Hi from Thailand

[canthai]

Was looking at the Keeway dealer and say an MBike XY250A. No info on net, but the Shineray XY250GY-6B seems the exact same bike. Kind of confusing, but seems that the same bike can have many names as sold in different countries. Am interested in this bike, looking for a Super Motard style and this one is 1/2 the price of a Honda CRF250M. Will post a few questions in the relevant forum/sub-forum

[humanbeing]

Importer can named it as whatever they want ... Most important is the "1-8" letters of ViN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicl...ication_number . There's some chinese database records these "unique" thingy ...

[bikerdoc]

Was looking at the Keeway dealer and say an MBike XY250A. No info on net, but the Shineray XY250GY-6B seems the exact same bike. Kind of confusing, but seems that the same bike can have many names as sold in different countries. Am interested in this bike, looking for a Super Motard style and this one is 1/2 the price of a Honda CRF250M. Will post a few questions in the relevant forum/sub-forum

Sawasdee Khup.
The following is my opinion...

The Keeway, Shineray <insert whatever name you want Ch!nese manufacturer> 250cc are often badged with different names depending on the market. As Humanbeing replies, the bikes sourced from PRC can have any name on it most of the time. The other thing is that many so called manufacturers in mainland Ch!na aren't really manufacturers, they are assemblers - buying bespoke and fitting parts together with varying results, some good, while others sure look like they were assembled from a parts bin special.

If your observation is that is a Keeway or Shineray 250 is approx. half the cost compared to a CRF250 then perhaps it's worth appreciating that the price differs for (not) good reason. You get what you pay for IMO.

Comparing the XYZ250 (PRC manufactured/branded) with the Honda CRF250 is similar to comparing an apple with an orange (a Ch!nese orange too that has been injected with water from a polluted water supply full of toxins from chemical, herbicide and pesticide run-off). Actually maybe the analogy of a orange would be better served with using a lemon - since IMO that is what you would end up with if you went with a Keeway/Shineray.

YMMV.

What I am getting at canthai, while the two motards may look similar (Shineray/Keeway 250 versus Honda CRF250M) - they do not and will not share the same level of quality/components. I've visited the Keeway dealer heading North of Chiang Rai heading toward Mae Sai multiple times.

IMO you could save any future heartache/belly-ache - by saving up more THB and buy a CRF250M... even look for a near new late model low mileage CRF250L or M for sale on CL or similar.

[canthai]

Thank you for an honest and straightforward reply. Always appreciated a straight shooter. My use of the bike will be maybe twice a week at the most, and the M-Bike does look good. I appreciate that you get what you pay for, but just wondering if the small amount of use I will subject it to will justify spending double the money on a Honda - or Kawa D-Tracker for that matter. Those in the know here say the Kawa leans more to off-road while the Honda has better road manners. And true - can get a used one - low mileage - for not much more than the M-Bike. people here very polarized - some like the PRC bikes, some hate them. FYI I bought a Platinum 125cc scooter - copy of a Honda Wave and a cheap copy at that - over 7 years ago at a silent auction to raise money for an orphanage. Paid 12,000 baht. Rode that bike for over 4 years, it needed a battery and a voltage regulator. Thats it. Oh - the speedo went after 127km and I never fixed it - or tried. Goes slow - but goes. My Thai brother has it now, he lives up in the mountains, put a knobby on it to go off-road. Still runs.