Chinese ATVs/Dirt Bikes

Does anyone have any opinions? Are any makes better than others? Will parts that they copied their design from work on their bikes? Which ones are copies?

This ad has sparked this thread: http://appleton.craigslist.org/rvs/2932303363.html

$975 for a basically new-ish ATV is way better than $2k+ for a 10 year old, beat, Japanese quad; all things being equal.

Opinions?

Thanks, Ross

I personally don't trust Chinese stuff yet. More specifically, mechanical things designed in China.

I will agree though that people want waaaay to much for a 10 year old quad, dirtbike, or snowmobile.

Most of the time people don't even maintenance them like their supposed to be and you're purchasing something for $2k that really is worth $800 and needs $400 worth of repair.

I maybe over-exaggerating a bit, but that's how it feels.

Thats how it feels for me too. I can buy a decent CJ-5 with a plow for less money than a 4x4 atv. Don't even get me started on side by sides... why don't 'dune buggy'/side by side go-cart count as a UTV/Side by Side? I can buy a $1400 go cart that looks just like a Polaris RZR without the plastic cladding but weighs under 900lbs and a RZR cost $10,000 and is just over that 900lbs weight limit. Guess which one is legal for trail riding?

its the same with jet skis too. people think their never maintained, beat to hell base model from 18 years ago is worth a mint because they paid 10k for it new.

The big issue with the Chinese stuff is after-sales support. If you can find a reliable source for parts, great. But the dealers/importers all seem so fly-by-night that whatever parts source you find may not be around in 6 months, leaving you with a broken machine that needs to be significantly MacGyvered to make useful again.

Exceptions to that rule seem to be the brands that have exhibited some staying power in the states. Kymco springs to mind...and that's the only one I can come up with off the top of my head.

That's why a complete rip-off of a design would be nice. Low buy in price and a reputable (ie. Original designers) part supply, assuming the rip-off was an accurate one.

I've bought quite a few Chinese dirt bikes for myself and the kids, ranging from 50-250cc. I didn't buy them new. Bought them used and never paid more than $350-400. They all ran when I bought them, never left me stranded, and were still running when I sold them. That being said, while they did run, none of them have much power as compared to a Jap bike.

Parts availabilty is a challenge, and I'm told that getting someone to do warranty work is impossible. You basically have to mail order anything you may need.

In no way do the Chinese bikes perform like the Jap bikes, and a 20 yr old Jap bike will easily kick a new chinese bike's ass

As a rule, the suspensions are rock hard and are basically useless for anything other than mild trail riding. Don't even think about jumping them. Besides having no absorbtion, the swing arms and shock rods bend real easy

Also, the ergonimics are kinda screwy. It's hard to explain, but the relationship between the footpegs, seat, and bars on the Chinese bikes is always just weird. The pegs are too high, seats are too close to the bars, etc. They're just not as comfortable as the Jap bikes.

They're also VERY heavy. Much of the aluminum looking stuff on the bikes is really just steel painted to look like aluminum.

They do make a copy of the old Honda Trail 70 however!

When you're buying a learner bike (or 2 or 3) for a kid that's growing, it's only going to be ridden for a few months, maybe a year or two. So a cheap disposable bike makes a lot of sense.

To that end, buy a used one. Even with years of riding, going from owner to owner, they still only have a few hours of ride time on them.

I gave a friend 60 bucks for a little chinese (Qinqui) dirtbike that he came across in his travels. It was missing an exhaust and a rear brake rod. Other than that, it looked near new. Once I found out that the thing was a knock-off of a Honda CRF 50, I had no trouble finding parts. The exhaust bolted right up. The brake rod fits well enough to work reliably.

So I've got like $150 in it and it runs great. Can't say how long it will last though.

I think the quad in my link at the top is a rip off of a Yamaha Raptor. The front little bumper thingy looks the same.

A ~GOOD~ used Japanese big 4 quad. properly maintained will still be providing good service after the Chinese quad has been used up and the recycled metal loaded into a container bound for China where it will be made into a copy of a newer Japanese Big 4 quad.

As stated, parts availability is next to nil, and while the outside looks like a Grizzly or a Raptor or whatever - the inside is pure Harbor Freight, baby.

Also, despite being an effete liberal atheist arugula eating yuppie, I prefer to spend American where I can, and I believe that the Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha quads sold here are largely US produced.

Appleton? Under a grand?

http://appleton.craigslist.org/mcy/2925520799.html

We bought a Honda fourtrax 250 brand new in 1985. It was rarely maintained, road very hard...abused really, and only died because we stripped the oil drain plug, which caused it to leak oil, and we stopped adding oil. The engine siezed going up a hill pulling a 5x8 trailer loaded with firewood. That was a couple of years ago. Once I decided I wasn't going to repair it we went out and bought a new Foreman 500 4x4. I'm by no means brand loyal, but I went with the Foreman because of it's simplicity, ruggedness, and the fact that it is NOT CVT.....I hate CVT. it's probaby the least powerful of the 500cc utility quads, but it should last a LONG time. We looked used first, but as the OP stated, used japanese atv prices are pretty crazy, so it wasn't a huge stretch for us to go ahead and buy new.

motomoron wrote: Appleton? Under a grand? http://appleton.craigslist.org/mcy/2925520799.html

Gone.

motomoron wrote: Also, despite being an effete liberal atheist arugula eating yuppie, I prefer to spend American where I can, and I believe that the Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha quads sold here are largely US produced.

I've had 2 fairly late model Yamaha quads in the last few years and they were both made in Japan. Not sure about the other brands.

motomoron wrote: I prefer to spend American where I can, and I believe that the Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha quads sold here are largely US produced.

Is there even a single quad manufactured in North America? I would expect them to be made in Japan, Thailand, and probably Taiwan.

I own a few, and have owned a few Chinese bikes. The motors have been bulletproof. Everything else is a little suspect. If all you want is something for light use, they're fine. I had a 125 Chinese dirt bike for 3 years and beat on it. The suspension was lousy, the handling poor, but the brakes were good, and the motor was strong. I bought it for $400, and sold it for $400.

Hondas are made in Timmonsville, SC.

Honda builds ATVs in Timmonsville SC. Some of the CR250 MX bikes are built in Marysville, Ohio along with the Gold Wing and I think a couple of others.

The Chinese clones are dirt cheap but the downside is the build quality is spotty. Zomby had good success, I've seen others that barfed inside a year. The Z50 'clone' motors are known for not lasting a real long time.

Heck, Toyman's golf cart motor is an HF that looks real similar to the OHV Briggs that's in my generator. At the last LeMons, it spit out a bolt somewhere inside and bent the crank. Couldn't have had more than 10 hours on it. Of course, he paid something like $75 for it new in the box.

I have had good luck, but my son bought one of those 110 cc mini quads new for $400 a few years back. He had for over a year before he blew it up, but I'm not sure any 110 quad would last with a 19 year old thrashing it the way he did. The frame and suspension on it were, and still are, quite good. I have a few Honda clone 6.5 motors new in boxes. It would be fun to build a naked mini quad with one of those motors.

Have a look on the china riders forum. Everything you need to know is there.

Personally I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole...