Motorbike and scooter owners.

[MarkF]

A close runner up to the SV650. Am loving the not quite painted rear wheel.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-1...198854?hash=item4dab497146:g:FNkAAOSwW21eqAbK

 

[Gunk]

 

[StuAff]

I just checked the DVLA info. It used to be blue, apparently.....that looks like one of those restoration projects that's really, really not worth the effort!

 

[Cavalol]

It needs 'restoring' with a gallon of unleaded and a box of matches.

 

[StuAff]

It needs 'restoring' with a gallon of unleaded and a box of matches.

Waste of fuel.....

 

[MarkF]

My work colleague showed me his Yamaha MT07 today, I've noticed it before, thinking "What farkwit never cleans or oils their chain"? He's in dispute with the dealer he bought it from and Yamaha, it's not even 18 months old but looks ready for the scrappers. Every bolt or fastener has furred, the swinging arm is just rust not much paint is left, the frame has also broken out in rust at every weld, only the plastics (of which there is a lot) look ok. It looks like a 20 year old commuter. I've noticed this with other UJM's too since the manufacturing moved to China/Thailand/India, no way can they cope with winter salted UK roads.

Not his but another MT07 swinging arm.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

🙈🙈

ACF50 💨

 

[Smudge]

Any bike will end up looking like a rusting hulk of crap if you dont look after it.

 

[a.twiddler]

My work colleague showed me his Yamaha MT07 today, I've noticed it before, thinking "What farkwit never cleans or oils their chain"? He's in dispute with the dealer he bought it from and Yamaha, it's not even 18 months old but looks ready for the scrappers. Every bolt or fastener has furred, the swinging arm is just rust not much paint is left, the frame has also broken out in rust at every weld, only the plastics (of which there is a lot) look ok. It looks like a 20 year old commuter. I've noticed this with other UJM's too since the manufacturing moved to China/Thailand/India, no way can they cope with winter salted UK roads.

Not his but another MT07 swinging arm.

View attachment 520695

Yes but if you paid good money for a new car you might take it to the car wash occasionally but wouldn't expect to spend hours cleaning it each week even if you used it for work, like you might have to with a bike, just to stop it turning into a heap of rust flakes.

Bike manufacturers seem to expect owners to be summer or fine weather riders nowadays and it seems some of them skimp on the frame finish. This is not a new thing, I have had bikes in the past which were rust prone. You can change fasteners but you have to keep on top of frame rust. Even non Japan made Hondas are not immune to poor finish issues.

In other ways a bike is not like a car. It demands more owner involvement but it shouldn't be because of a poor finish. Bikes aren't cheap, and if car manufacturers can offer a 10 year anti rust penetration guarantee, it surely isn't too much to ask of bike manufacturers to put a decent number of coats of paint on a frame? Owner neglect is one thing, but skimping on paint finish is quite another.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Much to the disgust, derision and scorn of the motorcycling fraternity here this week will see the delivery of a brand new Lexmoto Isca 125. £1500 OTR, two years warranty and a years breakdown cover. Buttons to insure and tax.

So, have Chinese bikes improved as much as the motorcycle press seem to think they have, or are they still unreliable money pits? I'll be totally honest about my experiences, watch this space!

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

No credible reason why it can't be a good reliable bike if looked after. It'll have a pattern engine also used in something else so parts availability shouldn't be lacking.

Seriously good value though

 

[StuAff]

Much to the disgust, derision and scorn of the motorcycling fraternity here this week will see the delivery of a brand new Lexmoto Isca 125. £1500 OTR, two years warranty and a years breakdown cover. Buttons to insure and tax.

So, have Chinese bikes improved as much as the motorcycle press seem to think they have, or are they still unreliable money pits? I'll be totally honest about my experiences, watch this space!

For that price, with that deal, worth a punt for sure...

 

[Smokin Joe]

For that price, with that deal, worth a punt for sure...

Got to be a better punt than the GPZ I bought in 2012. Nice clean looking little bike that turned out to be a complete dog. What could go wrong with it did, the Allan heads on most of the fasteners needed an impact driver to undo them, every other bolt I had to get off sheared their heads at the sight of a spanner, it leaked oil and water and the electrics worked when they felt like it, which wasn't often. I don't think I ever had the full complement of dials and lights etc all working at once. Not nice to ride either, below 6k it wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and a bike that needs to have the nuts revved off it all the time is just too much hard work.

 

[MarkF]

Much to the disgust, derision and scorn of the motorcycling fraternity here this week will see the delivery of a brand new Lexmoto Isca 125. £1500 OTR, two years warranty and a years breakdown cover. Buttons to insure and tax.

So, have Chinese bikes improved as much as the motorcycle press seem to think they have, or are they still unreliable money pits? I'll be totally honest about my experiences, watch this space!

Definitely no disgust, derision or scorn from me, my criticism of Lexmoto was about future spares supply and the whopping depreciation. I wish you nothing but good luck and hope you get a lot of enjoyment from it.

 

[MarkF]

Any bike will end up looking like a rusting hulk of crap if you dont look after it.

My Van Van is 10 years old, spoked wheels, a lot of shiny bits and they are not know for their durable finish. I am not anal about cleaning it, if I get home and it's been cold and wet, I don't, I give it a good clean once a month. The bike looks newer than his 18 month old MT07. His last bike was a VFR800 (he never oiled the change on that either) I think it was about 15 years old, maybe more, I know it had fairings but the deterioration was nothing like the Yamaha which needs stripping down and restoring IMO.