New brakes from Yingang and ride to Hailing Island

Happy new year MCM, this is my first post on MCM and the internet in any way!!

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This new year was the first time for me to get out and test the new brakes on my Yingang 250. The very same Yingang that was reviewed by ChinaV a while back. You may recognise it.

ChinaV's complaint with the bike was that the front brakes didn't engage until the the lever was pulled most of the way in. I emailed Raymond at Yinggang who said the new model had improved braking systems front and rear, and that he would send me a set for free! Thank you Raymond!
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You can see the new larger master cylinder and front calliper. They have increased the piston size, improved fluid flow in the calliper, and changed the pads. I only rode about 1200 kms as the weather was shite (more on that later) but found the brakes to be excellent, much more responsive and controllable.
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The rear calliper carrier was slightly larger and in a slightly different orientation to the old one but after grinding a mm off the heads of the disc bolts it all fitted ok. The rear brake is much more sympathetic than the old one which used to lock up all the time. All in all, the new brakes have much improved and already great bike. I couldn't be happier with it and the service I've received from Raymond at Yingang. If I need any parts I just send a quick email and they are delivered in a few days...fantastic.

So enough about brakes. Seprpenza, his Mrs and I set off from Shenzhen and ended up in Zengcheng after aborting a longer ride due to the weather. This kinda links with the 'worst bike trip ever' post. They were rather underdressed and rightly decided to head back the following morning...I continued on to Hailing Island (not to be confused with Hainan) near Yangjiang. It was about 400 kms from Zengcheng on New Year's Day. We had plotted an interesting route through the mountains but it was pissing down with rain so I just ploughed on through grey urban nastiness on boring dual carriageways. The only nice thing was the lack of traffic so I was able to cruise at 110 and make good time.

more photos on their way

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From the photos you can see the quiet Eastern coast of the island and the town beach on the Western side. Also my attempt at waterproofing that worked well for nearly the whole day!

After seeing the island I decided go and seek shelter with some friends in Zhu Hai or to be more precise Tangjia, a bike friendly town to the North. There are 4 foreigner owned bars and restaurants there on one little strip within 100 metres of each other so it's a cool place to hang out when it's cold and miserable. One bar, kwiktigi, is owned by Jimbo who has asahi on tap and also runs track days on R6's just down the road. His bar also also had lot's of cool motoart.

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A fireblade that Jimbo used to race...I think

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A cafe racer...this ones up your street eh Rich?

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Trials

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His old leathers...washed I assume:icon10:
You can contact Jimbo on 13676037711 or email kwiktigi@hotmail.com

After a few boozy days in Tangjia and a great time on the go karts, which were thankfully indoors, I rode out with the local Zhu Hai bike club.

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Thanks for welcoming a weary, wet biker guys!

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Then I caught the humen ferry across to Dongguan

After that it was a dull ride back to Shenzhen...

There were spectacular views from the ferry!

Excellent, thanks for continuing the story!

Hey thanks for posting! It's always good to have other bikers with you on a shitty rainy day to share the pain!

That yingang is a lovely looking bike. How many miles does it have now? Still reliable? After years of riding dirty bikes I'd forgot how handy low exhausts are for throwing saddle bags on over the back seat.

It's done around 10,000 since I've had it Felix. The valves are a bit noisy but I just took delivery of a set of shims from Yingang. Rich is going to give me a hand putting them in today. I'll post some pics later...

Mate are those CNC brake levers? Did the company offer them to you?

I believe so. I think ChinaV bought them at the Guangzhou bike market.