[Bike Novice] Is this any good?

zuutroy

First post here. The European equivalent of Walmart down the road from me is selling this:


The girlfriend has always wanted a bike and I think this might be a good starter, and you can ride it with a 'B' License over here. It's made in China which I'm wary of and I think it might be hard to get parts. Is that a major issue with such bikes? Any advice is much appreciated.

Oryx

Some (not all) of that type of Chinese import are very poorly made. And parts can be a huge problem. They copy jap models, Ive heard of people being told the bikes have honda/suzuki/yamaha engines, (they dont) but mostly the corresponding jap replacement parts wont suit.

It would depend on the backup offered by the store.

zuutroy

I've read a bit and basically the store wash their hands of it when its sold, but the importer offers 2 years parts and labour, with most parts in stock and a 2 week turnaround if not...Sounds fishy alright, but the price is so tempting!

Idleater

zuutroy wrote:

The girlfriend has always wanted a bike and I think this might be a good starter,

put it to you this way:

you pay the 1500 quid, and essentially tell yourself that it is a 100% write off - i.e. you will never get anything back on it if you try to sell it, and if it lasts you a year (which it will do if you change the oil and look after the moving parts) then you can use it to determine if you really want to get a bike.

I would not rely on such a bike.

Also as a point to note, do yourselves a huge favour and get proper gear. I know it's not "cool" but if you get into biking, decent gear will last you years and it will look vaguely cool, if not in fashion.

L.

subway

deear lord that it is one tacky looking piece of crap.
the platichrome and "paint" will last about 5 minutes.
as mentioned it will have zero resale value.

the only saving grace is that your on the mainland and taste counts for nothign over there imo
ive seen people driving some absolutely insane loooking things over there.
this means your alot less likely to be laughed off the road on it.

Avoid it like the plague. Go to a decent motorcycle dealer instead.

zuutroy

Thanks Lads, It actually looks OK in the flesh IMO, but maybe I've been watching too much OCC!

Hotblack Desiato

subway wrote:

as mentioned it will have zero resale value.

No, it won't. It will have negative resale value - the unfortunate owner will have to pay to get it taken away

OP, are you suuuure that you can ride it on a B licence, it's an A1 class bike, some countries allow mopeds on a B but I hadn't heard of any EU country allowing 125s on a car licence (at least, not without doing compulsory basic training, which kinda takes away from the point of not having to apply for a bike licence.)

the only saving grace is that your on the mainland and taste counts for nothign over there imo

Oh God yeah. It's laden with chromosexuals over there

OP. This is cheap tat of the worst order. Avoid! Would you seriously allow someone you love to trust their life to it? I wouldn't. Not even someone I didn't like much
You would be far better off putting the 1500 euro towards a good secondhand machine, there are plenty of good cheap bikes on the continent and age is far far kinder to a well looked-after bike than it is to a car.

Thinkingaboutit

1400 will get a reasonable secondhand machine. That said, a member on another forum (see here) has one, and has had no problems with it. Don't assume unreliability. However, rust could be an issue. If it the Pioneer Nevada under another name, it is a good choice.

subway

no problems after 500km!!!
that other post is taking the piss, tbh.
there is no way that bike has been voted best starter bike in the uk.
its not even listed on mcn for gods sake.

cheap, cheap, cheap chines tat,
and that lad is trying to offload it.

to agree with the fact that ninja900 seems to be agreeing with me on something for a change, , the fact that he has had that bike less than 500km and is prepared to take a 1400eu hit on it is a prime example of why not to buy one.

even if it never, ever, broke down,
would you really trust it with your life, or your lady's.
one cheap brake cable or half assed weld and your dead.

Thinkingaboutit

:mad:

I didn't see that mileage, but the Chinese bikes are okay if one keeps some WD40 handy. They run but they rust, but are cheap. Simply that.

Tigger

dont even think about it
get a rxs or a cg
joina club
joina club
joina club

zuutroy

Thanks for all the advice...didn't go near it in the end.

Tigger

what didja buy?

murphaph

ninja900 wrote:

You would be far better off putting the 1500 euro towards a good secondhand machine, there are plenty of good cheap bikes on the continent and age is far far kinder to a well looked-after bike than it is to a car.

Best advice yet. Plenty of hardly used summer bikes (nevver seen a drop od rain) available on the continent for feck all.

zuutroy

rbd wrote:

what didja buy?

nothing yet..!