Warehouse ruins pocketbike sales.

[jonbuoy]

Made in Japan used to mean shite - now it means decent quality. Isn't this is bit like saying Wharehouse ruins TV/DVD sales? You get what you pay for - most people know if they buy from the warehouse it won't last too long.

[Paul in NZ]

It's funny when people bag 'Asians'.....

I work for a Japanese company and they are one of the most ecologically sensitive companies I've worked for. Their products are generally robust and long lasting.

I've worked in Malaysia - 'patchy' might be a description...

I think it's unfair to bag all Asians as bad - they are as different as the yanks are to the Germans. China - all emerging economies tend to go this way for a bit (India etc) and what you forget is OUR culture has been through this already... have a look around the canterbury plains - wasn't that all native bush once?

[sidecar bob]

It's funny when people bag 'Asians'.....

I work for a Japanese company and they are one of the most ecologically sensitive companies I've worked for. Their products are generally robust and long lasting.

I've worked in Malaysia - 'patchy' might be a description...

I think it's unfair to bag all Asians as bad - they are as different as the yanks are to the Germans. China - all emerging economies tend to go this way for a bit (India etc) and what you forget is OUR culture has been through this already... have a look around the canterbury plains - wasn't that all native bush once?

Ecolgically sensitive? WTF? Whaling for reasearch, The Japs will do that until the last whale has been eaten, Bastards!!

[Paul in NZ]

Ecolgically sensitive? WTF? Whaling for reasearch, The Japs will do that until the last whale has been eaten, Bastards!!

The particular company I work for. If NZ was judged on the actions of the Talley family we would be FAR worse.

[newmanz]

Sorry Bob.

I bought a chinker off a reputable Minimoto importer in Wellington. It has been mint. Obviously, I've replaced a few bolts with proper quality ones. The hendle bars DID break, but only after 18 months of repeated crashing. The tyres have been fine, as have the brakes.

One of my best mates bought a chinker off some dude in Manakau. The importer had assembled the bike, replaced all the bolts with real ones, fitted a fuel filter.

The only thing that's broken on it is the front forks. And that's due to Tristan cartwheeling it through the scenery at 50kph.

Then there's the pitbikes I've been selling on behalf of a mate.

I simply can't kill the fucker. Believe me, I've tried.

I agree with you.
My latest order of parts and Mini Quads just landed last week. The factory followed my exact specs and were followed closely by my own agent.
Its the best quality I have seen, frame welds are beautiful. The parts are all as I asked for, correct factory OEM and the best i could get.

Many kiwis do not understand about paying a little more for quality. A Pocketbike worth $200 is not going to be a good one, it is the bottom of the heap.

China's quality is improving, I have been dealing with China since 1998. Sure we had teething problems, China is after all a communist country. You cant base your dealings on a few factories to generalize all factories in China.

As far as replicas go... err sure, how many want to spend $7000 on an Italian minimoto ? Not many school kids anyway, a $400 Chinese pocketbike is fine, runs well and the parts are cheap.

I bought a $25 power drill from the Warehouse and its still going 3 years later, my microwave $120 from Warehouse is 7 years old and still cooks my baked beans on toast mint !!!!!!

[The_Dover]

I bought a $25 power drill from the Warehouse and its still going 3 years later, my microwave $120 from Warehouse is 7 years old and still cooks my baked beans on toast mint !!!!!!

yeah, my jandals were $1.79 and still look like new.

I've worn them everyday for the last 4 years. Value for money.

Compare that to the shithouse sidi boots that cost $325 about 18months ago and would be rejected in a tramps fashion parade.

[newmanz]

yeah, my jandals were $1.79 and still look like new.

I've worn them everyday for the last 4 years. Value for money.

Compare that to the shithouse sidi boots that cost $325 about 18months ago and would be rejected in a tramps fashion parade.

At .12 of a cent a day, thats excellent value. Probably the standard daily wage in China at the factory that made them.

[Buddha#81:Me]

You don't know many lesbians do you?

Im a lesbian trapped in a man's body.

[scumdog]

yeah, my jandals were $1.79 and still look like new.

I've worn them everyday for the last 4 years. Value for money.

Compare that to the shithouse sidi boots that cost $325 about 18months ago and would be rejected in a tramps fashion parade.

I know what you mean - my jandals outlasted my 'sidi' boots on the track.
Bit bumpy if ya ran onto the ripple strip.

[Swoop]

Having a discussion with a bike mechanic the other day. He has been seeing quite a few of the Chinese made (assembled?) motorcycles that we currently see on our roads.
His comments:
They are put together dry - NO grease or lubricants in what he has encountered so far (apart from sump oil).
Electrical cabling is the same. All movement in the loom or cable is wearing the strands of electrical cable.
One bike, he thought the front wheel felt a little strange, so he stripped the axle/wheel bit. Only one bearing on one side. The other one was missed completely OR the production line kept on moving and "Mr Assembler" ignored the oversight.
Bolts air-driven into position. Cross-threaded = no pwobleem!

Staff in the factories are chosen at the factory gates each morning.
Leave your position for a piss and you will come back to find another person doing your job and you are escorted out of the premises.

You get what you pay for, indeed.

[TygerTung]

i wish people wouldnt be so racist

[sidecar bob]

i wish people wouldnt be so racist

We're not being racist, we're criticising their shoddy workmanship.
If i did a fukin hopeless job at what i do i could expect criticisim too.
I wouldn't mistake it for racisim im sure.

[newmanz]

Having a discussion with a bike mechanic the other day. He has been seeing quite a few of the Chinese made (assembled?) motorcycles that we currently see on our roads.
His comments:
They are put together dry - NO grease or lubricants in what he has encountered so far (apart from sump oil).
Electrical cabling is the same. All movement in the loom or cable is wearing the strands of electrical cable.
One bike, he thought the front wheel felt a little strange, so he stripped the axle/wheel bit. Only one bearing on one side. The other one was missed completely OR the production line kept on moving and "Mr Assembler" ignored the oversight.
Bolts air-driven into position. Cross-threaded = no pwobleem!

Staff in the factories are chosen at the factory gates each morning.
Leave your position for a piss and you will come back to find another person doing your job and you are escorted out of the premises.

You get what you pay for, indeed.

Yes, lined up at the gate. Heres your 5 minute crash course in frame welding now go to it !!!! some factories do operate like this, not all. The good ones actually have onsite apartment blocks, all the staff live in them together, the factories actually employ complete classrooms of students at the end of the year because the workers already know eachother from school and get along much better... Getting work in China is hard, working for a big factory that has modern thinking is actually not such a bad start for alot of those school kids, but unless you have seen this with your own eyes, it would be easy to think all factories run the "First through the gate" system.

[newmanz]

Made in Japan used to mean shite - now it means decent quality. Isn't this is bit like saying Wharehouse ruins TV/DVD sales? You get what you pay for - most people know if they buy from the warehouse it won't last too long.

I dont remember the warehouse having to recall and then bury in landfill 2000 DVD's... maybe Paul Holmes CD, but that was a nationwide recall by the ministry of health, it was just killing too many... ha ha !!!

[SHELRACING]

Sorry Bob.

I bought a chinker off a reputable Minimoto importer in Wellington. It has been mint. Obviously, I've replaced a few bolts with proper quality ones. The hendle bars DID break, but only after 18 months of repeated crashing. The tyres have been fine, as have the brakes.

One of my best mates bought a chinker off some dude in Manakau. The importer had assembled the bike, replaced all the bolts with real ones, fitted a fuel filter.

The only thing that's broken on it is the front forks. And that's due to Tristan cartwheeling it through the scenery at 50kph.

Then there's the pitbikes I've been selling on behalf of a mate.

I simply can't kill the fucker. Believe me, I've tried.

Yeah I have to agree with WhiteTrash on this one. We have only had chinker imports and yes if you are not careful you can get a lousy one. You know that every Boxing Day there is a queue of people waiting to return goodsat the warehouse.
Our best import has lasted 18mths of hard racing and we havent had to do anything but replace the bits that we broke through crashing. Several adults and kids have ridden the bike and love it. It just keeps going when all the other bikes, that cost three times as much, break down. After some real soul searching I have reluctantly let it go.
WhiteTrash has just bought the bike and I know he will get hours of pleasure out of it.
Shel racing, Granma and Steve