Are Chinese bikes getting better? MCN Article

[shereen]

https://www.lexmoto.co.uk/reviews/20110105mcn.pdf
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[Suntan Sid]

They should have tested year old versions of each bike, to give a better analysis!
Still not convinced though!
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[Minty]

I haven't opened the pdf but I would not expect Lexmoto to be biased in any way.



End_sarcasm
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[woodall57]

the article is from 2011 so i dont think they have lol
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[shereen]

[-Matt-]

Until everything else chinese gets noticably better i'd still be steering well clear personally.

The article is based on a road test also - i'd give it a bit more attention if it was 3 of their staff owning them vs 3 other staff with japs or similar over a few years and winter.

But then i think everyone knows the likely outcome there

[mentalboy]

However I think it would only be fair to point out that Jap bikes have been getting worse in the last decade which would make Chinese seem relatively better - even with no improvement on their part!
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[daemonoid]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

It's a bit like saying is your AIDS getting any better?
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[-Matt-]

[RhynoCZ]

I don't get it, don't people see that it's not quite safe to ride a chinese motorcycle? Would you fly a made in China plane, if I gave you the ticket for 30% less money?

They say everything is made in China and I agree, everything is also quite crappy and can barely outlive the warranty period. So, why would you voluntarily sit in or on something that's moving fast and your life depends on it made by the exact same people? THINK, Just say NO!

To be honest, I still cannot believe that EU let them sell their bikes here. The same EU that has rules how to do everything.
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[John933]

I can remember when the same was said for Jap bikes. When every one was run round on British bikes. Brit was best. Don't buy Jap crap.

The Chinese have the idea and the skill. They just have to get the corruption out of quality control. And you will see a better bike in Europe. It's coming slowly but it will be here. The up side is that Japan will have to re think their price's to keep in the market. Can't be a bad thing.
John933
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[Suntan Sid]

Rhyno is correct.

Everything seems to made in China these days, i will buy stuff made there, (not bikes), but only on the basis that I know it will fall apart before it wears out, if I'm lucky!
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[clancy]

[Polarbear]

Even if they do get their quality control sorted, they are going to have a hell of a job to get rid of the bad reputation.

Take that WK650, Rogerborg says it looks pretty good, and I like the look of the 650 tourer, but I'm not going to spend 5000 quid on a tourer I don't trust when I can spend that sort of money on an Deauville with still a years Honda warranty.

I'd love to know how many 650's WK have sold, I bet you can count the number on two hands.
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[Rogerborg]

Article is 2 ½ years old, I imagine the bikes they reviewed will all have been sold for spares or repair by now.
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[Hefty]

[MicraShed]

[Rogerborg]

[GEGS-GS]

[Tungtvann]

[shereen]

Another interesting review:

https://www.lexmoto.co.uk/reviews/201308MCN.pdf
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[Polarbear]

there's a review of the WK650TR in Bike. It's verdict, 2* bike 4* value.

The steel frame has a plastic cover that's meant to make it look like an alloy frame

Oh well, won't be buying one yet.
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[Rogerborg]

Glowing review of the WK650TR by Paddy "Sick Note" Tyson.

I do like the idea, and I may even have been in the small set of people with the money to spend and the derp to go for it, if:

#1 The local dealer had been able to obtain and register a demo TR instead of just the nekkid one.

#2 WK bikes' site had a Parts tab instead of a Racing section.

The two aren't unconnected. A friendly but small dealer is fine for shifting budget 125s and ATVs (their approach road is gravel ), but doesn't engender faith that the 2 year parts and labour warranty would actually be honoured in the event of it being a Friday bike or properly shitting itself.

I do still hope that many other people are brave/daft enough to buy them and that they turn out to be great, because if so they'll make fine used buys once the big depreciation hit is gone.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[pepperami]

I cant understand how the Chinese will ever get a foothold in this market with their business plan that they are now following.
1. bikes that do not match the opposition.
2. no infrastructure.
3. prices that are way to high for what they are selling imho of course.

When I was looking at the WK Bikes stand at the BMF rally this year , I saw that 650 and their 250.
Nice and shiny as they were , I for one wasn't convinced.
I asked about back up and spares and was told they have a ware-house full of stuff and would rob existing bike if they have to.
OK? so apart from thief-Bay were is this infrastructure?
Where are all the dealers?

I bought a Hyosung 250 and in relative terms , they are quite well known .
It is a better made bike imho.
If better quality bikes are struggling to get into the market, how are the Chinese going to get their foot in the door? certainly not on price?
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