Recommended bikes?

Hi all, been really into this site lately. Really awesome to look at everyone's pictures, and ride reports, can't wait to post some of my own. I have a bunch of China experience but am currently in the US. Looks like I'll be in Shaoxing (Zhejiang) next year starting beginning of September. I really want to get my license and a bike. Plan to do local rides and exploring whenever possible, but also plan to ride it as far as I can - perhaps to Chongqing and Henan (friends there). I would like to do some long distance two up riding as well.

I've been heavily looking at the 嘉陵/宗申 大白菜 http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=3454752947 (main taobao store http://store.taobao.com/shop/view_sh...r_id=243147297). These bikes seem to be really well-priced, the guy has good reviews, and you can choose 150 200 or 250. I guess from what I've learned on this forum anything above 150 now has to be EFI which the 250 model here definitely is not. I talked on QQ to the 023越野 taobao shop owner and he said it doesn't matter for registering it, they just write that it's a 150 on the 合格证 and no problem to register and plate it. Not sure what you guys think about this. Also anyone have any experience with long term long distance riding, quality, reliability issues? I assume it's a good choice in that parts will be readily available wherever I go with it. Guess the only issues would be reliablity/quality of the bike, and the fact that it only has like an 8L gas tank. Looks like it could do two up traveling pretty well and the 250 model would provide enough power. I've read of several people doing two up long trips on 150s, guess you just gotta take it at the appropriate speed. Any thoughts?

Thanks to this forum as well I've also been checking out the Shineray Long March 鑫源长征 200. Also might be an issue with the emissions on this bike, and heard it was dangerous in that the triple trees were breaking. I guess I'm assuming they fixed this by now, and it seems like a sweet bike otherwise. Looks about the same as the 大白菜 in terms of seat room and luggage capacity. Huge plus is the gas tank. Price is about 2500 more than the 大白菜, and seems less available, at least on taobao.

The third bike I've been sorta checking out are the Wuyang Honda 五羊本田 CBX 150 (EFI) models which confirm to the new emissions standards. http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=9269357937. Looks like a pretty quality bike, just I'm not sure if a 150 would be enough for me. Seems around the same price as the Long March.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone could provide me with some recommendations for getting a bike. Thanks!!

Welcome and have fun looking! I think you can't really plan out what you want to get this far in advance as China seems to change its rules quite often. Many of the models produced seem to be for export only.

My guess is that you will get there and find something either used from a private party and/or used from a mychinamoto member, or new from a dealer. It seems that it is best to get something used so you can get used to riding around China before investing in something new (and shiny) which my guess would be similar to what you do in the greater metro New York area as well :lol8: when you buy a car (I've driven through New York and can attest to that :eekers:)

Welcome to the forum bmold, and have I got a bike for you!!!

This one will go fast, however. Too bad you won't be here till 2012....

Shaoxing should be a fabulous jumping-off point for rural Zhejiang riding, as bikerdoc of nearby Ningbo has proved again and again and again.

Keep us posted about your progress. You seem comfortable with Chinese; that'll make your riding here all the sweeter.

cheers

Hi guys, thanks for the welcome and replies. I am quite comfortable with living in and exploring China. Just have never driven over there except for one 100 km 150cc scooter jaunt around rural Henan in the winter. That was cold. Scooter took some mild offroading better than I had expected. Anyway, it will be exciting to hopefully join in on some rides with other members once I get some sort of ride hooked up. I just can't stop checking out potential bikes online, but who knows what I'll end up with once I arrive. Anticipating arriving there as soon as possible. I will get to Shaoxing in Sept. of this year, so pretty soon. Anyone have any experience with those three bikes I mentioned above? I guess I've also been checking out the Yamaha YBR's, only the 125 is in my price range though...

dear bmold,

your original post said you were moving to shaoxing in november next year, i.e., 2012. nice to know your arrival will be sooner -- a lot sooner!

If I were looking at Honda 150s, I'd be leaning toward the new Wuyang fireblade or whatever it's called. Here's the whole roster of Honda Chinabikes. But we've got members who love their Sundiro Shadows, and other models. Or you could ask Lao Jia Huo to hold that diplomatic farmer's bike for you. You could do a lot worse than that for a first bike in China.

You are arriving at a strange time, since a lot of Chinese bikes have been effectively made obsolete by the recently promulgated China3 emissions standard, which requires electronic fuel injection on larger bikes and will have an unknown impact on the registrability of smaller bikes. A lot should come clear in coming months as manufacturers adjust their production and move updated models into the market.

Just be sure you get your US motorcycle license before you come, and you'll save yourself a heap of hassle.

See you soon!

cheers

Whoops, yeah, it is this year that I am moving. Getting pretty excited. The 150 EFI Hondas do look pretty sweet. How well can a 150 carry two people on a long trip? So far I've seen two people on this forum that have done it, but one was a 2 stroke sportbike. I guess it just affects your top speed? Not sure how much better a 250 would do?

I did hear about the China3 standards, I asked a couple of sellers online and they told me that if its a 250 not meeting China3 that they just fudge the number to a 150 and you can register and plate them no problem. I dunno how well this works and I'm guessing I'm going to try to stick to the law as much as possible being that I will have a pretty good job.

Have had my US motorcycle endorsement for 1 year now. Hope the licensing process goes well once I get there. :)

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Originally Posted by bmold

Anyone have any experience with those three bikes I mentioned above? I guess I've also been checking out the Yamaha YBR's, only the 125 is in my price range though...

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My farmer Honda (nee diplomat ride) has taught me something - these little Hondas are primitive, but virtually indestructible. Can handle two-up to around 90 kmh, but not really comfortably. I would have no hesitation recommending any similar 125/150 Honda. Reminds me of the little Honda 50s and 90s we used on the fields of our Canadian wheat farm many years ago. Incredible bikes.

We bought the YBR125 .... hmmmm .... so far, sad to say, not good. Weird idle problem (idles at 4K rpm, or stalls) that can't get fixed (gotta be a bad carb), the clutch lever broke in half, and one of the mirrors cracked after a very, very minor brush from a sleeve. Only 200 kms on it! Under warranty, of course, but that is such a hassle.

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

My farmer Honda (nee diplomat ride) has taught me something - these little Hondas are primitive, but virtually indestructible. Can handle two-up to around 90 kmh, but not really comfortably. I would have no hesitation recommending any similar 125/150 Honda. Reminds me of the little Honda 50s and 90s we used on the fields of our Canadian wheat farm many years ago. Incredible bikes.

We bought the YBR125 .... hmmmm .... so far, sad to say, not good. Weird idle problem (idles at 4K rpm, or stalls) that can't get fixed (gotta be a bad carb), the clutch lever broke in half, and one of the mirrors cracked after a very, very minor brush from a sleeve. Only 200 kms on it! Under warranty, of course, but that is such a hassle.

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That's the common wisdom from chinese : 骑不坏的本田，修不起的雅马哈 :mwink:

Hehe.. Hondas are pretty damn reliable. I guess it's looking like I'll either have to head over to BJ to purchase the farmer or find a Honda dealership or a friend when I get to Shaoxing. I've got my own Honda right now here in the US, a 71 CB 350, it too is pretty indestructible. :)

Just another question about 150's and 250's: If a 150 can do two up riding at 80 kph, 90 maxed out, then what can a 250 do in comparison? Probably not a whole lot more?

Thanks for the heads up on the YBR/Yamaha reliability!

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Originally Posted by bmold

Thanks for the heads up on the YBR/Yamaha reliability!

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Update - I have exactly 173 kms on the new YBR 125. So far, in addition to the cracked mirror, broken clutch lever and bad carb ... the front signal arm fell off, and the paint on the rear grab bar has started to flake. And, after its 3rd visit re the stalling, the carb problem is still not fixed. Come on Yamaha, I know you can do better than this.

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Update - I have exactly 173 kms on the new YBR 125. So far, in addition to the cracked mirror, broken clutch lever and bad carb ... the front signal arm fell off, and the paint on the rear grab bar has started to flake. And, after its 3rd visit re the stalling, the carb problem is still not fixed. Come on Yamaha, I know you can do better than this.

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UPDATE - dealer fixed the carb problem after I threw a hissy-fit. And now, the bike runs incredibly nice - super smooth & very peppy. I really like how it runs. Sheesh, I wonder when the dealers will get the idea of "dealer prep"?

Anyways, during my hissy-fit, I also mentioned the mirror & clutch lever. They didn't have either in parts stock, but they swiped a mirror off of another customer's bike in for service and gave it to me. (what are they going to tell that guy when he returns?) I have to wait for a new clutch lever. I'm making due with the broken one.

But now the bike runs fantastic. Damn, it is fun. I love these little bikes. And they are sooooo narrow - great for squeezing through even the most narrow gaps.

For what it is worth, the YBR 125 is quite a different bike from the YBR 250, so my experience with the 125 shouldn't migrate over to reflect the 250's characteristics.