Overall Chinese scooter quality - - - Discuss By kevinharrell (Read 3,727 times)

[kevinharrell]

I know that the general quality of the scooters reaching the USA from China is improving. Part of that is due to the EPA requirements the bikes need to conform to keeping out the bikes that are not of sufficient quality to meet the EPA requirements. Then there are other theories as to why, including that there are fewer importers who have learned to import the better bikes.

But, the why is not the important part of starting this thread. This thread is being started to discuss what is the current quality of Chinese bikes, when did/will the quality be considered good, etc.

Discuss.

[jct842]

As far as I am concerned quality has always been good for the money and some better than others. Not yet on par with a jap scooter but you can buy 3 of them for what a jap scooter costs.

[LUKE]

Kevin, sorry im not good in speaking and writing in engrish, but i have all the thought in my mind, would you allow me to express my thoughts and inputs through videos??
this is exactly what i want to say:










pls dont delete this.... be fair to newbies, we need to let them know what they are buying.

sorry kevin, im still learning engrish.. hope you understand

[kz1000st]

More FUD Luke. This from the guy who rides with no leather jacket. Does your deaf friend do that too. Sorry, after what I saw from Amerivespa, New Orleans, Chinese scooter owners are way smarter than that.

Here's the truth about Chinese quality. It isn't a problem with the scooters at all, it's the buffoons who bought them. It can't be a coincidence that Jack has five scooters that haven't given him a problem or that I have three that have close to 20,000 miles as a group.

Since 2008 China scoots have gotten increasingly better. I've heard the Whine(would you like some cheese with that) My 2008 has the original fuel lines, the original vacuum lines, the original air valves in the wheels. Heck, even the original front tire. Give a China scoot to a person with brains and experience with bikes. They'll run forever. Give it to a deaf stoner who doesn't have the brains to get a haircut and they blow up.

Isn't it amazing that Dr. Rocco has a perfectly running China scoot with no prior experience and Luke doesn't.

[LUKE]

hahaha, i caught DrRocco hiding things many times from the public forum, the fact is he had tons of problems with his brand new chino scoot, i kinda embarrassed him so what he did was to send KZ tons of private messages begging for advices for his ailing chinese scooter. i kinda noticed it , but i have a kind heart so i told him to publicize his problems so other members can throw in their inputs as well. but the fact remained, Dr Rocco got traumatized with his chinese scooter because mechanical and electrical problems come up one after the other. poor fellow, he skip lunch to save money just to buy that scooter. i feel bad for him.

[kz1000st]

Ha Ha Ha, that's funny. The point still is that there's nothing wrong with Chinese scooters. You can see how their troubles are blown way out of proportion by people who can't perform a simple set up on a crate scooter, like Luke, and then blame the scooter for the problems later. Again, mine and Jack's fleet are proof positive that a proper set up and sensible use leads to good results.

But thank heavens for expensive scooters that keep people like Luke on the road. In the end a Chinese scooter is just fine now and getting better all the time.

[kz1000st]

Jun 22, 2014 13:33:42 GMT -6 jct842 said:

As far as I am concerned quality has always been good for the money and some better than others. Not yet on par with a jap scooter but you can buy 3 of them for what a jap scooter costs.

That's true John. I bought a 50cc, 150cc and a 250cc for the price of a 50cc Honda Ruckus OTD.

[jct842]

Luke you had not been born yet when the japs started sending their crap over here, but I was and I remember. After the war the first products were penny trinkets used as prizes in carnivals. When the crap with motors showed up the term rice burners was coined. It has taken them 60 years to get where they are today. When they hit the shores here it was no different than the first chinese products. I am really shocked that any asian country other than japan would want any thing to do with the factories that built the killing machines that took out parents and grand parents. That bad arse zero in the war got wiped out by the corsairs and they had a 11 to 1 kill ratio. Yea they have learned a lot since due to our aid after the war.

[LUKE]

the thing of the matter is The quality of chinese products is not only evident on scooters alone, i know youve all been to 99¢ store... some people like me dont really care if i put more money into something as long as i know that it will last long, can you imagine chinese ventured in manufacturing scooters and other vehicles? where safety is the main concern, chinese scooter might break into half while you are doing a 50mph ride.. jeeez!! you are puting yourself in a high risk, im sure your wives increased the premium on your life insurances... lol

[cyborg]

wow are we on this same ol saw??? The Doc had problems???,,i thought it was smooth sailing with him,,,,i think i have to get my raincoat hat and boots on,,,it's gettin deep in here,,,what say you Doc??

[LUKE]

haha cyborg, get back to your garage and continue modifying motorcycles and vespa, spending
$140,000 on mc modification is just,, i dont wanna say it... lol...
this is an adult discussion, better zip it before mommy starts spanking you LOL!!

now where was i?

[Bashan]

My first two scooters were 2008 Bashans. Good engines, good CVT, lousy electricals, lousy plastic, and light reflectors that melted. One of the scooters we got had a crushed battery and the battery acid container had spilled down through the bucket and all over the top of the engine. The other one had a knob on the tire that made it almost unrideable. Give me grief on those statements but that's the way they were. My wife's Puma, 2012, good engine, good CVT, decent plastic, good electricals, and good lights. One of the dangers of buying an online scooter is they had them stockpiled for a few years in the past. You might buy in 2013 and get a 2009. The Chinese listened and they are definitely better. There's still high and low end but all in all they're better. If you know how to do a little work you can get a dirt cheap scooter and make it work. The problem lies with people that get a brand new bike for $900.00 and then complain that it's not Taiwanese quality. Come on! Get in the real world! Rich

[kz1000st]

There's the "Importer factor" again. My 2008 Bashan has good electrics (so far) and it would have been perfect except for a bad exhaust pipe. I heard all the Chinese junk stories before I bought it. After I got it together I sat looking at it and marveled at its strengths. Cast aluminum wheels, remote seat opening, a fuel gauge. My W650 Kawasaki had none of those things.

Let's move on to Rocket if you want comparisons. It's totally better than Luke's or any brand name scooter. Any one. Vespa, Aprilia, Piaggio. Any of them. 50 mph+ out of a bone stock engine. Handling and ride like a brand name motorcycle. It starts, runs and goes, each time, every time and I don't have to rebuild the variator and clutch like so many Japanese scooter owners.

If my CF Moto hadn't broken an easily replaced transmission shaft, available from everyone, I'd be harping on how good it is too. Even at that, and I just haven't posted it, it has 8,400 miles on it. All my Chinese bikes are flaunting all the myths. They run, they last (If I don't screw up and crack cylinder heads) and get better gas mileage than anything out of Japan, Inc.

[scootermadnesscom]

There is a lot of misinformation about Chinese scoots out there, which is the problem, not the scooters themselves. If you are looking for a dealer-tested, plug-and-play mode of transportation and you never want to have to diagnose an issue, find a part, or put a wrench on the bike - or you aren't willing to pay someone who can do the work - you should probably not buy a Chinese scooter.

But if you are willing to become just a little knowledgeable, you can save SO MUCH money with one, and it will get you to and from where you need to go. Plus they are fun and surprisingly stylish in many cases.

Should I buy a Chinese scooter?

[cyborg]

Bingo KZ and Scootermadness win the prize,,,,if you can't because of skill set or can't afford to have someone else take care of problems,,,shy away,,,and anyways it's not just the chinese stuff either,,they all have something go wrong either now or later,,,especially when you don't use a torque wrench,,,,sorry KZ i couldn't help myself,,,,