What to do with a scooter that is shaking?

What to do with a scooter that is shaking?

A shaking scooter is a scooter that receives too much fuel or air. The scoters are set up in such a way that the carburetor (or the fuel injection system on modern motorcycles) provides the right ratio of fuel to air, in order to keep the scooter running at its best.

It is possible to get additional power through various modifications (including exhausts), but the scooter must be fitted with a suitable jet. If your motorcycle is not tuned correctly, it is worth having it tuned by a mechanic (for carbureted scooters), or, for fuel injected scooters, flashing the ECU.

A scooter that cloudy can be due to several reasons, we find for example:

  • Poorly adjusted exhaust system
  • Wrong engine tuning
  • Poor fuel quality
  • Contaminated carburetor

Cause 1: Improved exhaust system

If you bought a used scooter fitted with an aftermarket exhaust, this is the most likely cause of your problem. The stock exhausts are designed to operate at standard tuning.

Most aftermarket exhausts are designed for extra performance, but they rarely operate at the standard setting causing your scooter to shake.

The solution :

Your scooter must be tuned correctly to fit the new aftermarket exhaust.

For fuel injected scooters, there are various electronic components that can replace the ECU fuel settings (such as DynoJet or the JD tuning kit) to ensure your scooter has the correct air / fuel ratio.

For standard carburetor scooters, your local motorcycle specialist will be able to properly tune your machine.

What you will need:

Tool to change the fuel setting: This device can be used as a mini electric sander, engraver, mini drill, pocket grinder or finish polisher.

Cause 2: Incorrect setting

The scooter you bought may never have been adjusted correctly or it may not be adjusted for the place you are riding. Humidity and altitude greatly affect the performance of a scooter.

So much so that most scooter manufacturers offer American and European models, and these scooters are equipped with different jets.

If you have taken a scooter that has been tuned for a certain level of altitude and humidity and are driving it elsewhere, correct tuning will prevent it from shaking.

This is usually the case if you are purchasing an imported motorcycle.

The solution :

As above, you will either need to get an ECU modification or have a local scooter specialist change your motorcycle settings.

Cause 3: Poor fuel quality

The higher the performance of your motorcycle, the higher the quality of the fuel used. This is because a more efficient engine is less reliable, and the slightest internal change can make your engine shake.

The solution :

If you are using standard gasoline fuel, go for higher octane fuel.

Refueling occasionally with a higher octane fuel will clean the fuel system.

What you will need:

Fuel rich in Octane: Increases the octane number, Protects the valves against wear and ensures clean combustion and better engine performance.

Cause 4: Contaminated carburetor

If you have backfire and your scooter is running on a carburetor (rather than fuel injection), it's time to take it apart.

Even the smallest bit of dirt can cause the shaking.

The solution :

  • You need to remove the carburetor from the motorcycle and drain the fuel from the float bowl.
  • All jets should be removed and cleaned with a carburetor cleaner, just like the carburetor housing.
  • If you find more than a few particles of dirt in your carburetor, there's a bigger problem: airflow.
  • If you are riding in dusty or muddy conditions, you should start to perform more regular maintenance.
  • Be sure to regularly clean your air filter, lubricate it, and secure it to the airbox housing with a thin layer of grease.

What you will need:

Learn more about your scooters:

Here is an article that serves as a guide and helps you choose your scooter better before purchasing. For this, we give you the details on the characteristics and the different types of scooter.