The ghost of cheapness:

Why are Chinese motorcycles dangerous?

In the meantime, there is no need to worry about it. ”

When you really want a motorcycle, but there is no money for a high-quality device, many are ready to close their eyes to any warnings and buy a "Chinese". We will tell you how such a purchase can turn out

In the meantime, there is no need to worry about it. ”

The Chinese auto industry has certainly progressed over the past couple of decades, and now some companies are already capable of producing a product worthy of competition with, for example, Korean cars. And nevertheless, until now, most of even the most popular Chinese cars "delight" their owners with regular, more or less serious breakdowns. But maybe the Chinese are doing better with motorcycles? After all, two-wheeled vehicles are in great demand both in China itself and in other Asian countries, and is the main means of transportation for the majority of the population of India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries of the region.

Traditionally, Chinese manufacturers specialize in small-capacity motor vehicles. These are motorcycles and scooters with an engine capacity of up to 400 cm3, and the bulk fits into 50-150-250 "cubes". There are, however, several companies that produce equipment with a 500+ "cubic" engine, which is more similar to motorcycles in our understanding, but these are usually products of former European factories bought by Chinese investors, for example, Benelli or Saggita. We will not talk about them, but we will focus specifically on low-volume budget equipment.

Everything here is like the big ones: there are scooters, scooters, maxi scooters, classic motorcycles, pit bikes, enduro bikes and even sport bikes. And the number of companies producing two-wheeled vehicles and the brands of these vehicles is incalculable.

Who is there?

Chinese companies, both automobile and motorcycle, rarely come up with their own. And why reinvent the wheel if everything has already been invented before them? Easier to copy and change slightly. And sometimes you can do without this slyness.

In terms of appearance, motorcycles can not be especially copied, since it is easier to cast a new plastic body kit than a car body. But the engines and frames are worth it. The vast majority of engines installed on Chinese motorcycles sold in Russia (and in other countries as well) are copies of the 1958 Honda Super Cub engine (!) And its later modifications. Modern Chinese engines based on the Honda "donor" have a volume of 50-120 cm3.

Motors with a volume of 140-180 "cubes" are the same Cub, but with a part of the "filling" from engines of the SV family. Such units are found mainly on BSE, Kayo, Pitster-Pro, Mikilon pit bikes and equipment under Russian brands.

The motors of the SV series themselves are produced as single-cylinder (125-232 cm3) and two-cylinder (125, 250-350 cm3). However, they are quite expensive for budget equipment, so they received less distribution in our country. The most interesting models with such an engine are the Johnny Pag (Jonway) and Regal Raptor choppers.

Another popular donor for Chinese motors is again the 1976 Honda CG125. The cubic capacity of these engines is brought up to 232 (250) cm3 by cylinder bore. We have them on the Stels (QJiang), Lifan, Irbis, Patron vehicles.

One of the more modern clones is the Chinese version of the engine from Honda CBF125 / 150, but it is already much more expensive. In Russia, motorcycles with such a motor are presented under the Patron (Yingang) brand.

There are also copies of Suzuki GS / GN motors with a volume of 125-150-200-250 "cubes". But they are even more expensive than Honda's CB / CGs. They are mainly used by Baltmotors.

If we talk about the interchangeability of parts of Japanese engines with their Chinese "counterparts", then there is nothing to be sure of. Some parts can really be supplied from Japan (cylinder heads, shafts, carburetors), but something is deliberately done a little differently so that “original” parts do not fit (intake-exhaust, for example).

In addition, even “original” spare parts are often not the same from the manufacturer: either the gap is not the same, or the holes for fasteners are slightly in the wrong place.

What, what are these "Chinese" made of?

Today, Chinese motors, copied from Japanese and produced by millions of units, have reached a good level of quality and are the least dubious part of a motorcycle from the Middle Kingdom. But here's the rest ...

The main problem is the metal used in the frame, steering racks, shock absorbers, mountings, etc. It is of very poor quality and cannot withstand any serious loads. Anything can break down, and in the process of quite a targeted use: steering columns, frames, rims burst, footpegs and stands fall off ...

With this quality of metal, there is no need to talk about the rigidity of the chassis and, accordingly, the stability and predictability of the motorcycle in motion. He may turn the wrong way or not as the driver suggests. He "baptizes" in the most innocuous slopes: the front part goes to the right, the back - to the left, and vice versa. The brakes glow red after a series of several turns or a long descent. After bouncing on bumps or trampolines, you can land on cracked footpegs ...

Another common problem is the build quality itself, which does not obey any standards: 50/50, which you are lucky and you buy equipment that will last a decent amount of time. And the same 50-50, which is not lucky. So after buying any Chinese motorcycle, you just need to check and stretch all the fasteners. And it would be better to sort out the entire device - suddenly somewhere a gasket or an oil seal-anther was forgotten to put or put incorrectly ...

How to live with it?

It is clear that when you really want a motorcycle, but there is no money for a high-quality one, then many are ready to "score" on any warnings, difficulties and their own safety. However, we must warn.

Riding Chinese pitbike, enduro and sportbike is becoming especially unsafe. These are light, small vehicles with "evil" motors designed to be installed in a solid, geometrically adjusted chassis, and not in something that often plays the role of such in motorcycles made in China or assembled in Russia from Chinese kits. These motorcycles can accelerate to 100 km / h or more, without providing the necessary rigidity, strength, reliability and ride characteristics for the driver to control and control the process.

Perhaps, only really experienced motorcyclists can afford to ride on Chinese motorcycles, who know how to cope with a naughty kicking "horse", opposing its "rider" in every possible way.

In fact, cheap "Chinese" are bought as the first motorcycles, often to adolescents who have just received a "license" (or even not received) and at the very least have learned to ride. But it's one thing to ride in the summer cottage, where the speed is lower and there is no traffic, and the other is to go to the city or to the highway, where the equipment is required to operate accurately and reliably all systems.

What's the bottom line?

Ideally, it is better not to buy cheap Chinese motorcycles. However, if for some reason you cannot avoid buying, here are some tips:

Choose only among brands that have been on the Russian market for more than 5 years, for example, Alpha, Keeway, Zongshen, Stels, Lifan, M1NSK, Patron. This way you can most likely avoid problems with missing parts.
Choose classic models or "choppers" as the most durable.
Don't buy Chinese sportbikes! Enduro and pit bikes are also not worth it.
Don't buy Chinese motorcycles for teenagers. Better to be content with scooters — fifty dollars!
Focus on the price of 80-100 thousand rubles. Of course, it is no longer as attractive as 30-40 thousand, but think for yourself, what is the cost of such a motorcycle and, accordingly, the quality of materials and work, if the final price in Russia also includes delivery, duty, manufacturer's and seller's profit and other costs ?
Be prepared for the fact that everything will have to be finalized with a "hammer and file" and that the resource of the equipment will still remain a mystery to you.
Do not buy a "Chinese" for the "last" money: a motorcycle is still required at least a helmet (again, better not Chinese), plus insurance and MOT. In addition, it is highly likely that soon you will have to spend money on spare parts and repairs. A motorcycle, whatever it is, is quite an expensive pleasure.