Chinese Motorcycles, how Bad are they ? Or are they just great value for money?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- This time we take a look at atypical Chinese small capacity bike.
Is it a useless rust bucket or great value for money and surprsingly fun to ride?
Are you aware of how Honley got it's name. They were first imported by Earnshaws motorcycles in Huddersfield and the owner lived in a nearby village called.....Honley. Apparently, if you imported a certain amount of Chinese bikes, you could call them what you wanted. Hence the name of Honley motorcycles was born.
Are you aware I said that in the video 😂😂😂
Well I said the north of England
Not sure all viewers will know where Uddersfield is 😂
David earnshaw started the company. It’s now run by his two sons and the bikes are Honley Davidsons.
Oh of Course
I believe there are many motorcycle and scooter factories in SE asia where you can place a bulk order and have them branded to your choice of name
Knowing the Chinese, I would have guessed it was the joining of HONda and harLEY...
We shouldn’t make the same mistake as we did in the 60’s when the Japanese bikes were ridiculed: I recall the biking community in general saying things like…”electric starters, who needs them?”, same with “winking indicators” and “why do we need different colours”…..etc.
I recall spending many hours trying to fix oil leaks on both my Nortons plus having to return my new 650ss Norton to the factory to have the cylinder head replaced due to faulty manufacturing! British manufacturers ignored the “Japanese threat” and look what happened to them all!
I was looking over a Chinese BYD SUV recently and it certainly looked to be a ‘quality car’. I have a Volvo XC40 (built in Sweden/Belgium); the BYD compared well although I have no experience of driving one.
I also have a 2002 Honda VFR V-Tech which has been 100% reliable….I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chinese bikes match or exceed Honda reliability/quality in a very few years.
Well it seems people are doing just that
In the 70's when i started biking i remember older bikers who had always owned british bikes refer to japanese bikes as 'jap crap'.
I admit ive got the same sentiment towards chinese bikes nowadays,but who knows'maybe in decades to come they will start building some high quality desireable bikes that are not just copies of decades old japanese bikes.
Well they have pretty much started from what I’ve seen at car shows recently
Hmmm did you know the BSA Bantam was copied from a German machine
@@jonadams6846 yes iam aware of that,and your point is?
Well your almost right
The Bantam is based of the DKW RT125, versions were also made by MZ, Harley, Yamaha and a bunch of companies in Russia.
I say almost right because the Bantam is in fact a mirror image of rather than exact copy, BSA needed a right side gear change so don’t expect part interchangeability. The Bantam would then of course evolve quite separately
Gaining 4 speeds and 13hp in the final 175s,the DKW made just 4.5
Was also built under license by Royal Enfield too but that program actually started pre war
@gntdriver2840 not a snide point just pointing out many bikes where copied from previous models some from foreign companies just like Japanese bikes BUT they invested and made them better as we can now see at car manufacturers Toyota to me one of the most reliable cars today my own car a 1998 Nissan primera p11 bought it for £500 16 years ago,still going strong only 1 mot failure
At 9:21 in the video you can see why Chinese bikes get a bad rap. The chain guard as already developed quite a bit of rust. It's not that they are bad per se, they just tend to use cheaper processes and the fit and finish is still lacking. Then there is the issue of service or even parts availability which can be troubling.
To be fair it’s an old bike and it’s surface rust only so I really wouldn’t go using that to confirm any biases
She see what it takes to keep the rust at bay on our modern Honda which also gets year round use
As for parts I do say specifically in the video Yamaha parts are interchangeable 🙄
I wasn't talking specifically about your model but in general over all. In the UK rust and corrosion are serious issues to contend with for every bike. I think the biggest issue is a lack of service network. These bikes are sold here in the US with an understanding the the customer is on his own after the sale.
@@JR-bj3ufnot the case here but America is a bit mad
You can’t get a bike on Amazon for example in the UK.
Pretty much bikes a brought exclusively from dealerships
Japanese built quality is definitely on the way down though
Paint fish is much thinner than say 20 years ago
@bikerdood1100 Japanese tanks have always been on the thin side. I rebuilt a 66 Triumph T100 that looked like it had been stored outside under a drain spout but the tank, even thought it had some rust was perfectly serviceable.
A great video, love the format with seeing you and your wife plus a good analysis of this bike, l sure am a fan of your channel , more of this format would be excellent ✌️👍🇬🇧
We have used it for an MZ TS and a Guzzi Imola
Will definitely be more to come
Having had the misfortune to work with a huge amount of Chinese engineered products in industry for many years, I'm afraid a Chinese motorcycle will never appear on my wish list. As with all manufacturers, they will cut the materials used in construction to the bone, but in my experience, they will then take the cutting just that bit further, more than would western manufacturers. I dealt with one rechargeable component on a system where we had three units short out in short order. Investigations revealed that the charging 'cable' contained three strands of copper wire which, unsurprisingly, resulted in a short and shutdown, and that's just one example of many. No thanks.
People said the same thing about Japan many moons ago
@@bikerdood1100 I know. I was around then, and a mechanic. The term 'Jap scrap' didn't last for long and the Chinese have been turning out crap for donkey's years.
I've had too much (domestic) experience of Chinese electrical products imported to countries where quality and safety standards were and are almost non-existent. The UK is regressing to that position. Most of these Chinese products were equipped with supply cables that appeared more than adequate for their power consumption. That is, until one cut the cable to fit another plug. Just as you describe, revealed were a few thin strands of copper, in no way safe to conduct the amperage demanded of the product.
The Chinese are capable of world class manufacturing standards, but in the same way as the UK is instituting 'world class' import controls, they will export world class shite to wherever they can. Expect many more of these Chinese bikes in the UK; there are reasons why their exact source can be impossible to determine.
@@bikerdood1100 Very surprised to see that my reply appears to have been deleted. Hmmm
Did you put in an inappropriate comment?
If you did and it was taken down that would be you fault
🤷🏻
As for Chinese electronics
Apple and Samsung are all made where I winder 🤔
Don’t answer I already know 😂😂
I remember when my friend bought a Japanese bike down to the old Cellar cafe in Windsor a lot of ribbing by the crew down there,I believe if I remember it was the 250 cc 2 stroke YDS 1 or near to that.I went as pilion on long trip to Blackpool to visit the new 64 club and was amazed of the power of that little 250 Yamaha,my thoughts changed for life on Japanese bikes,will we find the same on Chinese ones,only time will tell
It seems likely they will
Although in reality bike sales in the UK are pathetic really
The sales of Chinese bikes in Asia are massive.
If it was a YDS7 you experienced a really great bike of the time.
@davidmatthews3093 no it was in early 60s,the YDS 7 not made till 70s
JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST BIKE………an AJS Caldwell………lovely machine……..very eye-catching, too……..seems solid - cockpit is chunky……..performance just right for a learner like me
👍🏻
I own a 2019 AJS Tempest Scrambler, which is made in China and uses a copy of the Yamaha YBR 125 engine. It is OK, although the engine is really gutless with only 10 bhp. I am glad that I have passed my class A tests now and will be glad to get something more roadworthy.
The AJS model I think is advertised as making just 9hp
Likely an old engine being strangled by emissions
I'll split the difference with you, the spec states 7.1 KW which equates to 9.5 BHP. In any case, it isn't really enough to keep up with main road traffic.@@bikerdood1100
Chinese bikes that use the f28 engine which looks very similar to the ybr engine but below the surface they are nothing like, the seals are terrible very brittle, the casts have sharp edges on the inside some even break off and fall into the motor,
I owned a ybr and a copy which was the AJS JS125, they looked similar but the build quality was night and day,
I also had an AJS and the experience was not good. Front brake disc was distorted, the clutch adjusting nut at the clutch lever was bent, the battery had to be changed quite quickly. While the engine performed as expected the injection system was problematic in that it was difficult to adjust. The local motorcycle mechanic decided not to attempt to fix any further faults ( or mend any Chinese bikes) because in his experience if he ordered new parts, they would just as likely be defective. There is also the problem of resale.
@@brahnseer3512 my local mechanics won’t touch Chinese bikes,
One told me that he has fixed a few in the past but come back within a week or 2 with more problems, the owners tried to blame him for the faults so he no longer repairs them
I would say the quality must have improved on Chinese Motorcycle by now, I say this becuase I am now retired having spent 48 years as a motorcycle mechainic, during the time ot Chinese motorcycles first being imported to the UK I have first hand experience of one 125cc cruiser were the main frame stress factured, the bike had not been in an accident nor had it been fitted with any extra's that could have caused this to happen. The machine was less that one year old, all you could put it down to was the frame was made out of poor quality metal. As far as scooters went, with one make the faults were many, that included inlet rubber manifolds cracking causing the manifold to pull in air and break down. Air filter boxes with huge diameter intake hoses, the end result was the scooter would only do 20mph tops. Wiring harness's on machines less than a year old were the copper/alloy inner wire simply rotted away inside it's insulation sleeve and this also happened on a few high tension leads going to a starter solenoid. Rule of thumb in my day was importers would state how much they wanted a machine to retail for and the supplier of the machines would build a machine to that spec, so in short if the importer wanted a scooter to retail for under seven hundred pounds then the would be customer would not be buying a bargain but a bag of crap.
Interesting input
Thanks
In 2022 I bought a new Skygo Earl 150 Classic in the Philippines; they're assembled in Cebu, but the components are made in China by Lifan, who, in 2020, made 854,700 engines for other OEM's. In the same year they also made around 435,000 of their own branded motorcycles. Their projected 2028 turnover is US$1.21 billion. So, pretty successful, one might say...
The Skygo Earl is a classic-style bike, 150 single producing 13bhp. It has disc/drum brakes, carby, and a rotary 5-speed 'box. Tank is 14 litres and there is kick and electric start. The only thing it lacks is a tacho and, as I've been riding for nearly 65 years, I don't really need one of those. It cost me the equivalent of 620 GBP ride away, no more to pay. It's fast enough to be in front of the traffic and runs on the smell of the proverbial oily rag. Quality is fine, especially given the price-point, it's very reliable and it's great in the city and on the back roads.
Logan is a massive company
Engines are often retrofitted to C90s etc in the uk
I bought the 150 King for the more retro styling. It's my understanding that SMC (Skygo Marketing Corporation) contracted with Lifan to deliver complete bikes. This lets them concentrate on building a comprehensive dealer network, something they seem to be doing very well. While the build quality isn't up to late seventies Japan standards, neither is that of the big brands anymore. It seems to be holding up well and was also a little cheaper 581 GBP off the showroom floor.
@@joekahno Gudonya, Joe! We both bought a decent and very cost-effective bike. I chose the Earl 'coz I wanted the disc brake and the asthetics of a circular instrument and headlight, but in essence they're the same bike. The dealer in Mabalacat City was helpful, though their mechanic believed that if tight was good, over-tight was better. It's the Philippines... 😉 I hope the SRRV works for you; if not then continue with the 2-monthly extensions and do a quick visa-run to somewhere like SIN or HKG every three years. You don't have to go 'home', just out of PH. Just remember to have the latest extension printed reciept with you or Immigration may try to scam you, particularly in MNL.
@@chrisweeks6973 I've been here over ten years now in two year blocks starting back in 2004. This latest round I've made it my home. The SRRV confers permanent resident status, no more dealing with immigration, just an annual renewal handled through PRA. It's not much cheaper than the tourist visa extensions but if I had it earlier I wouldn't have got trapped in California for two years during covid. They were letting residents in while tourists were still blocked. I figured if there were any future issues they would be easier to handle as a resident.
@@joekahno I can relate. I had 12 years straight in PH, and couldn't get back to two years due to covid. AUS wasn't letting us out and PH wasn't letting us in. GRRR!! Still, all sorted now. Anyway, enjoy! 👍
What ifound after owning one was that
Anything chromed rusted quickly
Platic bits would snap very easily
Engine was good
When was that though ?
How bad were early Japanese bikes ?
Very
This, exactly this.
You generally get what you pay for.
Thought that till we had a BMW bike recently 😂
Not convinced now
@@bikerdood1100yes I ve only had one never again
Nice review guys. My only concerns are the rusting issue, build quality, and longevity. I myself would start around the 250cc+ and go up from there. Chinese bikes will only get better over time like the CFMoto's. Take care and ride safe. Cheers
Definitely improving considerably I’ve noticed
Had 3 been little problem. 2 were bought brand new. I had a second hand Lifan 125 which was as good as anything. I had it for 6 years. Bought a brand new A.J.S Cadwell did 36,000 k.ms with no more than maintenance as required. I bough a Zontes T310 A.D.V brand new in 2022. Has now don 18,000 miles and a gain maintenance as required and a few repairs.
I've got a 150cc clone of a Honda CG125. It's not the "latest and greatest" anything. However, in the half century the design has been in continuous production a whole roster of manufacturers have worked out any design and build issues. Competition for sales in marginal markets has allowed them to discover where they can and can't cut corners and still have a marketable product. I've got over a year and 7,500km on mine with no major issues. Here in the Philippines parts are plentiful and every mechanic in the country can rebuild one with three wrenches and a hammer. BTW, the country consists of over 7,000 islands. The salt air turns *everything* into a pile of rust without constant attention. My Chinese bike isn't any better or worse than the expensive brands.
Interesting points there
I suppose the other thing about the Philippines is that the city’s have a lot of traffic where big expensive bikes aren’t much use
Hope you continue to enjoy your machine and ride safe
@@bikerdood1100 A big bike here is 400cc. Something like the Shineray XY 400 sold here as the Motorstar Cafe 400. I'm in the Cebu metro area along with roughly two million other people. Infrastructure ranges from overloaded to nonexistent. When traffic is really compacted it's quicker to get on a bicycle. In the more rural areas the average road speed is 50 - 60 kph. It's not unusual for a paved road to devolve into ruts and egg size gravel then become concrete again anywhere from fifty meters to several km later. Fortunately I'm retired, don't have to be anywhere at a specific time, don't much care when I arrive as long as the trip was interesting.
I bought a Hongdo 😂in 2005 it ran ok but after 3 years you could see quite clearly why it was cheap ,plastics broke if you looked at them ,poor quality paint si rust everywhere,and all the rubber gad started to perish,but as you say build quality has improved 👍
To be honest the quality of Japanese bikes in recent years has definitely declined
2005 is a long time ago too
Things have changed a lot since then
Triumphs were still built in England in 2005 😂
The RPS Hawk x 250 sold in the US is a pretty good dual sport. Counterbalanced engine is smooth.
Likely sold elsewhere under a different name
I would never even consider one.
You may not know
@@bikerdood1100 I may not know what ? Please explain.
Literally the opening of the video
Just because it’s got a Japanese or European badge doesn’t mean it wasn’t built at Chinese factory. Especially if it’s a smaller capacity
But then there’s engines and components if not the whole bike 🤷🏻
We live in a world where Ducati monsters and made in India and Triumphs in Asia
My "Water buffalo" had a gear indicator which I rather liked. I've always wanted a gear indicator on my VX ( so, apparently, did many other forum commentators). We all complained about up shifting to top gear, which, we had already engaged. Nice feature. Better than all the other electronic extras on many current models, except for, maybe 6th, gear.
My first bike had it
A Suzuki but once I’d been riding a while I never looked at it
Eyes should be on the road I think 😂
I just shift till it stops and then go down when I go slow
Not like cars have em 🤷🏼
I am no fan of the electronic crap fitted today incidentally
I don’t think it ads anything to the experience of riding
The opposite if anything, if you need a multi function touch screen get a less boring bike or ride a more interesting road I say 😂😂
They are built to a price. If you are mechanically minded that would be a big plus cos it will go wrong, but standard parts are cheap. At some point better quality parts are a must, tyres, chain & sprockets, shocks. But if you like a tinker & look after them they are great value. Not particularly good resale values but less outlay in the first place.
That is a good point
My 1935 French bike now runs on a Chinese carb
Runs very well too
One of my friends traded in his 2022 Triumph Tiger Rally Pro last year. He lost more on that bike than my Voge cost.
That I can believe
@davidmatthews3093 He lost the VAT he paid as soon as he rode away from the dealership. And if the Dealer also has to pay VAT when the Bike is sold to the Next owner that is taken away from the price of the bike. So 40% of the value right there. Least the government are making money. Along with the 40% they take of my wages,
I HAD A CHINESE ROAD VERSION SCRAMBLER 20 YRS AGO , ABSOLUTE RUBBISH ELECTRICS , SUSTING IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES , HIGH CARBON CONTENT STEEL WHICH YOU WERE TO SCARED TO TIGHTEN ANYTHING INCASE IT SHEARED , SINCE THEN IVE HAD A FEW AND THEY HAVE COME ON LEAPS AND BOUNDS , THEY HAVE DEFINITLY LEARNED FROM THEIR MISTAKES .
Well 20 years is a very long time and things can change hugely in that amount of time
I don’t know about Chinese motorcycles but I do know that a famous Chinese Lambretta scooter look a like dosen’t fair well in winter.
I don’t know any modern bike that lasts well in the UK to be honest
@@bikerdood1100 It depends how much effort you put into cleaning and protecting it.
That true no matter where it’s made
I can't speak to Chinese motorcycles, but I've had a chinese honda knockoff lawnmower for years since new. I never do any maintenance, just start it up and mow the lawn every week. It's still cutting grass and starts fine, although sometimes needs some aerostart. I'm getting quite fond of it actually.
At the end of the day
Any factory anywhere in the world will build to the quality level required
dunno about anyone else but I took my Sinnis Hoodlum out on the Dave Myers rideout yesterday, Nottingham to Barnetby, to Beverly, then Scarborough and back to Nottingham - a roundtrip of 298 miles, and she didn't put a foot wrong. OK she struggled against the 30mph headwinds coming back and didn't exceed 40mph for that leg, but apart from that, she ran sweet as a nut.
😂
It was bloody windy yesterday
I have never needed a gear indicator I was always able to count to 5 or 6
No me neither
Although to be honest I just listen to the engine
Not sure that many people’s biases or perhaps scepticism will be altered or relieved but, an interesting, thought provoking and revealing video👍 Debbs, if I may call her so, seemed quite approving of this wee machine, which, ( for the target market ) it doesn’t seem to have any faults. As you pointed out, quite dated in some specs but for the budget, tempting 👌👍👏
Well we are just showing one bike
Not sure people are aware just how many of their small Japanese bikes are coming out of factories in china 😂
These small Chinese bikes are very popular in Africa. Presumably because of the lower cost and cc size.
True
But also China is making a big push in Africa, building roads and infrastructure
@@bikerdood1100 China has ruined 1/5 of its agricultural land through bad pollution in its full push to industrialize the nation. They need land elsewhere to grow food. America charges tariffs on Chinese cars (and probably motorcycles) to make them competitively priced so China has greatly reduced the quantity of wheat they buy from the USA. Who knows what the next move will be.
The Mr. and Mrs. themselves. Hounered for sure. No personal experience with Chinese bikes but I surely like the look of some of those CF Moto road bikes.
We don’t really but we did think that the CFs looked better than most of their Japanese rivals which now look a bit too
Transformer for our tastes
@@bikerdood1100 exactly, I particularly like the 700 CL-X Sport and the 800 NK. The latter is based on a KTM, much cheaper and looks way better. Engine wise their stuff is said to be based on Kawa’s which have a bombproof reputation on their own ( Early 650 Versys etc. if I am correct). Those commies, eh? We knew they would come one day but not from that direction. 😂
They are cheating by hitting us with rampant capitalism 😂
@@bikerdood1100 Cunning b….! 🤣
You say the insurance is a bit expensive,have you priced any spares for it ,good reason to steal one for the second hand spares market,
Depends very much on where you are in the world
Some specialist in the UK are very reasonable
Some countries will apply very high import Tariffs
I have a Zones Monster great bike never let me down no rust. Also good MPG
Nice to hear some positive experiences
I bought a 2007 ZongShen ZS100 back in 2009, it failed its first MOT and TBH, the reliability is has not been too good {so bad, in fact, that I only trusted it over short distances} ...it is currently SORN'd with problems with the front brake cylinder.
On the other hand, I bought a brand new AJS 125 Desert Scrambler in 2021 {with the same Yam. YBR125 engine} ....it has now done almost 3000km, mostly off road, over "GreenLanes" and rough tracks and otherwise rough terrain, and it has coped admirably.
TBH, I think the quality of Chinese bikes has improved immensely over the last 10years.
To be honest 2007 is a good long time ago
Honda still used good quality paint Back then for one thing 😂
The things I have seen are funky wire connections and where Japanese bike would spot weld nuts to various bracketry the Chinese just shove a sheetmetal screw through the flat plate. The Japanese clone engines can be very tough, though. I have seen many bikes that have disintegrated completely but the engines still ran good.
I would judge by company rather than by national
Especially as some of the Japanese bikes are made in China
The Chinese factories have all the latest tech & manufacturing base ,& can produce to any price point or build quality the customer requires . Many of the big name high end brands have partnership factories in China ,& have components ,engines & even full bikes produced in China .
All very true
Wether we like it or not
Gone are the days when the Japanese SUPERBIKES ruled the roost. Except for much improved British bikes and the old faithful BMW's and Harleys I would NEVER consider getting back into biking with CHINESE. Eastern European bikes are slowly but surely gaining a great reputation on a par with the more established marques - interesting!.
Well SuperBikes in terms of sports bikes are dying in general as older riders find them too uncomfortable and younger riders can’t afford to insure them
This is an argument that has been going on for years. My input is that I have owned 3 Chinese motorcycles and maybe 100 + Japanese , British, European, American over the years.. The Chinese bikes are barley acceptable as a serious form of transport in comparison to anything else that is available, Their longevity is on the point of ridiculous and in a very short time you will spend more on maintenance than you would pay for a little extra cash on a decent Honda, Suzuki or Yamaha.On the plus side they are very cheap and will teach you a lot about fixing broken motorcycles , if thats the kind of thing you enjoy doing .
Things are changing that’s a fact
And I’m speaking as a lover of Italian bikes
Great video. I make leather goods and will often buy lower priced knives and rehandle them and make a sheath for them so that people that can't afford an expensive name brand knife can still have something to be proud of. I've noticed two things: 1 a lot of the bulk veg tanned leather I buy comes from China and is high quality and more affordable than I get from a European or even American (I'm in Mississippi, birthplace of Elvis) vendors. 2 there are loads of new knife companies that offer affordable knives made with really good steel. Not to get knife nerdy but most knives are made with D2 steel or 1095 High carbon steel which are not the hot new steels but are known for being cheap and dependable. Of course there are the bikes from Cfmoto that are getting a lot of good press and I know several people that have gotten great service from their bikes. I'm curious to see if this is China flooding our markets with high quality and affordable goods to get their foot in the door only to either have prices go up or quality go down once they have established themselves. Sadly I would not be surprised because this is the way for business regardless of what you are selling or where it is coming from. In the mean time, I will just enjoy my cheap leather, knives, and motorcycles. Cheers, buddy.
Like anywhere else in the world they will provide what ever level of quality the buyer asks for
For a lot of bike import companies the lowest possible price is a big factor
That's a good point.
It would make a good cheap winter hack & leave your pride & joy in the shed. The money you save when buying, you'll lose when it comes time to sell. Would I buy a Honley ? Hmmm, no. But I am keen to check out the new CF Moto 450 MT...
In truth that’s what happens in reality
The get run through winter then people complain that it doesn’t last as well as their P&J 🤷🏼
I have a Chinese built Voge 300 Rally. It’s made by Loncin who have been making BMW engines for a long time. The Voge is great for what I bought it to do. It’s really well built and uses some well known components, for example the fuel injection is Bosch. It’s engine comes from a Kawasaki 300, Loncin made those engines for Kawasaki too. If I find the odd spot of rust or flaw in the paintwork as time goes on I really won’t be bothered, at the price the bike was it is simply an unbelievable bargain. I also have a Honda 500X. It’s another really good bike. It wasn’t as complete as the Voge was from new I had to buy engine protection and even upgrade the suspension to make it into what I wanted it to be. Honda is a Japanese company but my bike wasn’t built in Japan. My bike was built in Taiwan. If you ask the Chinese they will tell you that Taiwan is part of China. So I have got a motorcycle that seems to be Chinese but it uses an engine that was sold in a Japanese bike despite being made in China by a company well known for providing engines for that well known German marque BMW. I’ve also got a Japanese bike that isn’t made in Japan and the place where it was built I’d thought of as being in China by many people. Confusing isn’t it. Too be honest I don’t care. I have bought the two motorcycles that I wanted to buy. I chose them because after a lifetime of experience they were the two bikes that I believed gave me exactly what I wanted. The fact that they weren’t overpriced was simply the icing on the cake. Money wasn’t a big issue, I bought the Honda after rejecting a brand new Moto Guzzi V85 which I found dull, the Voge was chosen after looking at several other light dual sport bikes by Honda and KTM. I think it’s about time the armchair experts let up on their hatred of change. I presume that none of them are old enough to remember how Japanese bikes were laughed at until the British motorcycle industry self destructed. Me? I’m happy. I have two motorcycles that allow me to enjoy life. They are both great at what I want them to do. Thank God I don’t have to worry about which designer labelled hugely expensive motorcycle I need to buy to take me to Starbucks when it’s dry and sunny on Sunday afternoons. I live in the real world and like it or not Chinese bikes are going to be a familiar site on the roads and trails that I use.
Well as the British industry
It imploded when the UK bike buyer switched to cars
Bikes outnumbered cars in the UK in the 50s now they make up 1%
By the time the Japanese bikes appeared in number most British companies were either bankrupt or close to
As for the Voge the only down side would be it doesn’t like E10 fuel
We have a 500x which is a very good bike with stunning fuel economy
Had it since they came out
It’s not as good as a Guzzi I have to say, definitely not
But is nonetheless excellent
I recently owned a Chinese motorcycle from new,I have owned and repaired bikes for over 40years.I would never buy another 1.very poor quality in the 3 years I owned it it cost as much to keep it safe as it cost.😅😅
I’d pay more attention to the maker rather than the country of origin
Great review as always. I worked in Egypt / Middle East during the late 90’s and up until last year. In the early days (in Egypt) it was all Jawa’s. Now, it is ALL Chinese, with two prolific names, Dayun, and Hjoang (maybe not spelled that correctly), and the build quality of those is lower for sure than this one, so I guess they target the wealth of the target customer. I’m thinking “Honley” is maybe a re-worked version of Honda and Benly, and they hope we are easily confused 🤔. Honda man since I could walk, I’ll not fall into their evil “trap” 🤪🤣🤣🤣
We do own a Honda
But others too
I bear no allegiance
Well sort of 😂
@@bikerdood1100I know you do mate, me too as discussed before 😉 1975 GL1000, 1969 Sandcast and a 69 Diecast, 1972 Z1 etc. We’re afflicted with the same curse / blessing, but you spread it throughout your entire family, I’ve only hooked (properly hooked) my 4 year old Grandson. His Dad went off the rails completely. Cars. I blame myself. 😳🤪🤣🤣🤣
Dad bought a Chinese tractor back in 2007. It was poorly built and we were justified in saying a 50 year old fergie 35 would have been a much better buy. However, the Chinese catch on so quickly, and whether it be a tractor, digger or motorbike, the quality and durability is rising fast.And with the Japanese licensing new plants in China, it won't be long before there's little difference between them and, say, bikes built in Thailand.
Or Japan I suspect
I don’t think the major manufacturers are building things to last these days in all honestly
One interesting thing you can do is check for used lexmoto & Sinis bikes for sale. Given how many were sold over the last 10 years there are incredibly few on the second hand market.
Big problem is the UK brand selling the bikes source them from different factories one guy I worked with had a lexmoto venom & it was a pretty well built bike another had a lexmoto zsx which fell apart within 6 months rusted badly the rear shock springs started crumbling & breaking apart, I've seen unrestored battered 25 year old Japanese bikes in far better condition.
To be honest sales of anything in the UK are modest so they haven’t sold in the kind of numbers you’d imagine. Ain’t many 3 year old Japanese bikes out their either.
Nothing has that’s the problem
Your exaggerating to make a point however I must say, I’ve seen an awful lot of battered Hondas.
And are you comparing like with like people do not ride their big expensive Japanese bikes year round. And where do think those small so called Japanese bikes actually made ?
@@bikerdood1100 I'm honestly not exaggerating the condition of the zsx I know it sounds bad but it honestly was as I said the lexmoto venom was a much better bike almost honda standard.
Guy who owned the zsx passed his CBT & bought it as a commuter he rode it every day through winter & it was shockingly bad , another guy had a hanway scrambler which ran but rusted badly another had a Yamasaki which wasn't bad. Thousands were sold lexmoto was the best selling bike in UK for a few years. Problem is largely spares, with the scooters if the front light gets damaged you needed to replace the whole front fairing if you can get the parts.
We ride with some of the local university kids
One has a CBF
It’s not holding up well at all to winter roads, but decent maintenance would make a huge difference
@@bikerdood1100 there is a vast difference between each model & factory, there are good bad & terrible Chinese bikes. ACF50 would make a big difference to how the bikes hold up but I'd recommend a Honda 125 for commuters. Just look at Deliveroo riders 5 years ago there were lots of Lexmotos but now they all choose Japanese brands.
Not saying Chinese 125s are terrible but they need to be really looked after to stay in ok condition.
Isn’t the fact that they are different rather the point
Ditto some Japanese bikes
Suzuki have cheap electrics and so on
The problem is people lumping them all together to make a somewhat foolish conclusion
I don't know whether it is the same now but, a few years ago, the Chinese government would impose severe penalties on senior executives of firms that produced sub-standard goods. From my experience in quality assurance (before I retired), Chinese companies ranged from among the worst to among the best; something I could also say about British firms. As a classic AJS rider, I'm curious about your view of the current AJS bikes but maybe you've already done them and I've forgotten about it?
It wouldn’t surprise me if this was still the case judging by the advances they are making
Or rickety camera mount alarm! (?)
Only camera mounted was on the bars and that ain’t rickety 😂
The main thing is reliability and dependability coupled with build quality, which a lot of these cheap chinese units lack, often indicated by the short service interval, and yes I've had one of the better models from zontes, which let me down twice, but I think they are getting better but they still have a little way to go before they equal the main brands, although the voge and the likes of Benelli are at the forefront of the chinese models.
Have to say that’s very much no longer the case
Conversely we have definitely noticed a downturn in Japanese built quality
Poor paint finish, flimsy panels etc
Think with the gradual contraction of the big bike market
Too many old farts and far too few young riders the Japanese and others have started to cut a few corners.
The Africa twin has demonstrated this all to well
Paint that rubs off when a tank bag is used, broken wheel spokes
And who the hell makes an adventure biker without a centre stand 🤷🏼
We tested a BMW recently and the built quality was very disappointing
Very
They are phantastic, at least as excellent as Lada and Yugo cars were in the 1980s!
There getting to a point beyond that
I quite enjoyed this vlog, It was expecting Say well know brands using Chinese builders! but not a short road test of something most bikers had not heard off, Debs looked full a home on it. On the seat side he said it was comfortable which is more than what my last BMW's & Kawasaki's are (planks of wood with a bit of covering)! where there is a option of Yes a comfort seat! more expense 😵💫😵💫
Oddly enough we recently owned and did a test video on a BMW r850
We found the built was disappointing and the seat, the passenger seat in particular was rock hard
If I had to own a Chinese bike I’d go for a zontes! They are surprisingly well built,
It’s increasingly the case these days
Market forces have gone a long way to weeding out some of the most horrendous examples of Chinese copies which a lot of independant motorcycle service centers would refuse to touch with a barge pole due to their appauling build quality and finishing. Features like loose engine mounts, unpainted brackets and unquestionably unsafe electrics were found on a lot of cheaper bikes which were delivered on a "build it yourself" basis to young riders who had no idea what they were doing, in order to get on the road for as little money as possible. Only to find that there were vital parts missing or unsecure or just shockingly bad quality leading to mechanics refusing to be held responsible for letting them loose on the road after only their first service!
Thankfully those days are, for the most part, over but there will be those riders who will view any chinese offering with deep suspicion due to their own early experiences.
Very true
The fact that a lot of smaller Japanese bikes are made there seems to have escaped some people also
There’s no doubt they have come along way in recent times
In my experience Chinese bikes make a 125cc BSA Bantam look like a paragon of reliability.
Its the little things that fail quickly.
Doesn’t pay to generalise really some are poor and some are pretty good
Lots of factories out there including some making what we think are Japanese or European bikes
@@bikerdood1100 I have owned three and have gone back to my old Norton Commandos and Jawa 350TS's.
Would you let your daughter ride one through Johannesburg for 6 months?
Well a couple of things spring to mind
I don’t have a daughter and if I did would I let them ride anything in Joe burg 🤔
Chinese machine tools (lathes, milling machines etc) are pretty good... IF...
you strip it brand new. And then reassemble it with quality fasteners. It will last five years....., then buy another one.
Unfortunately I don’t think anyone builds things to last theses days
It’s just how companies do business these days
I’m interested in the long run. My experience with cheap stuff of any kind is like 1. “how do they do that for that price?” 2. (After using it regularly for some time): “Holy crap, this didn’t age well, it looks ugly now and works quite bad”. Unfortunately this doesn’t mean expensive products are always better in the long run but they are quite often. Thanks for the video anyway and ride safe.
Well from my recent experience with a BMW
That did not age well
I think if you look at the car industry it now designs vehicles with a limited shelf life
The same does appear to be the car industry the motorcycle industry too
Even large companies are cutting cost and quality is definitely on the decline
You’re right.
I've been living in S/E Asia for over 30 years and the origins, let alone the capabilities, of commonplace commuter transport is a non-issue. All of the Japanese generic brands gave over reliable engine patents to be made in Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand decades ago. I've personally owned RE, TVS, Mash and Benelli - the latter two made in China - and absolutely no issues at all. NB: a lack of infrastructure and road maintenance in this region tests any machine rigorously.
Think the main issue in the UK is that we put salt on the roads in winter
It kills Japanese bikes too but people seem not to notice that
Not that too many people ride in winter 🥶
Those that do will often buy a cheap bike just like these and hide their expensive bikes away
@@bikerdood1100 Thank you. I was almost going to add your comment about the salt-on-the-road issue. What kills bikes here is suspension failures through overloading and complete lack of maintenance, in conjunction with no legal necessity to conform to standards - still, it's a $25 rebuild for forks and shocks anywhere near me.
Would do for shopping or work I reckon
Think that’s what it’s designed for
That said people do amazing things on smaller machines. You don’t need to spend thousands on a GS just a big ole set of balls and the imagination to do it
Chinese bikes have been been imported to the uk for many years now.
Try finding a TH-cam review on a five year old bike with 20,000 miles on the clock.
I couldn’t. I wonder why ?
Chinese bikes have been improving greatly over that time
Try to find a review of any comuter bike on TH-cam with similar mileage from anywhere
Wonder why ?
They get minimal maintenance and ridden into the ground
Now look for one on say the Peugeot speed fight the best selling scooter of recent years
Very unlikely to see one
Wonder why
Most TH-cam channels only review the expensive stuff that never sees winter
Think about it 🙄
I have a soft spot for this kind of universal or "democratic" motorbike. They used to get the country to work everyday, and in some parts of the world still do. It reminds me of a Honda CG125 I once borrowed, while my bike was being serviced. It had been horribly abused and the mileage must have been lunar, but it kept going. There's a Chinese copy of the Cub engine that has kept numerous old Honda step thru's going.
Well yeh
Not everyone needs 200hp
Sometimes you just need to get to work 😂
Good way of making the Cub a touch faster
Make no mistake, if the chinese really wanted to make real quality motorcycles as we know it from Japan and Europe, they could - and propably will in a couple of years - flood the market with cheapish high quality motorcycles. You can see some of the brands that’s been presentet at the big motorcycle shows. They don’t seems to be missing anything compared with the competition.
Better quality is here in the shape of CF Moto.
I’d say that’s already happening to be honest
There is a japanese term "benri" or "benley" which means "useful"... that might be where the name came from.
Quite possibly 🤔
It’s conveniently European sounding though
I just want them to make a decent dual sport bike for riders under 5'5". My 92 xt225 is getting a bit long in the tooth.
If only someone would
Why are the stupid things so tall
Literally no one actually takes them off road 😂
I owned 3 chinese motorcycles. A BMW F800R, a Husqvana TR650 and a Sachs 150. Believe it or not the Sachs was for local track racing as they we used as a Cheap one model class. The former 2 are VERY good motorcycles ( except the Italian made ECU of the TR650 which was crap). The Sachs was quite poorly made . The Chinese Loncin factory make very good bikes and those made under the name Voge are gaining an excellent reputation already.
Sachs is a name I haven’t heard for some time
I own a Chinese 125cc that I've had for nearly 8 years now, my experience has been very positive. In this time all I have replaced are service items like drive belts, rollers, tyres and battery. The machine was not built with top quality components but shown a bit more TLC than a Japanese or European scooter they have stood up reasonably well. Performance is slightly down compared to Yamahe etc but is good enough for commuting or popping down to the shops. I bought this because it was cheap, and it has worked out successfully for me, BUT I'm not sure I would spend £6k+ on a Chinese motorcycle just yet.
I think we are getting to if not at that point
Where quality is a match to the Japanese by and large
I think quality is one thing but spares backup is another@bikerdood1100
Now there importing under their own name that’s likely to no longer be a problem
maybe i'm a snob, but i just wouldnt buy a chinese bike for many reasons, for a start, although im not rich, i dont need to, and also i wouldn't get that 'feel good' factor sat on, or looking at one i owned. i have no doubt they do the job, and wouldn't knock anyone for buying one, each to their own, but not for me.
Well given the number of notionally Japanese and European bikes made their
It’s possible you already have.
Still it will fit in with your apple or Samsung phones
And doesn’t Tesla have two factories there 🤔
@@bikerdood1100 the difference is that the responsibility and R&D is undertaken & overseen by the parent company, all that's happening is that the manufacturing has been moved to another country to usually cut labour costs. The chinese companies are generally well behind in their own development hence often use older technology, and don't necessarily have to adhere to the same standards, hence the cheaper prices. I'm not saying chinese made bikes are bad, they suit a lot of people, but the devil's often in the detail. GL
Hmm
Not dissimilar thinking to the Japanese are just copying US and European bikes
And we know how that worked out
Remember in a world of international finance it’s more complicated than you may think
Look at Benellis
Italian stylist for a Chinese company owned by a massive international corporate entity that also owns VW group
Then there’s the other major companies forming partnerships with European companies like KTM.
It would be folly to assume these companies don’t know what there doing because they happen to be Chinese, folly indeed
Japanese Bikes 1963 50cc Ultra Lightweight TT Race, Suzuki, Mitsuo Itoh
Yes
Not aware it’s a video about lightweight Honda racing bikes
🤷🏻
So who cares ?
Cool comment if the video were about classic racing Hondas 😂😂
Otherwise a bit nonsensical 🤷🏻🤷🏻
I recently bought a CF Moto 450NK the build quality is fantastic, the tech is amazing including switchable traction control and an app for your phone with a built in tracker all for free and a 4 year warranty, all for under £5K on the road, (with no hidden extras) watch out Japan, the Chinese are coming
They do seem little different to Japanese bikes these days
Few years back I bought a 2012 CF moto 650 naked paid bugg...r all for it the only issue was the Ducati ecu occasionally flashed a EML light sold it for what I paid for it... looked good black with red frame this kawasaki based twin is in benelli...cfmoto... vogue..now i prefer royal Enfields (when you can get parts) and vstroms...atb 👍
That Kawasaki twin must be the most widely produced big bike engine ever. And why not I suppose it’s a good unit
Bought a sinnis 250tetrostare .got it cheap 2017reg had to replace bright work fasteners.gn engine,goes well,spedo reads 13 present fast.so at 70 true speed 62.
125s like all small bikes get used year round so they all die pretty fast even Japanese contrary to popular belief
Most people don’t ride bigger bikes in winter so the always last a lot better
And of course people do maintenance on expensive stuff
CF Moto seems to be leading the way ,could they be the Honda of the near future ?
Well it’s certainly possible
Im old enogh to remember when Japanese bikes first arrived on our shores and the criticisms they recieved. They are remarkably similar to many of those i have read below. Motorcyclists are a remarkably conservative bunch. Theyre not very good at "new".
It’s pretty standard really
British copied those from Europe at the beginning
History definitely has a habit of repeating itself
What is a "Chinese" motorcycle? Country of ownership? Design? Manufacture? All three?
Well that can be complicated as I said in the Video
Certainly in terms of country of manufacture it would include a lot of notionally Japanese bikes which are in reality about as Japanese as most Triumphs are British 😂
Absolutely@@bikerdood1100
Another good review, 👍
Certainly an interesting one for us too
I owned a CSC 250 and found the bikes unsatisfactory. Terrible suspension, hard, no damping, brakes ok, the engine was underpowered, when full throttle it just has a big intake howl, no more power, ran out of power up a hill or against a strong wind.
Poor suspension seems the bane o& the cheap motorcycle these days
It won't be long before they come up with something really good, it's what Japan did.
I like to see you do Suzuki GS750 first big bike 4 stroke and its derivatives. 👍
They are building increasingly larger bikes now 750cc plus and judging from what I saw at the bike show, the build quality is pretty much there
Having owned 2 Chinese motorcycles, I say vfm all the way. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. 😉
Well people did used to nock the Japanese
In 10 years time the same people that mock em now will be praising em to the skies 😂
From South Africa......Well I never! Certainly not the reputation I have been led to believe....
The thing really is defining what is a Chinese bike with so many smaller so called Japanese bikes being assembled in China.
I'm sure they make a good commuter and a starter bike if you buy them cheaply.
From what I’ve seen the Chinese are aiming higher
@@bikerdood1100 they're a long way off at the moment, I wouldn't buy a new one.
Not from what I’ve seen at the bike show recently
@@bikerdood1100 everything looks good when its new,it's how they age,a second hand Rolex is better than a brand new Timex.
Watches are for girlies 😂🙄
Have you not seen Easy rider😂
Probably not
Your analogy is pretty meaningless
Just look for yourself and grow the watch away 😂😂
Left rear indicator attachment alarm! (?)
Not anymore
Those things are a total pain in the arse 😂
Had one on a modern Triumph it was a bloody pain going off constantly when your trying to do basic maintenance 🤦
@@bikerdood1100 Not anymore as in “decided to leave the building”? 😂
I am surprised that my comments about the new Chiangs were deleted from this site. Perhaps I should have added that I have no connection with F2 motorcycles other than that of a satisfied customer. I shall not waste any more of my time contacting this site again.
Well I didn’t delete it
If you put something inappropriate well it’s your own fault really
Try not being an offensive ass I would suggest 😂😂😂😂😂
@@bikerdood1100 I am seldom offensive. I was simply trying to let everyone know that the new Chiangs could be seen at F2 motorcycles. Thinking about it, it may be that youtubes bot saw it vas an unpaid advert
💩💩💩💩💩from a recently retired bike mechanic
💩💩💩💩
From an owner of many very average Japanese bikes
And one Very disappointing BMW 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I have been thinking of getting a motorcycle for years. Well secretly my wife bought and had delivered a brand new AJS Tempest 125 as a present for our 50th wedding anniversary last July. I haven't ridden for over 30 years but all I can say is I am very impressed with the machine.
It’s just basic transportation
Not everyone needs 200hp ad a bloody touch screen 😂
If you want poor finish buy a 2000 on Harley , crap chrome and paint for a wee bit more money
A lot of premium brands so called have a less than premium finish
The build quality on the BMW we did a video on recently was disappointing to be honest
The one I had was absolute junk. Got totally ripped off and lost a tonne of money. 😢
It’s about what you buy
Had a BMW that was very poor
Ditto a Suzuki
Surely it's not about the country of origin rather than the manufacturer. It's time to stop generalising on a national basis and instead focus on makers who do great or bad work.
Well yeh
Motorcycle made in India is much better. It's well made compared to the Chinese bikes!
You should not compare by country but by company
Have bought myself a Mash TT40 as a cheapo midlifecrisis in 2020.
Runs great. Paint is a bit less but under garantee no problem.
It's now BRG, has a catfree Honda CB400SS exhaust from Aliexpress and full fairing.
Motoforza sells the underfairing for the Jawa 350ohc special.
Same bike but more expensive.
Seen them around
Hope it serves you well
@@bikerdood1100 Thank you. Allways loved cafe racers and classic racers.
And if you ever go to the Dutch TT i'll buy you a pint.
try selling one see how much you get back
As most people use em as cheap hacks 🤷🏼
Also that’s much less true nowadays some models are returning good resale
Unfortunately 😂
Many chondas "Chinese honda" where I'm at the moment and as good as the Honda
Which is a little ironic when you consider where the Honda CBF is made
Thing is, China has rules which demand motorcycles are scrapped at 13 years old or 120,000km and as such there is no incentive for Chinese manufacturers to build to a standard to last any longer than that. So basically they are cheap and cheerful . . . for a while.
You make an assumption that they aren’t building products specifically for the west
The other thing is that it’s not so different in the rest of the world either
How long will those gadget ridden bikes coming out of Japan last, a lot use phone apps which will be obsolete in years and take a look at recent build quality of Japanese bikes
Paint is thin plastic that’s flimsy
Broken spokes on Africa twins
Do you seriously think that Japanese manufacturers are building machines to last 20 years these days when they want you to buy new very 3 years ?
The motorcycle industry is these days following the model set by the car industry
They don’t design em to last past 5 years
Not true. The bikes we see are now built for the European market.
Fuel gauge on a bike waste of time give me a reserve tank every time. Had a Suzuki ( never again) with a light that would fade in and out got on my tits
You can’t have a reserve on fuel injection bikes🙄
Also given the choice I’d have both
Handy on long trips in the middle of nowhere in my experience
Why don’t u ride with your lights on 🥹
Usually do
I’m not riding
Don’t worry no one died during the filming of this video
And reassuringly no animals were harmed
I do think
@@bikerdood1100 that’s not the point
I ride pretty much constantly with the lights on
Debs normal bike switches on automatic and in fact I did remind her to do so on the way back
Do get a grip
If the average driver doesn’t bloody luck nothing will help with that
Incidentally green high viz is extremely ineffective in a rural setting
Fyi
The chrome on the chain guard seems a bit lala though.
It’s only surface to be honest
Not like it’s been stowed away in winter
Unlike most expensive bikes 😂
@@bikerdood1100 Are you sure? The inside was visible from the other side and did not look so good. Think I saw the bubbly stuff. 😁
@@marcbrasse747
Well yeh
We are looking close up though eyes not a camera after all
And to be fair it’s an older bike that has almost certainly been used through a few winters
@@bikerdood1100 your the boss! 😉😁
No that’s Mrs Bikerdood 😂
No thx I'll keep my 77 kawasaki z1000a thx
You definitely can 😂
They're crap. End off😮
Well thanks for that learned and clearly well informed comment
It’s always wonderful to read the thoughts of a towering intellect such as yourself
End of 😂😂😂😂😂
Remember what crushed the English bike industry.
Well to be historically accurate it was cheaper cars
But I can see what your driving at
@@bikerdood1100 The Japanese motorcycle industry. They made bikes that didn't leak oil and was faster. But I do like are styling from the earlier days. With the leaks 🙂
Did they ?
I’ve pushed a few Japanese bikes home in my time
You should probably learn a little more industrial history though
No doubt about that
@@bikerdood1100 I know my history. The biggest motorcycle factory is honda. Plus the honda super club is the most popular motorcycle in the world and the most reliable. Going back to my point if you read carefully. Triumph comes in seventh for reliably .Still doesn't mean i wouldn't own though.I love all the British bikes.Just stating the facts. Maybe you should read a little more yourself. 😉
Triumphs are made in Malaysian 😂😂😂
That said I’ve managed to break a few Hondas in my time
Where was Harley on that chart ?you still need to study history to actually understand what happened to the UK industry
Rather than the Pub version
History is always inconveniently complicated
It’s the right colour, Communist Red😂
In China Red is used because it’s Lucky
FYI
@@bikerdood1100 still a communist country with human rights violations FYI
No really ?
Gosh
Of course there are a few non communist countries that have civil rights problems of there own, not to mention issues with race and modern slavery
wasn't talking to you @@bikerdood1100
Would buy a Chinese vehicle like I’d buy an Indian one. It’s never going to happen we’ve got enough of these 2 countries junk in our lives without adding to it. And before I get comments yeah yeah I know even expensive good brands build some of their models in both countries. I did make sure my my Suzuki SV650 actually built in Japan before I signed on the dotted line.
Had a couple of Royal Enfields that have been pretty solid
Had 2 Suzuki SVs ov er years one brand new which was good. The second was used which was total crap in all honesty
Mileage wasn’t especially high but the box was vague and the electrical system terrible.
We recently had a BMW which was a few years old, build quality was especially disappointing.
Harley build some in India and parts in China, ditto BMW and all KTMs are built in India and hardly any Triumphs are Uk built
@@bikerdood1100 yeah and as I said I would never build Chinese or Indian built crap no matter if it has a KTM, BMW, Harley or any other brands, names stamped on it. As for you secondhand SV650 you don’t know what sort of treatment it had at the hands of its previous owner/owners so that has more to do with the owner not the bike itself if it was crap. Been around bikes over 50years and did my automotive apprenticeship in the late 70s early 80s here in Australia so do have a bit of a clue how these things work
Thought Japanese bikes were indestructible 😂😂
Had several Suzukis over the years and found very average build quality is a running theme
Electric systems are very cheap as I have found to my cost on a few occasions.
Don’t get me wrong I like Suzuki as a brand in general but alternators and nasty regulators/ rectifiers have been a constant theme
I have genuinely pushed 3 Suzukis home because of one electrical failure or another
The crappy BMW incidentally was a German built boxer which rusted fast and had very poor quality electrical systems
Only had one Harley
Crude !
@@bikerdood1100 I never said Japanese bikes were indestructible specially where stupidity and ignorance is concerned nothing is and you look at how far the Japanese have come nowadays you can’t go wrong. Like cars there’s bikes you buy with your head and others you buy with your heart. I’d never buy a Harley, an Indian, a big KTM, Ducati or any number of other brands with my head I’d buy them with my heart. I’d buy Japanese because nowadays they are reliable, even here in Australia they’ve got excellent parts catalogues as well as excellent after sales service which is something you can’t always say about even the big dollar Euro brands.
Shame its so damm ugly... Nice review..
Not ugly just boring looking
Now a BMW GS
That’s ugly 😂😂
@@bikerdood1100
I know your a FanBoy of M Guzzi, thus proving that beauty really is in the Eye of the beholder...🤣🤣
Some people have class
And some ride BMWs
@@bikerdood1100 why the hate for BMWs, ?
Is it a working class thing ..?
I don’t
The R100rs is one of my favourite all time bikes
The Gs is too big, pig ugly and hugely overrated however
We had a more modern BMW recently
Check out our review
We found build quality surprisingly disappointing
But the fact asymmetry is ugly
That’s according to Da Vinci and I’m inclined to agree
Absolute rubbish and also the cars
Thank you for your leaned input
Bad.
Such eloquent satirical comments 😂😂
How will the spare part situation be in the future?? Save your cash and buy something that will be reliable for decades! JAPANESE is always a good bet!! I would not thrust a Chinese engine at all.
Japanese in my long experience is definitely Not always a good bet
Parts supply on older models is a problem and as a year round rider I’ve pushed a few home. We had an older Suzuki recently which was junk and over the years I’ve pushed 3 Suzukis home
As for trusting a Chinese engine if you have had a small Japanese bike in the last ten years you almost certainly will have