Cheap Chinese levers - first impressions

[SPP]

What and where
The title says it all. $115 for shorty knock offs from Trademe. 6 days (incl weekend) to deliver to rural address and was very well packaged. I bought these thinking that I could try out shorty levers and if I liked them but these fell apart then I’d just stump up for the real deal. For now I'm pretty happy with them. Lets see in a few weeks.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-305579412.htm

Installation
“Customer please install by specialist”… I’d be embarrassed to call someone in to do the job. Two bolts and about 30mins… and that included hunting for the Teflon grease, pissing around lubing everything, and taking pictures.

First Impressions
I’m not a metallurgist but the quality seems ok. Lever slop is no more than Honda levers. The little bolts are a bit chintzy but the levers are fine.

In use
Brake – I could never get comfortable using two fingers so I’ve gotten into a habit of leaving only one finger up there. With these, sitting two fingers on the lever feels perfect.
Clutch – I have to use three fingers because the lever jams my free fingers into the grip if I don’t…. just like the Honda lever. The best thing though is that once the cable play is set it’s much easier to adjust the clutch throw. A click or two and the clutch grabs exactly where I want it without having a sloppy lever.

Pimp value
Black shorty’s definitely look better and “hardly broken when bike fall”.

[R6_kid:Me]

spotted these and wondered what sorta quality they'd be. Might try and track the guy down to match some up to my bike. Having an aftermarket master cylinder is nice but a bit of a pain in the ass to find levers for!

[miloking]

What and where
The title says it all. $115 for shorty knock offs from Trademe. 6 days (incl weekend) to deliver to rural address and was very well packaged. I bought these thinking that I could try out shorty levers and if I liked them but these fell apart then I’d just stump up for the real deal. For now I'm pretty happy with them. Lets see in a few weeks.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-305579412.htm

Installation
“Customer please install by specialist”… I’d be embarrassed to call someone in to do the job. Two bolts and about 30mins… and that included hunting for the Teflon grease, pissing around lubing everything, and taking pictures.

First Impressions
I’m not a metallurgist but the quality seems ok. Lever slop is no more than Honda levers. The little bolts are a bit chintzy but the levers are fine.

In use
Brake – I could never get comfortable using two fingers so I’ve gotten into a habit of leaving only one finger up there. With these, sitting two fingers on the lever feels perfect.
Clutch – I have to use three fingers because the lever jams my free fingers into the grip if I don’t…. just like the Honda lever. The best thing though is that once the cable play is set it’s much easier to adjust the clutch throw. A click or two and the clutch grabs exactly where I want it without having a sloppy lever.

Pimp value
Black shorty’s definitely look better and “hardly broken when bike fall”.

Nice, i also have a set of full lenght on my CBR but bought fron Egay not tardme (same levers just directly from china ) and iam pretty happy with them ... i guess the cynical response would be "iam pretty happy with them until i grab handful of brake and nothing happens" but so far so good...
Also they are copies of Pazzo levers but the adjuster isnt realy red (as pazzos) but more magenta but who cares...

[ital916]

Just letting you guys know we can get these levers in at motomail. We have a few on the shelf if you want a closer look before considering them.

[imdying]

Good plan, we should all buy a set and support ripping off Pazzos gear. Then, when they finally go out of business, we can all sit and twiddle our thumbs now that the gooks have nobody to steal designs from.

[ckai]

Good plan, we should all buy a set and support ripping off Pazzos gear. Then, when they finally go out of business, we can all sit and twiddle our thumbs now that the gooks have nobody to steal designs from.

hahah it could be argued (if we're being really cynical) that Pazzo "ripped" off manufacturers like ASV.

Pazzo has only been around for only a few years but are doing bloody well. I have Pazzo's and love them (after ASV shagged me around) but they do cut corners to make there's cheaper than the competitors, just like these cheap chinese knock-offs.

Hell, it comes down to being prepared to pay for what you get. More you pay - more quality you get. But is it worth all the extra money?

I do get annoyed with Chinese companies always copying and not coming up with anything themselves, but that's what they do.

These levers look reasonable though. Me, I'll stick with Pazzo's.

[imdying]

hahah it could be argued (if we're being really cynical) that Pazzo "ripped" off manufacturers like ASV.

Only by somebody ignorant of the individual designs. Pazzo, CRG, and ASV all manufacture different designs of levers; the Chinese ones are a direct rip off of Pazzo's design.

Hell, it comes down to being prepared to pay for what you get. More you pay - more quality you get. But is it worth all the extra money?

No, it comes down to theft of a design, which isn't a problem in China. I wonder if it is actually legal to import these into New Zealand?

These levers look reasonable though. Me, I'll stick with Pazzo's.

I don't doubt they're ok to use, the Chinese can make good products if they choose to.

[Suntoucher]

As good as shorties look, are they nicer to use?

[R6_kid:Me]

O it comes down to theft of a design, which isn't a problem in China. I wonder if it is actually legal to import these into New Zealand?

Surely it's fine as long as they aren't plastered with Pazzo branding?

[R6_kid:Me]

Just letting you guys know we can get these levers in at motomail. We have a few on the shelf if you want a closer look before considering them.

What's your price?

[Ivan]

Im running a brake lever yetto get a clutch through a mate who sponsors me these levers are incredibly good believe it or not very good adjustment and good feel and a good fit as well

[SPP]

As good as shorties look, are they nicer to use?

I’ve only just starting using them (and on a sportbike) but yes much nicer. It’s immediately noticeable that they’re better suited for how I hold the grips.

The brake lever is more comfortable for two finger braking. The clutch lever can be adjusted for early engagement without having too much play.

I can't comment on the durability of these yet but they work well. There are better quality shorty levers out there though (Titax, CRG, ASV, Pazzo...)

[AllanB]

I've seen these on E-bay. Appeared too cheap to be any good!!!!!!

In reality there is absolutely no reason for them not to be as good as the masters they copied them from they have access to decent metals and machinery to make them.

I just worry about that moment of panic braking from some naughty speed and the lever shitting itself.

But then chances are some of the bits on my bike were make under license for Honda Japan by the exact same Chinese company.

Funny the power of a companies label.

[boomer]

Good plan, we should all buy a set and support ripping off Pazzos gear. Then, when they finally go out of business, we can all sit and twiddle our thumbs now that the gooks have nobody to steal designs from.

STILL Mr Happy..... i see....!


BLING

[dipshit]

I just worry about that moment of panic braking from some naughty speed and the lever shitting itself.

Exactly. Why go cheap just to save yourself a couple of hundred dollars when it comes to your brakes..!

See this... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274298