Webike Japan and Kitaco returns.

[Scootyman]

Hello all,

Ok so today I started to fit a 126 cc light bore kit to my 2018 Honda Vision 110 to add to the Kitaco exhaust which I had already fitted about two months ago. Upon removing the exhaust today, I noticed it had snapped off around the weld between the down pipe and the end can. It’s only a few months old and wasn’t cheap at nearly £300 so I guess I’m having to return it to Webike Japan from the U.K.

I wondered if anyone else had returned anything big or sizeable to Webike in Japan and what there approach was with such items. I’m wondering who will pay postage etc and what happens with the import duty I have paid towards the item. Is it even worth returning as the part has catastrophically failed and probably beyond repair? Your experience would be appreciated if you have any.

Thanks again

[you you]

Hello all,

Ok so today I started to fit a 126 cc light bore kit to my 2018 Honda Vision 110 to add to the Kitaco exhaust which I had already fitted about two months ago. Upon removing the exhaust today, I noticed it had snapped off around the weld between the down pipe and the end can. It’s only a few months old and wasn’t cheap at nearly £300 so I guess I’m having to return it to Webike Japan from the U.K.

I wondered if anyone else had returned anything big or sizeable to Webike in Japan and what there approach was with such items. I’m wondering who will pay postage etc and what happens with the import duty I have paid towards the item. Is it even worth returning as the part has catastrophically failed and probably beyond repair? Your experience would be appreciated if you have any.

Thanks again

Thats a shame. The only thing you can do is contact the supplier otherwise we are just speculating.

Any pictures?

I know you said its irreparable but I'd be tempted to take it to a few welders to see what they think. I did this after I had an expansion chamber fall off and was squashed flat by the following traffic. Was usable after the repair...

[Scootyman]

I can upload a picture or two but I’m guessing I need to host them somewhere?

Thanks for the welding idea. You could well be right that it might be repairable as I’m not a welder so yes, a trip to one could be a good move. I’m guessing I’ll have to wait and see what Webike say first. I was very happy with the quality of the exhaust etc. It wasn’t overly noisy until the weld cracked and I was looking forward to adding the kit for a bit more ooomph. The Vision is quite a nippy little scooter and suits me for work and back. It was the performance on hills that kills it but I managed to perk it up a little with a slightly larger throttle body and the Kitaco exhaust.
I will still fit the kit and run it with the Honda stock exhaust until Webike get back to me.
If they ask it to be returned it’s probably going to get messy as I’ll end up paying the postage, losing the import duty and not have an exhaust to at least repair. Oh the joys of buying stuff from abroad.

[Conelite]

I would second finding a local welder. Any time I buy anything from Webike I just mentally prepare myself for it being no warranty or anything given the language barrier and how long it takes to even receive someone you order. You could be down months while you wait for shipping.

Any shop that has a TIG welder can probably fix it for you for $20-40 if its just a cracked flange.

[Scootyman]

Thanks for your reply.

I’m thinking a welder is the way to go on this now. I did a little research around my local area and there is one or two possibles I could try.

As a side note, I fitted the 126cc Kitaco light bore kit yesterday. I say I fitted it. What I meant was I attempted to fit it. I gapped the rings etc as you do and fitted base gasket blah blah blah. . . Upon fitting the cylinder bore onto the engine and adding the head, I could see straight away that it wasn’t going to work. It left a gap that you could see into the cam chain tunnel plus the stroke on the kit is around 5mm longer. It shouldn’t be as it is claimed in the documentation that the stroke is the same as stock. Long and short of it was I couldn’t get the camshaft sprocket on nor could I tighten the head nuts down as the studs don’t reach.
So that’s me finished with mods on the Vision110 or certainly Kitaco mods. I will be fair in saying that the quality and appearance looked good and I’m sure if it fitted it would have worked well but . . .

Never mind

[gn2]

Lesson from all this: if you want a faster scooter, buy a faster scooter.

[Scootyman]

Ok, so to update anyone interested, Webike have emailed me twice. First they asked the mileage covered with the new exhaust and then they have sent me a label to mail the exhaust back to their base in Japan. Kitaco want to have a look at it and assess what’s happened. They did say that if Kitaco say it’s not a defect they’ll want me to pay post to send the broken exhaust back to me.
I cannot understand why that would not be the case when the exhaust has broken around the weld on the end can connection to the main pipe.

In any case, let’s be pleasantly surprised that Webike have responded as I also thought they would hide behind the language barrier etc and say no warranty.

On a side note, since I refitted the original cylinder and piston with a new head and base gasket, it would seem that the little Vision has gained its spark again and I’ll probably leave it stock now. It actually performs very well on my 23 mile commute each way so maybe reliability is better than a little extra performance.

[Scootyman]

Hello all,

A quick further update in case anyone is interested in this thread. After thinking I would have a problem returning my exhaust from the U.K. to Webike in Japan, I’m now confident that Webike are dealing with this in a very civil matter. I packaged up the end can today and the courier turned up to collect it from my home. So it’s currently on its way and I will know soon what Kitaco think of the weld failure. Webike sent me another email to check everything was in order so I have to say the process has been confidence building and a good experience from their after sales service. I will update this in case anyone in the future might need an insight to what happens when in a similar position.
Best regards

[Scootyman]

Lesson from all this: if you want a faster scooter, buy a faster scooter.

I would have to agree with you entirely. The reason I went for the Vision 110 was because it was air cooled and simpler than a water cooled motor. Scottish winters are not kind and I have ridden through three of them now without any problems. That’s not to say a PCX or a Forza would have a problem, I just liked the simplicity and the upright riding position of the Vision 110. I only wanted to try a slightly larger cylinder kit to give me a little more grunt on the hills. I’m not so interested in doing 70+ mph on a light machine like this.
I remember the time I traded a Wave 110 for a 2015 PCX 125. The PCX felt like a rocket ship in comparison and I was hoping for a little more torque with the Vision. I have to say I really fancy the new PCX with the 4 valve motor. I imagine that would be better again than the one I had.

[gn2]

Do you have an A2 licence?
Could do you a good deal on a 2018 Xmax 300

[Scootyman]

I actually have a full A license so I wouldn’t be limited to any scooter or bike. Im curious why you suggested a 2018 Xmax 300 in particular?
Another nice thing about the Vision is you can have the plastics off in five minutes and into the engine quick in case of a problem. I used to have an S wing 125!which also was a nice scooter with a bit more power but for now I’m fairly happy with the smaller scooter. In Edinburgh all of the speed limits are being reduced so the dual carriageway I rode to work on has been reduced to 50 & 40 mph. It’s only a matter of time now before enough speeding tickets will enforce that and my traffic concerns are over.

[gn2]

Its because I have an Xmax 300 and am wanting to sell it.

[you you]

Its because I have an Xmax 300 and am wanting to sell it.

What are you getting next?

[gn2]

Its because I have an Xmax 300 and am wanting to sell it.

What are you getting next?

Don't know.
Am done with two wheels for now.
Good weather has come and I have no inclination to ride at all.
Its just easier to jump in the car than faff around with getting all the gear on and off.
I was really only riding for transport to work, but the staff at my work have been thinned out over the last few years, so there's always parking spaces available ergo the biggest advantage of the scooter is no more.
Plus that nice SNP treated Aberdeen to a bypass which has had a massive effect on reducing traffic on the city part of my commute.
I might get the urge to have a Vespa or some such in a few years, if the Lambretta G325 ever becomes available it'll be very hard to resist.

[you you]

Its because I have an Xmax 300 and am wanting to sell it.

What are you getting next?

Don't know.
Am done with two wheels for now.
Good weather has come and I have no inclination to ride at all.
Its just easier to jump in the car than faff around with getting all the gear on and off.
I was really only riding for transport to work, but the staff at my work have been thinned out over the last few years, so there's always parking spaces available ergo the biggest advantage of the scooter is no more.
Plus that nice SNP treated Aberdeen to a bypass which has had a massive effect on reducing traffic on the city part of my commute.
I might get the urge to have a Vespa or some such in a few years, if the Lambretta G325 ever becomes available it'll be very hard to resist.

I'm in the same boat a little bit too. Changing circumstances mean I haven't used the bikes except for MoTs and moving them. Anything I don't use in June is going I think.

[Scootyman]

Okay, so just a quick update for anyone that’s interested in what happened to the Kitaco exhaust I returned to Webike Japan. Kitaco have now repaired my exhaust and it is on its way back to me in the U.K.
A good end then and a credit to both Kitaco and Webike Japan for their customer service. The process has taken a little while but given the circumstances we all find ourselves in at present, I’m very happy with the outcome.
Stay safe everyone and best regards