A new brand of chinese "sports bikes"?

[Hads]

Do you manage to score pussy with it? Has it got a cool style, that you like? Do you smile often while riding it? Do you smile often while thinking about riding it? Do you talk about it to people who have no interest in bikes? Do you take pictures of it? Do you feel kind cool riding around at times?

I smile whilst riding it, and I like it's style. I don't talk about it as much as I did about the Jawa, but I do still bore my wife talking about it. I do also take pictures, and think it is a cool bike to ride.

[unstuck]

I smile whilst riding it, and I like it's style. I don't talk about it as much as I did about the Jawa, but I do still bore my wife talking about it. I do also take pictures, and think it is a cool bike to ride.

Then that my friend, is all that matters. I always go by the grin factor, not the ramblings of others. Grinning is winning.

[Erelyes]

Then that my friend, is all that matters. I always go by the grin factor, not the ramblings of others. Grinning is winning.

Some bike owners almost seem to take pride in their bikes being unreliable! I suppose Chinese bikes aren't viewed as having personality... perhaps it will come.

[Katman]

Some bike owners almost seem to take pride in their bikes being unreliable! I suppose Chinese bikes aren't viewed as having personality... perhaps it will come.

As a motorcycle business owner I can categorically state that the Chinese bikes have no quality (or personality) whatsoever at present.

I refuse to touch them.

[Voltaire]

As a motorcycle business owner I can categorically state that the Chinese bikes have no quality (or personality) whatsoever at present.

I refuse to touch them.

Sounds like somewhere in the Midlands circa 1965

[GrayWolf]

Atleast the Japs put a good amount of R&D into there products.
Most chinese products seem to be stolen or badly copied, then rebranded countless times from different factories. Yep I"m more than aware that most of our shit is made in china these days but you do get what you pay for.

Bullpaki.......

Many of us old fuckers will remember the momentous fuckups of the early Jap manufacturers.

Yamaha almost destroyed their well built reputation with the TX750 and 500. The XS750 was a lot better, but had its issues. The XS650, XS850 and XS1100 were the start of Yamaha getting it 'right' for 4T.

Suzuki? I never found their early 2T's to be as 'robust' as Yamaha's... There'll be a few here who remember the GT250M..... horrible bike for handling.
Suzook always had a 'reputation' of good 4T motors, but poorer build quality.

Kawasaki?? The WI (Megura) was a bloody direct copy of a BSA. Ever ridden a H1a? Want to talk about shit frame building?? The mighty Z1, didnt handle too brilliantly either, later versions had the swing arm 'extended'.
Japanese disc brakes of the era?? In the wet? You want to experience 'squeeze and pray' ???

The Nonda 450/500 twins with the 'torsion bar' valve adjustment? the NSR250/400's. fragile as fark! (but quick)

Even today there are 'recall's' for the Major bike manufacturers Jap/HD/Brit..... So lets not get too 'one eyed' about it.

On a side note? There's been a few single cylinder Chinese bikes over the years (and a few twins) manyof which are copies/licensed? of older Jap bikes. This thing will perform around the same as a GN250 reading the specs, not going to be a life threatening 160+kph machine.

Coming from the UK, it was not unusual to have a 'winter' bike... small, cheap, throwaway. Back then it was Jawa/CZ and MZ (Eastern block 2T) but with a little fettling, those things were actually quite robust, and if you threw it down the road on ice? A bit of scaffold bent the bars etc back into 'shape'. I'd see these bikes as just that, cheap, 'throwaway after 5yrs' second bikes....

Hell I am considering buying an MZ ETZ250 from a local as a commuter... putting too many K's on Mjolnir

http://tinyurl.com/k333g4y

[GrayWolf]

She was possibly quite attractive in her twenties. When she took a shine to me though, those years looked that far behind her too.

She had muscle definition like you wouldn't believe in her arms and legs, and that was more than I wanted to see!

Admit it Drew, it wasnt the muscles.... it was when she whispered in your ear..... " I wanna make you my bitch"

[KIPS powervalve]

Well it looks like a good effort at first glance. Being a single cylinder though, I'm not sure how competitive they would be. I had a Hyo and apart from the stink as electrical issues I fought (and lost) against, it was a fun little thing. Not the same juice when compared to a late 80s FZR, CBR, ZXR 250 etc., but still 30-something BHP (my '87 FZR250 HAD 42BHP when new). But the Koreans are far better known for their machinery quality than the Chinese (Take a quick look at Kia, and compare it with Great Wall or Chery car manufacturers - Korean is way better).

Looking at the CBR250r's dash is not a good indicator, because all the "Jap" 250s are all made in China nowadays anyway, even the once-bombproof GN250 went to China before being killed off.

I would not own one for that price, but give 'em 10 years on the track and they will be getting real competitive. At least in the small capacity market.

[pritch]

who's sven

To quote the movie, "I am Olli, he is Sven."

If you don't remember tha movie that could be:
A) because it is old
B) it was forgettable.

[Shaun Harris]

True dat, just make sure you put the brakes on first or you might break it.

I'll never get that wrong again thanks

[pritch]

But the Koreans are far better known for their machinery quality than the Chinese (Take a quick look at Kia, and compare it with Great Wall or Chery car manufacturers - Korean is way better).

And that is a very recent development.

It's not too many years since we got rid of all the Hyundais in the fleet because they were starting to look as if they might turn into hand grenades. In one model you could not engage reverse gear if the handbrake was on, because the gear lever would hit the brake lever.

Hyundai cars are a good fleet choice now but that has only really happened since the advent of the i30.

[GrayWolf]

Nope, not forgotten. You may consider me naive, but I believe Suzuki is able to learn from past issues. To my mind, Suzuki is less likely to have cracked frames and rusted brakes than this new outfit precisely because they have had them before.

I'll bet you one whole dollar that owners will be calling these unknown machines nasty names a lot sooner than they would a GW250. Of course I may be wrong, but I'd be happier trusting my life to the Suzuki, thanks.

yes they learn.... just like my bike (MT-01) had a major recall due to the swingarm possibly fracturing due to the huge (for the time) torque of 110ft lbs. In fact it was only with the recent 'upgrade' the 'busa finaly achieved a similar torque figure.... 8 yrs later.

[GrayWolf]

Just because there heaps of shite wont stop people buying em christ look at the shit Harley still produce and people love them.

there fixed it for Ya

[GrayWolf]

I know this happens in NZ, and have ACTUALLY SEEN the opposite happen in China (most of the lathes there are 50+ y/old). Will have a dig and see if I can find you a photo or 2.

So I guess it comes down to people doesn't it. Some folk don't see the point in maintenance.

Get what you pay for - in any country.

Yes and I am a 'Toolmaker' (or was) which means I am Higher National Cert, (equiv to a 'grade 1' mechanic?). My training and apprenticeship was done on 40yr old Wards, Churchill's, Colchester's etc... With beds so worn in places you had to learn how/when to apply or release a bit of pressure to keep the tool cutting straight. Or Jones Shipman surface grinders that came out of the ark... but we still had to work to 'general' tolerance of .5 thou.
What that bloody taught us was how to use your hands, develop SKILL in operating pieces of shyte,,, and still produce good quality.. in many Industries in the UK it wasnt shit workers, it (Brit bike makers for example) was Shit Management who were blind to investment.
ONCE I had qualified I was then put into the 'Toolroom' where we had up to date? equip and had to work to 1-2 tenths of a thousandth of an inch.... (a sheet of paper is approx 6 thousandths thick).....
Nothing wrong with using old technology gear... I wonder these days how many of the 'new generation' can use a spark eroder? Or make the 'Anodes' for them? Or operate a Profile Grinder? Lost skills!

[avgas]

Yes and I am a 'Toolmaker' (or was) which means I am Higher National Cert, (equiv to a 'grade 1' mechanic?). My training and apprenticeship was done on 40yr old Wards, Churchill's, Colchester's etc... With beds so worn in places you had to learn how/when to apply or release a bit of pressure to keep the tool cutting straight. Or Jones Shipman surface grinders that came out of the ark... but we still had to work to 'general' tolerance of .5 thou.
What that bloody taught us was how to use your hands, develop SKILL in operating pieces of shyte,,, and still produce good quality.. in many Industries in the UK it wasnt shit workers, it (Brit bike makers for example) was Shit Management who were blind to investment.
ONCE I had qualified I was then put into the 'Toolroom' where we had up to date? equip and had to work to 1-2 tenths of a thousandth of an inch.... (a sheet of paper is approx 6 thousandths thick).....
Nothing wrong with using old technology gear... I wonder these days how many of the 'new generation' can use a spark eroder? Or make the 'Anodes' for them? Or operate a Profile Grinder? Lost skills!

That sadly is also happening everywhere. Father-in-law has a factory in China making press nuts. His ones are the best in the world, he is a smart cookie so his tech while old school looking is some of the best in the world (mechanical not electrical). But do you think he can get skilled workers or people willing to learn.
Nope.
They want to operate a weld press that has a touchscreen. Not his custom build mechanical masterpieces that have more calculations in them than trading floors in NJ.

On that note I once worked on a brand new pump station that had this very fancy new blade valve. Thing was huge and had a motor to adjust the blade. Could move the blade in microns in and out. All electronically controlled. Was pretty cool.
But I noticed one bug with it - no way to hand crank the fucker. So in a power cut it had to have battery backup.
A big fucken valve - something made since the dawn of man and waterworks - unable to be hand operated not because it was too big.......because someone forgot the manual override. WTF!