Some companies importing Chinese bikes are actually making progress with parts and service. Johnny Pag is one and Qlink is another. Both sell Chinese made products, which they back up with parts and service. I currently have a Qlink Legend 250 (Made in China, to Qlink quality specs) It has been a reliable bike and it actually has been better than I expected for a 250 cc cruiser that cost $2500 and came with a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty, which Qlink backs up with parts. It is an old design and a bit crude in ride and engine smoothness.
In a few weeks I will be getting a Vulcan 500. Not because of any issues with the Qlink, I just wanted a slightly bigger bike.
Yamaha or Suzuki
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BuzZz
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That is true, but they still have a long way to go, especially as an overall entity. But they will get there, and I think they will be huge..... I'm old enough to remember when 'Made in Japan' meant what 'Made in China' does today..... the Worm never stops turning, he just slows down here and there.dpetrick wrote:Some companies importing Chinese bikes are actually making progress with parts and service........
No Witnesses.... 
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jmillheiser
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There was a big quality gap between even the korean manufacturers. Kia has only very recently gotten is crap together quality wise. Hyundai now builds cars that easily rival the japanese in quality. Im not sure if Daewoo motors exists in any form anymore, they were a subsidiary of GM for about a decade and produced the Aveo for Chevy which is a complete piece of crap.
I haven't heard much good or bad about Hyosung bikes.
I haven't heard much good or bad about Hyosung bikes.
On the reliability of South Korean bikes....I'm no expert but I do live over here and ridden a couple of korean and chinese brands...
South Korean bikes: Two big Companies Hyosung and Daelim make the majority....As far as long term reliablity, there are tons of bikes on the road that are well over 10 years....and the majority of Korean bikes/scooters will be used for work purposes and drive over more varieties of terrain(Sidewalks, Cobblestone, monsoon rains, tight mountain passes, un-even roads, lots of hills)....If korean bikes weren't up to par, they wouldn't last very long. Performance is great too!
I've driven Daelim and Hyosung as my first bikes. They're performed great despite both being over 5 years old and 20,000+ miles under their belts....No serious maintenance problems eithern since I bought them.
If it makes anyone feel better, those companies either bought out engineers from Japanese makers or used to make the Japanese models themselves(outsourcing!) before going Independant.
Chinese Bikes: While in China, I would rent a bike or borrow one from locals....So I don't have a extensive review of them...also, many Chinese bikes have as little maintenance as possible done on them with many years of abuse and horrid road conditions....they're REAL ratbikes.....but...
WuYang Honda: These bikes are Obviously honda's made in China for the chinese I assume.....Pretty peppy, fun little things....Came in Cafe racer style....I drove one around the Terra Cotta Warrior army area(btw, Terra cotta army= greatly overrated). Drove another one around town...it did the job.
Zhongshen: Pieces of garbage..I drove old ones and a brand new 250cc cruiser straight off the dealership(some chinese dude bought it and let me drive it)....a 250 cc that felt like a cheap, kids toy.
A Zhongshen is worth about $500 worth of performance and value...Something I'd give to a high school kid as his first motorcycle.
Electric Scooters: Chinese laws regarding bikes are HARSH...I didn't even see many until I reached the edges of china....As such, many Chinese stick to electric scooters which are allowed.....these things suck "O Ring" and are so underpowered you'd likely get killed by being run over for being too slow.
Yamaha: The most expensive motorcycle I ever saw in China was a Yamamha driven by a foriegner....It was a 250cc made for the Chinese Market....All, but the "more complex parts" are built in China. He seemed quite happy....I think he was a drug dealer judging by the sketchy answers he gave me about his job....It did have EFI...it was the 09' model
Others: ???? there were tons of randomly named chinese bikes. I have pictues of some chinese bikes if anyone wants them. Tibetan bikes are worth noting....their chinese bikes, but the tibetans think they're old school cowboys who mediate instead of praying....
Tibetan bikes are some of the crazier looking ones becuase they usually modify them with crazy cowboy/buddhist designed exteriors....Cowhide rug seats, Buddhist Mandelas, pictures of local monks, etc.
On Chinese airplanes....even the chinese don't trust the Chinese to engineer anything...damn near anything decent in china gets built by Hong kong, Singapore, and Korean companies.....The Chinese counldn't engineer a brown paper bag unless a german or Korean was there to help.
South Korean bikes: Two big Companies Hyosung and Daelim make the majority....As far as long term reliablity, there are tons of bikes on the road that are well over 10 years....and the majority of Korean bikes/scooters will be used for work purposes and drive over more varieties of terrain(Sidewalks, Cobblestone, monsoon rains, tight mountain passes, un-even roads, lots of hills)....If korean bikes weren't up to par, they wouldn't last very long. Performance is great too!
I've driven Daelim and Hyosung as my first bikes. They're performed great despite both being over 5 years old and 20,000+ miles under their belts....No serious maintenance problems eithern since I bought them.
If it makes anyone feel better, those companies either bought out engineers from Japanese makers or used to make the Japanese models themselves(outsourcing!) before going Independant.
Chinese Bikes: While in China, I would rent a bike or borrow one from locals....So I don't have a extensive review of them...also, many Chinese bikes have as little maintenance as possible done on them with many years of abuse and horrid road conditions....they're REAL ratbikes.....but...
WuYang Honda: These bikes are Obviously honda's made in China for the chinese I assume.....Pretty peppy, fun little things....Came in Cafe racer style....I drove one around the Terra Cotta Warrior army area(btw, Terra cotta army= greatly overrated). Drove another one around town...it did the job.
Zhongshen: Pieces of garbage..I drove old ones and a brand new 250cc cruiser straight off the dealership(some chinese dude bought it and let me drive it)....a 250 cc that felt like a cheap, kids toy.
A Zhongshen is worth about $500 worth of performance and value...Something I'd give to a high school kid as his first motorcycle.
Electric Scooters: Chinese laws regarding bikes are HARSH...I didn't even see many until I reached the edges of china....As such, many Chinese stick to electric scooters which are allowed.....these things suck "O Ring" and are so underpowered you'd likely get killed by being run over for being too slow.
Yamaha: The most expensive motorcycle I ever saw in China was a Yamamha driven by a foriegner....It was a 250cc made for the Chinese Market....All, but the "more complex parts" are built in China. He seemed quite happy....I think he was a drug dealer judging by the sketchy answers he gave me about his job....It did have EFI...it was the 09' model
Others: ???? there were tons of randomly named chinese bikes. I have pictues of some chinese bikes if anyone wants them. Tibetan bikes are worth noting....their chinese bikes, but the tibetans think they're old school cowboys who mediate instead of praying....
Tibetan bikes are some of the crazier looking ones becuase they usually modify them with crazy cowboy/buddhist designed exteriors....Cowhide rug seats, Buddhist Mandelas, pictures of local monks, etc.
On Chinese airplanes....even the chinese don't trust the Chinese to engineer anything...damn near anything decent in china gets built by Hong kong, Singapore, and Korean companies.....The Chinese counldn't engineer a brown paper bag unless a german or Korean was there to help.
Tailing a bongo truck.