Why can't we see these bikes here?

[stewbrash]

Saw the RAZER on Zongshen's website and I thought I'd post some pics! It comes in 150, 200 and 229 cc's.

[stewbrash]

Here's a

couple more!

[chuck]

Very similar to our bikes.

[Torgo]

If you dig around on Alibaba you'll see a ton of other Chinese manufacturers all producing similar "250cc" class stuff. I imagine it's a lot of overhead getting an import license set up, going through all the regulatory, having to cover your butt with liability of course, and that's before getting to all the fun customer satisfaction expectations. Oh, and then, you have to work through the Chinese bureaucracy if any of that leads to a quality or manufacturing change. Finally, you're just really adding another similar flavor to the other 2-3 established manufacturers that beat you to it. I'd bet it'd be a lot of work to establish a foothold in an already established market and profits would be thin. Most of the stock differentiation seems to be tire diameter/treads, default gearing, disk/drum, along with counter-balanced or not engine choices, so not sure what would be a potential "wow" feature to stand out from the established choices.


I'm actually a little curious why a "450cc" class machine hasn't shown up. Probably something EPA related I would guess, or maybe the cost point pushes it up against other entry choices.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Torgo

If you dig around on Alibaba you'll see a ton of other Chinese manufacturers all producing similar "250cc" class stuff. I imagine it's a lot of overhead getting an import license set up, going through all the regulatory, having to cover your butt with liability of course, and that's before getting to all the fun customer satisfaction expectations. Oh, and then, you have to work through the Chinese bureaucracy if any of that leads to a quality or manufacturing change. Finally, you're just really adding another similar flavor to the other 2-3 established manufacturers that beat you to it. I'd bet it'd be a lot of work to establish a foothold in an already established market and profits would be thin. Most of the stock differentiation seems to be tire diameter/treads, default gearing, disk/drum, along with counter-balanced or not engine choices, so not sure what would be a potential "wow" feature to stand out from the established choices.


I'm actually a little curious why a "450cc" class machine hasn't shown up. Probably something EPA related I would guess, or maybe the cost point pushes it up against other entry choices.

Love to try one of those 450 chinese made enduro's

[culcune]

In the US, Zongshen goes through CSC; not sure how the relationship goes, but it appears that CSC puts up the money for EPA certification, hence they slap their brand name on the bikes, not Zongshen. My guess is CSC is possibly the exclusive distributor for the US, maybe North America as a whole. If not, then perhaps anyone can approach Zongshen and make a deal for the Razer, but must go through all the regulatory processes like CSC did.

Why do we not see, well, any bike here? It comes down to money and time to certify them is the simple answer. In the mid-2000's, there were numerous bikes here because EPA certification was done differently. I believe engines were certified, so if you made a deal with Zongshen or Lifan, threw the engine in your own chassis, it was legal for the US. Lots of gray area; I remember some brands like Jetmoto or Roketa (they were more of a brand than merely a distributor like they are now) were even getting California plates!

Then, they changed the rules and if one was a brand, one had to go through certification individually as a whole bike, or a chassis with a few models no matter if a nearly identical engine is certified in someone else's bike or bikes. That is like Bashan with a few enduros all certified together as one. Dong Fang certifies a street standard, two enduros, a sports bike, and two bobbers on one certification since they all use the same 223cc Zongshen-sourced engine. That engine is now proprietary to Dong Fang.

A better example is the scooter industry. In China, many parts seem to be made by a few suppliers. If you wanted to become a manufacturer, you simply buy the parts, slap a few hundred scooters together, put a few legal manufacturer plates on different parts of the bike, go through EPA/DOT, and now you are a brand. Hence, a few scooters are nearly here in the US because a few different 'brands' slapped a near-identical bike together.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by chuck

Love to try one of those 450 chinese made enduro's

I have read that the big engine (for China) engines are not very good. Except for that big sidecar bike the made for the Chinese Army....ARH

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I have read that the big engine (for China) engines are not very good. Except for that big sidecar bike the made for the Chinese Army....ARH

The old Pitster Pro 400 water-cooled was a complete POS. A member here had one, had nothing but problems, sold it to Fastdoc, him thinking it probably just needed some TLC but it was not to be. Garbage.

I've been leery about larger displacement CB's since that time but alas, the Chinese also have computers like the rest of the world so I'm sure something good in a larger displacement should be coming out soon enough. The Chinese know our market is screaming for a larger displacement bike.

[culcune]

SSR has an MX bike that has the 450cc Zongshen engine. I bet it, and any buyer, is a secret guinea pig to see how well that engine holds up.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by culcune

SSR has an MX bike that has the 450cc Zongshen engine. I bet it, and any buyer, is a secret guinea pig to see how well that engine holds up.

....and my guess is it will go in to the new RX4.

[BlackBike]

SSR benelli $6749. 47 hp 502cc

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/be...-coming-to-us/

[2LZ]

Stop drooling, BB.....

[BlackBike]

2lz...You know it. Some on other forum saying it's too heavy at 470lbs , not what I want to hear. (Along with the usual china no good, blaa,blaa,blaa)