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  1. #1 My Chinese Motorcycles 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob SamM's Avatar
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    So far, I have owned 2 Chinese manufactured motorcycles. The first was a 2006 Jialing Viva VX200SX. It seemed like a nice bike to me at the time but I was very concerned about the quality of the frame. The welds were a little suspect. I did some nice work on it but a broken rear shock mount (totally my fault) sealed the Viva's fate.

    After I parted out most of the Viva, I purchased a 2006 QLink X-Ranger form a B&M dealer in Milwakee, WI. When I got the bike home, I noticed the frame was bent and since then I have been trying, unsuccessfully to buy a new frame for the bike. Recently I gave up on that search after some good advice from people that know more about these bikes than I do. QLink turned down my request for a new frame under warranty. Stating the bike was wrecked. Which it wasn't.

    Right now, I'm just waiting for my next bike to come along. I'm very interested in the Shineray that Supersignet owns. I may try to aquire one of these as my next bike. I still have the X-Ranger. It will soon be parted out on ebay. To finance my next motorcycle.

    Great site! I'm looking forward to getting another new Chinese motorcycle. For Christmas last year my wife purchased a new 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 for me. She's awesome! The Kawasaki was manufactured in Thailand. Not quite China but close! Before the KLR my previous daily ride was a 2005 KTM 950 Adventure S. I tend to see bikes as parts. To date I have parted out 6 motorcycles and done very well at it. The KTM is being parted out as well. Nobody wanted to buy it and it's taking up too much space in my shop.

    Pictured below are the Jialing Viva , the QLink (Zongshen) X-Ranger 200 and the Shineray (that I would like to purchase).

    Thanks!

    SamM





    2008 Kawasaki KLR650E8F
    2006 QLink X-Ranger 200
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  2. #2  
    Administrator-tron CrazyCarl's Avatar
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    Sam-O!

    Thanks for chiming in! I like the Shineray too and I like the over 5 gallon tank it has! Seems like a good candidate for the Trans-America Trail and some deep woods riding in Canada as well.

    I've been meaning to ask you why you stopped riding the KTM?

    CC
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  3. #3 My KTM 950 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob SamM's Avatar
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    Hey Carl,
    Great site you got here. Looking forward to seeing how these bikes change and get better over the years. I think we're all going to be surprized with what comes out of China in a few years! I can't wait! You know I'm a big fan of the C-Motos. Sure I've had some problems but I'm not dwelling on them and I'm not letting them push me away from some great values. For the future, I've decide that I can do much more with much less!

    The KTM 950! Well, it's easily the best bike I have ever owned and ridden. I love the motorcycle and have taken it on several trips and commuted daily on it for a few years. The bike has over 16k miles on it and I've loved every one of them. With that said, it's also the most expensive and complex bike I have ever owned and ridden. Not only price wise but also the cost in fuel, ownership, and maintenance. Everything on, or associated with the KTM is more expensive. It cost me over $13,000 to purchase. It was my dreambike and I fell for the marketing hook, line and sinker. The oil they recommend for the 950 is from Switzerland. Big bucks! That's crazy! It has a triple redundant oiling system. Overall, the bike is more complicated than is required for a street driven motorcycle. But remember it's a racebike. A racebike without a race. The 950 was banned from Dakar a number of years ago. The bike is not truely a dualsport, as it weighs over 500lbs with the stock bags. Sure it can be taken off-road but it will be destroyed in doing so. The fuel tanks cost $1100, EACH! The KTM 950 is a streetbike for guys that like dirtbikes. That's about it in a nutshell. The 21/18" wheels are a huge handicap on the street and the Scorpion tires are the same off-road. Sure the tires can be changed but then you have 21/18" knobby tires on a 500lb streetbike. Which is just a much bigger compromise.

    In the end, the KTM was costing me too much. I decided after a 1600 mile trip in October that the 950 was going to go down the road and that I would never ride it again. During that trip a buddy of mine was on his '08 KLR. I was very impressed with this bike. He was averaging over 60mpg and was riding right with us at 90mph on the interstate. I was getting just over 30mpg during the same trip. That is unacceptible to me. I had already been trying to sell the 950 and had come down to $8000. There was zero interest in my bike. It was advertized in local trade papers but nobody ever called me about it. Parting it out seemed like a very good option for me, as I have done it before. So far, I have made over $6000 on it. I'll easily make back over $11,000 maybe more on it! I can live with that.

    My 650 will be down on power from 950 for sure, but I'm hoping to up the horsepower on the KLR. A Schnitz Racing 700cc kit, Stage 2 headwork, a new exhaust and carburetor settings, along with a Rekluse clutch will be added next Winter. I think 50hp is possible.

    My thought was to cut my cost of ownership from the 950 and I believe I have easily done that. Very cool bike though.

    SamM



    2008 Kawasaki KLR650E8F
    2006 QLink X-Ranger 200
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  4. #4  
    C-Moto Guru Jim's Avatar
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    It's too bad about the Qlink it's a good looking bike.
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  5. #5  
    Administrator-tron CrazyCarl's Avatar
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    Wow! 30 MPG! That's nuts!

    When the new KLR came out I was all about it in the magazines. I think they made a smart move on the redesign except for the paint scheme which I wish they would stick with simple solid colors and some light accents. 60mpg seems much more reasonable and I'm sure it will do 95 percent (maybe more depending on where you want to ride) the same stuff the KTM will for half the cost. Picking up a 500lb bike in the mud just sucks and can actually be dangerous.

    If Shineray puts that NX250 engine in a less motoX style bike, that would be a phenomenal all round bike to have...great for commuting and trail running. I had the AX1 (souped up NX250) and it could cruise at 65mph no problem with plenty of room to spare.

    Whelp, all we can do is voice our opinions and hope to see some manufacturers on here who will listen. It's a long shot but it's better than none at all!

    CC
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    Help support MCM!! Buy "The Return - Riding Western China" DVD! -

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    Personal China travel info, photo and video site:

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  6. #6  
    Administrator-tron CrazyCarl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim View Post
    It's too bad about the Qlink it's a good looking bike.
    Yeah Zongshen is pretty progressive in the styling department but unfortunately that's about it. I haven't heard anything from them recently and they weren't showing at the ChongQing moto expo. Domestically, in China, they're still quite big though and common to see on the streets.

    CC
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    Help support MCM!! Buy "The Return - Riding Western China" DVD! -

    http://www.motocyclops.com/buydvd/

    Personal China travel info, photo and video site:

    http://www.carlparker.com

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  7. #7  
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob SamM's Avatar
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    If I babied the KTM it would do better but not much better. It really is a great bike but it's just to complicated for what it is. I actually have automobiles that get way better mileage than the KTM.

    My KLR only cost me $4895 OTD. It's much less than half the cost of the KTM. It's going to be a great bike for me. I hope to have it finished up tonight or tomorrow. She's getting a makeover. All new Moose Racing parts, new Woody's 19/17" tubeless wheels, LED lights, SW-Motoech crashbars and pannier racks. I've had to re-engineer some of the parts that I didn't like. See the pic below.

    I still have the QLink. My daughter really likes it. I may try to straighten the frame later and give it to her. She's 13 years old.

    SamM
    2008 Kawasaki KLR650E8F
    2006 QLink X-Ranger 200
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  8. #8  
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob SamM's Avatar
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    Oops! Forgot the picture! When I tried to download it from my hosting site, it failed. I'll post it later.

    SamM
    2008 Kawasaki KLR650E8F
    2006 QLink X-Ranger 200
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  9. #9  
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob SamM's Avatar
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    Ok, they fixed the site. Here are the pictures of my new KLR.

    SamM



    2008 Kawasaki KLR650E8F
    2006 QLink X-Ranger 200
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  10. #10  
    Administrator-tron CrazyCarl's Avatar
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    Right on man! I see you are in mid-farkle. Would like to see it when it's all done and in the sunshine. You closed her up yet?

    CC
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    Help support MCM!! Buy "The Return - Riding Western China" DVD! -

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    Personal China travel info, photo and video site:

    http://www.carlparker.com

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