Chinese bike rant!

[pepperami]

I bought a RX3 late last year and it has one or two minor issues left with it by the previous owner.
Nothing major thankfully .
The engine seems to be in good order and the frame is not rusty (yet).

However when I do need a part for it, it is like trying to find rocking horse poo!
CMPO don`t seem to have much for this model and going on the Honley web-site is not much use either.

What an absolute fecking arse-ache, when it is easier to order parts all the way from America than get parts in the UK.
I can see the merit of sticking to mainstream bike marques when getting a bike.
So far my experience of owning a Chinese bike has been mildly negative .
Thankfully the bike appears to ride nice at the moment, so there`s a plus.
hopefully all these stupid little issues can be sorted before the good weather gets here.

Next time, I`m buying a Honda
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Beehive Bedlam]

Sell it and get your money back while it still works.

[NutsyUk]

https://www.chinesemotorcyclepartsonline.co.uk/
https://www.china-parts.co.uk/
https://www.llexeter.co.uk/
https://www.wemoto.com/

None of them got the bits you need?

also search for your bike under its alternative names and brands...

Im not saying theyre perfect but you should be able to find something. Unless it really is something extremely obscure.
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Yamaha FZ8/Fazer800 (split headlight one) 2014, gingerly getting used to the massive increase in HP and not killing myself in the process! That was easy to get used to.
Kawasaki ER6F 2007 650 Gonna sell as a project bike!
Lexmoto XTR S 125 Sold!

[pepperami]

[Bald_Eagle1]

The Honley Venturer is basically a Zongshen RX3 isn't it?

Maybe also known as a M1nsk TRX 300i?:-
https://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/m1nsk-trx-300i-ready-for-a-250cc-adventure-bike/


Have you tried directly contacting the main Honley UK distributors, Earnshaws, in Huddersfield? - 01484 421232:-
https://www.earnshawsmotorcycles.co.uk/

Just in case you aren't already aware, it may also be listed in the US and Canadian markets through CSC Motorcycles under the model name Cyclone RX-3:-
https://www.cycleworld.com/2015/12/30/csc-motorcycles-rx3-cyclone-adventure-bike-motorcycle-review-photos-specifications

[Rogerborg]

https://cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder271/500x/46734271.jpg

...but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little 250, isn't it? It's always the same, I always warn them...

Rant courtesy of my Chinese 250 comprehensively rotting through its exhaust in 18 months and rendering itself economic scrap as the cost to replace it with a Virago part (including shipping and import duty mugging and then it might not even have fitted anyway) exceeded the token value of the bike.

Have you tried asking linuxyeti? He's bought a heap of Chinese Fake-aways including an RX-3, although his strategy seems to be to put minimal miles on one and then buy another, which is one way of avoiding the problem with parts, I suppose.
____________________
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]

[pepperami]

[linuxyeti]

Hi

Parts are very easy to get hold of, unfortunately, as it's not Euro 4, it appears Honly have stopped stocking it. I did try and deal with Honley directly once, far easier to deal online, using Tabao, apart from anything else, parts generally cheaper than from Honley anyhow.

Things should start improving with Zongshen, as they are going to deal direct, and support their own brand, Cyclone, if i remember correctly.

I am happy with mine, and I've been riding it in the really crappy weather we have had over the last week or so, 120 miles a day ! No issues whatsoever.

Oh, apart from a short I caused by not fitting the headlight connector after I replaced the bulb for a more powerful 1, but that was my own fault.
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Beware what photos you upload, or link to on here, especially if you have family members on them

[Bonnie Lad]

^^^ and you can totally rely on this guy for an entirely objective view on Chinese motorcycle ownership with minimal confirmation bias

[linuxyeti]

meaning ?? I own, and have owned chinese bikes for years, BUT, I have no links with any of the distributors or importers.

And, commuting between Wolverhampton and Leicester equates to 60 miles each way, or 120 miles a day Mon-Friday, as i said, no issues, if I had any doubts about the reliability, I wouldn't use it to get to work, afterall, I don't want to risk losing my job, which, again, has nothing to with motorbikes, of any nationality.

If you are saying, that I haven't had any appreciably negative issues with my chinese bikes over the years, then, yes you're right, but then again, I do look after my bikes.

I have to say, especially over the last week or so, not seen many other riders out, perhaps those non chinese bikes, are somewhat averse to road grit? mmmm??
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Beware what photos you upload, or link to on here, especially if you have family members on them

[pepperami]

[wr6133]

Use Taobao.

Chrome should be able to translate the pages for you and if you don't have any Chinese inlaws handy to post you the stuff then find a taobao agent ( something like https://taobaofocus.com ), they'll gouge you a little on postage and add their % but should still be cheap.

[Rogerborg]

[Sable]

[Enduro Numpty]

If only all bike manufacturers spares supply network was as customer focused as KTM. A superb network of dealers and so easy to order online.

In the 10 years that me and my son rode and raced them I don't think we ever waited longer than a week for even the most obscure item. No other bike maker comes even close.

[Rogerborg]

[arry]

Interesting on the KTM point. When I get back from where I currently am I'm having to take my 990 to my non-local dealer because, and I quote, the part you are looking to buy is available for sale, but cannot actually be replaced, and we will need to pull the engine.

I've seen it done on Youtoilet in less than 15 minutes by an oik American that only just fits under his car port (reference to his fatness innit).

Anyway. Where I currently am, ie Mandalay, there's more chink shite than you can shong shun schwing a stick at. Very few 250's though. Makes you wonder who the feck they make them for.

[Rogerborg]

[arry]

Breakin hearts wherever I go yo, cos heartbreaker.

In Rangoon there are no motorbikes at all. Why? Cos military government banned them. Why? Cos reasons of naff all sense - they're bad for traffic. Well that's cleared that one up. I'm glad I didn't visit when they were still using motorbikes then or it'd have taken me a whole hour to do a third of a mile instead of the 45 minutes it took this time around.

Mandalay is quite a bit richer by the looks of things. They import cars from Japan and I've seen quite a few 350z, RX8 and the like. All right hand drive, and they drive on the right not the left because military government decided to change it from the colonial style cos reasons. Now, despite the complete lack of any meaningful road signs the new government has decided to ban the import of cars that are RHD which rules out their major supplier, Japan. It'd be far easier just to go back to driving on the left. But Government gotta Government right.

Anyway, off topic. Motorbikes. Yeah them. I've seen one 'sports bike' and one Bandit. The Bandit was in absolutely immaculate condition, so in UK it would be worth 1500 quid private, or 3995 advertised as a modern classic advertised by a dealer in MCN classifieds. The Sports bike looked to be a Suzuki judging by the rear light and it was definitely an IL4 from the sound but I didn't get a look at the actual bike as it was carrying a lot of stuff....and 3 people.

Chinese bikes everywhere here but I can't recall seeing a 250. There's a lot of FZ250 Yamaha knocking about which does actually look a handy bike. Outside of scootay it seems the most popular bike is a Grom copy, which I've tracked down to be a Wonjan something or other. It really does look like an MSX. On investigation it costs something like 600 dollars here and is unbelievable in the believable nature of its unreliability.

[TaobaoFocus]

[Rogerborg]

Hovers over "Spam" and "Helpful". Well, it's more lucid than many "al rite m8" posts, so... Helpful, sez I.
____________________
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

[Polarbear]

Chinese bikes are never going to have the support infrastructure in UK unless...

1/ They cost a lot more than they do
2/ They sell a lot more than they do
3/ They are not regarded as disposable junk after a year.

1 is going to negate 2 and 3 negates both 1 & 2.

I suspect it will take the Chinese government supporting one brand to help get that to work in Europe, but why would they when they are selling millions in Asia irrespective.

When you walk into a big bike dealership of one of the major marques, just look at the money involved. Honda and Co. must spend a fortune supporting their dealership network and thats why I can't see it happening with Chinese bikes or cars. MG anyone?

People compare the Chinese invasion with the Japanese one, it certainly is NOT comparable with cars and bikes the Japanese made in the 60's which were quality products, if a little fragile at times.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Rogerborg]

Tru dat. Also, remember that Honda bought themselves international credibility by entering the TT and quickly doing rather well with their own WTF designs (5 cylinder 125s, 6 cylinder 250s spring to mind).

WK have taken some swings at the TT, and they even came 4th (the saddest position) this year in the Lightweight, but there are some very significant differences:

First they don't actually sell a faired bike, so even if you walk into Dodgy Dan's shipping crate office tomorrow, starry eyed and demanding "Want that one!" he can't sell it to you. Naked or Deuaville-knock off is your choice.

Second, the bike is an obvious ER6 knock off, and a 2013 one at that. I'd expect that they've long since replaced most of the components with Kawasaki or custom race ones. So it's no surprise that it's able to compete, and they're hardly showcasing the ability of their own bike.

Third, it's not even their bike. It's a CF MOTO (or started out as one). That's the huge difference. It's not CF MOTO or their parent company that's running the team then backing the sales and support effort. It's just a plucky little re-brander hauling bikes out of crates and stacking them high.

So it's hardly to be wondered that they've only managed to sell just over 100 bikes, after 4 years of trying, and swingeing price cuts.

Good on them, but until we see a CF MOTO racing (or a Hero or a Jialing or a...) it's rather a futile exercise.
____________________
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

[wr6133]

How many lashes must I give myself for my post making the spamcunt appear?