Lexmoto Michigan vs Keeway Superlight

[mattdarla]

Hi Everyone, thanks for all your help, a family member has said I can use their garage so handlebar width and bike size isn't an issue anymore.

The three bikes I really like are the Lexmoto Michigan, Sinnis Hoodlum and Keeway Superlight, I know they're not Japanese but they're new and within my budget. I like the looks of the Keeway but the nearest dealer is miles away which would be difficult to get it serviced to maintain the warranty, I've also heard their parts availablity isn't as good as Lexmoto and I have a few Lexmoto dealers nearby and was very impressed with one of them, the Michigan doesn't come with a kickstarter like the Keeway though. Any advice would be great as always.

Matt

[struan80]

Which one do you like the look of? There isn't much to chose between them really. The Sinnis is the least expensive but I prefer the Lexmoto. The winner is the Keeway Superlight for me....but no dealers. Personally I'd take the one with the closest dealer.

[Nope.]

My advice would be don't buy any of them. £2500 would buy you a decent used CG125 (probably a bit long in the tooth now) or YBR 125 and leave you with £1000 to buy gear, insurance, tax, a good chain lock, and some petrol.

I know these modern Chinese bikes look all shiny, but they are very much sheep in wolves clothing. In fact I think that may be insulting to sheep. They're more like deformed sheep that won't live past the age of 3, in wolves clothing.

I've had the misfortune of doing some work on a Chinese bike recently, and I can't believe that all these years later they're still using the same crappy components that just fail and fall apart within months of leaving the showroom floor. I know you have a warranty etc. but thats a lot of money for a bike thats going to need a lot of repair, and loose most of it's value pretty damn fast.

If you really must go for the dreadful cruiser style bikes (although god knows why you'd want to), then there are VT125's out there for only a little more money. Provided you make sure it's been somewhat looked after, and then you also look after it, that should be a reliable vehicle for you to ride, and should hold most of, if not all of its value when you come to sell it.
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Former: Derbi GP1 50, Sachs XTC 125, Suzuki GSXR 400 GK73A, Kawasaki ZX7R, Suzuki DR250, Yamaha RD350
Current: 2011 Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, 2003 Yamaha YZR-R1 5PW (In Build), 2009 Kawasaki ZZR1400

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

I generally try to be fair to Chinese bikes, I own one myself and found it to be a great little cheap bike, but if you're looking to punt the bike on further down the line get a used Japanese bike like the others mention.

On Chinese bikes you need to accept the loss in value which is heftier than on a Japanese bike. The old Japanese bike won't lose much more value unless you don't keep it roadworthy. Whereas the Chinese bike is going to lose about 30% of it's value. Then again, I have seen used Chinese bikes going for over retail because of the crazy used market right now.

As the owner of a Chinese bike, and as someone who champions Chinese bikes (sometimes): my advice is get the older Jap bike.

If you can move away from the Cruiser style but still want a classic look on the cheap I would throw this into the ring:

https://heraldmotorcompany.com/our-bikes/maverick-125/
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PRESENT: 2018 BMW S1000XR SE Sport.
PAST: 2009 Kawasaki ER-6F. 2021 Zontes ZT-125U.

[A100man]

Matt

You've already been informed that Chinese is a poor choice in your other thread..

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=334320&

Go ahead - buy one, but don't say you weren't warned.
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[BRUN]

you will find a low miles YS125 for £2-2500 get something like that, their isnt much to go wrong really

are you doing your lessons/test for a bigger bike eventually ?

you will lose a LOT on the chinese bike when you come to sell it, with a Jap bike you might even make money depending on how the market goes

[Ayrton]

what do you think you are gaining buying a new Chinese bike over a 5 year old Jap bike? You should consider that in a few years your brand new bike would be worth less than half of what you paid, while the Japanese ones will only be a few hundred quid less. There's a reason for that.

A Kickstarter isn't really needed too, I've never had a bike with one.

[neighbourninj...]

I'm an owner of a Superlight 125. It looks great but is ultra slow and build quality is a joke. It's easy enough to maintain, if nothing goes horribly wrong in the meantime.

Gearbox is very clunky, tyres are tubed (it's got an inner tube), electrics are temperamental, paintwork awful (will blemish in first couple of years), rear brake is not the best, seat will be soaked in rain as the leather is rubbish. That's just to name a few things I've noticed since I've got the bike.
Also, if you ride every day like I am, you'll find that manifold and exaust start rusting after only 2 years of riding.


Get a Jap bike.
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[Easy-X]

Pessimistic... but accurate Corrosion can be headed-off with the application of ACF50 after washing but that goes for most Chinese bikes.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

I'm very anti Chinese bikes since one snapped the chain when my son was riding it and put him in hospital. Probably 10 hp and snapped a chain.

Saying that, in the interests of fairness that was many years ago and they have no doubt improved. A young lad down the road has one that is immaculate but he spends hours cleaning and working on it, almost obsessive about it.

If you are like that and good at maintenance maybe go for it. As far as warrantys are concerned, I have heard they are hardly worth the paper they are printed on but again, that might have changed.

Final comment - Japanese.
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