A new brand of chinese "sports bikes"?

[raziel1983]

"The Quantum 250R is a street racing motorcycle"

John McGuinness on one of these for the next IoM?.

[Katman]

I was watching something on the telly last night about chinese made clothing and shoes, to stop them going moldy in storage and transit, they have been giving them high doses of some pretty nasty chemicals. Quite a few people who are handling these products ie... the ones unpacking containers and shop assistants, are getting some pretty nasty illnesses. There was a team from germany that went to china to see what was going on and what they found was quite disturbing. But now the chinese are getting worried that the rest of the world is going to find out what they are up to, they have moved a lot of their operations to bangladesh, because life is so cheap there, and their government is not at all worried about these people dropping dead inside clothing and shoe factories..Bit of a eye opener for this lad.

I bought a pair of jeans off Trademe recently - not realising that they were cheap Chinese knock-offs.

When they arrived they stunk of chemicals (as well as being made of a fabric that is so thin that it could hardly be described as denim).

The business practices and lack of ethics of the Chinese are appalling.

[unstuck]

I bought a pair of jeans off Trademe recently - not realising that they were cheap Chinese knock-offs.

When they arrived they stunk of chemicals (as well as being made of a fabric that is so thin that it could hardly be described as denim).

The business practices and lack of ethics of the Chinese are appalling.

I agree, and some of the conditions of the slaves/staff are absolutely appalling. No chemical protective clothing whatsoever, and when one drops and starts bleeding from the eyes, they get fired and replaced. Disgusting.
Dimethylformamide Seemed to be a common chemical name, and that shit is nasty.

[Katman]

I forced myself to watch a video a while ago that was trying to raise awareness of the fur trade in China.

It showed dogs being skinned alive.

It's hard not to feel hatred for a society that doesn't see any wrong in those sorts of business practices.

[unstuck]

Something must be amiss there because they seem to be getting an awful lot of disasters, or has it always been a fairly high natural disaster area? I must admit my ignorance when it comes to basic chinese history. I do know they have been very unfairly treated in other countries in the gold days including NZ. They seem to be a very industrious nation, but they also seem to lack a basic moral compass when it comes to business.

[Mushu]

So, after reading the last 5 posts is anybody willing to purchase one of these bikes?

[unstuck]

Another thing I found interesting and disturbing about the textile industry in china is the way that they get the distressed look on new jeans. They sandblast them with sand with the silica content still in it. Sand with silica was banned from use by sandblasters here years ago(why I stopped doing it). They have no protective gear apart from a handkerchief around their lower face, because the companys wont provide any. I had the benefit of an air fed helmet when sandblasting, and it still found its way into every knook and cranny. These people over there are slaves in a sense and I dont like the idea of supporting them. Just my opinion though.

[nerrrd]

Faarrk that's all a bit sobering as I sit in my chair (made in China) next to my heater (made in China) typing this on my tablet (made in China) in front of my TV (made in China) etc etc...

At least my bike might have been mostly made in Germany possibly perhaps (except for the bits made in China ).

[Jay GTI]

I love it when people talk about the horrible working conditions in China, the dodgy chemicals they use and the unsafe products they make. Yet it never seems to come around to the fact that us wealthy westerners have created the market that pushes them into those practices. We want cheap clothes, cheap household goods, cheap toys for the kids, cheap shoes, anything and everything and the only countries that can produce those goods at the prices we demand are China, India and the like. And they can only do it by breaking rules and treating people like shit. The Chinese want to make money too, the factory owners, the producers, the guys who create the 'Made in China' goods we buy without a second thought. But we demand they do it at a cost that is cheap to a Westerner, that allows the local distributors and retailers to make their money on top, while putting the goods on the shelf at a price so that your average Kiwi can go "hey look, I can buy a pair of jeans for $30!!".

Don't like their practices? Don't buy their products. Any of their products. If you do buy their products and don't think for a second about the industry practices you have just supported with that purchase, quit whining about a shitty, unsafe motorcycle, because you've helped create the shittiness.

[nerrrd]

Is it even possible to buy a consumer electronics item (computer/fridge/phone etc) inside NZ that wasn't made in China?

And is it the consumer's fault, or the "savvy" bussiness person who first realised that if they were to source their goods from China they could undercut the local manufacturers, sell more goods and make more money? Who's more to blame, the dealer pushing the drugs or the addicts buying them?

But yeah in general people suck .

[ducatilover]

So, after reading the last 5 posts is anybody willing to purchase one of these bikes?

Fuck no, a dog skinned bike would be shit. You'd have to be barking mad.

[Dave-]

Is it even possible to buy a consumer electronics item (computer/fridge/phone etc) inside NZ that wasn't made in China?

And is it the consumer's fault, or the "savvy" bussiness person who first realised that if they were to source their goods from China they could undercut the local manufacturers, sell more goods and make more money? Who's more to blame, the dealer pushing the drugs or the addicts buying them?

But yeah in general people suck .

I dont think consumer electronics is a fair comparison because it depends what level you go down to. Tait communications design, manufacture and sell radios (hardly consumer - but close) their assembly is based in NZ, but I'm sure they use components out of asia.

I realise that's a bit abstracted but I'm sure an electronic component manufacturer would be a nasty place to work in china.

[unstuck]

I love it when people talk about the horrible working conditions in China, the dodgy chemicals they use and the unsafe products they make. Yet it never seems to come around to the fact that us wealthy westerners have created the market that pushes them into those practices. We want cheap clothes, cheap household goods, cheap toys for the kids, cheap shoes, anything and everything and the only countries that can produce those goods at the prices we demand are China, India and the like. And they can only do it by breaking rules and treating people like shit. The Chinese want to make money too, the factory owners, the producers, the guys who create the 'Made in China' goods we buy without a second thought. But we demand they do it at a cost that is cheap to a Westerner, that allows the local distributors and retailers to make their money on top, while putting the goods on the shelf at a price so that your average Kiwi can go "hey look, I can buy a pair of jeans for $30!!".

Don't like their practices? Don't buy their products. Any of their products. If you do buy their products and don't think for a second about the industry practices you have just supported with that purchase, quit whining about a shitty, unsafe motorcycle, because you've helped create the shittiness.

But then discussions like these can often open peoples eyes to some of the things going on over there, and then they are able to make more informed choices.
I certainly dont buy cheap if I want something, if I want something, then I dont mind paying for it.
I am not saying that all chinese companys are treating their workers like slaves and following unsafe practises, but I will be doing more homework before buying chinese.

[avgas]

Something must be amiss there because they seem to be getting an awful lot of disasters, or has it always been a fairly high natural disaster area? I must admit my ignorance when it comes to basic chinese history. I do know they have been very unfairly treated in other countries in the gold days including NZ. They seem to be a very industrious nation, but they also seem to lack a basic moral compass when it comes to business.

In comparison to our 2 earthquakes, 4 flood, 2 hundred year storms, 3 tornadoes......just in the last 4 years.

Nah chinese always had these disasters happening........but they are just better at reacting now. Their military is a refined tool when it comes to CD (same with Japan). Where as ours is a dull set of toothpicks. If it wasn't for the average bloke helping out at Chch - 1000's would have died. Hate to think about what would happen here if the shit really hit the fan like it did in Japan or China.

Chinese logic is pretty simple, if people ask for it there is a market. So question where the market is coming from, to find the moral compass. The "free thinkers" in china are only just coming out of the woodwork now - so give them 50 years and I think you will see a well oiled machine. It took Germany 20 years to come up with original ideas after the war....and they were the "modernist" movement prior to the war.

Its funny - if you look at a lot of the stable industries in NZ.......they work of a principal of what has worked overseas for 20 years is ok here. Meaning we are 20 years behind the ball here in some regards.

Will be interesting to see what Fletchers come up with for Chch.......but I suspect "Awe" will be the last word to describe it.

[McFatty1000]

In comparison to our 2 earthquakes, 4 flood, 2 hundred year storms, 3 tornadoes......just in the last 4 years.

Just the two earthquakes?
but I think the world over is getting a bit of it - just look at the US over the last 6 months