose Polini. Everyone has their own reasons: some like the equipment, others like the color of the logo, some are influenced by a friend's advice—there are many reasons. We offer the choice, there is no answer to the question of which is better.

8. What "config" would you recommend for 50 / 100 / 150 / 250 / 300 euros to achieve the maximum speed of 100 km/h?

To promise results SPECIFICALLY for YOUR scooter, we must at least have it in our hands and work on it ourselves. In the previous question about ready-made configurations, we already explained why one scooter's experience is not always transferable to another, even if it is the same model. There are many nuances that only become apparent when working with a specific scooter. Sometimes it requires a lot of time and effort even on-site to figure out the problems on the way to a result. Suggestions about something “from a distance” would be extremely naive. We deliberately walk through different monetary amounts in the question to make it clear: it’s not about the amount, but the essence of the issue. We don't have an answer to that. But we do have some advice. If you don't have much experience, don't buy a lot of parts right away for a lot of money, hoping that you will achieve knockout results. Buy and gradually learn the parts.

9. If the part in the SCOOTER-ZONE.EU catalog is related to my scooter, do you 100% guarantee that it will fit my scooter?

No, we do not. No catalog in the world can offer such a guarantee, and we will explain why. First, there are “complex” scooter models that have completely different engines installed in different production years. For example, Aprilia SR 50. Behind the name “your scooter,” there are more than three completely different engines. This is also reflected in the catalog. But we cannot guarantee that your SR 50 version will 100% match the version indicated on the website. Secondly, many used scooters come from Japan and European countries to Latvia. Such a scooter may sometimes be repaired with parts from three different versions of the same model. For example, Honda Dio. The frame with the casing might be from one Dio version, the engine from another, and the front fork from a third. Let's say an inexperienced owner has identified their Dio version by the label on the casing and chooses engine parts from the catalog. Can the catalog guarantee that the parts will fit? Obviously not. Thirdly, there are other exotic cases, which are too numerous to list. Returning to our initial conclusion—no catalog can guarantee 100% compatibility. Only direct and careful handling of the specific scooter in your hands will help you understand 100% compatibility. We still strongly recommend that all customers, both experienced and less experienced, treat the purchased parts and their packaging with the utmost care, precision, and respect. Do not rule out the possibility that, for some unseen reason, a part may be incompatible with your scooter and you will have to follow legal requirements to return it. On our part, we strive to make the catalog as simple as possible, so you can choose the right part. However, for the reasons mentioned above, the catalog can only provide information to help you choose but cannot guarantee compatibility.

WARRANTY

1. Why doesn't the SCOOTER-ZONE store guarantee the functionality of scooter tuning parts, for example, for a year or at least six months?

Usually, the warranty conditions are set by the manufacturer. In the case of tuning parts, these include, for example, Malossi, Polini, and others. And here they have decided that their parts will not be guaranteed to function for a specific period, but only that they will not have manufacturing defects. As a store, we sell scooter tuning parts in Latvia according to the manufacturer’s terms.

2. Then why don't scooter tuning manufacturers offer parts with performance guarantees? It would be more convenient for buyers.

This question could be answered at length, but in short, the price of the parts would increase threefold, thus making them less attractive. Most scooter tuning manufacturers have been in the market for decades. If buyers were not satisfied with the conditions under which tuning parts are offered, no manufacturer would have survived for so many years. This means that quite a few buyers worldwide accept the manufacturers' terms and conditions and are willing to accept the lack of a guarantee for the offered price. If the guarantee is important to you, then your choice is not tuning parts, but original scooter manufacturer parts combined with company service. In this case, a warranty will apply.

3. If I install a variator belt and it breaks after 3 minutes of operation, can I get a new belt?

Unfortunately, no. The reason for this situation may not be a defect in the belt, but, for example, improper/unprofessional installation or a wrongly selected belt. There may also be problems with the variator, such as rollers not working in the same plane. The likelihood that the cause is a manufacturing defect is minimal.

4. So, do tuning manufacturers not want to take responsibility for quality at all? After all, defects can occur in any manufacturing! How can I prove that the part I bought is defective?

First and foremost, before installation and operation, we recommend carefully inspecting the parts. Then, it will be much easier if defects are found. And the best scenario for us is to detect a defect with or without your help before the product is handed over to you. Therefore, we always open the most complex parts and carefully check them before selling, even if you do not ask us to. However, if the part has already been installed and used, it will be very difficult to prove a manufacturing defect.