Decent advice..

there are no lead gears?? It was in the paint and the Japanese were just as guilty..

 

Yes they sometime use the same dies for parts from Honda or Yamaha but the steel grade is not the same. Its like a $8 Snap On 3/4' Socket vs a $1 "made in India". Sure there both look the same but which on can you stand on.

Goes for everything else the stock axles on even a brand name ATVs are good but there not as good as Aftermarket "Gorillas" Why, because one uses G8 steel and other uses G5 the China probably uses G2.

Used G5 is still stronger the new G2.

I don,t know many people that can tell a $20 motorcycle chain from $120 RK chain.

People think China stuff is less exspensive because they pay workers 10 cents a day and pass it on to us, but they save because of the materials they use.

 

Charlie, I think you'll find the majority of China quad owners are in the kids sized, 150cc and under crowd. I pretty much mirror what everybody has advised. You don't need to be a master mechanic to own one, but at a minimum, you need to have the resources and desire to tinker and ability wrench a little bit. Your only technical resource is this site (and it's awesome). You don't for the most part have a dealer to lean on. I would spend $1200 on a good used name brand before I spent $1200 on a China quad. Problem in my area is, a junker of a used machine can run $1200.

Joel

 

It is really quite simple.

Big name brands are the most reliable and readily maintainable due to extensive dealer network for pasts and service.

As MWQ mentions with Chinese quad YOU become the dealer and I go as far as to say the MANUFACTURER in many cases as you are going to have to figure out what the actual parts are and find where to get them.

You WILL wrench more on a chinese atv than a Big name ATV.

A chinese ATV will not hold up as well as a Big Name brand given the same treatment. It is made of less quality parts and build througout.

Lastly, pricing difference vary over time depending on economic conditions. It was not long ago when you could find a clean used big name brand for the same price as a new chinese ATV. Guess what. Nearly all chinese atv businesses closed up. The choice is obvious in this case. You need to figure out yourself if you want/need to save more by buying a used chinese atv vs a used big name brand.

Do remember so of these posters are great mechanics can find the problem fast and fix it fast. Also they enjoy this sort of thing. You need to assess yourself on this one.

Good luck.

 

I agree with most on here. You do need to be able to turn a wrench. The engines on them are good and pretty reliable really. My wife has a yamaha bear tracker, and comparing it to my hensim 400 which is nearly identicle to a yamaha big bear 400 the quality is close to the same. As a matter of fact there's several parts I could take off the bear tracker and put on the hensim. Hensim is actually built by jianshe/yamaha which yamaha owns 40% of so that why the similarities. Comparing the frames and weld qualities they're the same other than the hensim is heavier built. The wiring is very similar also and the hensim has bearings in the steering shaft. The 2 run together well, but the hensim will run circles around the 250 bear tracker which is to be expected out of a 400 anyway.

On the lower end 1000.00 to 1200.00 dollar mic machines there is a big difference in quality compared to the same sized big 4. The ones we have have stood up well to some pretty tough trail riding. We havent beat on them but can't say they've been babied either, but I don't think I would ride any of the big 4 any different. My son in law has beat on the sunl 250 pretty hard at times and has only lost one bolt. Thats not to bad really when you add his 250lb body to it. On the toatoa 250Ds before we ever rode them, I went over all the bolts, changed the air filters to unifilters, installed good quality chains, put a smaller front sprocket on, and ngk plugs. And, of course changed out the shipping oil. They've gone thru alot of oil changes since that time and I have to say I've been impressed with them for what they cost. The seats on the lower end mics are very uncomfortable to sit on for any extended time. The plastics arent as good of quality as the big 4 either but there again, you get what you pay for. It's not bad, it's just not as good. The wiring lacks alot to be desired. To be honest, I pay close attention to eveything on them and go over them after every ride. That's something you'll have to consider also. My advantage over most is, I have dealer privledges with an unamed dealership, but I don't call myself a dealer and don't advertise. I did it so my fam could buy them at a better price. I have sold a couple to customers who come into my welding shop and asked about them. I assembled them for them and did all the prep work and so far they've been happy.

 

I agree you get what you pay for and not everything that looks the same is the "same". It has to be built to certain specs when it come to the metal for sure.

However when it comes to a lot of their little knock off engines they must be doing something right in that department as they do seem to stand up. Its always the everything around the engine people complain about.

 

This is true. Nearly every part that looks the same is made of inferior raw materials quality. As you keenly point out, the only difference between a part that goes to Honda vs one that goes to some local non-name atv builder from the same factory is the line with good raw material flows to Honda and the cheap materials go the other way.

 

Good grief I read the whole thread here now and see what aaronkelly is paying for his latest ATV's. All I can say if you guys can buy a good quad like a Honda 250ex that runs for $1275.00 don't waste your time on a Chinese quad. I paid double that for my 2005 250EX last spring and that was a deal. Hell I paid like $300 for new rear tires and you guys can buy the whole quad down south for like 1200!!! Those kind of prices I can see why the Chinese dealers have gone broke. I wonder how much the brand name dealers are hurting?? Like if the stuff's resale is so bad have they dropped their new prices??

 

I have a Honda dealership not far from me. The new stuff is marked msrp, but they will deal so I can't say what the OTD price would be. But I can say that I bought a 2003 Rancher in later 2007 used from them for 2300$. They had gone though the bike and it came with a warranty. I still own this bike today and the only fix I have done to date is replacing the rear wheel bearings and seals. (did myself @ 60.00 in parts)

But yes you can on a regular basis find a 2006 200ex in very good shape here for 1200-1800 depending on add on's ,tires ect.

Also the Chinese quads are real low mostly. I bought a 50 quad for my son that was garage kept, almost never used for 200.00. I just now am have a wiring problem with it, but with help here I figured it out quickly. I have seen the kids quads used for 150.00 good running condition. The bigger 110 -200cc ones for about 400.00 good running condition.

I can wrench, and actually am good at making my own fix's. The Chinese bikes are no Honda's by far, but they are decent with some know how. For their cost, again very decent, but you will need to wrench the bike.

My advise to someone in the market for a bike, would be this.......If you are not a good DIY with tools, engines ect., a Chinese bike may not be the best choice. Save your money & buy a new or used "big 4" But, if you happen to have a local shop that repairs the Chinese bikes & feel comfortable with that. Then by all means save some up front money on a Chinese bike. But, know that you will be paying the mechanic later.
My.02

 

It just the way it is , Once it leaves the show room floor its considered used and lost $1000 before you get it home and unloaded.

I now a girl who Won a new $9000 (Canadian after taxes) 660 Grizzly and she sold it right away without riding it once and the most she could get was $7000.

Buying new is for Guinea pigs. I bought a mint 3 year old 2004 4x4 f -150 with 13,000 miles for $25,000 Canadain, That truck new would of cost me $40,000 OTD. Some guy lost $15,000 just in only 3 years to drive 13k! It would of been cheaper to take a cab.