Consensus on the Brit/Chinese AJS bikes?

[bLiXeY]

What's the general consensus, anyone own one?

I'm considering selling a kidney to buy one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110827469436?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

It looks the part, but I wouldn't want another Chinese bike that vibrates itself loose

[ninja_butler]

I'd like to think Chinese bikes can be good, but I wouldn't risk p*ssing away £2000 on a lemon.

[FBSF]

Hmmm, might just be me, but those exhausts look like matt-stove-enamel paint. Or the sort that would last about 3 months before needing to be repainted.

Also, "up to 75mpg". On a 125 - really? I get nearly 60mpg out of my GS500, and my CM200 does nearly 80.

Granted, it does look distinctive, but a 2/3-yr old Japanese 125 will more than likely be a far better bet for the same cash.

The warranty also seems to have more holes than swiss cheese... i.e. "14. The warranty does not cover faults,
defects or damage caused by faults or
defects that have not been reported to an
authorized AJS dealer or approved dealer
within seven days of discovering the fault."

Caveat Emptor.

[nowhere.elysium]

2 grand is a lot of money for a Chinese 125. It's prettier than the average, but for how long?
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[garth]

Are you mental?

£2000?

I could've done my test, bought my ZX9R, and done a trackday with some change for that.
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[P.]

Please tell me you is trollin'

Nowhere close to considered For 2k you can get a stunner of a YBR/CBF

You would have to have a money tree to consider it.

[DrDonnyBrago]

It looks shit.


Do your test and buy a 500 twin.

If you still want it to look shit then spend the change on rim stripes, caffeine+glucose drink decals and dominator headlights for the full chav effect.

[P.]

[bLiXeY]

Thanks chaps, the absolute voices of reason I needed to hear...it just looks so purtee

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120866288938?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This is the other bike I might have a punt on, rather different!

[nowhere.elysium]

[DrDonnyBrago]

[P.]

OP, can I beat you with a virtual hammer.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-YAMAHA-YBR-125-FUEL-INJECTION-/110795000914?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item19cbe58c52

^^^ 2 grand, far better.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-YBR-125-2006-TAX-Just-serviced-15k-miles-warranty-/350533498741?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item519d6cb775

^^^ Under a grand, bargain

You definitely need to think logically. Chinese = no, Old = no.

Get a fairly modern thing, do the test before your time runs out and bish bash bosh, any bike is possible after that

[bLiXeY]

DAM YOUR BALANCED REASON GAINED THROUGH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE!!

You know I think I may be discerning a pattern with my past vehicle purchases...my car owning history includes the likes of an early 80's Lancia!

I may have some strange disorder whereupon I take on weird/shite vehicles that I spend more time fixing than using

That bike for a grand looks good paddy.

[P.]

[carlosthejack...]

blixey, that bike in your OP looks like a piece of shit. AVOID. As has already been proven, there's far far better available...
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DonnyBrago: "I think you may be confusing rain and napalm..." Paulington: "It's not what you ride, it's how you ride it."
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[Rogerborg]

[koolio]

Great thing about Chinese bikes is they are cheap.

As soon as they stop being cheap they're not worth it, until they really prove themselves in the future and its a long way from that.

I would stay away from it with a barge pole at that price, wouldn't even pay half for it.

[bLiXeY]

[Babba]

I like the 'looks' of the AJS bikes.

To me, they are aesthetically pleasing to the eye & they 'look' like, what I can only describe as "well sorted".

Someone outside China has styled these, probably designed them from the ground up, nuts + bolts + everything.

I sense echoes of the design house who are/have been heavily involved with modern Triumph motorcycles.

I don't know & I don't care enough about them to be bothered to research it, but maybe AJS are serious about becoming a major player in the motorcycle market.

I've only ever given them a cursory glance at the trade shows, but they do look well made & well finished. I'm not in the market for becoming a dealer but if I was, I'd dig a little deeper into the build quality & engineering standards.

Would I buy one as a consumer?

Would I fukkerz like, so far they are unproven. I'd like to hear respected opinions from several owners of bikes at least 5yrs old before I chucked that kind of money on one.

[keggyhander]

[janner_10]

[quote="bLiXeY"]

[Rogerborg]

[bLiXeY]

[hmmmnz]

i had a l300 delica like that untill xmas, then someone stole it off me,
really fucjed me off, it was running a 3" lift on 33' tyres,
lsd in the back, old man emu heavy duty shocks, and rancho torsion bars,
bull bars, brand new motor, turbo, and hd clutch,
it was surprisingly good off road, despite being a bit top heavy,

now i have a british car, which has cost me a small fortune in the last 2 months, (ok it is 50 years old ) i wish i still had my delica
such a useful vehicle here in nz


any way back on topic,
i wouldnt spend a huge amount of money on a chinese bike, but the ajs dealer network in the uk is quite good, so if i was foll hardy enough to buy a chinese bike, it probably would be near the top of a very shit list, certainly not a 2000 quid bike though

a old 125 smokey would be far better for the money
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[ninja_butler]

DonnyBrago wrote:

bLiXeY wrote: Thanks chaps, the absolute voices of reason I needed to hear...it just looks so purtee https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120866288938?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 This is the other bike I might have a punt on, rather different! If you want something 37 years old to kick, throw spanners and swear at then go for it. If you want a motorcycle to ride then it's another shit idea . What exactly is wrong with something like a CG125, YBR125 etc? They will go for about the same price as that "classic" will but might actually spend enough time on the road for you to get to work.

I sort of agree but there's nothing wrong with buying a 1970's classic, the only problem with most old Japanese bikes is that they are old so to buy one that is in decent condition you end up spending as much or more than you would on the modern equivalent unless you get lucky and find one that's been dry-stored and forgotten about in the back of someone's shed/garage.

I don't know who bought that CB 125 on Ebay but for £670 I think they paid £170 over the odds; it's not bad, but as the seller clearly states, it does need a lot of tidying up.