The first JH600 in Nanjing?

Attachment 1642Attachment 1643It is official!

I just got the bike delivered and assembled. The only hiccup was trying to get some gas as the state owned stations do not allow you to fill up hand held jerry cans. Problem resolved when I simply towed the bike to a gas station. The bike finish is not bad at all. I got the European version that is about the same seat height as my GSA. So far so good on performance and quality except for the plastic panniers. They look ok but are very flimsy. I figure I will buy a set of Aluminum ones from Franki or AW's supplier in the future. Overall, I am very pleasantly surprised.

Finally, the bike looks good. You know my favorite color - so I like to see the black frame, swing arm, engine and sump guard, fork boots - interesting. Hope you are having fun. Now it's running in time. Hope to see some more pictures. Wishing you luck.

Ride safe :riding::riding::riding:

AW.

Good one mate! Very pretty, matches the blue loctite you will be using ...? Seriously, I hope you enjoy very much. Does it not have a petrol gauge? My Kinlon doesn't and thus I can only fill up to top before every trip and hope, at least my local servos allow fuel containers.

I just returned to the house after 200km on the first ride. I had trouble shifting gears at about 75km. Pulled over and found the clutch cable adjustment had not been locked. Readjusted and everything is good now. I have to say the bike is almost as smooth my Honda 650L back in Texas. It is no comparison to my GSA but hey, apples and oranges..................it is not bad at all.

The bike has a nice gas gauge, but the bike shipped empty and the shop I used to help assemble had none. I know that most shops elsewhere in the world would have had gas but I was glad to find a guy who used the coorect wrenches instead of vise grips. TIC

The only reason I am now home is I am waiting for a colleague to meet and discuss a project we have at work. I really like the bike so far.......a lot!

I really appreciate the information received from AW, Franki, jkp, etc. I do not think I would have taken the plunge if not for the guidance of those that already had. I am a very happy old fat man right now.

DT

AW, I like the black frame too. It would look a lot better with your black wheel rims though!:riding:

Nice congrats for getting the bike. Glad you are happy of it.

How long did you wait for it? And what the bike costs there in dollars or in euro currency?

Now I begin to be a little bit interested of that Jialing. I just don't like very much of the Transalp looks. Anyway that Jialing could be interesting to mod to look more like DR or something similar.

Moilami,

This bike is for my time riding in Nanjing. We are 200miles inland from Shanghai. I paid RMB36500 delivered to Nanjing. It took 5 weeks from when they received the order to shipment. It only took 48 hours to get from ChongChing to Nanjing via train and truck.

I will try and get my wife to take some pictures. She is a much better photographer than I am. The bike's design has grown on me. I actually like it a lot now. It is something new and different. Of course I like dual sport bikes. Anyway, I am very happy so far.

DT

Ok thanks it is not very cheap china bike then :eekers:

The design of the bike looks very intelligent, fairings can be nice stuff when travelling long periods in tarmac, I just dislike them because they actually are not needed and they increase fuzz.

And yeah, please do ask your wife to do some photographing, pictures are always appreaciated.

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

AW, I like the black frame too. It would look a lot better with your black wheel rims though!:riding:

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I can get you some - but it takes time and some $$$. Maybe Franki has a cheaper/faster idea. My only option was having them done in Germany since I couldn't find a place for that in China/Hongkong.

Cheers,
AW.

Sandblast and powder coat would be best and you might find a local workshop? High temperature black might do it, I shall let you know; having a go myself with different black finishes on frame, trailer and wheels myself as soon as weather gets less damp because I cannot find any truck-bed paint locally. My Kinlon exhaust and some frame bits are getting very rusty, under the verandah with a tarp but still susceptible to damp.

Hi DT

I am 250km away from Lhasa in Qusong。 I have a broken chain & no 520 chain link available。 Will figure something out anyway。 haha
If you have read my JH600 report YOU will find my comments about the Jialing pennier cases. It will not survive the western China roads.

Franki

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

It is official!

I just got the bike delivered and assembled. The only hiccup was trying to get some gas as the state owned stations do not allow you to fill up hand held jerry cans. Problem resolved when I simply towed the bike to a gas station. The bike finish is not bad at all. I got the European version that is about the same seat height as my GSA. So far so good on performance and quality except for the plastic panniers. They look ok but are very flimsy. I figure I will buy a set of Aluminum ones from Franki or AW's supplier in the future. Overall, I am very pleasantly surprised.
Attachment 1639Attachment 1640

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Sweet ride mate, I really like it.

great stuff, and the blue looking good. you might like to edit your photos to rotate them. just view them in Microsoft windows photo/picture/image viewer and look for the two rotate buttons in the lower menu bar, rotate and save them, by overwriting the originals, then repost them here... it'll help. For now I have to put my head on the side to view them. phew!

When you say the panniers plastic is flimsy - what kind of plastic is it? is it the kind of plastic found on many cheap plastic items here including many motorscooter/motorcycle top boxes made here and moto helmets?

I've had many top boxes for my scooters in PRC, and basically all the standard ones were crap, with the exception of the standard ones used on the CFMoto scooters, and my ADLO topbox, which is manufactured by ADLO group down in Guangdong province http://www.adlo.net

When I first had my JinJian StarTrek 125cc scoot, I rode it from Ningbo - SH - Ningbo, many times and would usually do the return journey the same day. The standard top box on that vibrated and broke at the base multiple times, and I'd replace it via warranty. In the end I was fortunate to find a scooter workshop over in Pudong in Shnaghai and bought multiple parts, lighter flywheel, better brake pads, horns, and so forth. One of the better purchases I made was an ADLO topbox, which came with a quick-release mounting bracket, meaning I could remove the topbox using a key and the press of a button. The plastic is a totally different type, its not flimsy and has a kind of flex to it. I've used that topbox now for 2-3 years, ridden all kinds of roads and goat tracks with it, no worries at all. It fell off the back of my Dragstar 1100cc Classic one night, after I'd attached it to the rear on a wooden mounting base (don't ask was I was thinking). The wood snapped and the top box fell and slid down the road behind me after I'd ridden through a particularly rough road. The tobox stayed intact, albeit a few little abrasions, not even major scratches and I still use that same box -no worries.

I'm about to buy another ADLO for another bike. Aside from quality plastic construction the use of the quick-release mounting system is excellent, and I use it a lot when I do the longer rides on my Dragstar, pull up to hotels and simply turn the key & push a button and my topbox becomes my suitcase as I check in. Meanwhile most of the other guys still unstrapping gear from saddle-bags, packs strapped on rear seats etc.

Anyway sweet looking ride!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

It is official!

I just got the bike delivered and assembled. The only hiccup was trying to get some gas as the state owned stations do not allow you to fill up hand held jerry cans. Problem resolved when I simply towed the bike to a gas station. The bike finish is not bad at all. I got the European version that is about the same seat height as my GSA. So far so good on performance and quality except for the plastic panniers. They look ok but are very flimsy. I figure I will buy a set of Aluminum ones from Franki or AW's supplier in the future. Overall, I am very pleasantly surprised.

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They will usually allow you to use an approved fuel can. Many of the petrol-stations sell ugly rectangular steel 20-30-40L cans. But places like Metro and B&Q sell a nicer metal type that's more square and has a flexi-filling attachment. I have one and use it often for filling and carrying extra petrol in my car. Never had anyone refuse to fill it. Though an American mate was refused once when he tried to use a 2L empty Pepsi bottle. LOL.

Couple of questions.
The wire wheel rims, are your tyres tubeless?
I note than the rear exhaust/muffler exits at the rear under and on the right side of the seat, so what protection has the right pannier got if any?
Centre stand is standard?
Headlights, are they halogen or HID?What wattage are they? Have you ridden it at night, and if so how were the lights?

OK Gents,
I am glad there is so much interest.

I did read Franki's comments on the plastic panniers being flimsy but I bought the bike fully equipped to get other things already installed such as the engine guard, black frame, graphics, 12V Electrical outlet for GPS, Pannier support framework. I saw that AW and Franki had their's custom built. I had a hard enough time finding a guy who understood that a set of tools required more than 2 vise grips and a hammer so I elected to get the fully loaded version knowing some things would not last. So far, I only see that the plastic panniers themselves are not up to the design level I need. Everything else is pretty good on the Euro model.

The standard lights I have are good at night. To be honest, I have not really looked. Pretty sure they are not halogen though. I am happy with the performance whatever they are.

The center stand is included

Based on the threaded valve stem, I am sure my tires have tubes. Sorry, but everything in the manual is in Chinese and I have not studied it with my wife around to translate. I wanted to ride more than learn this last weekend.

Sorry about the pictures, I have no patience with Microsoft ar any software packages for that matter. I will try and figure out a way to fix per the instuctions given when I have some time.

and finally, Franki, you are correct about the cans but becasue of the expo in Shanghai?, three different Nanjing gas stations would not leven et me buy cans to fill a liter, I live in a logic free zone. They said it was for security. As noted by you, sometimes it is easier to accept and find another way which I did.

Bottom line the bike is pretty good. Especially considering the limited options here in China.

DT

I had that jerrycan thing in Shanghai and Kunming as I was buying fuel for the RC Toy. So I assume thats nationwide and not Expo related, I had this situation years back already.
You must come with a REGISTERED vehicle - a bicycle or unregistered whatever doesnt count. They have to note down your registration, no registration they cant fill their book...cant sell you fuel...
Ask another guy to drive you there, ask a taxi, ask somebody of the other customers, they get a registration number to note down. They just have to fill thier papers. TIC

The JH600 comes with tube tires - AW.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

OK Gents,

Sorry about the pictures, I have no patience with Microsoft ar any software packages for that matter. I will try and figure out a way to fix per the instuctions given when I have some time.

DT

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xD I understand that. Don't worry about quality of pictures, every picture is better than no pictures at all. So please keep them coming and no worries.

So, Aggie, are you flying around Jiangsu with no plates on that steed?

Glad to see your reaction to the bike is similar to mine: Good, clean fun!

jkp,
I am bending a rule or two and riding without for a few days. I have carried the sales contract with me as I understand this gives me a bit of grace time. The wife is on the registration detail as I type this and I should have the plate, insurance, tax paid, etc this week. I am really not too worried. I rode the Chang Jiang for 6 months without a plate and the local police only yelled a bit and told me to go get one. Once I got the plate they were happy. I mainly want to be legal so I can ride longer distances as I think I can trust the JH600 modern technology more than the old Chang Jiang 750 WWII technology. More time riding and less time working on it.

I have done nothing to the bike yet. I have a new muffler from Franki and a new shock and springs coming. But to be honest, the Euro model has a pretty decent suspension out of the box. Making it taller may have worked well to improve this from the ride AW had? I am still trying to identify shop to install the new and improved springs and rear shock as I agree it could be better. I was just pleasantly surprised with the standard units.

I am looking at around RMB13000 for plate, taxes, and insurance here in Nanjing so I am holding off on new Panniers and maybe wheels for few weeks. My monthly fun funds is depleted till I ride the bike around a bit and decide the next priority.

Look forward to meeting up with some of you guys in the future for a mountain dirt road ride or two.

DT

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

jkp,
I am bending a rule or two and riding without for a few days. I have carried the sales contract with me as I understand this gives me a bit of grace time. The wife is on the registration detail as I type this and I should have the plate, insurance, tax paid, etc this week. I am really not too worried. I rode the Chang Jiang for 6 months without a plate and the local police only yelled a bit and told me to go get one. Once I got the plate they were happy. I mainly want to be legal so I can ride longer distances as I think I can trust the JH600 modern technology more than the old Chang Jiang 750 WWII technology. More time riding and less time working on it.

I have done nothing to the bike yet. I have a new muffler from Franki and a new shock and springs coming. But to be honest, the Euro model has a pretty decent suspension out of the box. Making it taller may have worked well to improve this from the ride AW had? I am still trying to identify shop to install the new and improved springs and rear shock as I agree it could be better. I was just pleasantly surprised with the standard units.

I am looking at around RMB13000 for plate, taxes, and insurance here in Nanjing so I am holding off on new Panniers and maybe wheels for few weeks. My monthly fun funds is depleted till I ride the bike around a bit and decide the next priority.

Look forward to meeting up with some of you guys in the future for a mountain dirt road ride or two.

DT

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Excellent, this is the kind of information that I like to read (cheers for sharing!) so that I can sway myself to bloody well place the order and have 'er turn up a month or so later... I'm lucky in that I can do a fair bit of bike work myself, and have my own garage which is busting at the seams... I also could use the one of the local dealerships to help me put 'er together too. So speaking about garage...

I got home lastnight after having ridden about 600km in the day, and three tank fulls of fuel on my Dragstar. I rode round mountains around Ningbo, back of Shengzhou, Ninghai and a couple of other places. My battery was on its last legs and decided it didn't want to fire up yesterday after being set aside for more than a week. Perhaps it was just to-spite me! Anyway I connected it up with my jumper-leads to my car battery, and still rode the bike round. I tested it out by parking on a hill after an hours running, and the battery was as dead as a doorknob. No big deal I just made sure that I refuelled in gas stations that had inclines or hills. This then kind of set the tone for where I could ride. Rode round Binhai, to Tangxi over a few mountains to Hengxi then out some back roads to Fenghua through to Xikou into Simingshan (huge mountain range over in these parts). This set me up to ride to a BP that's situated on a steep hill on the other side of Simingshan Village. Turn off bike, refuel, wash hands and face, pitstop for a no.1 gulp down some fluids, and try the starter button. No way-ho zay. No worries crash start... and away we gooooooOoooo! Fast forward to around 7pm last night after having ridden round the back of Xinchang to Shenzhen and the Ninghai hot-springs, as I was riding through some back country into a fairly familiar town, when I spotted a gas station that had a slight gradient to the forecourt. I was still on main tank... after having filled a second time throughout the days ride... so thought well better make it 3. Fill the tank (65 kuai, so I was close to reserve) -so good call I think to myself... then what? I couldn't f^%$*n crash start the bike... no matter how many times I pushed, heaved and lugged that 280kg behemoth round... no matter how much I sweated or strained... she wasn't starting, not on that slope, nor the next one I pushed 'er to, or the third one, that was steeper but then turned into a gravel track... finally after about 1 hour of struggling and pushing a few km's out of that town... I got 'er started and a side road that I was sure she'd not start as the slope didn't look all that. But as luck would have it, vrrrroOOOOoommm! you beauuuutyyy!

Opps... <phone call>

Then I rode the next 70km home.

<phone call ends> so where was I....

So I got home, and as I was about get my spare new battery sorted, however there was a little wee snake trying to somehow shrink into nothing-ness (as small as possible) from the white glow of my Dragstar's HID headlight as it sat idling facing the garage... had a little fun with that for several minutes before I got back to the task at hand... swapped over the battery, did some tinkering, then parked the beast in 'er parking spot. Garages... great.

Ahhh... riding bikes... ruleZ....

Texasaggie... I like the meet up with you guys and do some trails and mountains and stuff... I wanted to "jump up and down" like a kid would do and say "pick me, pick me" but the I remembered "argh what the hell aint got the right wheels for that..." (ho-hum slouch back into my chair)... mind you that has not stopped me from riding my heavy Dragstar in places you'd not believe! once rode through a 1km mud section that was deep (up the base of the forks) on a loose metal track in a mountain not far from here, thats gutsy work on a heavy 280kg beast with me an additional 95kg... then me and my mate rode our Dragstars back through it (it was a no exit 30km track)

...trails and mountains and stuff...

we'll have a Jialing dual sport quorum here in east China in no time. We've got Aggie in Nanjing, Pfaelzer (sometimes) in Fuzhou, and me in Shanghai. And dig this: Another friend's JH600 arrived in Shanghai today (though it's still with the freight forwarder) and yet another friend was filling in his contract this morning.

And then there were five. We'll have to start doing Thursday evening bike nights!

Whaddaya say, bikerdoc?

It is definitely looking like it could be fun!

DT

Sure am enjoying your thread TexasAggie, keep it up and you might just convince me that I need one of these in the garage.

Cheers!
ChinaV

Found this post http://www.moto8.cn/viewthread.php?t...&authorid=2652 by chance while reading on motofans.cn and http://motorcycle.sh.cn/viewthread.php?tid=330242 Though you might be interested since it details a lot of JH600 mods that these guys have undertaken...

Bikerdoc,

Thanks for the post! It appears that is AW's JH. I think his bike is even more famous here in China than it is on www.mychinamoto.com! I just got back into Nanjing, the wife is getting Big Blue licensed today and I should have the plate tomorrow. Hopefully I can take some time off work and put some miles/km on the seat over the next week. I promise to have better pictures soon. So far, I am very happy with my version straight out of the box. I have not even replaced the muffler yet. (Although a Laser ordered from Franki is sitting here in my office as I type and I am looking forward to getting it on)

DT

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

Bikerdoc,

Thanks for the post! It appears that is AW's JH. I think his bike is even more famous here in China than it is on www.mychinamoto.com! I just got back into Nanjing, the wife is getting Big Blue licensed today and I should have the plate tomorrow. Hopefully I can take some time off work and put some miles/km on the seat over the next week. I promise to have better pictures soon. So far, I am very happy with my version straight out of the box. I have not even replaced the muffler yet. (Although a Laser ordered from Franki is sitting here in my office as I type and I am looking forward to getting it on)
DT

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Haha. Yeah I thought the mods looked so similar, but I had thought (incorrectly) perhaps AW had done most of the mods himself.

TexasAggie, I think your bike with the two-tone black and blue looks great, and I like the way that the black two-tone paint has been extended onto the panniers and topbox. My only concern would be the quality of the plastic used for the panniers/top box. I've had several types of topboxes which have been made with what is likely to be poor quality plastics which have ended up breaking after a little use and riding. Usually its the riding that vibrates the hell out of them. So far the best quality boxes I've had here have been ADLO, which are a totally different plastic altogether. I even travelled last week from Ningbo to HZ (return) motorcycle market on MoGanShan Lu (I traveled via long routes not using the expressway) just so I could phsycially buy another ADLO 981 topbox. The plastic quality is great and it comes complete with a key operated quick-release mounting base.

As for my idea on a new JH600, I am almost at that point to make that deicision to buy one, however just yesterday I ordered a new CFMoto Jetmax 250 scooter, which will arrive in a weeks time. With this new addition, it's back to having 3 bikes again, so I'm thinking about selling one of the others to make room for a JH600.
I just luv scoots, and find they allow a certain amount of freedom and anonymity thats allowed me to just blend in and access little villages and so forth without feeling out of place. Not something so easily done on a bigger bike. The other thing with the new Jetmax 250cc is it is right up there with loads of new R&D manufcatured by one of the better motorcycle manufacturers in PRC (CFMoto aka Chun Feng), and I'm being a little presumptious when I write that it's likely to be somewhat similar to a Kymco Xciting 250. Time will tell if my assumption is correct. The main thing is a new legal Kymco Xciting 250 is RMB47k versus CFmoto Jetmax 250 RMB18k. I could buy 3 Jetmax's for the price of 1 Xciting.

Plus the top end is around 130km/h, and as most of us know and has been discussed, there are few places where one can do 100km/h and feel safe doing it on a motorcycle in mainland China.

bikerdoc,
You are absolutely correct regarding the panniers and topbox. Franki warned me about this and he was correct. However, I liked everything else with the package. I am sure I will be replacing the panniers and doing without the topbox soon. Until then, I will have to keep duct tape with me! I am hoping I can get some custom make boxes at some point that can attach to the frame the bike came with. We shall see. I appreciate the heads up ont he ADLO brand.

Overall, I am pretty happy with everything on the JH except lack of free time to enjoy the new toy.

Good luck with your scooter. Let me know if you make it to or near Nanjing.
DT

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Originally Posted by TexasAggie

Bikerdoc,
...Hopefully I can take some time off work and put some miles/km on the seat over the next week....DT

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A group of us plan to ride Mon-Wed next week around Zhejiang, probably LiShui, Jiande, QianDao Hu etc. 3 days off riding. Maybe you'd like to join us? Grab a few things, ride down to Ningbo to meet up with us Sunday, stay here overnight and leave with us Monday morning. Anybody else up for it?