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OK they have started with a low cost mindset which does lead to corner cutting for the domestic market, but other Chinese products are already competing with the world's best (they are becoming dominant in the auto market outside Europe, let's not even get onto phones and IT) and they are technically capable and motivated to make something that occupies profitable "high end" markets not only the cheap end. Write them off at your peril, and in the meantime a wise man will assess their products for what they are, not where they're built. |
I've toured the BMW Factory in Spartenburg, South Carolina, several times. BMW has an interesting way of maintaining standards overseas. All the production and assembly equipment for all of the third party suppliers and also the overseas factory, is supplied by BMW, so the metal presses, the robot welders, the marriage gear (when engine/gearbox is mated with rest of vehicle), and so forth.
Not only does this allow standards to be maintained, it also ensures that news of model changes doesn't leak out of third parties or the overseas plant as the gear for the revised model is only delivered a couple of weeks before production starts. |
I've sat on one in a showroom, it seemed ok but the gear shifter was solid so would get bent if dropped which put me off a bit. I later saw the same bike being used on a trail while I was walking my dogs, sounded nice and looked nice.
As for Chinese built bikes in general, I had an UM DSM Adventure for a bit and it was really nice. If the 200cc version was available in Europe I'd be on one of those TBH, the 125 needed a bit more torque for actual off-roading. |
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As you have said, write them off at your peril. |
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