How do they not compete with them if they are sourcing or getting them made in China .as has been said they will gladly get them made in China but they would drop the prices .
The best Chinese bike yet?
- Thread starter longdog
- Start date
In very brief summary, Euro/Japanese manufacturers cannot simply get whole machines made in China and import them worldwide without attracting tariffs. In particular, the EU have strict 'origin' rules but so do the majority of the countries that are their markets. Machines made in China by Chinese companies are currently low priced in the UK because of low tariffs but the government is very likely to raise these in the not too distant future. As you can imagine, the EU/UK motor industry is continually lobbying their respective representatives to restrict Chinese imports by increasing tariffs to preserve their workforces and profits.
I have a running discussion with a friend of mine who compares it to the Japanese imports in the 60s/70s. It's different. There is a lot of politics involved and I really don't want to waste my time giving my opinion. As my Old Dad used to say, 'Opinions are like arseholes; everybody's got one'.
Last edited:
The best thing is for anyone who has had a Chinese manufacturer bike and had it for more than a year or two and covered 15-20k + to post reliability and consumables/warranty back up... They're the bits that matter. Some popular cheaper car Cos out there have had problems supplying parts leaving vehicles with longer term down time than should be expected...
Last edited:
Might be good to limit percentage of vehicle must be manufactured in country they hope to sell in.In very brief summary, Euro/Japanese manufacturers cannot simply get whole machines made in China and import them worldwide without attracting tariffs. In particular, the EU have strict 'origin' rules but so do the majority of the countries that are their markets. Machines made in China by Chinese companies are currently low priced in the UK because of low tariffs but the government is very likely to raise these in the not too distant future. As you can imagine, the EU/UK motor industry is continually lobbying their respective representatives to restrict Chinese imports by increasing tariffs to preserve their workforces and profits.
I have a running discussion with a friend of mine who compares it to the Japanese imports in the 60s/70s. It's different. There is a lot of politics involved and I really don't want to waste my time giving my opinion. As my Old Dad used to say, 'Opinions are like arseholes; everybody's got one'.
Then possibly make manufacturers state how much cheaper they can produce them in China and adjust their prices .I mean why should they charge the same price if it was made in Germany or whatever home country if they can gouge the consumer when it’s made elsewhere.
Price control. Welcome to a Marxist Leninist world. Add it to the Five Year Plan, comrade, then shoot him.
went for a test ride on one of these yesterday, this is my view coming from a a lifetime of riding many many inline four motorcycles, did not suit me at all, but nothing wrong with the bike just me being used to big four cylinder bikes, so what did i like, quick shifter worked well, suspension very good i was one and a half up (big gal on back) , smooth engine at speed 70mph plus, every gadget you could name on the bike worked well, clear and informative display, for the 3 hrs i was on it it was very comfy for both of us, very little vibration, handled well enough , brakes were very good,
Make of this what you will its just my opinion and like ars-----s we all have one.
What i didnt like was how noisy (mechanicaly ) the engine was, also very very noisy from wind buffeting no matter where the position of the screen was set,
Make of this what you will its just my opinion and like ars-----s we all have one.
What i didnt like was how noisy (mechanicaly ) the engine was, also very very noisy from wind buffeting no matter where the position of the screen was set,
Last edited:
That’s a good summary, Lee.
I am a firm believer that a lot of test rides are too short a duration, especially when it comes to a different engine configuration.
I was always lucky that BMW, Park Lane let me have ‘test bikes’ for an extended period, not least as they let me run some bikes in for them. Likewise, a small Honda dealership in Stanford le Hope. The Royal Enfield dealership (again a small place) is just the same, as they let me take a bike out all day.
With the plethora of ‘Adjust this, adjust that’ now available electronically, nobody is going to learn too much in 20 minutes, I guess…. Especially if that 20 minutes, starts and ends on Park Lane,,W1. It took me to about Colchester on the B roads to ‘understand’ the K1600, way back in 2011 or whenever it was.
I am a firm believer that a lot of test rides are too short a duration, especially when it comes to a different engine configuration.
I was always lucky that BMW, Park Lane let me have ‘test bikes’ for an extended period, not least as they let me run some bikes in for them. Likewise, a small Honda dealership in Stanford le Hope. The Royal Enfield dealership (again a small place) is just the same, as they let me take a bike out all day.
With the plethora of ‘Adjust this, adjust that’ now available electronically, nobody is going to learn too much in 20 minutes, I guess…. Especially if that 20 minutes, starts and ends on Park Lane,,W1. It took me to about Colchester on the B roads to ‘understand’ the K1600, way back in 2011 or whenever it was.
Last edited:
An increase in the tariffs by the government looks very likely and this will test the appetite of buyers for these cars/bikes. It will also reveal the extent of the manufacturers warranty/servicing and spares commitment to franchised dealers. I suspect they are a bit nervous.
I am still traumatised from Lancia pulling out of the UK in 1992 and leaving me with a Delta that I couldn't get spares for, including service items.
I am still traumatised from Lancia pulling out of the UK in 1992 and leaving me with a Delta that I couldn't get spares for, including service items.
Agree completely. It was one of the reasons I hired a 1300 in Romania, as opposed to any other BMW. The others had 900 GSs.
And back to the original topic of this thread
i must admit the blue colour is stunning in the flesh imo.
Similar threads
