Buying a bike New vs. used

[euphonius]

...Enduro style bikes are simply the best, though a well designed classical basic bikes are quite close to Enduros.

Especially with a 24-year-old pillion! Any updates, Mikko? Will you get her astride Orange?

[corporal_clegg]

do you have any brand suggestions? I need something 250cc i think (possibly 200) to take two of us. Ive found the qingqi liger and will go to check it out tomorrow but zongshen dont seem to have anything bigger than a 150, shineray dont have a dealership in shanghai. Also going to check out yamaha, suzuki/haojue shops but I have a feeling im not going to turn up much What other options are there? I am searching believe me but I think I'm missing something.

[corporal_clegg]

One thing against cruisers (from racking up 20K on a Honda Rebel in China), they can wreck your back on long rides. I modified the seat and shocks on my bike so that I get more of an upright sitting position (shoulders in front of hips). Going over bumps at speed got a bit uncomfortable otherwise. YMMV. My friend is 6'1" and loves his Raptor cruiser as is.

How did you modify the seats? Do you just buy harder ones? When you say you modified the shocks do you mean you got/changed to higher back ones. Can you hang bags off the fuel tank to spread out the weight or does that interfere with airflow or something? The bags I saw more sit on top of the tank, a bit in your face. I'm not short (6'2") but it seems they may interfere with veiw of dials and suchlike.

[humanbeing]

...the shocks do you mean you got/changed to higher back ones...

Common shock mod
Stock: 27cm Mod = 31cm http://www.motorfans.com.cn/bbs/view...authorid=86773

[Nuhaus]

I went to the Jaoji Lu moto mart and got them to reupholster the seat with way more foam than was necessary. I saw a local Shanghai police bike with an overstuffed seat and asked for something similar. The seat mod I highly recommend, you can even bring them some memory foam if you want to get fancy. I paid 30 RMB and the guy spent 45 minutes putting it all together for me. You should also be able to get panniers and a rear box on Jaoji Lu for a cheaper price than what you'll get on Pubei Lu. I'm not a fan of tank bags but I know others who love them.

The shocks are another story, and I wouldn't recommend you start swapping them out on a new bike. I should do a write up on my Frankenstein's monster bike. The only original parts are the frame and the front wheel.

Shop around and keep us posted on what you buy. I find myself living vicariously through the other members here as I try to get up the gumption to buy a new bike myself.

[moilami]

Especially with a 24-year-old pillion! Any updates, Mikko? Will you get her astride Orange?

Haha, I don't think so. I think she dislikes Orange since I don't really buy that "I am afraid to be a passenger in motorcycle" as a reason big enough

Other than that we are friends and I have to keep looking with Orange a woman who accepts us as we are

I learned of this one important lesson and that is photograph a lot and then photograph some more

[corporal_clegg]

So I had another poke about the other day to see what else was available. Went to an empty parking lot and a hotel which were sopposed to be zongshen and qingqi dealerships respectively. I eventually found another qingqi dealership near the b address of google maps result for qingqi motuoche (ie. address was also incorrect). the shop was chock full of scooters and 125 standards. there was one cruiser and a liger (200gy) in the front corner. the liger looked class but he wanted 15800 for it. non- negotiable he said. Checked the eqingqi shop and after sometime with my dictionary I found I had ordered one for only 0 rmb plus delivery (200rmb) I called them and found out that the dont actualy have any of the bikes in stock. they told me the bike i saw in the shop dealership. Called a dealer in hangzhou, he said that he will have one next week for a bit over 7000. Dont know what the difference between them is. You have the qm200gy b(a)/b(sd)/b(asd)/2b/i and so on so forth. From the site i can only find superficial differences, the specs seem the same but the bikes look different.

In im drowning in a load of bs. Will try the dealership again with a chinese in my stead otherwise will have to train it to hangzhou to buy it, figure out how to ride it quicksnap and bring it home under cover of darkness (written test for driving licence on tuesday :)).

Any advice or offers of help in this respect would be greatly appreciated.

[euphonius]

Dear Clegg,

I responded in your other post. I'm sure you can find Qingqis in the wild here in Shanghai. I've seen them.

cheers

[euphonius]

Speaking of new bike vs used, I happened to look at Craigslist Shanghai today and saw this listing:

2001 HARLEY ROAD KING - CNY48000 (CHINA)
Beautiful/perfect 2001 Harley Road King. Sissy bar, back rest, luggage rack, Windvest. Power Commander and Thunder Header. FLAWLESS CONDITION; CHROME, IMPROVED SADDLE BAGS. ONLY 5K MILES. HAS BEEN INDOORS AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF ENTIRE TIME.

Jesus, are those ape hangers?

Not sure where this bike is. No mention of legal status.

Interesting.

[euphonius]

Oh, and then there's this:

Custom factory Harley - CNY10 (shanghai)

Hope your doing well these Days Please take a look we selling

Harley Davidson 2002 FXSTS soft-tail standard well It started out as one and completely
Rebuilt from the Ground up using all Harley OEM part and only Top name Brand

we Paid $ 17,200.00 new in 2002 ONE OWNER ME very low miles under 6,000
this is a complete List of the part and service and care that went in to Building this one off
factory Harley Custom


1. paint work $ 1,000.00
2. power coat one the Tank Fenders and ETC $300.00
3. wheels 18x5.5 rear 21 3.5 front $1,000.00\
4. power coat wheels spokes $150.00
5. Custom Gell seat $350.00
6. Chrome rear swing Arm $450.00
7. Chrome forks legs $ 300.00
8. lower kit rear $100.00
9. front lower kit $ 100.00
10.Jessie James front fender $275.00
11. custom rear Fender $200.00
12. Custom rear lic plate Holder $175.00
13. Chrome Chain Guard $ 75.00
14. Chrome rear Pulley $350.00
15. Chrome hardware for Pulley $30.00
16. Rear Tire $150.00
17. Front Tire $125.00
18. Ness billet Chrome struts covers $200.00\
19. Custom tea drop air cleaner cover $175.00
20. K&N air cleaner with ARLEN NESS backing plate $150.00
21. Chrome Harley engine cover kit $ 800.00
22. Chrome Harley switch covers $40. 00
23, Chrome engine both cover kit $ 80.00
24. Chrome Harley trans cover $75.00
25. Chrome Harley CYC,cover $75,00
26. Chrome Harley Coil cover $55.00
27. Chrome Harley ING Cover $55,00
28. Chrome Harley Spoiler with side covers $300.00
29. Chrome Harley oil filter cover $55.00
30. Billet shifter Rod $120.00
31. Chrome Horn $30.00
32. Custom Handle Bars $500.00
33. paint work for handle bars $75.00
34. custom Head lights With hardware $ 350.00
35. Custom Harley Brake lines and Clutch and throttle $275.00
36.Chrome Harley Brake Cover with both kit front and rear $175.00
37.Vance&Hinds Exhaust $275.00
38. Custom Harley Brake rotors front and rear $270.00
39. Hi rev turning kit $175.00
40. Custom Arlen Ness dash Kit with flames $175.00
41. Chrome Fork Neck Cover $ 75.00
42. Custom Chrome kit for down tube and sear sides cover $ 150.00
43. Custom mirrors $40.00
44. Chrome brake leavers $45.00
45. Custom Foot pegs $75.00
46. Custom Arlen Ness Rear Axle covers $150.00
47. Chrome Harley axle covers $40.00
48.Custom Arlen Ness Flamed Handle Gips $70.00
49. Chrome Harley ditial dip stick $40.00
50. Chrome Harley master brake Cover $40.00

asking price is $ 15,000.00
please call me at 909-271-9646 / shanghai 15800728633 cell

Thanks
Duane Aguilera