Well my 10 year old finally bent the yamoto 150. We were taking small jumps for about 4 hours in a row. Then, I heard the fateful "watch this guys", and he took off for a larger jump. He hit a burm about 5 feet tall, and got about 2 feet in the air. The bike landed perfect, until I saw the front wheels toed out about 10 degrees. That is one of the dangers of switching the front wheels around. More torque on the spindle. The good news is the replacements are only $106 for both front a-arms. I'll put on the new ones, and re-bend the old old ones for next time. Now that the shocks are worn in,. i can probably switch the tires back to stock as well.

He saw me on my Honda doing that jump, and thought he would be cool. I hit that same jump about 200 times since last year with my 250EX.

Still saving money though. Only $1100 more to spendbefore I get pissed off.

 

We have used the stock Yamaha toe kicks on the Yamotos and Yamoto copies for replacements of the original as they are better quality. They fit perfectly. One thing to keep in mind about Chinese brands - they are knock-offs. Some are a combination of different copied parts of the Big3.
And yes - there is such a thing as a "Chinese Yamaha" as you called it. Not necessarily on the Yamoto, although I have used a couple of yamaha parts on them. I believe they are mostly Kawasaki copies. Hard to tell when they mesh so many copied parts in one machine. I have a 90cc RedCat (Chinese) cycle at my shop as we speak sitting next to a Yamaha PW80. They are identical right down to the forks. Identical body, frame, forks, and even the motor, only the air box is mounted under the seat rather than forward mounted. The heel/toe kick on both are identical. I have a Yamoto sitting in the shop, and I will swap the heel/toe kick off the Yamaha tommorrow and let you know, but just looking at it, it will work. That is why I mentioned it. I have sold these Chinese ATVs for some time, and have found that if you look hard enough, you will find a BIG3 part that will fit.

 

I do know that the engine on the yamoto is a clone from a honda scooter. The plastic is definitely yamaha. Im not really a quad guy and havnt actually checked out many quads.

 

Yamaha filed suit today against Yamoto for their raptor copies: Guess I was closer than you thought on a "Chinese Yamaha".

(COMTEX) B: Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. Files Trademark Infringement
uit against Yamoto Motor Corporation and Patriot Moto
B: Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. Files Trademark Infringement Suit against Ya
oto Motor Corporation and Patriot Motorcycles Corporation Yamaha Seeks Permanent
Injunction against Yamoto for Knocking off Yamaha's Raptor ATVs and TT-R125 Off-
oad Motorcycles

LOS ANGELES, Oct 13, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. filed suit yesterday in Los Angeles Federal Court
against Yamoto Motor Corporation and Patriot Motorcycles Corporation (Pink
SheetsMCY) for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false designation
of origin, false advertising, copyright infringement and unfair competition.
Yamaha is the original designer, manufacturer and seller of the Raptor(TM) line
of ATVs and TT-R125 off-road motorcycles and seeks a permanent injunction
against the Defendants, alleging that they are flooding the marketplace with
inferior, copycat products. Yamaha seeks both treble and punitive damages in its
Complaint and will ask the Court to compel Defendants to deliver to Yamaha for
destruction all products, containers, packages, labels and advertising materials
that infringe Yamaha's trademarks. Yamaha is represented by Robert C. Weiss and
Michael A. Tomasulo with the Los Angeles office of Jones Day. Yamaha Motor
Corporation, U.S.A., et al. v. Yamoto Motor Corporation, et al., Case No.
CV05-7351 RSWL (JTLx).

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1955, is the second largest manufacturer
of motorcycles and ATVs in the world and enjoys an international reputation for
selling unique, high-quality products. Based in Cypress, CA, its wholly-owned
subsidiary, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., distributes motorcycles, ATVs,
snowmobiles, golf carts, outboard engines and water vehicles all under the
Yamaha(R) brand name. Yamaha owns and holds trademark rights in connection with
the shape, style and overall appearance of Yamaha's Raptor(TM) line of ATVs and
its TT-R125 line of off-road motorcycles. Many of Yamaha's ATVs are manufactured
at its plant in Newnan, Georgia.

Yamaha alleges in its Complaint that Yamoto entered the United States market in
2003 by advertising, promoting and offering for sale the Yamoto line of ATVs and
off-road motorcycles, which are of lower quality but bear strikingly similar
resemblances to Yamaha's Raptor(TM) line of ATVs and its TT-R125 line of
off-road motorcycles. Yamaha states in its Complaint, for example, that the
Yamaha(R) Raptor(TM) 50 ATV and the Yamoto 70 ATV are so similar that the poorer
quality parts on the Yamoto copy are interchangeable with the parts on the
Yamaha(R). Yamaha further alleges that Yamoto not only attempted to confuse the
public through the adoption of names, logos, colors and appearances that are
confusingly similar to Yamaha's, but also by copying Yamaha's website, using a
web address almost identical to Yamaha's web address and failing to disclose the
Chinese origin of the Yamoto products in violation of United States law. Yamaha
claims that the distribution of these products is an obvious and deliberate
attempt to trade off of Yamaha's reputation and goodwill in the industry.

"For over 50 years, Yamaha has invested serious money into researching,
developing and promoting its brand of motorcycles and ATVs and can rightfully
claim pride in its reputation for quality and innovation," stated Russell D.
Jura, General Counsel for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. "Consumers have come
to associate the Yamaha brand with superior, reliable products. Yet, the
Defendants are trying to undermine and sabotage our hard-earned reputation by
deliberately copying our products, from body design and shape to customized
logos, in an attempt to confuse the public and sell them inferior products."

"Yamaha, not Yamoto, holds the appropriate trademark registrations for all of
its products," explained Jura. "Our distributors, wholesalers, retailers and
customers know that they can always expect quality from us. Yamoto's imitation
of our products has been fraudulent and deceptive from day one, and this is
simply unacceptable to us, and that's why we will assert our legal rights
against anyone knocking off what is rightfully ours."

Editor's Note #1

Plaintiff Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. is based in Cypress, CA and is
represented by Russell D. Jura, General Counsel; Tel: 714.761.7709;
http://www.yamaha-motor.com

Defendant Yamoto Motor Corporation is based in Union City, CA; Tel:
510.226.6820; http://www.yamoto-motor.com

Defendant Patriot Motorcycles Corporation is based in San Clemente, CA; Tel:
949.488.0434; http://www.patriotmotorcycles.com

Editor's Note #2

Comparative photographs in JPEG format are available upon request by contacting
Mr. Jura.

SOURCE: Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.



CONTACT: Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Russell D. Jura, General Counsel, 714-761-7709
Russ_Jura@yamaha-motor.com
TextText

 

Maybe they will have to buy back all of the yamotos they sold!! Then, I can go buy a Honda!! I used the Yamoto to see if my kids liked the hobby. Now that they love it, and are willing to go out every weekend, and clean them afterwards, I would rather have a Honda. Still a good deal if you are just starting out in thsi hobby though.

 

my gawd there hasnt been any posts in almost 2 months. Did everyone give up on their yamoto's?

I have 2 yamoto 150's they are starting like crap in the cold iowa weather. Does anyone know the spark plug and Gap I should be using?

 

i think most have gotten theirs running well and havnt come back.

NGK C7HSA and I think gap is around .028

 

That seems to be an common issue with the 150. I have to shoot mine with starting fluid when I first start it. Once it warms up it runs great. I am having the carb rejetted and will let you know if that helps.

 

do you just give it a shot of starting fluid through the airbox? do you have to remove the front plastic piece everytime or did you devise a simpler way?

 

My kids have been running great, both the 110 and the 150. We recently have taken them to Sand Mountain, Nevada and Dumont dunes. They both did very well there. Putting the sand tires on the front and rear of these two quads made a big improvement. I do need a front bumper for one though. I was wonder if the Raptor 80 bumper will fit these. Im looking for something small like that.