2009 Honda CRF230M vs. 2009 QLINK XF200

[Kenneth_Moore]

That's a very interesting story. I worked briefly for a company that was building yachts in China; it was a nightmare. The prices were cheap, no doubt. But the schedules were a joke, you had to QA everything constantly, and the workers were treated like a box of sandpaper; use them up and toss them aside. The owner of the company spent 9 months there trying to get 3 boats built; he gave up and moved the construction to Canada. The cost to build went up, but the resulting product was delivered on time and was of high quality.

Maybe for some people buying 2 bikes for the price of one is attractive, but I'd rather have one great bike than 2 mediocre ones. Most of the Chinese bikes I've seen for sale are at parts stores and discount houses; are you going to ask the cashier to troubleshoot the electrical system? Maybe someday China will be a player, but for now, I'll stick with my impression that QLink is a cheap, disposable bike.

[oengus]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

That's a very interesting story. I worked briefly for a company that was building yachts in China; it was a nightmare. The prices were cheap, no doubt. But the schedules were a joke, you had to QA everything constantly, and the workers were treated like a box of sandpaper; use them up and toss them aside. The owner of the company spent 9 months there trying to get 3 boats built; he gave up and moved the construction to Canada. The cost to build went up, but the resulting product was delivered on time and was of high quality.

Maybe for some people buying 2 bikes for the price of one is attractive, but I'd rather have one great bike than 2 mediocre ones. Most of the Chinese bikes I've seen for sale are at parts stores and discount houses; are you going to ask the cashier to troubleshoot the electrical system? Maybe someday China will be a player, but for now, I'll stick with my impression that QLink is a cheap, disposable bike.

Don't all motorcycle have a life span? Unless they are a garage trophy. That being the case all bikes are disposable, the CRF230 will not last for ever either.

If you use the two for one analogy…which is silly then you are actually doubling the life on a Chinese bike which mean it is disposable in that you can just buy another in three or four years.

I have a qlink XP200 and with 2000km on it and I fairly sure its going to go another 2000km more then likely over that before the 48 month warranty expires. Maybe after that its all down hill? It is possible that it wears out after 2400miles are on it? Its also possible that at 2400 miles I drain the tank and coat the frame with grease and it shows up on Craigslist in 2028? Like new with only 2400 miles? I suppose the tires will dry rot by then…..you know some idiots are claiming the bike get dry rot in a year….thats rubbish I have one its all supple and the bikes a 2008.

Its a perception from actual owners against impressions of people that are biased and that’s actually imagination.

[oengus]

Point is ask people that own them about them, the others opinions are useless.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by CrazyCarl

Ken,

The limb your on is not too long.

I lived in China for five years and had the chance to do some extended solo rides in China's mind blowing (literally) Western regions. Just before China, I rode a Bandit 1200S and after covering several thousands of miles on 150cc bikes across outrageous terrains, it became apparent to me that it's the rider, not the ride.

Many of the best things in life are simple and, in a place like the North America, are also the easiest and first to get taken for granted. I've put some serious miles and history on the QingQi (Qlink, whatever) 200's and can attest for their reliability and build quality. I was sponsored by the company (they loaned me a bike to ride) at the beginning of 2008. I've seen their factory and talked with their upper level management. Having visited three other major manufacturers, I can probably say QingQi (said: ChingChee) has the most consistent quality. I remember visiting the Jialing factory and seeing a lady at the end of the assembly line marking the rear suspension mounting nuts for torque. She would only check one side and then mark BOTH as torqued!

QingQi produces the Suzuki DR200's (no BS)and their greatest fault is they remain a bit conservative/cautious on the design side of things. Other manufacturers are coming out with 400's while QingQi is now finalizing a 250 engine in the same basic frame.

That said, I am not in their pocket or anything like that. I do communicate with the manufacturer on occasion but the real interest in their bikes is the belief that they are fundamentally good products at a great price. Think about it, you can get 2 QingQi 200 bikes in either motard or daul-sport trim.(which look better in my opinion) for the price of one, nearly identical DR200. What's not to like?

The main issue in the NA market is people tend to be bigger than developing nations and travel at higher speeds which requires larger engines so small bikes are labeled as "beginner" or "toy" bikes. To put things in perspective, the amount of motorcycle riders in all of North America (and maybe Europe as well) would be absolutely dwarfed by the amount of riders in, lets say, India who ride 150 and under bikes as necessary means of cheap, quick and convenient transport every day. To these riders, a 200cc like the QingQi is a kind of dream come true and a great opportunity for them to enjoy slightly more modern equipment that's more reliable and, at the same time, affordable.

While to us in NA, a bike like this may seem insignificant, millions upon millions of other riders in the world are seeing the explosion of a whole new world of transportation opportunities and I find it only proper to consider the impact of this emerging market segment on their lives.

At the end of the day, there's a lot appreciate about every bike and every rider, whether or not we make like them. Rich, poor, tall, short, fat, skinny, man, woman, no matter where I've gone in the world it's the people who have the least who are willing to give them most and take little for granted.

These "simple" people with their "disposable" motorcycles have made more of an impact in my life than any amount of beer swilling, mid-life crisis, frat brother with cash, incessantly espousing how great their BMW or KTM is and how everything else is crap. For all their tough guy, know it all, holier than thou attitudes, they can't even pick up the pig of a bike by themselves and would be totally helpless if they ever found themselves truly isolated in an unfamiliar hostile environment...read as: dead meat.

I know not all BMW or KTM riders are like that (some of my good friends ride BMW's) but, to be honest, that's where I see this kind of shoddy attitude the most. It does get to me because of the sheer ignorance and bigotry which I feel is entirely unnecessary and, what's more, unproductive to the motorcycle industry as a whole both at home and abroad. To me - in an ideal world - a rider should know better.

C

Interesting stuff, Carl. Keep it coming - the China/motorcycle story is fascinating.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by oengus

Don't all motorcycle have a life span? Unless they are a garage trophy. That being the case all bikes are disposable, the CRF230 will not last for ever either.

If you use the two for one analogy…which is silly then you are actually doubling the life on a Chinese bike which mean it is disposable in that you can just buy another in three or four years.

I have a qlink XP200 and with 2000km on it and I fairly sure its going to go another 2000km more then likely over that before the 48 month warranty expires. Maybe after that its all down hill? It is possible that it wears out after 2400miles are on it? Its also possible that at 2400 miles I drain the tank and coat the frame with grease and it shows up on Craigslist in 2028? Like new with only 2400 miles? I suppose the tires will dry rot by then…..you know some idiots are claiming the bike get dry rot in a year….thats rubbish I have one its all supple and the bikes a 2008.

Its a perception from actual owners against impressions of people that are biased and that’s actually imagination.

I think the point is we all already know the Honda will last for decades - they've proven that over the past 50 years. But we don't have long-term experience with Qingq, so its long-term durability and reliability are also unknown.

It's fair to say that a Honda will likely outlive a similarly treated Qingqi, and I'll bet Qingqi would agree with that.