Chinese bikes.

[petemell]

I have heard a lot of criticism about Chinese motorbikes on this site.
To be honest, as a nation, they are putting us to shame.
In the UK, pre war and post war time there were probably 101 bike manufacturers in this country.
Ariel, Matchless, Enfield, BSA, James, Villiers, Scott, Triumph, Rudge, Panther, to name but a few. Loads of others too.
Where are they now? Why aren't they manufacturing now?
The Jinlun, Sanya, Skyjet, Chituma, Sukida, Kymco etc, may have a few problems. They may be a copy of a Jap bike.
But it is still a lot better than what is being made in the UK, which is nowt.
Most people think they can only make chow mein, chop suey and foo yung.
But don't slate these guys too much, as they are all skilled craftsmen working for a menial wage and their product will improve.
We should be thankful.

[G]

I believe a few bits and pieces are being made in the UK, but I’d prefer that we made nothing rather than very poor quality machines; some British bikes hardly has the best reputation in the past.
Triumph still have a rather popular lineup; building more bikes than Ducati, with a factory in the UK.

There are very good reasons why a lot less manufacturing is done in the UK; when it can cost a tenth or less to fabricate stuff in other countries, it’s never really going to be competitive to do it in the UK.
The UK is moving towards much more a ‘service’ industry, where people’s minds rather than hands are valued. It would be nice to see more of this put towards automotive stuff to my mind, but that’s another matter.

Kymco are Taiwanese by the way, I believe.
What rather worried me about the Chinese bikes was when I read that some of their models were restricted from Export by the Chinese government; they were considered to low quality and would present a bad image of China. So the ones we get here are in fact the good ones.

If the people making these bikes are skilled craftsmen, they generally don’t make use of those skills making these motorcycles. However none of these facts are good reasons to not slag them or to buy them. When they start making better quality motorcycles, that will be the point we should change our attitudes.

I’m not entirely adverse to Chinese bikes; second hand some can be got for very little money and can make excellent value projects for those that don’t mind spending some time on them.

[neatbik]

I can see what you are saying, and no doubt chinese bikes will get better in time, but from my experiances with them so far they are at best unreliable and at worst down right dangerous.
Triumph are on the up, they are building awesome bikes. Im looking forward to test riding the 675 tiger cub when it comes out, i reckon it will be a great 'all rounder'

[truslack]

[Moonie]

Well Triumph and Enfield are still open for business, and making much better quality stuff than the Chinese.

The fact is that it's (generally) not just a couple of flaws, its things like fairings falling off, wheel nuts coming loose, even frames snapping (Mattsprattuk). This is why I will try to put people off Chinese bikes on here.

Granted some of them are ok but I wouldn't want to take the risk.

OT: Anyone read about a Chinese team in the 250GP?

Great, except the frame and running gear are British and the Engine is Dutch
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Don't practice it until you get it right, practice it until you don't get it wrong.
Presenting the one and only Chinkmobile

[truslack]

My British bike is in better condition than any of my others, and is a lot older ('86) than my 2 European (Italian and Spanish) bikes. A lot better build than my '87 RG125, but that could be with it being designed to withstand the treatment squaddies gave them.
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Current: Suzuki RG 125 Gamma, Honda H100, Triumph Tiger 800XC, Suzuki SV650 (minitwin)

[G]

[Shaane]

Well I've got a Chinese moped and it caused me nothing but problems..
____________________
EMRA Roadstock #92 - Paperwork Permitted.
Previous: 1992 DT125R
Current: ~ 2005 ZX6R C1H

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

I'm sure the Japanese stuff was crap many years ago. Give them time.
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[truslack]

[Moonie]

[stinkwheel]

[chris-red]

I'm so happy I copied this before clicking submit, fucking busy server.

Right a few things,


Kymco are from Taiwan, I also thought these where Korean at one point there built quality is meant to be superior than the average chinkie shite.

Enfield are british by name only, everything is made and "designed" in India. The bullet is based on the design of the orignal enfield frame and engine with a few modern touches, disc brakes, left hand shift and I imagine some emissions crap. They are very cheap because you are essential getting an old bike. Not to reliable but simple.

You say nothing is made in England any more, every wondered where the most advanced motorcycle factory in the world is? Japan? Itali? No, it's in hinckley liecester. although, they still aren't as popular as the Jap bikes IMO they make some of the best bikes out there and so many class leaders. Think of bikes like the Daytona 675, Speed Triple, Sprint ST, Rocket 3, Tiger. You look at these bike and compare them to there Jap countaparts I think they are usually a step above. Although you do pay slightly more for them. I always go back to my Speed Four, Compared to the competition Hornet bandit etc. The S4's spec is far better, they wanted £5300 for them new which was abit much in the last few years you could get a fully loaded one for £4k alarm body kit hugger etc. and at the end they where knocking them out for £3k. It had sports bike suspension, fully adjustable and less weight and had more power than it's competitors. Compared it to the bandit, weight 213kg and 80ish bhp, S4 170kg and 98bhp. It was because Triumph still have a modular design, it will be cheaper to just use the same part as an expensive bike than designing and testing something cheaper.

Another thing, I had never known anyone to have any problems with a Triumph built in the last 10 years or so, I'm not saying it doesn't happen but My dad has a 1999 Sprint ST and is an active member of how local RAT group, (not the dirty smelly goff bikers Riders assocation of Triumph) Which I go to sometimes I have never heard anyone saying that there bike has broken down, or they have problems. Not saying they don't break down just that I have never heard of it.


Right Triumph, I want my cheque by the end of the week.

CCM are made in England too.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[G]

I've got a 675. It's not that advanced .
The CCM is another good make, not amazingly put together, but a nice idea (apart from the new chinese 230); though the parts used are mostly Italian and Japanese.

[chris-red]

Insurance on them is cheaper too as Triumph tend to have the old man image therefore the average ages of a 675 owner is probably 5/10 years up on an R6, My Speed Four was cheaper to insure than a bandit by about £100
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[superslick]

im sorry.....but have you seen the state of some of these bikes? simply fucking disgusting

so as well as being hideous they are also unreliable, unsafe and horribly slow.


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aprillia rs125 gp-1 2004

[ms51ves3]

Will you give me credit if I make something shit?

[Askura]

I gawp at these triumph bikes that I see, yet don't second glance some of these chinese bikes. They seem quite plasticky (Real word I swear!) and tacky in some ares,,,
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Honda CG 125 - Cagiva Raptor 125 - GS500 - Cagiva Raptor 650 - Honda Bros 400.

[MaybeGuy]

this 1st post is the biggest load of fucking bullshit i've ever read.

have you ever owned a chinese bike? mine could have killed me due to the FRAME SNAPPING whilst travelling at NSL speeds with a pillion.

lifan samurai 125-30... brand new in 2006, frame snapped in 2007

so fuck you chinese bikes... fuck you.

all the chinese are good for are geisha girls, and getting confused with the japs. not meaning to sound racist or anything, but they shouldnt touch bikes... now im off on one. brb pills.
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[petemell]

Hi again, ok so Triumph still do manufacture bikes in this country.
Yes they are nice bikes, but I would bet that a vast majority of the parts are imported and most of the work at Hinckley is just assembly.
Some of those Chinese bikes as mentioned are hideous.
But they are built on a very low budget, and like it or not people are buying them.
In time they will improve and become more reliable just like Jap bikes have.

[ZaphodBeeble]

Whilst I agree that the majority of Chinese stuff is shite you have to admit there are a few very good examples. China is a big country and has quite a few different factories producing bikes.

The only 2 things I've personally seen wrong with Chinese bikes (from a functionality point of view) is relatively lower grade materials and bad bolt tightening. The engineering seems to be pretty good.

The shop where I work is stocking Superbyke RMR125's and AJS Regal Raptors. Both of these bikes are very well made and we don't see them other than for servicing or if a customer wants to part exchange for something bigger. To be honest though Superbyke stock a couple of shit bikes which I will not sell at all but I have complete faith in the RMR's.
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Current bike: VTR1000F Firestorm. Previous: Firestorm (written off) - XJ600 Divvy - NSR125 - DT125 and a load of offroaders.

[Shaane]

https://www.fromebikebreakers.co.uk/bikes/apache2.jpg

^^ That bike makes me laugh. It has about 10 different names.
____________________
EMRA Roadstock #92 - Paperwork Permitted.
Previous: 1992 DT125R
Current: ~ 2005 ZX6R C1H

[tatters]

[Shaane]

[ms51ves3]