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MOTORHEAD
These people are offering, as it seems nearly all Chinese motorcycle manufacturers are, their versions of the Honda CBR300 and XRE300.
I think these are ok, they can, as most of the Chinese production bikes, receive a variety of engines displacements.
This one looks to have a OHC 223cc.
http://www.motorheadgroup.com/userfiles/1(2).jpg
As does this XRE version as well.
http://www.motorheadgroup.com/userfiles/%E6%9D%821.jpg
They look good, specialy the second one
Here is a company in Macedonia selling Chinese motorcycles.
http://motori.hamachi.mk
They are not offering these though, but they are selling the Lifan 250 Cossack, which has a 20hp 249cc single.
Oh, it's Cossack's European premiere!
I am not exaggerating,. Selling the copies of another manufacturer is actually criminal in Brazil.
http://www.cbsg.com.br/pdf_publicaco...ign_brazil.pdf
Copying the body parts is illegal and so is selling the bikes.
If and when distributors buy these they are not really connected to the manufacturer and the manufacturer in China is for the most part unapproachable legally. The trading companies are paper companies they can fade into the shadows.
In Brazil the government will likely just enforce stricter emission requirements, Honda will be able to meet those and displace the impostors that will not.
In other market these may be patented designs, most countries honor international patents. If they do then it will be the Honda dealers that will file the lawsuits, selling copied designs is not a viable or sustainable business model, it could destroy you financially.
Here is a good example…
The CG150 Titan made in Brazil has PGM-FI and is rated to run on either gasoline or ethanol.
http://www.honda.com.br/motos/Pagina...titan-mix.aspx
This Motorhead copy is not and does not.
http://www.motorheadgroup.com/userfi...6%9C%AC(1).jpg
Getting away with it does not mean tht the powers that be are complacent with the violations its just that it takes time to address it and government are not only compelled to address it, they actually mandated to address it.
I am still struggling with the retail prices of Brazilian Hondas, this New CG150 Titan has a MSRP of $3,600.00 USD that is 7,120.00 BRL, Honda has the engine rated with 14.2hp @ 8500 rpm on gasoline and 14.3hp on ethanol. In comparison that is about the same power rating for a typical Chinese made CG250 engines (229cc) with a carburetor. The Chinese CG150 would offer about 30% less hp.
CG150 Titan
http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/y...da1abee5e1.jpg
http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/y...04b4d851a1.jpg
The Japanese have pretty good lock on the market in Brazil, the Chinese can only compete by bringing in knocked down units and assembling them in Brazil. Then they have to manufacture or source as many parts at the highest possible percentages domestically to keep costs down. If it is more cost effective to do that then to import the cheap Chinese parts plus import taxes compared to domestically made without a tariff. Honda invested allot and they are capitalizing on their investments. However such a system left unchecked is highly inflationary. Honda s big advantage in Brazil is that the make engines there.
What makes it really interesting is the trade unions and how they act or react when threatened to be under cut. If Brazil did not have high import tariffs then those domestic factories would take a big blow. They protect and they do that through circles of inlfuence and often by lobbying government.