I purchased a Kazuma Meerkat 90 for my son for Christmas . I got it about a week before christmas and had to do the usual things to get it going such as change the oil , install the battery and inflate the tires and put them on . That's where the problem started ...

I filled the tires up , put them on and the next day noticed both tires were flat . I took them off and refilled them and the next day the same thing , Flat again . So I called Raceway and they said they would send me two new tires . I get the two new tires but when they get to my house they are just the tires and no rims . I tried to get them put on by various tire shops with no luck so I called Raceway again and explained we couldnt get them put on so they once again told me they would send me two new tires but under the condition that I send the others back ..no problem . I send the other two back , wait 2 1/2 weeks and get the new tires / with rims and head to the gas station to fill them . I put them on , we ride for a couple hours . I come out the next morning and to my surprise 1 of the 2 new tires is flat again with the same problem ...I was stunned . I call them fed up about the situation and they tell me they would send me yet another tire . This was over a month ago and I still dont have a tire for my sons quad .

So I called again and have had it . I told them to dont bother with the tire because I want them to come and pick up the quad because its past the point of the tire anymore . My son has ridden this quad twice since he got it at christmas while all his friends ride every weekend . My son is getting bigger and his quad isnt , It's useless to me if he couldnt use it .

The Raceway people were great with the customer service front but unfortunatly the product was sub par . they did everything they could to try and remedy the problem but after 5 tires , it was just too late . I am sending my quad back on Monday .

Rich Fowler
fowl444@comcast.net

 

Sorry but I think it is you who are being unreasonable here. The problem is 99% probably not the tires anyway. Did you try to find the leak? Most likely it is the stem. My new Jetmoto 250 has a slow stem leak on the right rear. Am I going to ask for a new tire or send the quad back for something like this???!!! Thats ridiculous. Look - go and get a tube of slime for $5 and FIX THE PROBLEM!!!!!
I'm sure John would have paid for it had you asked. You should put this stuff in your tires anyway since you will be prone to flats while riding offroad. If you cant deal with such a minor thing then you should not be buying a Chinese quad over the internet, IMHO.
I have had several problems come up on my new 250 and John has gone out of his way to help and fix the problem.
Sorry but the Raceway people ARE GREAT to deal with. What is your issue?

 

Seat the bead! Air it up to max psi - usually around 25 psi - will say on the side of tire. Let them sit over night and lower the pressure.

And if that doesnt work, like quadster said, slime them (may want to anyway).

And if that doesn't work, tube them.

Chinese tires arent the best, by far. I've had rim seapage issues with many of the 16 tires on the 4 china bikes my kids have. But either seating the bead properly or sliming has fixed them all. The most frustrating was a slow rim leak on the dingo. I actually went and bought a tube but it seems to be holding air now. I guess the slime finally found the path of air escape.

Hindsight is 20-20 but unfortunately you went down the wrong path in getting perhaps the most mundane atv issue resolved.

Rodney

 

". . . and head to the gas station to fill them. . . . My son has ridden this quad twice since he got it at christmas while all his friends ride every weekend."

Get a hand or foot pump like you fill up bicycle tires with - they're between $8-10 at walmart. About 5 to ten pushes on the plunger and your kid would've been riding every weekend. It's really not that difficult.

I'm not here to defend raceway, tho they've been good at getting me replacement parts but this just seems silly. I mean, I can understand convoluted carb, ignition, transmission problems getting under your skin but tires leaking...

Rodney

 

i think raceway did everything expected from them, the problem you're having is rim leaks and is real common on these chinese atv's, the only way to fix it is tubes at about $5 each or slime, about $4 a tire, i'd opt for slime myself because it not only fixes the problem now but just in case you happen to run over something in the furure it'll fix that too. i wouldn't send back a atv just because of rim leaks thats being little ridiculous and petty.

 

I understand all of that , but dont you think if you pay for something in good faith then you should get a product that works . Why should I have to settle for Slime of trying to find someone to tube my tire when I did nothing but pay for my quad .

The month it has taken me for this final tire was the breaking point ( I still havent even gotten the tire ) and I think this is where the ptoblem lies .

 

you buy a $500 quad thats what you get a $500 quad, don't expect to a $2000 quad for that price. you get what you pay for. and spending another $10-20 to fix a problem is not a big deal and if its is to you then maybe you should consider not owning one.

 

Hey, these Chinese tires are crap anyway, buy some real tires from an ATV dealer that has a tire machine for ATVs and stop your whinning. You paid less than half the price of a Honda or a Yamaha. You don't get Honda quality for half price. Tires is one place where the Chinese quads can cut costs. I bet your chain is crappy too (no o-rings). Hey, even the Japanese tires aren't all that good. The best ATV tires come on Polaris and Can-Am. Slime costs maybe $20 to do the whole quad. Tubes suck. Slime it and move on, or buy some Holeshots and slime them. That Raceway has been sending you tire after tire confirms that the problem is you, and that Chinese tires are crap. And Slime rocks!

 

Like everyone has said these tires are not the best. How much pressure do you have in them. Break the beads and use bead sealer or liquid soap. Then make sure the stem is tight. These tires have to have alot of pressure to keep them tight against the bead. I have had a meerkat for almost 2 yrs now. When I first got it the tires would not hold air. With just a little work they have been fine since. Dont expect the tires to be soft. They will be hard.

I think just because you have some tire problems and want to return the quad is being premature. These really are great little quads but they are not perfect.

 

Also I think your post A BIG PROBLEM WITH RACEWAY is false. They are doing everything thwey can to remedy the problem. If you did your research on these quads you will have read about the crappy tires and remedies to keep them inflated.