Chang Jiang 750

**CJ750** · 24th October 2008, 16:51

Anybody looking for one??? there is one on trademe at the moment

**Swoop** · 24th October 2008, 17:55

The question of "why?" has to be asked...

**Motu** · 24th October 2008, 18:22

I'm puzzled about the age of these things - are they still manufactured in current production....or are they remanufactured from old bikes with maybe some new parts and paint jobs? If they are old bikes,what were the years of production....when did it start and stop? When was the last one built...NEW! .

**Ixion** · 24th October 2008, 18:35

After some research I ave concluded that new machines ARE still being manufactured. However, there is not in China such a clear distinction between new and used as with us.There is not a single (or even several) Chang Jiang factory(s). And no factory actually produces a complete Chang Jiang from scratch.

Production takes place piecemeal at a number of different manufacturing sites, often changing quite quickly, because manufacture of motorcycle parts is regarded as a 'filler' to keep the factory going when other work is short; and parts from these various factories are then assembled at even more and various assemblers, some of them little more than a "hole in the wall". And many of these will "extend" supplies of new parts with second ones when they can. This model is quite typical of China.

So the question is not "new or used" but "how much of it is 'new'"

**Motu** · 24th October 2008, 18:41

I kinda thought that was the case,but the frustrating thing is NO ONE will front up and tell the truth.They um and ah,and hedge around the real truth.Why don't they just front up and say this is an old shitter rebuilt with new bits and pieces....or this is a new bike,built brand new this year,using old parts.What is the real story....or can't we have that from China?

**Ixion** · 24th October 2008, 18:49

Very likely the guy exporting them doesn't actually know himself. He buys them from a cousin of his sisters boyfriend, who buys them from his uncles wifes second husband, who buys them from 16 villages in the interior. And every bike in a shipment is probably a different story. China's like that.

edit: The other complexity is documents. In China, documents are harder and more expensive to obtain than bikes, and usually call for much bribery. Documents for old, used bikes are easier to obtain. So a "new" bike may be fitted out with documents form an old one that has been junked (gee, where have I heard of that being done before, eh?).

**skidMark** · 24th October 2008, 18:56

Is it just my head cold, or is everybody else as confused as i am.

**CJ750** · 24th October 2008, 18:58

I have read that CJ's were first built in China in 1957 from the tooling taken out of Germany by the Russians. The Chinese dealers tell the world that all of the bikes exported from China are bikes built for the PLA. Some of the pics I have seen on the website have only a few kms on them when they are stripped and rebuilt to individual requirements. Some of the bikes that are 2000ish models have some pretty ugly castings as the tooling hasnt been maintained very well.
As for the question "why". I am done with building and racing big horsepower sidecars. I have been after an old sidecar for a while and a CJ750 is a lot cheaper than an old Harley or Indian and they come in a restorde condition. They have their problems but they are based on technology from the late thirties. I am quite happy to fix or modify anything that breaks on it. Some of the finishing work is just shit and they are definitely not for everyone. If you are into tinkering and riding then they are farkin cool.

**Ixion** · 24th October 2008, 19:02

Yeah, when I started riding pretty much every bike was like that. Performance wise , too.

I'd sort of like one, just to play with, nostalgia and all that. Is sort of fun, the challenge of dealing with getting from A to B despite it all.

But I just think they are way too dear for what they offer. The Renfields offer more way back machine for your buck.

**Coyote** · 24th October 2008, 19:04

Originally Posted by Ixion

Very likely the guy exporting them doesn't actually know himself. He buys them from a cousin of his sisters boyfriend, who buys them from his uncles wifes second husband, who buys them from 16 villages in the interior. And every bike in a shipment is probably a different story. China's like that.

My girlfriend's best friend's Dad has a container of cheap scooters. I might get one if I find any loose change

**CJ750** · 24th October 2008, 19:13

Although I have bought a CJ from a dealer in China doesnt mean that I dont still think that they are a bunch of lying cheating bunch of sons of bitches. I wasnt really looking for a 5 year 10000km warranty but I knew that if I had asked for it ,they would have said that it came standard along with AA roadside assist. Luckily for me I am an engineering tutor and have access to all the machinery and contacts to make replacement parts out of better materials and to better tolerances.
In fact I could forgive anybody for wanting to bomb the slant eyed bastards.
When the NZ dollar is good against the greenback you can get one like mine(have a look at my pics) for under $US5000. It cost me $US1100 to ship from the workshop to Auckland port. $NZ2200 to get it off the port and through all the customs bullshit and about $NZ400 to vin and register. So the bike in my pics landed here for a little over $NZ10k.
If you dont have a lot of mechanical knowledge it can be a disadvantage for sure but there is some info available about fixing things that give trouble. I will help anybody bring one in and also help with repairs etc.

**Motu** · 24th October 2008, 19:19

Originally Posted by Ixion

I'd sort of like one, just to play with, nostalgia and all that. Is sort of fun, the challenge of dealing with getting from A to B despite it all.

But I just think they are way too dear for what they offer. The Renfields offer more way back machine for your buck.

Me too - my disposable income doesn't extend to decimal points,let alone commas.I get bikes like the CJ750 that need to be pulled apart and put back together properly for free!.No way am I going to pay that much for one.But I still want one.

**CJ750** · 24th October 2008, 19:27

If you tell the ching dealer to give you all the paperwork for a pre 1959 bike it is easier to vin and register here in NZ. If it is portrayed as pre 1959 then none of the crap about no standards shown on light lenses etc matters.
You really have to want one to buy one, if you look at website postings etc on CJ sites you will read what owners all over the world have done to cure problems they have had.
Only another sidecar rider can understand the appeal of an old Chinese sidecar or any sidecar for that matter.
When you lay down on a road racing sidecar at about 280k's with the foreward most part of your body being your face, with 200 hp bolted on behind you, along with another crazy bastard who jumps around all over the back of it so that the both of you can go as fast as possible, only then do you realise that there is something very bloody wrong with you but,what a f*#kin rush.