New Chinese Motor Scooter Lock Lubrication

A lot of people who buy a new Chinese motor scooters fail to realize that the key operated locks on the scooter need immediate initial lubrication! Better dealers will do this for you as part of their customer scooter set-up routine. If you bought a scooter or cycle online and have uncrated and setup the bike yourself you need to do it.
Choices of a lubrication type are many. If you plan to garage your scooter it is easy to just squirt the inlet of each key lock, ignition or seat, generously with a squeeze plastic bottle of dry powder graphite key lubricant. Push away the key shield so you can direct the powder well down into the mechanism. Plan to follow up again with an application in a few weeks. Graphite is a mimimal lubricant and will not last a long time.
Perhaps you are one in a damp climate and have to leave the scooter outside. A better choice in that circumstance is to inject key locks with sprayable white lithium grease from a spray can with a plastic tip nozzle inserted to direct and inject grease down into the lock. Don't forget to catch the spring release mechanism of the seat too!
If you do not lubricate the locks the keys will be difficult to turn. After a few months in certain situations maybe impossible without damaging the key.
A little attention now can save you from being stranded somewhere because you can't switch on the ignition or unlock the seat to get to a gas filler port.
Amazing how easy key mechanisms work once lubricated. It certainly doesn't hurt to lubricate the key itself.