Motorbikes for the 21st Century

Goodbye Japan Hellow China

southcoastbiker — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:31:01 +0000

No disrespect intended, but I’ll be glad to see the back of my current bike, an old Suzuki Bandit. Not that there is anything wrong with these bikes, just the expense of it all. I recently had to buy two new brake discs for the front. Pricey..at £120 per disc. Yes a wapping £240 for the pair.

Once you start checking out the price of parts for your Honda or Kawasaki, you start to see that biking is not as cheap as it should be. OK we can cut costs by doing most of the work ourselves, but £120 for one brake disc????

I’m toying with the idea of getting another Jinlun or Pioneer cruiser. Parts are cheap, they do great mpg and are pretty easy to work on. Guess how much a front disc is for either of these two is approx £30 plus p&p.

In some ways riding a Chinese made motorbike is definately the sensible option if you want to ride something affordable, easy to repair, easy to get parts for etc OK the Chinese bikes are small, but larger models are coming on the market soon.

Pioneer Nevada 125 Cruiser

southcoastbiker — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:31:10 +0000

Inspired by the cruisers of the latter part of the 20th century, the Pioneer Nevada 125 is a whole load of fun in a great package. Now don’t think the company is paying me to say that, it’s not (though a few quid wouldn’t go amiss lads).

Why do I think it is a great package? For the price, cheaper than a Jinlun and way cheaper than anything the land of the rising sun has produced recently, the Pioneer is a great bundle of bike.

Firstly, it has the looks, now the importers have got rid of some of the plastic bits that used to adorn this model such as pretend air filter covers, that a mechanic at one of the UK’s biggest importers described as extra weight that’s only use was to add weight so the overseas shipping company could charge more.

I must declare an informed bias here as I used to own one (see pic). Nice a weighty, like a bike, sounded meaty, like a big bike, very, very, very economical, not like a big bike. Even Harley riders used to nod their heads (I’m not saying they thought it was a Harley).

As I said much of the plastic crap has gone, and the bike is much better looking for it. I used to commute to work, about 15 miles away and enjoy the ride over the moor. Town riding was good, and travelling any longer distance was as good as any other 125cc bike, but a lot more comfortable than most due to the excellent saddle and riding position.

I only got rid of it once I’d passed my test and wanted something bigger. I really wish they’d bring out a 400cc or larger version. The Suzuki I ride now is a lot faster, but it’s not as reliable. Parts are cheap, very cheap. I bought a front brake disk for the Suzuki and it cost me £120 for the Pioneer it is less than £30.

Now that’s value. I’ve posted a few of the spec below, but to view a fuller spec sheet take a look at the www.chinesemotorcycledealers.co.uk website.

4 Stroke
Air Cooled
124cc
90kph
11.12bhp@9,500rpm
Clutch Type: wet type,multi-plate
Chain
Electric / Kick Start
Tank Capacity: 14litres
Front Brake: Hydraulic Disc
Rear Brake: Drum
Max Load: 160kg
Seat Height: 720mm
Wheelbase: 1400mm
Ground Clearence: 150mm
Weight: 168kg

Single Cylinder,

Chinese Bikes In Devon Press

southcoastbiker — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:24:30 +0000

The Midweek Herald newspaper, which covers Axminster and the surrounding area in Devon, carried a story about the advantages of using two wheels and the attraction of the Chinese motorcycles and scooters over their more expensive rivals.

OK, it was written by yours truly. But at least the message is slowly getting out there that the Chinese made motors have improved their effeciency and their reliability.

New bikes on the streets

southcoastbiker — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:02:21 +0000

China, the fastest growing economy on the planet, is now one of the largest producers of motorbikes on Earth. Whilst many bikers in the UK still opt for the fantastically reliable Japanese bikes such as Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha, it is the Chinese Manufacturers who will dominate the market in the not to distant future.

We aim to cover the story of this growth and review some of the best bikes from the People’s Republic to hit UK streets. Whilst some readers may question the need for this site, the truth is that what Japan, Italy, the UK and the USA have been producing and mastering in the 20th Century, the Chinese are copying, mastering and improving now.

The reliability of machines such as the Jinlun Marauder and it’s relatives is improving month by month, the other appealing thing about them is they are cheap. Sure there are hiccups, there are with any mass produced product, but all in all the bikes are becoming better. And like all bikers, those who own a Chinese biker are just as likely to customise, decorate or strip them down as any other group of bikers.

Keep your eyes peeled. That bike passing you in your car may look like a Harley, Honda or whatever, but it’s becoming more and more likely it is of Chinese manufacture.

Watch this space!