That is true, the Chinese quad has changed the affordable, entry-level machine. I did have a Honda 3 wheeler too. No suspension, and huge tires. I remember the sound of the tires on asphalt when you slowed and turned. WOH WOH WOH... I tore that apart because it smoked so bad. I got it running again but, it still smoked. lol. I had mechanical ability but, no experience or anyone to teach me.

You're right about not wanting to get our hands dirty. Living in farm country most of my life, migrant workers have always been a fact of life. I grew up working in the peach and apple orchards, right alongside them. There weren't enough native-born locals to do it. It was the only work available to young kids at that time in that area. I was happy to make money. Today you'd be hard pressed to find a teenager who is willing to spend 8-12 hours in a field picking or tending crops. The pay sucks [if it didn't, we'd be spending $10 for a head of lettuce] and most kids are too lazy, or think they are above it.

As a contractor when I showed up at the [eg;] Home Depot at 6am, there would be 10 or 12 Mexicans [or El Slavadorian or Guatemalans] looking for per diem work. Happy with $10/hour and 10 or 12 hours of work. Never did I see an out of work local kid ask me for a job. If they did, they wanted $20/hr with little or no experience, and no tools or transportation. That mentality is almost epidemic. We have rewarded mediocrity for so long that, like the welfare system, it's become ingrained into a generational mindset.

That is my hope for this "economic downturn" [I love the BS terminology these days...a plate of crap is a plate of crap] is going to teach us all that the base to making a comfortable life requires hard work. We can't have it both ways. If we want to scream and yell about Mexicans "taking all the jobs" then we have to show up in that farm field at 5am and get pickin' or pick up that leaf blower and get blowin'.

Alright, my "high horse" is getting tired from me being up here...lol

Merry Christmas.

 

I'm all shifty-eyed and guilty now having ordered one of these little Chinese kid eaters.. I wonder if Child Protective Services is automatically notified of any 'import ATV' orders?

Joel

 

I'm not sure if they're automatically notified or not but, I sure as hell called them...

You're a BAAAAD parent, Joel...a bad parent.

Merry Christmas.
[from an equally bad parent...lol]

 

I can connect it.....and dont be so fast to come out of hiding just yet.

Polaris doesnt make their mini-quads, they are made for them in either China or Taiwan....cant remember which.

.....see we came about full circle again.

I occasionally see cheap mini-Polaris 90s around here....but usually in the $900 range......$600 would be a steal if it doesnt have serious problems.

 

You if we were smart we'd make a up funny "I'm a chinese atv owner.. and I'm ok with!" T shirt and sell them online lol!!

 

There's not much made here anyway.

There are allot of people out there who have no idea how to do the most basic maintenance on these things. They're the ones who sometimes dump it cheap because they think a clogged jet or bad spark plug is something worse and don't want to spend the money at a shop. Hopefully this guy still has it after tomorrow. I doubt this would happen before then with Christmas at hand. Who knows...

Merry Christmas.

 

I am happy for you. It's great when you get as much joy in giving as your son gets a new atv!!

As to nobody getting their hands dirty anymore, it's called the new services economy, taking specialization to the max. Everyone kills themselves doing the most specialized, most productive work, getting paid, then because you have no time, you turn around and pay others to get everything you could do but don't have any time to do to get done. This worked fine while people spent more than they made to float a nice lifestyle. Now I guess as long as you can write out less than you bring in you have made it in America!

Merry Xmas y'all! Wishing you a safe and happy holiday and any good riding is even better!

 

Christmas started at 0345 this morning. My wife works today so we wanted to have Christmas early. We were planning for 5... Oh well. Hooking up a Wii at 0430 is really something...lol

Merry Christmas.

 

Phew... been down that (early) road before. That's the time I get up when on the 5am-5pm shift. Today I'm on the 5p-5a, but I'm happy to do it because of the Holiday pay. Merry Christmas!

Joel

 

Just part of the joy of dealing with Chinese suppliers...Some of the shocks had great damping characteristics...some didnt...ALL of therm looked the same.. part of my Chinese form before function thoughts..