Honda Zoomer Review

Good Points
1. Economy
2. Build quality
3. Performance
4. Looks
5. Practicality
6. Very low maintenance

Bad Points
1. Seat latch is rather rudimentary
2. A bit cramped for person with length over 1.85 mtr
3. Rear shock offers little damping, front fork much stiffer
4. Fat tyres do not offer much grip in wet conditions
5. Changing a rear tyre is not easy (requiring the removal of back fender and exhaust
6. Oil specified (SAE 10W30) is very difficult to come by at any store in Holland, even the specialized ones

General Comments
The little Honda Zoomer scooter has good looks (many people find it very interesting, young or old). It is extremely easy to live with.



Starting is faultless and even soundless, and driving around town and also on longer distances (I travel to work over 30 km distance) is done with sufficient comfort.



Acceleration is almost up to tuned (2 stroke) level and surprises many scooter drivers or car drivers. Top speed with a Malossi variator is now +55 km/h, originally 44 km/h.



Taking corners and road holding is excellent in dry conditions, but in wet conditions the grip of the fat Kenda tyres is less than reassuring (perhaps my driving style is at fault :))



The suspension is a bit unbalanced: The front is a bit stiff, with little travel. The back shock does not offer much damping, but has much longer travel. Anyway, it does take care of the rough stuff in an acceptable way.



Ergonomics are OK, with good handlebars and excellent mirrors. Seating is cramped for people over 1.85 mtr. So I installed a backrest to relieve my back over the longer distances. Also the seat is a bit soft, so on longer runs you develop a butt problem. The latch is merely a spring, and sometimes difficult to find with your fingers. Instrumentation is simple but effective.



The overall finishing quality is very good indeed, and there has been no rusting so far, not even on the exhaust or wheel rims.



The machine is almost maintenance free, but recently it suffered a punctured rear tyre. I found that I could only remove the wheel after removal of the rear fender and the exhaust (it is one piece with the header). Not very maintenance friendly I think!!!

Changing the engine oil also proved to be less practical, because for some reason the required SAE 10W30 oil is not a shelf item. I could not get it at any of the 6 stores/shops (even specialists) I visited. Honda Netherlands then advised to buy it through them (but I am not a dealer needing large quantities)!! I found that my dealer put 10W40 oil in the motor from new, which I can readily get almost anywhere, without risk to the engine they say. (Honda motivates the oil choice on the basis of less friction in the engine over very long periods).


====Update====29/06/07

Reliability has received a dent because of following problems experienced

1. the O2 sensor died after 7000km (cost for the part eur 170!), it was warranty matter.

2. the front fork left bottom leg seized up completely after 10.000km. dismantled the right hand fork leg and found about 5 to 10 cc of crystal clear water inside (most likely from condensation as greasing and seals all OK), water does not combine favourably with grease..... Left leg impossible to disassemble as rebound bush completely seized. I received a new forkleg from Honda. Again a warranty matter. In cold climates I think it is advisable to have the bottom legs checked once a year for proper function and water build up. There is no possibility to drain any fluid from the tube without disassembling the bottom leg and the maintenance schedule only advised to check proper function of the fork, which is not enough.

3. the O2 sensor dies again at 14000km. Honda is investigating the problem. in both cases the sensor has expired because of carbon deposit.



anyway, still much satisfied with the Zoomer, but obviously there is something fundamentally wrong with the mixture settings of the MFI.

====Update====05/02/08
i have reached 23.000 km on the odometer.

things have gone well since my last update. no major repairs required, in fact no repairs at all.

the o2 sensor was checked at the dealer in consultation with Honda, but sensor worked okay. i have since decided to take it out every 4 weeks to check if for carbon deposits (it fouls quite heavily and the first sensor died as a result of excessive carbon deposit build up) and clean it. the carbon deposit buildup was considered normal by Honda. This cleaning seems to work well, no issues with performance or stalling anymore.

I have replaced the Kenda rear tyre at 12.000 km (it still had approx 1mm of tread left). i then changed to the Michelin Bopper of the same size and it had to be replaced at 18.000km. i then decided to use a new Kenda again. Altough grip is less in the wett compared to the Michelin tyre, life expectancy is much better. Since i do not use the Zoomer for racing or very high speeds i think the Kenda is the better choice. The front tyre is still original from new and will definitely be replaced at the 24.000km service, which is due shortly.

The fron fork issue has not changed, i have now decided to disassemble the tubes every 6 months. i clean and re-grease the various parts and this way keep all in good condition. mind you, water build up (condensation) is still the issue. it also causes some parts of the front suspension to rust inside the tubes!. For grease i use waterproof heavy bearing grease or shaft tube grease (marine use).

After 2.5 years of almost daily road use (presently 15000km anually) i can safely say theat the finish quality of the Honda is very good indeed.

==Update 17/06/2008==

The Zoomer has had its 24.000 km service, which was quite uneventful. Valve clearances were in spec and there was nothing out of the ordinary to be repaired. 3 hour job, cost approx usd 350 all in. the front tyre was changed shortly before. The o2 sensor gave a lot of fault readings at the time of the service and I had a bypass installed, but this did not solve the problem. Instead I cleaned/blasted the sensor with an air compressor and to my satisfaction the sensor has worked flawlessly since and thus also engine performance was fully normal.

presently the odometer reads 27.000 km and here comes the nutcracker: the main bearing (variator side) has gone! The engine/drive unit started to make evermore strange noises (rattling, moaning and grinding noises). After removing and installing the variator with different rollers nothing changed. When I started the engine without the variator the sounds were unmistakable.

as the machine is standard and maintenance is by the book (via dealer) including oil changes I can only guess at the cause. Upon checking various forums I have found that this damage is a more common problem than I was aware of. Anyway, I am really disappointed and will contact Honda to see if they will compensate me for the cost, which is estimated at usd 1000. The machine will definitely need a new crankshaft assembly as the bearing at the generator side cannot be removed/replaced.

==Update 11/08/08==


finally my dealer has dismantled the engine and following abnormal wear was found:

1. main bearing variator side is shot. bearing cannot be replaced so new crankshaft assembly is required. other bearing was fine.

2. pistonskirt has very visible wear/damage. possibly caused by pistonslap and not sufficient lube oil protection (large scuffing marks and some scratches). cylinder however looked new.

3. oil pump has been grinding axially into the oil pump housing. pump does not run free anymore.



the oil that came out of the engine (was in for 4000km) was very clean...., so no problems in that department that would cause abovementioned damage/wear. it seems at least typical for the zoomer to develop main bearing problems. I now deem it wise for owners to have the engine checked for main bearing condition at regular intervals. The problems definitely start from 10.000-12000km on odometer and more.



total cost estimate is approx usd 1200. the dealer is presently contacting Honda regarding compensation

i keep my fingers crossed and keep you informed!!



==Update 22/11/2008==


my last update!



the Zoomer was repaired, cost approx usd 800. Honda compensated for the crankshaft assembly as the bearing problem is a more common problem with the Zoomer.

Anyway, a great scooter but apparently not able to withstand the punnishment enginewise that i have to give it. Therefore i decided to sell it ( got a great price for it, with 27.000 km on the odo) and progress to a Yamaha YBR 125.

Happy Zooming to you all!