Manufacturers get tough with Chinese “clones”

[Bob]

In two unconnected lawsuits, Chinese companies have been sued for flooding markets with copycat motorcycles.

Yamaha is currently suing Chinese manufacturer Yamoto Motor Corp in the US, accusing them of trademark infringement, false advertising and unfair competition. Yamaha claims that Yamoto and its California-based distributor Patriot Motorcycles Corp. made inferior versions of Yamaha's Raptor line of quad bikes, or all terrain vehicles (ATVs), and of its TT-R125 dirt bikes. Yamaha also claim Yamoto attempted to imitate the logo, website and colours of Yamaha.

Meanwhile, Czech motorcycle Blata is is seeking “tens of thousands of euros” in compensation from another, un-named Chinese company for selling fakes of their range of quad bikes. This follows customs officers seizing a container of 160 counterfeit Blata quad motorbikes in Malta.

Previously lawsuits have been issued by Honda for similar copyright fraud.

It should be stressed that there are a number of Chinese companies producing their own machines that do not infringe any copyright laws, but the situation is clearly reaching the stage that legal action is needed.

[curious george]

And they haven't go shit show of stopping them either.

[Squiggles]

my gf's cousin has a dirt bike which i looked at, thought it was a honda, but then i looked closer and saw that it was a cheaper chinese import that at a distance of more than 5ft would pass as one (when i asked he told me how he'd just had it brought over from china) there is no way to stop it, but they'll never be the real deals ;)

[Motu]

Copyright Infringment - and the Japanese are complaining?? Golly gosh,karma sucks eh?

[Toast]

Stopping the mass import of these things may be possible, but going in to China and bringing a law suit...haha! I heard of a case that McDonalds brought against some land owner over there...legally McD's had it all over him...but 'cos the guy was a mate of the judge, McD's got told to get stuffed...not the easiest place to deal in for foreign companies without big hookups.

[inlinefour]

And they haven't go shit show of stopping them either.

Maybe the dumbarses have been working for microsoftcock?

[Bob]

Patriot Motorcycle Corporation announced that it has reached an ‘acceptable settlement’ to the lawsuit filed by Yamaha alleging trademark infringement.

Yamaha will continue with their trademark infringement case against Chinese manufacturer, Yamoto Motor Corporation. Patriot was acting as a distributor for Yamoto.