Re: Good bike for beginner?
Hi and welcome Apoftelbrau! :goodtime: Although, I'm drinking Kaiserdom hefe-weissbier right now.
I reckon if you can get a Shanghai B or C plate and save your hard-earned. Plate, insurance and license is enough, screw their childish by-laws. :hellfire:If you see the cops accelerate, do a U-turn or turn right!
Choose between
KTM Duke 390 (48,000?)
Suzuki GW250 (24,000)
YBR250 (24,000)
YBR125 (10,000 ish)
CBF150 (10-12,000)
I wouldn't buy anything Chinese or even a CFMOTO, Benelli or Loncin.
Personally I'd even have a look at imported Thai made bikes. Specifically a Honda CB500X if you have the budget. I think it's not too much bike for a beginner if you are over maybe mid-20s or have a mature attitude, but it's a bike that's all you'd ever need and you wouldn't really need to buy and sell multiple bikes over your riding career. Your ebike seems equivalent to at least a 125cc bike, and modern Hondas are very easy to ride and safe enough if you have some experience on a 125 or equivalent.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Haha good catch, actually i miss-spelt it, it should be Apostelbrau. Im having a few drinks, waiting for the netherlands game at midnight. Hup Holland Hup!
It's a nice list, it's just most of them are very small bikes physically. I'm 6'1 with longer-than-average legs compared to my torso. I want something I can go on long trips with and feel comfortable. I know obviously the market here caters towards Chinese people, but there has got to be something.
One thing I like about the YBR250 is that it isn't too 'flashy', which means it won't stand out as much if riding through random small towns in China, even if it is a Yamaha. I actually like those bikes that the moto taxis ride around here in Shanghai, i've asked them and mostly i hear they cost 8k rmb. But reliability, long distance, ABS, large frame/high seat... is what i'm after basically.
As for the e-bike, i hope it's given me some experience in riding here (and it is an absolute cluster **** in the e-bike lane, can't be much worse in the car lane here... imho the car lane is much safer) but also experience with riding on something with torque. I doubt an fz-09 would get to 100kph faster (unless ridden by a pro). It's crazy what electricity can do with the right components... top speed is of course demolished by any decent motorbike. Thanks for the welcome, i'm from Scotland btw.
Also I wouldn't run/evade from the cops here, radio-waves are faster than anything else :lol8: There was one time when 'i just felt like it' and passed a chinese cop on his motorbike. Hit 100kph in seconds and he was gone.... but that was on a road i ride every day and know where cars might come from etc so i'm very comfortable on it.
About the B/C plates, just how much are they atm? Wondering how much they can fine me for riding around on those plates here, I live within the inner road which afaik requires an A plate. Imagine the riots if a licence plate was 5k quid in the UK... people keep telling me to drop my 'western sense of justice/culture' but it's hard.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
OP welcome to MCM. You will find lots of useful information, and plenty that would answer all your questions and view points concerning, bikes, plate options...
For starters, you won't find a Hu A plate for 50K... the going rate is an easy 100K+... 130K is the mean.
If you can go for a Hu C plate at the very minimum if 130K for the Hu A is out of your budget. The worst that can happen with a legally plated MC with the Hu C plate is the 200kuai fine. But, get any bike into your name... don't settle for anything less, as some of the dealers and sellers round the traps might tell you that plating in your name...can't be done. BS. It might just have to be in your Chinese name, if so then make sure that everything ties in, your DL, your insurance etc.
None of the Chinese MC manufacturers are making MCs with ABS, not one. CFMoto are assembling the KTM Duke 200s & 390s which do have ABS, but it's not a wholly CFMoto product. I'd suggest you look at a Kymco scooter, all imported... the Xciting models from Taiwan all come with ABS standard... Xciting 250s are around 40K, Xciting 400s are 79K and the big daddy Myroad 700 is 108K, but you get a whole lot of bike IMO for that money and these prices are not too far off from most other markets, but many people snare down their nose at scooters, but maxi scooters are more like MCs than the ol' school scoots. Scoots tend to blend in more to the landscape, so you are more likely to blend in and not stand out as a pair of dogs b***s.
The Honda CB500X is an awesome ride, I know as I rode a CB500X all over Northern Thailand, roads, switchbacks, mountain tracks and 4x4 trails... 15000km. Excellent MC and really well suited to China. But, the CB500X is not legally imported into China through the Honda distribution channel. With that being said, the CBR500R and CB500F are, and they share the same motor/engine. Great starter MC's and they come with ABS too... as does the CB500X. There are the Kawasaki ER6F (80K) and ER6N (70K) with the 650 twin cylinder motor and ABS... though like the Honda ADV (CB500X)... the ADV Kwaka 'Versys' KLE650 is not imported through the Kwaka distributor in China.
Don't know why these two ideal MCs (CB500X & KLE650) aren't imported, as they make the most sense for riding the trails that pass as roads here in PRC.
YMMV...
Re: Good bike for beginner?
I was looking at the CB500F today, i like it. How is the frame size for someone of my height?
As for the 130K mean price of the A plate... it's a joke. Every Chinese person in Shanghai has 'face' and the most important thing is having a car... it's a status symbol. You could make it 250k, 500k and it wouldn't slow down car adoption rates even a tad. I'm making the assumption that the high price is an incentive not to buy a car by the government though, could be wrong.
Thanks for the insight that no Chinese manufacturers are making bikes with ABS. And I didn't know that the duke 390 wasn't a CFMoto made bike. My problem with non Chinese made bikes is just how hard they might be to get licensed and then maintenance/repairs. There is no way i want to do some dodgy deal and buy one that either can't be licensed or which was stolen also. I saw the FZ-07 for a ridiculously low price in one shop. It's called a different name here as you know but it is the same bike. Dodgy isn't good.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
quite devastated... my e-bike ran out of battery, left it overnight with a lock on the front wheel and it's gone today. Just love riding, and it was a beast. I don't even think a thief took it, i think it was towed by the police. Problem is I can't go in and get it back, the law is a gray area when it comes to custom e-bikes here, some people say 10 to 15 days in jail for having a custom one. Was one of the fastest e-bike in Shanghai, so if there is any truth to that law i had best let the bike RIP.
The CB500F only has a seat height of 785. Won't that be a bit small for me... i'm 6 foot 1 with longer legs than average compared to my torso. Apart from size concerns i like the look of it!
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Probably stolen... sorry to read of that... while it might be confiscated, I'd be odds on that it was stolen. Nothing a couple of guys in one of the small vans can't make quick easy work of in under 30 seconds.
As for the CB500... no one can really answer that for you, only you... go take another look and get a sit on one, and try it out for size... pity the CB500X is not here, as that is the sweetest model out of all the CB500's IMO.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
The issue over SH Hu plates and pricing, is way more complex... too long winded to get into on a forum. Sorry. CFMoto don't manufacture the KTM Duke 200's / 390's... they assemble them from CKD kits. But, since many manufacturers outsource different aspects of motorcycles (and cars, turcks, buses, vans, SUV... in fact almost everything these days), one could debate the semantics of 'manufacture, build, assemble.'
Good thing is, with the likes of Qianjiang tied up with Benelli, having bought the company and CFMoto with KTM, surely one would hope that some of the technology and management transfer and culture would occur (in a good way) and that we can all be the beneficiaries of that.
YMMV
Re: Good bike for beginner?
I saw the Benelli BN 600 in the shop, definitely 'big' enough for me. I'm not sure about the looks or build quality though. I was quoted around 45k rmb. But it just has a cheap 'toyish' look to it imo.
Much prefer this:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...05&ns=1#detail
but who knows if it is legit. For the price it should be though I guess. Again the seat height is pretty low too.
I used to live in Holland for a very long time, and i was 'short' there. The bikes here just aren't really made for 6'1 people. In any case im desperate to get back on 'two wheels' but a moto is a much bigger investment than an e-bike, so i need to make the right decision.
BTW if it was confiscated/tow by the police, any chance of getting it back? It was registered in my name/address with the blue tag etc.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Re ABS ; There I a kind of ABS built into your fingers, it works like this . Don't squeeze too hard !
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Re: Good bike for beginner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
apoftelbrau
I saw the Benelli BN 600 in the shop, definitely 'big' enough for me. I'm not sure about the looks or build quality though. I was quoted around 45k rmb. But it just has a cheap 'toyish' look to it imo.
Much prefer this:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...05&ns=1#detail
but who knows if it is legit. For the price it should be though I guess. Again the seat height is pretty low too.
Based on pricing of this example in link above and the other bikes listed by the TB seller, it would appear the bikes are legal. So add around 9% of listed price for tax, and allow for a few incidentals, then factor in your license plate price.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
apoftelbrau
BTW if it was confiscated/tow by the police, any chance of getting it back? It was registered in my name/address with the blue tag etc.
Yes, need to take your documents e.g. ID (Passport, residence registration etc.) and head to the nearest Traffic PSB closest to where the scoot was parked. If you have a local who can assist then that would be helpful. Might even be able to make a telephone call to find out... I have my doubts though, unless scoot was parked where it shouldn't have been.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Hey,
Get a Kawasaki 250 ninja, with ABS for 42000 RMB. 32hp will help u never regret ur monster e-bike, while the bike is very forgiving, especially with ABS, perfect for a beginner.
It's a bit pricey for a 250 but u won't regret it. U'll get a decent part of that $ difference back when u sell it anyways.
Get a waidi plate for near to nothing, or if u got 30000 RMB to invest; (as it won't be lost since u'll probably sell it at a (small) profit in a few years) get a huC plate.
HuC is somewhat more tolerated by police than waidi plates, although if u play it cool and have ur driving license, waidi plate will only get u fined 50 RMB. Same as huC.
But if u got huC u're less likely to get fined more, while waidi plates fines can be severe at times, up to bike confiscation and recovery only to where it was plated, but that's the law and I never heard of any cop going through the paperwork needed to do that.
I have the Z250 (same bike but a bit stripped of fairings) and I'm 5.7feet, there's a lot of room behind me on the seat if I ride upright, so it will accommodate ur body and arms just fine.
If ur knees are still a bit too close from the handles, they sell brackets to set the foot pegs backwards like 8cm, which will probably do the trick for u...
Now it ain't the best bike for touring China, but it's a great and sporty commuter with the bit of punch other 250's lack, while easy to control, and perfect also for little trips out of shanghai (Hangzhou suzhou ...) U will enjoy a padded cycling shorts for those trips...
If touring China is a bid deal for u, she can do it easy, but won't be as comfy as a YBR 250 after a couple hours. Also the Ninja is built in Thailand so any mishap on a long trip means end of the trip, while the YBR is built in China so getting parts will be much much easier. BUT, the Ninja's got ABS while the YBR is only 24 or 26HP, and is (at least) as reliable and lightweight... The GW250 is much heavier, for 26HP.
The Kawasaki shop is on Changning Rd, Songhong rd, at the North East corner of the Xway. Go sit on it and u'll know what I mean.
- - -
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ZMC888
[...] reckon if you can get a Shanghai B or C plate and save your hard-earned. [...]
I wouldn't buy anything Chinese or even a CFMOTO, Benelli or Loncin. [...]
Hu B = HuA ≠ Hu E = HU D = Hu C.
Yea don't ever get a Chinese bike.
Unless from day one you want to spend all ur time pushing it, shoving it in taxi trucks, fixing it again and again to finally watch it collecting dust while u wait for new ordered parts to arrive and break two weeks later. http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/im...n/thumbsup.gif
- - -
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bikerdoc
[...]The worst that can happen with a legally plated MC with the Hu C plate is the 200kuai fine. But, get any bike into your name... don't settle for anything less, as some of the dealers and sellers round the traps might tell you that plating in your name...can't be done. BS. It might just have to be in your Chinese name, if so then make sure that everything ties in, your DL, your insurance etc.
^ this ^
- - -
Also, yea the CB500 is my dream too, but don't buy a bike on taobao, it's already sometimes tough to get decent after sale service with shops, what after sale service can u expect from a website?
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
braillce
Hey,
Get a Kawasaki 250 ninja, with ABS for 42000 RMB. 32hp will help u never regret ur monster e-bike, while the bike is very forgiving, especially with ABS, perfect for a beginner.
It's a bit pricey for a 250 but u won't regret it. U'll get a decent part of that $ difference back when u sell it anyways.
Get a waidi plate for near to nothing, or if u got 30000 RMB to invest; (as it won't be lost since u'll probably sell it at a (small) profit in a few years) get a huC plate.
HuC is somewhat more tolerated by police than waidi plates, although if u play it cool and have ur driving license, waidi plate will only get u fined 50 RMB. Same as huC.
But if u got huC u're less likely to get fined more, while waidi plates fines can be severe at times, up to bike confiscation and recovery only to where it was plated, but that's the law and I never heard of any cop going through the paperwork needed to do that.
I have the Z250 (same bike but a bit stripped of fairings) and I'm 5.7feet, there's a lot of room behind me on the seat if I ride upright, so it will accommodate ur body and arms just fine.
If ur knees are still a bit too close from the handles, they sell brackets to set the foot pegs backwards like 8cm, which will probably do the trick for u...
Now it ain't the best bike for touring China, but it's a great and sporty commuter with the bit of punch other 250's lack, while easy to control, and perfect also for little trips out of shanghai (Hangzhou suzhou ...) U will enjoy a padded cycling shorts for those trips...
If touring China is a bid deal for u, she can do it easy, but won't be as comfy as a YBR 250 after a couple hours. Also the Ninja is built in Thailand so any mishap on a long trip means end of the trip, while the YBR is built in China so getting parts will be much much easier. BUT, the Ninja's got ABS while the YBR is only 24 or 26HP, and is (at least) as reliable and lightweight... The GW250 is much heavier, for 26HP.
The Kawasaki shop is on Changning Rd, Songhong rd, at the North East corner of the Xway. Go sit on it and u'll know what I mean.
- - -
Hu B = HuA ≠ Hu E = HU D = Hu C.
Yea don't ever get a Chinese bike.
Unless from day one you want to spend all ur time pushing it, shoving it in taxi trucks, fixing it again and again to finally watch it collecting dust while u wait for new ordered parts to arrive and break two weeks later. :thumbsup:
- - -
^ this ^
- - -
Also, yea the CB500 is my dream too, but don't buy a bike on taobao, it's already sometimes tough to get decent after sale service with shops, what after sale service can u expect from a website?
Kawasaki 250 ninja, actually that makes a lot of sense! Why didn't I think of that! :thumbsup: +1
Actually I have a CFMOTO 650NK, I'm fairly happy with it, and it's been reliable up to now, minius a few hiccups, but I wouldn't buy one again, in fact I might even go for a Ninja 250 or 300 next time.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ZMC888
[...] I wouldn't buy one again [...]
If u're happy with it then why?
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
braillce
If u're happy with it then why?
I have long term trust issues with bikes like CFMOTO, that I don't have from personal experience with Hondas, and a lesser extent Yam Kawa Suz.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
I understand and agree with everyone’s aversion to Chinese bike. However, I’d make an exception here: the Jialing JH600. I have logged around 40,000KM, mostly trouble free, on mine, all over China. If you are interested, do a search in this forum for either user Motokai or Milton to see it in action on various long-distance tours. Actually, Motokai is selling his for personal reasons. See http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...JH600-For-Sale.
JH600 is reasonably tall. Your fellow countryman too tall Barry owns one of those. It is fuel injected, which may prove handy if high altitude is in the card for your future riding. Its Chinese blood can also be an advantage, as its parts are only a Kuaidi 快递 away.
Re: Good bike for beginner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
milton
I understand and agree with everyone’s aversion to Chinese bike. However, I’d make an exception here: the Jialing JH600. I have logged around 40,000KM, mostly trouble free, on mine, all over China. If you are interested, do a search in this forum for either user Motokai or Milton to see it in action on various long-distance tours. Actually, Motokai is selling his for personal reasons. See
http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...JH600-For-Sale.
JH600 is reasonably tall. Your fellow countryman too tall Barry owns one of those. It is fuel injected, which may prove handy if high altitude is in the card for your future riding. Its Chinese blood can also be an advantage, as its parts are only a Kuaidi 快递 away.
True the Jialing JH600 proven reliable to a point also would suit a taller rider. It's not a case that buying a Chinese bike is a guarantee of buying an unreliable lemon, it's more the case that the chances are, sooner or later more likely you're going to be faced with a 'mechanical face-palm' than a Japanese bike, being that a Ninja 250 and JH600 are similarly priced enough and put out a similar amount of power, that if you were only really after a road bike without a touring desire, the Ninja 250 in someways is a more proven option, probably more reliable on average and with better resale. Road trail/tires and longer travel are pretty much not a good idea unless you are really going to use them. However the OP did say he wanted to tour, so yep, the suggestion definitely has some merit.
