TBR7 Fit and Finish...I'm impressed.

Dusman · 08-20-2019, 06:58 AM

Hey guys (and gals?),

I went to BigToy Superstore in Winston Salem, NC (https://www.bigtoysuperstore.com/) yesterday because they had an assembled TaoTao TBR7 in stock on the showroom floor and I wanted to sit on one to determine if it was too tall for my 5'8" frame. This is one of the biggest issues that have kept me from purchasing a Chinese Dual Sport. I don't want to financially squeeze the trigger on something I can't sit on and feel comfortable on at a stoplight. It felt just fine and I have no qualms about riding one in traffic given the seat height.

A few observations:

1. I'm quite impressed with the fit and finish.

It was sitting beside a KLX 250 (they sell both Chinese and Japanese bikes). Welds looked good; relatively comparable to the KLX. It certainly did *not* look like it was welded together by a 5 year old. I looked the TBR7 over with a fine-toothed comb and was quite impressed. Of course, I didn't ride it, but I have two Japanese bikes, and just by the construction itself, it was quite impressive considering it was a fraction of the cost of my Japanese bikes brand new.

2. The "salesman" showing me the bike was the mechanic who put it together and he had nothing but good things to say about it mechanically-speaking.

He couldn't wrench on bikes at the time due to recently fracturing his collarbone so they put him on the floor as a "salesman". He told me, "I'm very impressed with these bikes and am thinking of getting one myself. China has really upped their game in the last few years in terms of quality control and production. I'd have no problem using this bike as a daily commuter or light trail/dirt bike." He works on both Chinese and Japanese bikes in the shop and assembles both out of the crate for the showroom. He told me that while they aren't quite as performance comparable, they *are* becoming near quality comparable in the parts that matter (i.e., frame, engines, brakes, etc.).

3. Some of the non-weight bearing parts looked a little cheap, but nothing that couldn't easily be replaced.

I'm thinking here of the gear shifter, which looked as if it needed a better spot weld than it had. This could probably be easily replaced with a shifter from a DRZ 200 or a CRF 230 as there is apparently some parts compatibility between those and the TBR7. The passenger pegs looked a little "chinzy", but they were solid as a rock. The plastics seemed to have the same pliability of the KLX that it was sitting beside. The drive chain also looked like a standard, cheap Chinese chain, but that could be easily replaced. I'd probably replace it right off the bat upon purchase.

4. Millenials are buying Chinese Dual Sports.

An interesting tidbit that he shared with me was when he told me that most of the customers that buy their Chinese Dual Sports are college students/millenials. He said they like bikes like the TBR7 because they want sufficient quality and reliability at an affordable price that will get them to and from work & school. I surmised that much of what influenced their decision to purchase a bike like this was you guys here at ChinaRiders and YouTube. Very cool!

Overall, given the mostly positive reviews I've read or watched on the TBR7, as long as this thing is properly set-up, it seems like a heck of a deal and millenials agree!

08-20-2019, 06:58 AM	#1
Dusman Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: NC Posts: 212	TBR7 Fit and Finish...I'm impressed. Hey guys (and gals?), I went to BigToy Superstore in Winston Salem, NC (https://www.bigtoysuperstore.com/) yesterday because they had an assembled TaoTao TBR7 in stock on the showroom floor and I wanted to sit on one to determine if it was too tall for my 5'8" frame. This is one of the biggest issues that have kept me from purchasing a Chinese Dual Sport. I don't want to financially squeeze the trigger on something I can't sit on and feel comfortable on at a stoplight. It felt just fine and I have no qualms about riding one in traffic given the seat height. A few observations: 1. I'm quite impressed with the fit and finish. It was sitting beside a KLX 250 (they sell both Chinese and Japanese bikes). Welds looked good; relatively comparable to the KLX. It certainly did not look like it was welded together by a 5 year old. I looked the TBR7 over with a fine-toothed comb and was quite impressed. Of course, I didn't ride it, but I have two Japanese bikes, and just by the construction itself, it was quite impressive considering it was a fraction of the cost of my Japanese bikes brand new. 2. The "salesman" showing me the bike was the mechanic who put it together and he had nothing but good things to say about it mechanically-speaking. He couldn't wrench on bikes at the time due to recently fracturing his collarbone so they put him on the floor as a "salesman". He told me, "I'm very impressed with these bikes and am thinking of getting one myself. China has really upped their game in the last few years in terms of quality control and production. I'd have no problem using this bike as a daily commuter or light trail/dirt bike." He works on both Chinese and Japanese bikes in the shop and assembles both out of the crate for the showroom. He told me that while they aren't quite as performance comparable, they are becoming near quality comparable in the parts that matter (i.e., frame, engines, brakes, etc.). 3. Some of the non-weight bearing parts looked a little cheap, but nothing that couldn't easily be replaced. I'm thinking here of the gear shifter, which looked as if it needed a better spot weld than it had. This could probably be easily replaced with a shifter from a DRZ 200 or a CRF 230 as there is apparently some parts compatibility between those and the TBR7. The passenger pegs looked a little "chinzy", but they were solid as a rock. The plastics seemed to have the same pliability of the KLX that it was sitting beside. The drive chain also looked like a standard, cheap Chinese chain, but that could be easily replaced. I'd probably replace it right off the bat upon purchase. 4. Millenials are buying Chinese Dual Sports. An interesting tidbit that he shared with me was when he told me that most of the customers that buy their Chinese Dual Sports are college students/millenials. He said they like bikes like the TBR7 because they want sufficient quality and reliability at an affordable price that will get them to and from work & school. I surmised that much of what influenced their decision to purchase a bike like this was you guys here at ChinaRiders and YouTube. Very cool! Overall, given the mostly positive reviews I've read or watched on the TBR7, as long as this thing is properly set-up, it seems like a heck of a deal and millenials agree!
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