Think I'm getting a Sinnis Apache..

Hi all,

Registered after finding the site on the internet. I'm 90% sure I'm getting a Sinnis Apache 125. I currently have a Honda XR but it's pretty much knackered, been told the engine needs a rebuild as it's making a horrible knocking sound when riding. Wanted a Sinnis for ages, love the look and the fact it's a 125 Supermoto style bike.

I currently ride on a CBT (UK) so will be ideal.

I'm just wondering, shall I get a brand spanker (5 years warranty, £1700 OTR, first service free) or a second hand one and hope it's been treated well? I can afford the brand new, just getting other peoples' thoughts really. Here's a pic of my beloved XR, shit happens though eh!
http://i.imgur.com/fLAYIJU.jpg

How much would it cost to rebuild the XR engine? Can you undertake the rebuild yourself, or even the tear down thereby minimising your costs? What else would it take to get your XR back to an almost new condition? IMO your XR is a better bike. Grass always look greener - as is often said. Can you get a long test ride on a Sinnis Apache 125, at least a test ride of more than an hour - so you can ride that thing and put it through its paces and develop a real impression?
Put it another way - how old is your XR, and how much is it worth in current condition, and how much would it be worth with the engine work completed?
Now extrapolate that to the future Sinnis Apache 125, endeavour to calculate what it would be worth given the same factors (age and condition)?
Get my drift here? Your XR likely has better resale, street appeal, credibility etc. than any Sinnis Apache 125.

IMO if it was me, I'd be sinking the money back into the XR or trading up to a bigger Japanese trail bike brand/model.

YMMV

Install another engine if rebuild is too costly/ time consuming. Lots small Honda (& clones) had similar mounting points.
If brave enough to try, we can find compatible chinese parts at fraction of the genuine. (These "CG" push rod are very easy to work on)
Parts: http://www.chinamotortrade.com/downl...&fid=13&lid=19
Shop manual: http://www.motomanual.com.ar/index.p...ileinfo&id=137 (It's not that complicate for English speaker to registered )
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If just upper part http://youtu.be/pJS0aHwFzsg had annoying sound , it's easy fix.
These 2 is a MUST in this repair:
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=36876249529 | http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=37444343126

We just bought an Apache for our 17 year old to get to college on, after a year on a knackered Suzuki scooter, it arrives Monday. I will let you know how its going after a week or two. I would also add that if you are buying any kind of bike the better option would be to buy new. That way you have the warranty and you know its not been red lined everywhere by some spotty youth, who has never changed the oil or serviced it.

I am a big fan of Chinese bikes, and currently commute in the harsh Arizona sun 16.3 miles each way to work and back on a TMEC 200 (you guys had the exact same bike in 125cc form in the UK, but not sure if anyone still imports them), so I would say go for it if you have the money. I am partial towards Suzuki, and had nearly bought a Qlink 200 (which is made by Qingqi or Pionner just like these particular Sinnis bikes are), but I got my bike for under half the cost, new, than a new Qlink cost since I have befriended the US distributor.

However, that brings up the 125cc engines...there must be a massive collection of used Chinese bikes with the 125cc engines selling for cheap. I have seen people talking of buying TMEC 125s for a few hundred pounds here on mychinamoto. What I am alluding to is getting hold of one of the Honda-like engines to drop into your XR--simple fix.

A good reference point; there are many of the DAX clones available in the US through Skyteam with 125cc engines (versus the original DAX bike's 70cc engines). Many people restoring the far more valuable original DAX bikes simply throw in the readily available 125cc Chinese clone engines to repower these bikes. The engines have proven themselves well enough that people who have bought a non-running bike to restore are buying the engines rather than rebuilding an original 70cc engine. The TMEC 125 looks exactly like your XR--not saying the engine will go right in, but not saying it wouldn't either. Like Human Being mentioned above, these cloned engines have similar mounting points. It would be worth a shot to repower your bike, is the route I would investigate first. Do it yourself, with friends helping would be my suggestion. I don't know the market for vertical 125cc engines in the UK, but it must be quite big. My suggestion is to find a new engine.