New member with questions. Which bike? Any suggestions?

Hi guys, just some info on myself before i ask for advice. I have been reading this website on and off for yrs and always find it very interesting. I came across it after checking out the "riding western china" video on youtube. Anyways, i have been living and working in Fuyang (near Hangzhou) since 2006. Having had loads of offroad bikes back in South Africa there was no way i could not ride while here in China. I started to get itchy feet within weeks. So i had to do the obvious thing and buy Chinese. I have and still am a firm believer that its the rider and not the bike that makes a good rider. So in beleiving that, i bought a Chinese dirtbike from Xingyu Industry and Trade Co.,Ltd in Zhejiang Provience (they made the hummer style dirtbike, the only 100% style offroad made in China 4yrs ago). The bike arrived in the crate and I assembled it and went riding. Of course things broke, front mudguard when jumping, battery never worked from the day i bought it and other small issues. But as we all know when you live in China repairs are really cheap so i wasn`t too stressed. About the Xingyu Company, they didn`t want to sell 1 bike locally but after lots of pressure from our joint venture Chinese Director they gave in and sent me the bike. Although parts have rusted and parts have broken it has held up very well when compared to the other Dirtbikes my mates have bought locally. They all look the same but mine certainly was made better. Frame etc still intact with no cracks etc where others have cracked within weeks! The after sales service was very poor with Xingyu and i didnt even get so much as a reply to my e-mails or phone calls. But i still wasn`t stressed or put off and continued to ride. We live and work very close to mountains and endless tea fields so there is always good places to ride and our town is so small that Police are never an issue. Infact they wave and smile! In the end we had myself, my other workmate from SA and 5 of our Chinese mates all on dirtbikes. Good times were had by all of us.

To cut a long story short, i am looking at getting a dual purpose bike. I have to honest, i have always been against them and most of my reasoning still stands. I believe that they do not do tar riding well and they do not do off road well either. They kind of do both ok. And for me OK in the bush was never good enough. But now........ i am thinking i could do with something that i can travel on and still do gravel roads and some small offroading (i have the dirtbike after all). Plus i am under pressure from the misses (my better half) to "behave" when riding. So....

Now the 2 choices: The CQR or the Jailing? I can get both in the 250cc version. I am trying to choose between those 2. My concerns are as follows. I like the riding position of the CQR as it is gives you much more control when standing up on the pegs when offroading. But i think a few hunderd km`s in the saddle and i am going to wish the seat was wider and that there was more space for the 2 of us (will be doing long trips 2 up). So that leaves the second choice. Its a Jailing (or shineray in these forums). It comes standard with all the traveling racks and can come fitted with a 250cc like the CQR. The riding position when seated is more comfittable with the wider, flater and longer seat but standing up doesn`t give you enough control when serious speed is under taken offroad. Oh, would anyone know where to buy the 21ltr Shineray tank from (other than Shineray themselves)? I am wanting the tank from the Shineray version but fitted to the Jailing version with the 250cc motor. (reason for not buying the Shineray XY direct like you see in these forums is that Jailing is cheaper with better parts fitted like SS exhuasts and a range of tyres, also you can order them with upside forks etc all for pretty much rmb2000 cheaper than the Shineray).

My other huge concern is parts. The Jailings parts are pretty much standard Chinese parts and can be found in and around the town in which i stay which would emply that on my journey parts would be more readily availible. Not sure about the CQR. I know from owning the Xingyu Dirtbike that finding parts that fit without major alterations is very hard. And this is the standard Chinese Dirtbike. Things like upside down forks etc are not readily found in large towns, let alone towns like i live in.

I even looked at the Galaxy 250XTR but realised that even on Taobao parts are hard to find. Infact only 2 shops stock the parts on Taobao. Where as the Jailing can be found in hundreds of shops.

I was wondering if anybody has any thoughts on these 2 bikes.
Any info would be great. I think secretly i want the Jailing (with the 21ltr tank) but am worried thats its cumbersum when compared to "modern" motard versions like the CQR. I have read loads of stories on these bikes on MCM but i am looking for a comparison of the 2.

I have tried to attach photos of each for reference but seem to fail everytime. So for clarification. The CQR is the same one as "Crazy Carl" has and the Jailing is the "Shineray XY200GY VII" but in the 250cc form and without the huge tank, although i will fit the tank later.

Thanks in advance.
God Bless.
Tyrell.

For two up adventure touring, the GY7 model has more room, but the suspension of the "CQR" (what does that stand for by the way?) is better than the twin shocks of the GY7. Wish I could see some pictures of what your talking about because I've never heard or seen a Jialing "GY7" or a "CQR". Sounds interesting :popcorn:.

Cheers!
ChinaV

Indeed! Pictures would be worth at least 1000 words here!

I had a Jialing JH150GY-2 in China but haven't seen or heard if they've updated it to a 7.

If you have problems attaching photos please let me know and we can work something out.

CC