Reliability of your China Moto

Hello all,

As some as you know I'm new to this forum and have already jumped in the deepend to try and get the full Chinese motorcycle test sorted in sunny Shanghai :thumbsup:

If the thread has been covered before please excuse me for being such a newbie with the search button but as far as I can see this topic hasn't been covered.

I wanna talk about reliability, something that the Ch1nese are unaware of. I love clocking up the kilometers on any bike as much as anybody else. When I lived in England I has a 1995 Vespa T5, most people don't appreciate them but I clocked up 23,000 miles on that in one year. It's not Ch1nese but still 23,000 with not a single problem, I think I got too lucky.

Anyway, back to the point. Within sometime soon when I hopefully acquire a shiny Chinese license I hope to buy a bike and that's a Chinese one of course :icon10:

I've been checking out some bikes at my local dealers, qingqi, cfmoto etc.

I know I can find opinions about the awful quality some people do come across. I know I'm prepared for some maintainence, it's common with any bike. But I wanna know about those little work horses, the ones with some good mileage on them, ones that have broke a little but was easily repaired.

So what's your most reliable Chinese Moto? Probably the most reliable was still not that reliable at all in western standards but any guy in a shop can tell me a bike will last a long time but whether it will or not you never know until you ask the people that bought them before.

I'm a supermoto/dirt kind of guy but any bike that has served you well please post on here.

Also there was a qingqi supermoto kind of bike with a rear drum brake does anyone know which model I'm talking about its a 250. But I can't seem to find it online, maybe it was a qingqi but it sure was one of the usual ch1nese brands.

Josh

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

Hello all,

As some as you know I'm new to this forum and have already jumped in the deepend to try and get the full Chinese motorcycle test sorted in sunny Shanghai :thumbsup:

If the thread has been covered before please excuse me for being such a newbie with the search button but as far as I can see this topic hasn't been covered.

I wanna talk about reliability, something that the Ch1nese are unaware of. I love clocking up the kilometers on any bike as much as anybody else. When I lived in England I has a 1995 Vespa T5, most people don't appreciate them but I clocked up 23,000 miles on that in one year. It's not Ch1nese but still 23,000 with not a single problem, I think I got too lucky.

Anyway, back to the point. Within sometime soon when I hopefully acquire a shiny Chinese license I hope to buy a bike and that's a Chinese one of course :icon10:

I've been checking out some bikes at my local dealers, qingqi, cfmoto etc.

I know I can find opinions about the awful quality some people do come across. I know I'm prepared for some maintainence, it's common with any bike. But I wanna know about those little work horses, the ones with some good mileage on them, ones that have broke a little but was easily repaired.

So what's your most reliable Chinese Moto? Probably the most reliable was still not that reliable at all in western standards but any guy in a shop can tell me a bike will last a long time but whether it will or not you never know until you ask the people that bought them before.

I'm a supermoto/dirt kind of guy but any bike that has served you well please post on here.

Also there was a qingqi supermoto kind of bike with a rear drum brake does anyone know which model I'm talking about its a 250. But I can't seem to find it online, maybe it was a qingqi but it sure was one of the usual ch1nese brands.

Josh

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qinqi qm250? I've heard those are one of the most reliable in terms of Chinese bikes.
I think any bike by Zongshen, Jialing, Shineray, any Japanese Joint venture companies will be fine. (Not just the engine branded by the company, but the whole bike). There are reports of people putting on 100,000km on some Chinese bikes. Treat it well and it should be ok. Don't expect it to sell well after a few years. Just use it, maintain and keep it clean. Might have problems with spokes, chain, untightening screws and battery problems. Replace them before they become a problem.

Avoid any CQR's/ anything below 10,000rmb brand new. They really do skimp on the materials.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

Hello all,

As some as you know I'm new to this forum and have already jumped in the deepend to try and get the full Chinese motorcycle test sorted in sunny Shanghai :thumbsup:

If the thread has been covered before please excuse me for being such a newbie with the search button but as far as I can see this topic hasn't been covered.

I wanna talk about reliability, something that the Ch1nese are unaware of. I love clocking up the kilometers on any bike as much as anybody else. When I lived in England I has a 1995 Vespa T5, most people don't appreciate them but I clocked up 23,000 miles on that in one year. It's not Ch1nese but still 23,000 with not a single problem, I think I got too lucky.

Anyway, back to the point. Within sometime soon when I hopefully acquire a shiny Chinese license I hope to buy a bike and that's a Chinese one of course :icon10:

I've been checking out some bikes at my local dealers, qingqi, cfmoto etc.

I know I can find opinions about the awful quality some people do come across. I know I'm prepared for some maintainence, it's common with any bike. But I wanna know about those little work horses, the ones with some good mileage on them, ones that have broke a little but was easily repaired.

So what's your most reliable Chinese Moto? Probably the most reliable was still not that reliable at all in western standards but any guy in a shop can tell me a bike will last a long time but whether it will or not you never know until you ask the people that bought them before.

I'm a supermoto/dirt kind of guy but any bike that has served you well please post on here.

Also there was a qingqi supermoto kind of bike with a rear drum brake does anyone know which model I'm talking about its a 250. But I can't seem to find it online, maybe it was a qingqi but it sure was one of the usual ch1nese brands.

Josh

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If you want a reliable bike then you want a bike with a Japanese name on the tank.

Option 1: Buy an imported one from Thailand, in my view import taxes are low enough for it to be worth it especially with the 250cc bikes like a Ninja 250-300.
Option 2: Buy a joint venture one. I had a Sundiro Honda CBF150. Did 30,000 kms, only oil changes and a fork seal, most reliable bike I ever had.

Sure, you could buy a China bike, and maybe, probably, you only have a few niggles or maybe it falls apart after 3 years. Sure you can read a some review singing some bikes praises by a dodgy journalist who was given a free bike to ride and never did over one summer or 2000 miles on the thing.

I have a CFMOTO 650NK, it is fairly reliable so far, two of us have this bike, it's not terrible by any means, but in these days of fuel injection and fussy electronics I can't honestly say they are a good investment, or any Chinese bike for that matter. We had some problems nothing drastic but have a read on this thread. Sure you'll pay a bit more for a Honda, but you'll get most of your money back when you come to sell it.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

If you want a reliable bike then you want a bike with a Japanese name on the tank.

Option 1: Buy an imported one from Thailand, in my view import taxes are low enough for it to be worth it especially with the 250cc bikes like a Ninja 250-300.
Option 2: Buy a joint venture one. I had a Sundiro Honda CBF150. Did 30,000 kms, only oil changes and a fork seal, most reliable bike I ever had.

Sure, you could buy a China bike, and maybe, probably, you only have a few niggles or maybe it falls apart after 3 years. Sure you can read a some review singing some bikes praises by a dodgy journalist who was given a free bike to ride and never did over one summer or 2000 miles on the thing.

I have a CFMOTO 650NK, it is fairly reliable so far, two of us have this bike, it's not terrible by any means, but in these days of fuel injection and fussy electronics I can't honestly say they are a good investment, or any Chinese bike for that matter. We had some problems nothing drastic but have a read on this thread. Sure you'll pay a bit more for a Honda, but you'll get most of your money back when you come to sell it.

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Know of any suitable dirt/dual sports with japanese name on the tank? Or any planning to come out this year.
I'm forever waiting :(

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Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Know of any suitable dirt/dual sports with japanese name on the tank? Or any planning to come out this year.
I'm forever waiting :(

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I went to a Kawasaki dealership today in Shanghai, they had 2 off road bikes available. Both 150's, although no price tag and I didn't end up asking. They seemed fairly busy selling all the big bikes to all the rich chinese.

They also had a Suzuki dealership next door but they didn't have any off-road bikes inside. You could check online for prices.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

If you want a reliable bike then you want a bike with a Japanese name on the tank.

Option 1: Buy an imported one from Thailand, in my view import taxes are low enough for it to be worth it especially with the 250cc bikes like a Ninja 250-300.
Option 2: Buy a joint venture one. I had a Sundiro Honda CBF150. Did 30,000 kms, only oil changes and a fork seal, most reliable bike I ever had.

Sure, you could buy a China bike, and maybe, probably, you only have a few niggles or maybe it falls apart after 3 years. Sure you can read a some review singing some bikes praises by a dodgy journalist who was given a free bike to ride and never did over one summer or 2000 miles on the thing.

I have a CFMOTO 650NK, it is fairly reliable so far, two of us have this bike, it's not terrible by any means, but in these days of fuel injection and fussy electronics I can't honestly say they are a good investment, or any Chinese bike for that matter. We had some problems nothing drastic but have a read on this thread. Sure you'll pay a bit more for a Honda, but you'll get most of your money back when you come to sell it.

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You make a really good point, I maybe should invest in a japanese branded bike. Let's say if I was riding out of shanghai and something went wrong with a japanese bike. Are parts easily sourced? Or would be it be a situation of waiting a slight deal of time getting parts from Japan.

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

You make a really good point, I maybe should invest in a japanese branded bike. Let's say if I was riding out of shanghai and something went wrong with a japanese bike. Are parts easily sourced? Or would be it be a situation of waiting a slight deal of time getting parts from Japan.

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Well Japanese bikes are not really made in Japan so much these days. China, Thailand or India are just as likely it seems. Parts can be ordered online. For example if you order parts from wemoto.com they will get to you in about three weeks, if you have a warranty issue they'll probably take three months or more whatever type of bike you have, (so goodbye riding season) because Chinese companies just don't give a crap so they'll take forever, and Japanese companies don't care very much either and parts probably are outside of China and will need to be sent. Also most Chinese mechanics aren't that wonderful particularly ones that work for big shops. Therefore just buy parts online and get a competent mechanic/yourself to fit them and ignore the warranty unless you have some major defect in practical terms. Maybe if you live somewhere and there is actually a shop with good mechanics who work their ass off to get warranty parts quickly with parts in stock somewhere, but that's probably not China!

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Well Japanese bikes are not really made in Japan so much these days. China, Thailand or India are just as likely it seems. Parts can be ordered online. For example if you order parts from wemoto.com they will get to you in about three weeks, if you have a warranty issue they'll probably take three months or more whatever type of bike you have, (so goodbye riding season) because Chinese companies just don't give a crap so they'll take forever, and Japanese companies don't care very much either and parts probably are outside of China and will need to be sent. Also most Chinese mechanics aren't that wonderful particularly ones that work for big shops. Therefore just buy parts online and get a competent mechanic/yourself to fit them and ignore the warranty unless you have some major defect in practical terms. Maybe if you live somewhere and there is actually a shop with good mechanics who work their ass off to get warranty parts quickly with parts in stock somewhere, but that's probably not China!

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Yeah I get what you mean, I'm more than able to rebuild the bike myself and fix and problems on it. It just got me wondering if I was out in a little town and the bike needed fixing would there be a good few places at hand that can help fix or even have some spare parts. Other than them looking at the bike asif it's a strange animal.

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

Yeah I get what you mean, I'm more than able to rebuild the bike myself and fix and problems on it. It just got me wondering if I was out in a little town and the bike needed fixing would there be a good few places at hand that can help fix or even have some spare parts. Other than them looking at the bike asif it's a strange animal.

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Basically if it's not a carby 125cc single, they haven't got much of a clue. Chinese shops where I am have very little stock, they are terrified that they'll be stuck with it. Shanghai though, I have no idea, maybe they have better stock and service.

I have favorite mechanics for doing different jobs, they all have independent little shops. In China labor is practically free, so you don't need to get your hands dirty unless you enjoy it. You buy their oil, they change it for free. They are fine with you being in the workshop or usually on the pavement watching, suggesting or working. I can do a lot of stuff, but I only do brakes because I enjoy doing them. If the job takes 15 minutes I will pay 50 an hour, doubt the locals do. I do pay them for fitting parts I bought online, sometimes I even pay them in grease, tools, baijiu and cigarettes!

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

I do pay them for fitting parts I bought online, sometimes I even pay them in grease, tools, baijiu and cigarettes!

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One of the best things about ch1na:icon10:

Thanks for everything you've mentioned, it's a great help. Now it's time to get the license and buy the bike, I'm so bad at making decisions. :lol8:

Forget about making decisions - instead use statistics.

See what is the most common bike in your neighborhood and buy just such.

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So what's your most reliable Chinese Moto?

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Hi Josh
IMO it's a bike that is not made or assembled in CHINA
Pay the extral money now and get a bike imported from Thailand Josh in the long run you will be better off trust me .Clocked up over 14000 km in 8 weeks on a Thail made Honda CRF with loads of off-road hard riding with a few hard drops and the bike had not missed a beat and that a lot more I can say for my 3 other Chinese made bike 2 x CFmoto 1x Yamaha to which I would say these 3 bike are not the bottom end of the Chinese market !!!

Think wise and pay more !!

I am hot for a Honda CRF250L in Beijing. Does any one has a clue whether it is possible to register them here in BJ?

Great Great bikes mate 140kmh and can anywhere on any roads that china has, cost 25.000 rmb in Thailand are being sold on Taobao for over 40k rmb not sure if these are legal . Picture of a CRF in Yunnan the other day .


Attachment 16882

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Originally Posted by prince666

Great Great bikes mate 140kmh and can anywhere on any roads that china has, cost 25.000 rmb in Thailand are being sold on Taobao for over 40k rmb not sure if these are legal . Picture of a CRF in Yunnan the other day .


Attachment 16882

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I just checked taobao and there are some nice CRF's on there for 40,000 or more. Even though these bikes are imported does it make it easy to register them?

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

I just checked taobao and there are some nice CRF's on there for 40,000 or more. Even though these bikes are imported does it make it easy to register them?

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Bikerdoc can probably supply an answer to this.
But this and its 400cc cousin are the perfect bikes for China - therefore they are probably impossible to register! :rolleyes1::lol8:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Bikerdoc can probably supply an answer to this.
But this and its 400cc cousin are the perfect bikes for China - therefore they are probably impossible to register! :rolleyes1::lol8:

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Yeah, I'll send him a PM if he doesn't comment. I don't know if living in Shanghai makes it easier to plate a bike or harder :eek2: one thing is for sure, nobody wants pay 40k for a bike they can't plate. :icon10:

Need to ask the guys on Taobao are the bikes legal !!!

The price of 40K + rmb should be about rigth for a imported bike from Thailand based on selling price of the CRF of 25.000 rmb
inc Thail VAT 7% !

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

Yeah, I'll send him a PM if he doesn't comment. I don't know if living in Shanghai makes it easier to plate a bike or harder :eek2: one thing is for sure, nobody wants pay 40k for a bike they can't plate. :icon10:

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You'd be wrong about that! Where I am the locals think that motorcycle registration is optional. They buy exotica to show off and then put fake plates or don't bother with any at all. Even though they dropped 200K on a bike they don't want to spend another 500 yuan. Same thing everywhere, they buy an imported X7 or Range Rover something and cut corners and not turn on their headlights to save fuel. Chinese mentality, 'any amount of money can be spent in order to show off ones wealth to others, other than that spending money is the root of all evil'. :lol8:

The CRF250L or CRF250M are not imported through the official China Honda distributor and are therefore unlikely to be available as legally registrable/plate-able here.

YMMV

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

The CRF250L or CRF250M are not imported through the official China Honda distributor and are therefore unlikely to be available as legally registrable/plate-able here.

YMMV

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That really does suck, I checked taobao and there is a guy there selling one for 31,000 yuan that has a Shanghai A plate but it's not included... So it's probably not registered to that plate.

In other news I went to Honda to check if they had any off-road kind of bike there and they do not. However Kawasaki do. For 22,450 you can get the KLX150. If this was a 250 or even if they made a 250 of the bike I would have one. They're not kawasaki's best eye candy I can tell you that for sure.

:icon10:
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2w5otkig.jpg

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

That really does suck, I checked taobao and there is a guy there selling one for 31,000 yuan that has a Shanghai A plate but it's not included... So it's probably not registered to that plate.

In other news I went to Honda to check if they had any off-road kind of bike there and they do not. However Kawasaki do. For 22,450 you can get the KLX150. If this was a 250 or even if they made a 250 of the bike I would have one. They're not kawasaki's best eye candy I can tell you that for sure.

:icon10:
http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2w5otkig.jpg

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I think the reason they are not available is quite deliberate. It's to give those Zongshens and Shinerays a chance at getting some market share. I wonder what threats and guanxi goes on behind the scenes? Or am I a conspiracy theorist?

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

I wonder what threats and guanxi goes on behind the scenes? Or am I a conspiracy theorist?

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Haha, guanxi is the key to the best kind of life here.

After all none of the foreign branded bikes go above 150 it looks like I'll settle for a Chinese bike. The women did say they offer a 250 but it's a completely different bike, infact it's a race/road going bike.:rolleyes1:

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Originally Posted by Joshmakesnoise

Haha, guanxi is the key to the best kind of life here.

After all none of the foreign branded bikes go above 150 it looks like I'll settle for a Chinese bike. The women did say they offer a 250 but it's a completely different bike, infact it's a race/road going bike.:rolleyes1:

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Huge mistake IMHO, just buy a CBF500 from Thailand and shove road/trail tires and paniers on it, job done. :thumbsup:
Sure you loose some ruggedness and suspension travel, but beats a Zonger or Shinelame anytime.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Huge mistake IMHO, just buy a CBF500 from Thailand and shove road/trail tires and paniers on it, job done. :thumbsup:
That's my opinion on road trail/bikes mostly marketing and different tires. Ewan and Charlie.

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Only if you could register it then I would, I messaged a seller on taobao earlier today just to see what they would say. They say you can't register the CR250.

I've been wanting to watch the long way round for a while but can't get a good copy of it in China.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Huge mistake IMHO, just buy a CBF500 from Thailand and shove road/trail tires and paniers on it, job done. :thumbsup:
Sure you loose some ruggedness and suspension travel, but beats a Zonger or Shinelame anytime.

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Wait for the Honda CB500 X better Suited for China and then put some 50/50 tyres on it will come over just need time

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Originally Posted by prince666

Wait for the Honda CB500 X better Suited for China and then put some 50/50 tyres on it will come over just need time

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Surely it's being blocked? Think about it..BMW GS sells really well in China, Honda is a massively popular brand here too, the CB500X should be selling really well already, so you'd need to be the dumbest importer in the world or do I need a tin foil hat?

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Surely it's being blocked? Think about it..BMW GS sells really well in China, Honda is a massively popular brand here too, the CB500X should be selling really well already, so you'd need to be the dumbest importer in the world or do I need a tin foil hat?

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Lol good point but I am sure given time IT will come over that's the point I am trying to make and should land at a good price
Price in Thailand is 205.000 B which inc 7 % Thail VAT about 41.000rmb x40% should cover all the duty and shipping cost so I like to think
It will be sold in China for about 58/60K Rmb now at price it worth waiting for ! IMO

There's a possibility given time that the Honda CB500X could be available through official local Honda distribution agent though it defies logic that out of the three CB500 (CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X) models, the 'X' model is the one left out of the equation - but as most of us realise this place is a LFZ.

To my mind the aforementioned CB500X is the most ideally suited of all three Honda CB500 models to the local conditions speaking from the experience of having ridden the model extensively for nearly two months in Thailand early 2014.

I doubt that BMW Motorrad have anything to do with blocking access to the CB500X as I cannot see that they would think the 'X' model is a direct competitor to any BMW model - to which I'd agree. The Honda CB500X rides & handles nothing like a G650GS, F700GS nor a F800GS, all three models having real adventure characteristics of which the CB500X marginally shares. That's not to say that the CB500X isn't a worthy ride or isn't up to the task as it seems an ideal platform for riding this wasteland because it is - but a true adventurer or dual-sport it is not.

YMMV

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

There's a possibility given time that the Honda CB500X could available through Honda official local distribution agent though it defies logic that out of the three CB500 models the 'X' model is the one left out of the equation but as most of us realise this place is a LFZ.

To my mind the aforementioned CB500X is the most ideally suited of all three CB500 models to the local conditions speaking from the experience of having ridden the model extensively for nearly two months in Thailand early 2014.

I doubt that BMW Motorrad have anything to do with blocking access to the CB500X as I cannot see that they would think the 'X' model is a direct competitor to any BMW model - to which I'd agree. The Honda CB500X rides & handles nothing like a G650GS, F700GS nor a F800GS, all three models having real adventure characteristics of which the CB500X marginally shares. Thats not to say that the CB500X isn't a worthy ride or isn't up to the task as it seems an ideal platform for riding this wasteland because it is - but a true adventurer or dual-sport it
is not.

YMMV

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Good points made Doc but these views are based on Logic ! But you more then most keep on reminding us that China is a logic free zone hehe
But I for one do agree that the CB 500X will come to China in the near future and for sure. Based on both our experiences will had with the CB500X in Thailand but also seeing you ride off-road on your BMW !! The BMW is a more capable bike all round but is double the money to buy. So pound for pound the CB500X should be a good contender for the perfect bike for China based on price !