Chinese bikes

[exelero]

First of all greetings to everyone.
I was thinking about parking the car up and only using it for longer trips and therefore getting a 125cc Bike for commuting to work. I live really close to my workplace so weather should not be an issue. My question is: Are these Chinese motorbikes really that bad? By bad I mean are they reliable at all? Or should I just buy a "proper" make?
Thanks

[Krikkit]

No direct personal experience, but cheap fasteners etc means that it'll be pretty rusty if used all year round in short order.

Totally off topic, but are you 24+? If so you could do direct access and buy an older Japanese bike for the same cost as a cheap Chinese 125. Bonus is that it's got plenty of power to keep up with traffic and will last longer.

[Biker 1]

Chinese scooters appear to be OK. 125cc bikes I've seen are rust-buckets. As Krikket says - get a secondhand larger capacity machine, preferably Japanese.

[macushla]

I’d just buy an ebike or a normalmpishbike and be done with it. Zero running costs and probably quicker depending how close you live.

[Bikesalot]

I think these days - some are 'very' OK.

A lot of the big jap manufactures have engines made by these 'cheap Chinese brands'

[macushla]

Bikesalot said:

I think these days - some are 'very' OK.

A lot of the big jap manufactures have engines made by these 'cheap Chinese brands'

There’s a world of difference between something made under licence to exacting standards and one that’s made as a rip off with limited / no QC though.

[Donbot]

macushla said:

I’d just buy an ebike or a normalmpishbike and be done with it. Zero running costs and probably quicker depending how close you live.

+1

Or if you get a 125 (Chinese or not), ACF50 the hell out of it and paint the exhaust. Unless you go for a CG, or something of that era, all of them will rust to buggery if not looked after.

[BuzzBravado]

You see loads of 1 year old chinese 125's being sold as spares or repair. When you can buy a well kept cbf125 for about £1100, why would you bother with a chinese bike?

[Bumblebee7]

As others have said I would personally get a bike or an e-bike if really needed if commuting a short distance. No insurance, road tax, MOT etc.

If you definitely want to go down the combustion motor route I would go for a second hand jap scooter/motorbike. Doesn't need to be made in Japan as the Honda CBF125 was made in India and the CB125F is made in China. But being made by a reputable manufacturer means it will retain its value very well. Buying in the winter and selling in the summer you'll probably break even or maybe even make money.

[Krikkit]

Oops, didn't see the distance quoted in the OP - in that case I'd go for a European or Japanese twisty scooter tbh.

[FocusRS3]

My son has a Sinnis 50cc ped which tbf has been great so far. We even got it de restricted after the first service.

[exelero]

Krikkit said:

No direct personal experience, but cheap fasteners etc means that it'll be pretty rusty if used all year round in short order.

Totally off topic, but are you 24+? If so you could do direct access and buy an older Japanese bike for the same cost as a cheap Chinese 125. Bonus is that it's got plenty of power to keep up with traffic and will last longer.

I am 25 by the way, but why does that matter? I don't have a licence for motorbikes, only B cat and I figured I could ride a 125 with a CBT only? Correct me if I'm wrong

[TommyBuoy]

You are correct.

Imagine krikket was suggesting that you go for a 'big bike's license as a cbr600 etc would cost the same to purchase as a Chinese 125. Although there are costs involved in getting the license and running costs of a bigger bike.

As far as Chinese 125s go I have no experience, but understand that herald and mutt are a better bet

[garypotter]

macushla said:

Bikesalot said:

I think these days - some are 'very' OK.

A lot of the big jap manufactures have engines made by these 'cheap Chinese brands'

There’s a world of difference between something made under licence to exacting standards and one that’s made as a rip off with limited / no QC though.

Agree look at the reliability of ssangyong engines (mercedes engines built under licence) Sorry off topic!

[turbomoped]

All china stuff has incredibly naff styling by an idiot. The bozo's should just look at an old british cafe race from the 60s and make something exactly like it but with modern engine internals not stupid modern engine with pipes all over the outside.
No stupid name badges like w@nk650 either.

[Krikkit]

TommyBuoy said:

exelero said:

Krikkit said:

No direct personal experience, but cheap fasteners etc means that it'll be pretty rusty if used all year round in short order.

Totally off topic, but are you 24+? If so you could do direct access and buy an older Japanese bike for the same cost as a cheap Chinese 125. Bonus is that it's got plenty of power to keep up with traffic and will last longer.

I am 25 by the way, but why does that matter? I don't have a licence for motorbikes, only B cat and I figured I could ride a 125 with a CBT only? Correct me if I'm wrong

You are correct.

Imagine krikket was suggesting that you go for a 'big bike's license as a cbr600 etc would cost the same to purchase as a Chinese 125. Although there are costs involved in getting the license and running costs of a bigger bike.

As far as Chinese 125s go I have no experience, but understand that herald and mutt are a better bet

Dead on - my suggestion was that for a couple of grand, if you were doing more than a couple of miles you could do the full licence via DAS then buy whatever you wanted. An old CBR or similar would be much faster, and if you were commuting on the motorway/DC for example, much more at home.

But, a cheapo chinese 125 ped is about £1300 now, much less than I thought, and if you're only doing a couple of miles it's probably a waste

[anonymous-user]

44teeth did an episode on a couple of Chinese cheapys, worth a look and they don't seem to be as bad as you would imagine
https://youtu.be/6xDfWrt7C2c

[Kizmiaz]

As a motorcycle salesman...............they really are that bad. We tried a couple of new ones and even at the uncrating/ PDi stage you could see how badly manufactured they were. Mechanic put fuel in one of the first ones and fuel pissed out all over his feet where two fuel holes had been drilled in the bottom of the tank. The materials used are not fit for purpose and there will be none of the current crop on UK roads in 5 years. I would not let my boys anywhere near one.

[Krikkit]

Kizmiaz said:

As a motorcycle salesman...............they really are that bad. We tried a couple of new ones and even at the uncrating/ PDi stage you could see how badly manufactured they were. Mechanic put fuel in one of the first ones and fuel pissed out all over his feet where two fuel holes had been drilled in the bottom of the tank. The materials used are not fit for purpose and there will be none of the current crop on UK roads in 5 years. I would not let my boys anywhere near one.

What brand were they out of interest?

[Kizmiaz]

I can't mention them by name but they are perceived as one of the 'better' ones and not fully made up with Chinese components. Just don't.