Is a chinese off brand atv or motorcycle for you?
Are off brand pit bikes and atvs are for you?
If your thinking of buying a Chinese made atv or motorcycle (pit bike) read this first.
Originally published for ATV Magazine
January 13, 2009 by Jon Rhodig (read my bio here)
Chinese branded (off brand) atvs are increasingly becoming a legitimate part of the power sports market now, but are they right for you?
This topic brings up a lot of opinions among ATV/motorcycle enthusiasts on forums and general conversations. Most people form those opinions based not on personal experience, but out right hear-say and just general perceptions either directly or indirectly of any foreign made products harbor inaccurate information. In this article I am going to take a look at what Chinese “off brand” atvs and pit bikes, are and are not, as well as give some tips should you decide to purchase one. What follows are some generalizations about “off brand” atvs and pit bikes. It must be noted that even with the established brands you cannot make blanket statements about any brand, what follows are some basic things to expect when purchasing one of these type of machines.
Originally published for ATV Magazine
January 13, 2009 by Jon Rhodig (read my bio here)
Chinese branded (off brand) atvs are increasingly becoming a legitimate part of the power sports market now, but are they right for you?
This topic brings up a lot of opinions among ATV/motorcycle enthusiasts on forums and general conversations. Most people form those opinions based not on personal experience, but out right hear-say and just general perceptions either directly or indirectly of any foreign made products harbor inaccurate information. In this article I am going to take a look at what Chinese “off brand” atvs and pit bikes, are and are not, as well as give some tips should you decide to purchase one. What follows are some generalizations about “off brand” atvs and pit bikes. It must be noted that even with the established brands you cannot make blanket statements about any brand, what follows are some basic things to expect when purchasing one of these type of machines.
Looking for repair tips or specifications for your "off brand", Chinese ATV or motorcycle? Look here.
What a Chinese off brand atv IS:
A Chinese “off brand” atv or pit bike is a inexpensive form of 2 or 4 wheeled recreation. Off brand atvs are built to the specific brands (or importers) specs by a factory in China. It is rare that “Brand X” actually owns the factory and tooling for their own machine, thus two competing brands could actually be made in the same factory. A good example of this in the USA is with air and oil filters, most brands are built in the exact same factory as their competitor, just to their brands own specs. Chinese atvs and pit bikes usually use either Lifan, Jialing or Zongshen (and other makes) air cooled engines that are loosely based off of older Japanese manufactures tooling and design. Some do use water cooled engines that are proprietary to the respective engine builders. One myth is that they are exact copies. This is false, while sometimes dimensionally the same with the motor mounts of say an Honda XR250 motor for example, usually the internals are slightly different or redesigned for different performance characteristics. The frames of the machines are generally one-off, meaning they are totally built to the importers (brands) specs and rarely are exact copies of any Japanese brand. In some cases the Chinese frame geometry/suspension, especially in the youth atvs, it is a superior design (link-aged or dual A-arm) versus some of the top brands that might use single “Y” arms and link-less suspension. Plastic/ergonomics/aesthetics are usually totally unique to the importers (brands) specs and are purely subjective.
What a Chinese off brand atv IS NOT:
A Chinese “off brand” atv is not a high performance machine. None of the currently produced machines on the market that I have seen would I even remotely consider a “race” or “competition” machine. They also are not designed for intense abuse such as big jumps, motocross, or deep mud. A Chinese atv is not a dealer prepped machine, meaning the purchaser (you) IS the sole person responsible for doing the proper set up and break-in of the machine. This is the #1 reason most new riders/owners of these machines have problems from the start. This is usually the source of the bad reputation these things get (sometimes rightly so). More on that later.
Who is an ideal candidate for a Chinese off brand atv?
Chinese atvs are definitely NOT for everyone because they cannot be directly compared to the other major (Japanese/Euro) brands out there with their vast dealer networks (thus more overhead resulting in a higher sell price). The ideal candidate for buying one of these machines are as follows. Preferably the consumer should have at least some experience with atvs or motorcycles as in all the “hidden” costs of ownership. The consumer should have a decent amount of basic mechanical knowledge of the different systems of an atv or motorcycle. For example, fuel, air, ignition systems, proper brake system maintenance. The consumer should also have some universal problem solving and technical knowledge of the different systems related to an atv/motorcycle. And the last thing, the consumer should have sufficient funding to purchase the atv outright without financing or having to carry it on a credit card. Also if the consumer is the type of person that needs dealer maintenance or warranty programs a Chinese atv is definitely not a good choice. Think of Chinese atv and pit bikes as machines sold as-is no warranty, even if the distributor expresses one. It should go without saying but used a Chinese atv or motorcycle should not be considered unless the buyer is ready for the previous (mechanically challenged) owners mistakes. Bottom line if if you have little to no mechanical knowledge, do not buy one of these machines, especially used.
Where, How, and what to expect.
If you have read this far and still think a Chinese atv is something to add to your stable, here is what to expect as well as some tips when buying one.
First off its rare to drive down the street and find a “dealer” for the particular brand and model your looking for. Most atvs are sold through online storefronts rather than brick and mortar type dealers. Probably the more accurate term would be distributors rather than dealers, as they predominantly just distribute rather than setup and prep machines for customer pickup like a traditional dealer would. Stay away from the machines sold at the corner gas station or truck stop, unless you understand that those places will not service after the sale.
If you simply type in Chinese atv or pit bike in a google search you will get thousands of links on where to buy and manufactures. How do you choose one? Well before you just click the first link on the page its time to do some homework. There are many good forums and forum members to get some information. Now one thing about forums is you have to know how to weed through the BS and general bashing to get into the meat of the reputable and unbiased information, but it can be found. A good place to start is a forum dedicated to Chinese motorcycles and atvs is ChinaRiders.net this is the best forum I have found that exclusively caters to information about these types of machines. Thumpertalk.com is also a great site for general and specific information all about motorcycling and atvs on the internet.
Finding a dealer/Distributor
After you have done some online research or got some word of mouth on some distributors of the atv you want it is best to contact these dealers/distributors and ask them questions. This is where I strongly recommend using the telephone and speak to a live person (skip the email). This can be your first tell if the online dealer/distributor that you intend to buy from has some integrity. First off if you have a hard time getting through to a live person this should be your first tip that maybe you should think twice about that dealer. If you get through to a person ask as many questions about the machine, their shipping policy, their support both technical and parts supply or access to that parts supply. I would also recommend calling a few times just to check the reliability of their phone contact to get a better sense of how they operate. Generally speaking online dealers want your business and if their phone presence is consistent and they inspire confidence you have probably found a good dealer. As a matter of fact the above information is good practice anytime you deal with an online vendor or store.
Order process
The order process will be similar to any other online vendor usually, nothing too different here. The main thing to remember is almost all online retailers drop ship the atv or pit bike from a warehouse so this means they had no part in the packaging of the shipment. Good dealers will take care of any (noted on the BOL, bill of lading, at the time of delivery) damage promptly.
Most atvs or pit bikes purchased online will be drop shipped right to your door so you will need to be at the delivery location at the time of delivery. Usually they are delivered via truck freight with a lift gate trailer and will require a signature for delivery. The online vendor has no control of the shipment process, so direct your criticism to the appropriate freight carrier about delivery time issues.
Receiving your atv
Since your new atv will be drop shipped to your home or terminal, it will require you (the consumer) to do the assembly, setup and pre-ride checks that are normally done by a brick and mortar dealer. Again this is the source of where most problems in the future start, improper assembly, setup and checks. This is where I strongly suggest if you have little or no mechanical knowledge or experience with maintaining atvs and motorcycles that you DO NOT purchase a Chinese atv. Honestly this is where people get a bad taste in their mouths with Chinese atvs and pit bikes because they get to see the product in the raw before a dealer has prepped it for the showroom and I think this is where the disillusioning happens. Most people don’t realize that your local (insert Japanese brand) dealer receives their machines in less than showroom condition and their mechanics fix assemble and prep the machines so they are ready to ride and are presentable on a showroom floor. With dropped shipped machines this is impossible for obvious reasons.
Summary
I could go into great detail on what to look for as far as a quality machine ect… but it varies so greatly and the information is so broad that it just would not fit well into an article. Chinese atvs and pit bikes make the perfect “spare machine”. You know, the time when your buddy brings a friend and he wants to ride, but has nothing to ride. They also are a great way to get women and children a taste of the sport before you dump a lot of money into an expensive (Japanese) machine, only to have them lose interest after a year. I find that most people get the wrong impression of Chinese pit bikes and atvs mostly because they have unrealistic expectations of either the performance or the dealers/distributors themselves. Also there is a lot of false information spewed by people that have never had or never even owned, ridden or even physically seen some of these pit bikes and atvs. Those people just assume every machine is a piece of junk.
I will say however that the quality and performance of these machines vary so greatly that its impossible to make any broad generalizations about the quality of one machine over another. In my experience I have seen and ridden some really good machines as well as some really terrible ones. Bottom line is they are inexpensive and disposable with little or no re-sale value. Probably the biggest tip of all is do not buy a Chinese off brand pit bike or atv used, it is tempting but you usually end up with more headaches in the long run. Do your homework, choose a great dealer/distributor and a Chinese pit bike or atv can be a good value provided its used in the context in which it was designed. If you liked this article please share or comment. No need to register to comment!
A Chinese “off brand” atv or pit bike is a inexpensive form of 2 or 4 wheeled recreation. Off brand atvs are built to the specific brands (or importers) specs by a factory in China. It is rare that “Brand X” actually owns the factory and tooling for their own machine, thus two competing brands could actually be made in the same factory. A good example of this in the USA is with air and oil filters, most brands are built in the exact same factory as their competitor, just to their brands own specs. Chinese atvs and pit bikes usually use either Lifan, Jialing or Zongshen (and other makes) air cooled engines that are loosely based off of older Japanese manufactures tooling and design. Some do use water cooled engines that are proprietary to the respective engine builders. One myth is that they are exact copies. This is false, while sometimes dimensionally the same with the motor mounts of say an Honda XR250 motor for example, usually the internals are slightly different or redesigned for different performance characteristics. The frames of the machines are generally one-off, meaning they are totally built to the importers (brands) specs and rarely are exact copies of any Japanese brand. In some cases the Chinese frame geometry/suspension, especially in the youth atvs, it is a superior design (link-aged or dual A-arm) versus some of the top brands that might use single “Y” arms and link-less suspension. Plastic/ergonomics/aesthetics are usually totally unique to the importers (brands) specs and are purely subjective.
What a Chinese off brand atv IS NOT:
A Chinese “off brand” atv is not a high performance machine. None of the currently produced machines on the market that I have seen would I even remotely consider a “race” or “competition” machine. They also are not designed for intense abuse such as big jumps, motocross, or deep mud. A Chinese atv is not a dealer prepped machine, meaning the purchaser (you) IS the sole person responsible for doing the proper set up and break-in of the machine. This is the #1 reason most new riders/owners of these machines have problems from the start. This is usually the source of the bad reputation these things get (sometimes rightly so). More on that later.
Who is an ideal candidate for a Chinese off brand atv?
Chinese atvs are definitely NOT for everyone because they cannot be directly compared to the other major (Japanese/Euro) brands out there with their vast dealer networks (thus more overhead resulting in a higher sell price). The ideal candidate for buying one of these machines are as follows. Preferably the consumer should have at least some experience with atvs or motorcycles as in all the “hidden” costs of ownership. The consumer should have a decent amount of basic mechanical knowledge of the different systems of an atv or motorcycle. For example, fuel, air, ignition systems, proper brake system maintenance. The consumer should also have some universal problem solving and technical knowledge of the different systems related to an atv/motorcycle. And the last thing, the consumer should have sufficient funding to purchase the atv outright without financing or having to carry it on a credit card. Also if the consumer is the type of person that needs dealer maintenance or warranty programs a Chinese atv is definitely not a good choice. Think of Chinese atv and pit bikes as machines sold as-is no warranty, even if the distributor expresses one. It should go without saying but used a Chinese atv or motorcycle should not be considered unless the buyer is ready for the previous (mechanically challenged) owners mistakes. Bottom line if if you have little to no mechanical knowledge, do not buy one of these machines, especially used.
Where, How, and what to expect.
If you have read this far and still think a Chinese atv is something to add to your stable, here is what to expect as well as some tips when buying one.
First off its rare to drive down the street and find a “dealer” for the particular brand and model your looking for. Most atvs are sold through online storefronts rather than brick and mortar type dealers. Probably the more accurate term would be distributors rather than dealers, as they predominantly just distribute rather than setup and prep machines for customer pickup like a traditional dealer would. Stay away from the machines sold at the corner gas station or truck stop, unless you understand that those places will not service after the sale.
If you simply type in Chinese atv or pit bike in a google search you will get thousands of links on where to buy and manufactures. How do you choose one? Well before you just click the first link on the page its time to do some homework. There are many good forums and forum members to get some information. Now one thing about forums is you have to know how to weed through the BS and general bashing to get into the meat of the reputable and unbiased information, but it can be found. A good place to start is a forum dedicated to Chinese motorcycles and atvs is ChinaRiders.net this is the best forum I have found that exclusively caters to information about these types of machines. Thumpertalk.com is also a great site for general and specific information all about motorcycling and atvs on the internet.
Finding a dealer/Distributor
After you have done some online research or got some word of mouth on some distributors of the atv you want it is best to contact these dealers/distributors and ask them questions. This is where I strongly recommend using the telephone and speak to a live person (skip the email). This can be your first tell if the online dealer/distributor that you intend to buy from has some integrity. First off if you have a hard time getting through to a live person this should be your first tip that maybe you should think twice about that dealer. If you get through to a person ask as many questions about the machine, their shipping policy, their support both technical and parts supply or access to that parts supply. I would also recommend calling a few times just to check the reliability of their phone contact to get a better sense of how they operate. Generally speaking online dealers want your business and if their phone presence is consistent and they inspire confidence you have probably found a good dealer. As a matter of fact the above information is good practice anytime you deal with an online vendor or store.
Order process
The order process will be similar to any other online vendor usually, nothing too different here. The main thing to remember is almost all online retailers drop ship the atv or pit bike from a warehouse so this means they had no part in the packaging of the shipment. Good dealers will take care of any (noted on the BOL, bill of lading, at the time of delivery) damage promptly.
Most atvs or pit bikes purchased online will be drop shipped right to your door so you will need to be at the delivery location at the time of delivery. Usually they are delivered via truck freight with a lift gate trailer and will require a signature for delivery. The online vendor has no control of the shipment process, so direct your criticism to the appropriate freight carrier about delivery time issues.
Receiving your atv
Since your new atv will be drop shipped to your home or terminal, it will require you (the consumer) to do the assembly, setup and pre-ride checks that are normally done by a brick and mortar dealer. Again this is the source of where most problems in the future start, improper assembly, setup and checks. This is where I strongly suggest if you have little or no mechanical knowledge or experience with maintaining atvs and motorcycles that you DO NOT purchase a Chinese atv. Honestly this is where people get a bad taste in their mouths with Chinese atvs and pit bikes because they get to see the product in the raw before a dealer has prepped it for the showroom and I think this is where the disillusioning happens. Most people don’t realize that your local (insert Japanese brand) dealer receives their machines in less than showroom condition and their mechanics fix assemble and prep the machines so they are ready to ride and are presentable on a showroom floor. With dropped shipped machines this is impossible for obvious reasons.
Summary
I could go into great detail on what to look for as far as a quality machine ect… but it varies so greatly and the information is so broad that it just would not fit well into an article. Chinese atvs and pit bikes make the perfect “spare machine”. You know, the time when your buddy brings a friend and he wants to ride, but has nothing to ride. They also are a great way to get women and children a taste of the sport before you dump a lot of money into an expensive (Japanese) machine, only to have them lose interest after a year. I find that most people get the wrong impression of Chinese pit bikes and atvs mostly because they have unrealistic expectations of either the performance or the dealers/distributors themselves. Also there is a lot of false information spewed by people that have never had or never even owned, ridden or even physically seen some of these pit bikes and atvs. Those people just assume every machine is a piece of junk.
I will say however that the quality and performance of these machines vary so greatly that its impossible to make any broad generalizations about the quality of one machine over another. In my experience I have seen and ridden some really good machines as well as some really terrible ones. Bottom line is they are inexpensive and disposable with little or no re-sale value. Probably the biggest tip of all is do not buy a Chinese off brand pit bike or atv used, it is tempting but you usually end up with more headaches in the long run. Do your homework, choose a great dealer/distributor and a Chinese pit bike or atv can be a good value provided its used in the context in which it was designed. If you liked this article please share or comment. No need to register to comment!
Example of a Chinese (Honda CRF/XR50 clone) pit bike
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Example of a Chinese (450cc clone) sport ATV
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Check out the video pages for interesting videos and informative "How To motorcycle repair" videos. Videos that will help you get your motorcycle or ATV up and running great in no time. The techniques found in the videos can apply to your used Chinese atv or motorcycle. Don't forget to check out all my projects like my BARN FRESH motorcycle restoration or my "F9 project performance build" lots of tips and tricks that can be applied to any motorcycle or ATV. As a matter of fact Chinese or off brand ATV and motorcycles are like working on vintage bikes with obsolete parts, sometimes they require some creativity and ingenuity to make them more reliable. Leave a COMMENT if you like.