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Cheer's to that. I think that topic deserves it's own thread really though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Let's not stray too far from the thread's subject... I love my 250 and I'm going to use it right up until I can afford the Beneli . It'll probably take me three or more years so from now until then I can review what other buyers say about it and the after-market services that Qjiang provide.
As long as you are happy with the bike you're riding it doesn't matter what others think about it. I'm happy with my JH600, but like to have an additional bike that's a bit lighter and more suited for off-road. So the QJ/BJ600GS isn't what I'm looking for, perhaps a XTR. We'll see!Quote:
Originally Posted by soberpete
I just came back from the Qjiang dealer in xi'an, after they called me to say the first bike has just arrived. In person it really is a beauty, you can tell it was drawn by a talented designer and not some dude with a parts catalog. I forgot my camera but we have enough pics in this thread already.
The price is 42000 including taxes and everything. That price even includes a legal license plate registered in the buyer's name in Tongchuan city, Shaanxi. For a brand new, gorgeous, totally legal, 4 cylinder 600cc in china i find that attractive.
I looked it over carefully and couldn't find a shoddy detail, the welds are lovely, all screws are torqued and marqued... It's wearing Metzler tires, which the dealer said can be ordered through Qjiang. I was told the EFI is german also, though i didn't recognise the chinese name and it didn't sound like Bosch.
The tank is a disappointing 15L, which won't even get you 250km. (6.5L/100km according to dealer)
The model i saw was marqued Benelli all over, not Qjiang. I asked if there is a difference in the bikes and apparently there is. The benelli has more imported parts, though the dealer couldn't tell me which.
I was previously told that the warranty is 2 years/50000km. Today he told me it's in fact 2 years/30000km.
I asked about maintenance issues that have been brought up in this thread and that's when i started not liking the answers. Here's an outline:
"This bike has much more advanced technology than your other models, is there someone in the dealer that can look after it?"
"yes no problem"
"can you do the valve adjustments after 10000km?"
"no need, this engine can't change"
"what about after 20000km?"
"this bike never needs adjustments, 100000km and it still won't need"
"what about the EFI, is there someone here who knows how to adjust that?"
"no need, this engine is reliable"
"how do you know? it just came out!"
"we guarantee there won't be any problem. You can buy it with peace of mind!"
Yeah, that's really some peace of mind...
So the dealer knows fuck all about this bike or bikes in general and that's not a surprise. I didn't get to try it because it's a preposterous idea to think you can try before you buy. As badly as i may want it, i still don't know if i want to take the risk.
Furthermore, i still question if it's really the bike for me. My recent trips to vietnam and yunnan reminded me how much fun it is to ride through bad, remote terrain on a bike that can handle it. Sure this bike could get through any of those roads but it wouldn't be much fun. Then again, there's some roads that would be heaven to rip up on this little beauty.
Ah indecisions indecisions...
The only proper thing to do is have several bikes, one for each kind of ride.Quote:
Originally Posted by felix
Cheers!
ChinaV
I really wonder if they will ever ever start to understand what they are doing.Quote:
Originally Posted by felix
It is indeed a beautiful bike, and a big shame that you should reconsider just because of the lousy dealers.
In general however, maintaining a 4 in line is pretty easy.
Unless you are really clumsy, things like valves can be easily done by yourself, and is actually fun to do.
Perhaps I should start some technical classes
Oh yeah, valves DO need to be checked, although at larger intervals then before.
20.000km for the first time is pretty normal, although with Chinese materials and crappy fuel, I should do a first time inspection half way that.
I reckon the wise thing to do right now is just wait and see. I need to stop getting excited about this gamble of a bike and remember i have a perfectly good and legal 250 here already.
If it turns out to be a piece of turd then we'll hear about it, if it's a good bike with good support then it'll still be here next year.
Ps: I don't think that diy valve adjustment for an inline 4 is quite in my reach. I only have experience with air cooled SOHC singles and i managed to ruin one engine already doing the valves...
+1 wait and see. I'm thinking of buying in 2013 or more likely 2014.
Personally I wouldn't use dealer backup if I got one of these for engine work, I'd just pay someone whose bread and butter is inline fours, usually there is one self-employed guy in every city who is competent, and a few exceptionally good engineer/mechanics in each province, so it's highly unlikely that your local Qjiang dealer is competent. Then they say your bike has no problem if they don't have the skills to fix or maintain/adjust it, or parts. I'd probably only use the dealer for warranty parts, although damn those dealers drag their feet when they have to order any parts, takes weeks or months and constant prodding to get anything. If there was a way to order direct from Qjiang and nominate my own mechanic....
So that's at least three of us who are waiting for someone else to go ahead and get one...Quote:
Originally Posted by ZMC888
...is anyone seriously considering becoming the 'Benelli Guinea-pig?'
I really was considering it, but ChinaV's right. Guinea-pigging a 40k RMB chinabike with no info and not even a test ride before buying is actually not a very wise way to blow two years' savings.
The chinabike industry and it's appalling track record for quality and support is to blame here. If this was a japanese bike i'd dive right in!
I respect that decision and ChinaV's remarks.Quote:
Originally Posted by felix
Let's see how things go. Someone's bound to buy one even if they aren't a member of this site. Let's keep our eyes open.
It's going to take me several years to save up for one of these and who knows, by then there may be half a dozen other 600+cc bikes available in the PRC!