TMEC/Denali source, apparently

[culcune]

TMEC has made a run-around of Excalibur www.atv4usa.com in bringing their 200cc enduros through another distributor in the US www.riderswholesale.com (not sure they are the actual distributor, but they did make the following video)

The differences seem to be that the 'Denali' comes in orange or blue, has big graphics, and I have only seen the Denalis come with knobbies vs. the 17" street tires/wheels. Yes, the video makes some exaggerations, but I have to say the Zongshen 200cc air-cooled CG200 engine is bulletproof even if the rest of the bike isn't :)

The price is not outrageous, either, although one could get them lower cost via Excalibur. Within months, if all goes well, I will be on to my next TMEC. The reason I want another one is, besides cost, and ease of working on it (and the availability of getting parts through Excalibur), familiarity with it, and knowing what I will do to prep it, is the "what if?" factor. I bought my bike used, and as was discussed on a recent thread, how abused was it before I got it? The back story I heard (not from the seller, but the dealer who I thought I needed to sort the MSO through since the bike was never registered, but found out I didn't need the dealer to register it in AZ) was that someone bought the bike from him to destroy it in a 'video for MTV.' Not necessarily a music video, but perhaps one of their shows, such as "Jacka**" which makes some sense as far as 'destorying' it (using a new-looking sporty bike which is fairly disposable for an industry that can destroy vehicles). The video did not happen, and it went from the video producer to the guy who bought it and sold it to me. For all I know, he got it free? However, no matter which angle he tried, he could not register it because these bikes are 49 state EPA/DOT certified, just not CARB for California. He did have a fake temporary tag on it, and had it parked on the street for who knows how long (when a vehicle is sold new or used through a dealer in California, they often come with a paper plate (no numbers or dates, usually only a dealer's logo). There is another paper that is supposed to be taped to the back of your window, but bikes wouldn't have a place to tape additional paperwork. The bike looked new enough, so he got away with riding it on occasion. He also has a Harley V-Rod which is legally registered. How much he rode it? Don't know since the speedo cable was broken and stuck on '302' (still is). How long it as sitting in the 'elements?' Don't know, but it was parked on the street since he lived in an old, vintage, small apartment in Hollywood which did not have a parking spot. L.A. does not get extreme weather overall, but these bikes seem to have no weatherproofing, either, so occasional rain and humidity already had given the exhaust a lot of surface rust (still there--I wear it loud and proud!...or just haven't bothered with it...).

So, if you are considering one of these, either the Denali or a 'regular' TMEC, take a lot of the claims in this video with a grain of salt. Just see it for what he did mention--simple bike. I do wish that Excalibur would bring out an orange one (since they have far less and smaller graphics and the available street 17" front/rear).

http://vimeo.com/83709441

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the good information, Culcune. :tup:

A price of $1,499, with free delivery, is a pretty good deal on a new TMEC200. I like the orange color scheme (of course), and the conventional, 18-inch and 21-inch wheels on this bike. :)

[Daeouse]

Hmm. . . very nice. . .

[culcune]

A price of $1,499, with free delivery, is a pretty good deal on a new TMEC200. I like the orange color scheme (of course), and the conventional, 18-inch and 21-inch wheels on this bike. :)

I didn't notice the 'free shipping' so this does make for a good deal! I know parts are available via Excalibur, if not through these guys, so that should help ease one's mind of ordering one through either these guys or a local dealer (or direct from Excalibur) . However, Excalibur has offered me a TMEC for lower than this, and I prefer the street wheels/tires.

I wonder if the Ocala ATV place gets their bikes through here, or is there a 'secret' importer who seemingly supplies the east?--either way, his $1899 price is a little high!

[fishman10]

wow that is a decent deal......but after looking up riderswholesale.........they have a lot of complaints filed against them.....so i think i will pass.

[culcune]

wow that is a decent deal......but after looking up riderswholesale.........they have a lot of complaints filed against them.....so i think i will pass.

Like I wrote, Excalibur have all the parts for the TMEC, so if you got the bike from these guys in spite of their reputation, you could still repair it yourself down the line.

[SpudRider]

With the possible exception of QLink, a warranty on a Chinese bike has always been virtually worthless. :ohno: The great majority of vendors who promise warranty coverage are either naive, or lying to the consumer.

[fishman10]

from the complaints against riders wholesale.....it seems like getting the bike you ordered is iffy but the worst thing is ,,they seem to have alot of complaints with getting people the proper paperwork to actually register the bike,,,,,thats unfortunate ,,cause i really like the orange denali alot. But in PA your paperwork has to be perfect an you must jump thru alot of hoops,,,,from what im reading their customer service is very lacking...sure you can probably google any seller an see complaints,,,but wow,, they have alot .

[SpudRider]

That's a red flag for sure. :tdown: I remember the problems you encountered getting your Pitster Pro XY400 registered in the PRP (Peoples' Republic of Pennsylvania). :ohno:

[Daeouse]

Shame. Definitely off the list now. . .

[katoranger]

I think just about anything is steet legal in Florida. Have not heard of any registration problems there.

[SpudRider]

Shame. Definitely off the list now. . .

I think just about anything is steet legal in Florida. Have not heard of any registration problems there.

Kato used to live in Georgia, so he is familiar with the Florida regulations. ;) You probably only need the MSO (Manufacturer's Statement of Origin) and a sales receipt to register the bike in Florida. :tup: Pennsylvania is an entirely different matter. :tdown:

[katoranger]

Seems like alot of Chinese bikes registered in Florida and we never hear of anyone having trouble there. PA, IL, MN, IA, CA, NY, seem to be some of the worst.

[SpudRider]

I easily got a license plate for my 2004 Honda CRF250X in Idaho. No inspection is necessary; just fill out the paperwork and walk out of the DMV with your license plate. :tup: In Idaho I could get a license plate for my snow blower. ;)

[FastDoc]

Somewhere in our past I believe I posted a pic of Spuds dual sport snowblower

[culcune]

The TMEC, as far as the ones through Excalibur, are 49 state legal (Californians need not apply). Then again, TMEC is the one who put the bikes through the certification process, so I am certain these are 49 state compliant, too, even through a mystery importer/distributor*. But, that being said, if a dealer does not give you the correct paperwork, most likely being a deal through "the mail" it causes all kinds of headaches, etc. If Pennsylvania likes its ducks in a row, perhaps that is their hint for buying from an instate dealer--it screws you, the consumer, and shouldn't, because as far as I understand, you will have to pay sales taxes and registration fees through Penn. anyway. I seem to recall people having issues through Penn (a couple other states, too) because they seemed arrogant when it came to the MSO or MCO. I have seen the EPA certification for 2013 on the EPA site for dozens of bikes, including, TMEC, and the list it is on is for bikes seeking on-road certification.

*I showed Wade Liu of Excalibur the link to this outfit, and he does not believe these guys are the source of these bikes. He told me that he knows the guy in the video personally (probably from meeting up at all the bike trade shows, including the big Indianapolis show).

[Daeouse]

I easily got a license plate for my 2004 Honda CRF250X in Idaho. No inspection is necessary; just fill out the paperwork and walk out of the DMV with your license plate. :tup: In Idaho I could get a license plate for my snow blower. ;)
:hmm::crazy::D
Somewhere in our past I believe I posted a pic of Spuds dual sport snowblower

:lmao:


Oh, and bad ratings make me run, not registration worries. The only thing that's difficult to do in Florida is get a salvage title for anything less than an arm and a leg. . .

[culcune]

from the complaints against riders wholesale.....it seems like getting the bike you ordered is iffy but the worst thing is ,,they seem to have alot of complaints with getting people the proper paperwork to actually register the bike,,,,,thats unfortunate ,,cause i really like the orange denali alot. But in PA your paperwork has to be perfect an you must jump thru alot of hoops,,,,from what im reading their customer service is very lacking...sure you can probably google any seller an see complaints,,,but wow,, they have alot .

For only $1k more, you could try these guys in PA lol

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/4323774870.html

[culcune]

Okay, Wade of Excalibur tracked down the source of the Denali Xt 200's. There is a connection between the owner of TMEC and the Linhai distributor in the US. They ordered these, or were offered them directly by TMEC, when these guys were all at a show, but Wade was away for a few hours when the TMEC owner and Linhai were trying to get together with Wade before the Linhai guy had to leave. They never were able to meet up, so I guess TMEC sold a line to Linhai--all with knobbies and the large 'Denali' and 'XT 200' graphics.

I did ask Wade if they could get some of their bikes in with street wheels and (super duper fast) orange (because orange makes bikes go faster naturally--a scientific fact!), and I think he will with his next container.

[Daeouse]

YES!!!

The TMEC looks awesome in Black, but I'm a sucker for orange. . . and street-tires look great on it!

[culcune]

YES!!!

The TMEC looks awesome in Black, but I'm a sucker for orange. . . and street-tires look great on it!

Not sure if they will have orange coming through anytime soon (they are supposed to be getting another container in the next couple months), but they are willing to sell red or black bikes for about the same price as offered above, including shipping, if anyone is interested. Of course, it will come in a box, and you will have to assemble it (not completely from scratch--watch this video and this is how it will arrive, although it doesn't quite assemble itself so fast, LOL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF83tfBQzDo)

They offer an online owner's manual http://www.atv4usa.com/om/TMEC200OwnersManual.PDF and an online parts catalog http://www.atv4usa.com/catalogs/TMEC200-1.pdf (this has helped me tremendously on knowing what parts I need for the few repairs I have done).

The caveat is that they are not big fans of 'mail order' bikes, and would rather sell them through dealers which has tremendously reduced warranty issues. Plus, if you have a dealer nearby you (there are a few dealers throughout the US), they won't mail-order one. If anyone is interested, let me know, and I will get a set price (based on shipping) for you, and you will ultimately be ordering through them. Let me know!

[Daeouse]

Excellent!

[Rammerjammer]

Hey y'all good morning

Just joined the site to talk about these bikes a little bit. I live in Atlanta and have been looking at bikes for fun and to get around town this summer instead of my truck at 10mpg..... I have grown up riding dirt bikes but they were always Hondas. Never heard of the tmec or denalis before. Trying to do a little homework and not much was turning up but I stumbled across this thread which seems to be pretty active! What do you guys think about these bikes?

There is a dealer pretty local to here up at lake Lanier and I called them yesterday to talk about the bikes a little bit with a great girl named Gigi. I'm going to call up there again today and see if they carry parts. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.lakelanierpowersports.com/showcaseproductlist.htm

I am mechanically capable as I have been around them a good bit but wouldn't necessarily consider myself "inclined" I would have to imagine that the dealer would do warranty work but I'm hoping after that time expires I would not be stuck with a constant project.

I guess what I'm really after is to see what y'all think about these bikes and how they will hold up cosmetically in the elements and mechanically with moderate use on/off road

[katoranger]

Most of how they hold up is due to the prep work done. The bike will handle roads with a 50mph speed and less easily. Leaving it out in the weather will cause most of the bolt heads to rust and the panels to fade quickly.

Offroad on easy trails it will do just fine. China bikes don't jump.

The dealer price is not too bad. If they have parts on hand and offer service that is a big plus.

[fishman10]

i tried the dealer in Pa (pittsburg still far away) an his best price was $2195 still to highi think an i still had to drive 400 miles to get it.

[SpudRider]

Hey y'all good morning

Just joined the site to talk about these bikes a little bit. I live in Atlanta and have been looking at bikes for fun and to get around town this summer instead of my truck at 10mpg..... I have grown up riding dirt bikes but they were always Hondas. Never heard of the tmec or denalis before. Trying to do a little homework and not much was turning up but I stumbled across this thread which seems to be pretty active! What do you guys think about these bikes?

There is a dealer pretty local to here up at lake Lanier and I called them yesterday to talk about the bikes a little bit with a great girl named Gigi. I'm going to call up there again today and see if they carry parts. Here is a link to their site:

http://www.lakelanierpowersports.com/showcaseproductlist.htm

I am mechanically capable as I have been around them a good bit but wouldn't necessarily consider myself "inclined" I would have to imagine that the dealer would do warranty work but I'm hoping after that time expires I would not be stuck with a constant project.

I guess what I'm really after is to see what y'all think about these bikes and how they will hold up cosmetically in the elements and mechanically with moderate use on/off road

Welcome; we are glad you joined us. :hi:

Kato has given you excellent advice on all points. :)

[SpudRider]

i tried the dealer in Pa (pittsburg still far away) an his best price was $2195 still to highi think an i still had to drive 400 miles to get it.

Some of these Chinabike dealers are greedy. :tdown: You can buy a very nice, used, Japanese bike for that kind of money, and you won't need to drive 400 miles to get it, either. ;)

[culcune]

Wade Liu is the owner of Excalibur Motorsports www.atv4usa.com who were the only distributors of the TMEC 200, until, as I pointed out, TMEC sold some to Linhai, and they have Denali and XT 200 graphics.

He and I talk every so often, and he has always had parts for my bike. My bike has 10,000 or so miles, and I commute on it daily approx. 32 miles round trip. Several miles are at 55 to 60 mph, topped out (I had a custom 40t rear sprocket, but it ended up giving me more problems than it was worth--I could cruise at 60-65 at lower revs--it started eating up chains in the middle of rides, so had to go back to the stock 56 t (the front is 17t).

Mr. Liu is not a huge fan of mail-ordering his bikes, although he does allow mefastmotors to mail order. He said that prepping the bikes is often not done correctly, and he has to take calls from mefast customers asking for 'warranty' items. He related the story of a college student who had the bike in the bed of a friend's pickup, and the seat blew off on the highway without them realizing it. The kid had put it together and did not put on the two side bolts on the seat!

He made a good point on these bikes; they are not meant to be daily commuters like what I do on mine, but rather weekend toys. However, he kind of 'sponsors' me with discounted parts because he, like me, wants to see how many miles one of these can go, and my bike is the default Guinea pig since it is all I have to commute to work and back (I ride it through our brutal summers which hover at 110 to 115 degrees Faranheit for my afternoon ride home)

If I were you Rammerjammer, I would go to Lanier and see them in person. I know that Excalbur has all the parts for these bikes, if no one else has them. I could see what deal I could get you on a bike through them if you would like me to. My guess is probably $1500/shipped like in the video, but then you have to put it together and do the paperwork and pay the taxes and fees. It is definitely 49 state legal DOT and EPA, but many states seem to take the ignorant route when it comes to mail-order bikes, not through a dealer (like Tesla, I guess). So Lanier might be your best bet since they are asking $1600 plus tax and paperwork as a dealer, which means only $100 for assembly and prep. Like I said, Excalibur has parts if Lanier's distributor, Linhai, does not. But go to Lanier is my suggestion to you, to see if these are even for you.

The gas tank is steel, btw, and is 3.1 gallons, not 1.3 as stated. And the Denalis are 2013 models, not 2014, since they are still mfg'd according to the 2013 EPA certificate, just like the bikes sold through Excalibur.

[katoranger]

FYI, having a dealer to help tag in GA is a big plus. I speak from experience.

[SpudRider]

I agree with Culcune and Kato. :) I suggest you visit the local dealer, and take the TMEC 200 for a ride. If you decide you wish to purchase a TMEC 200, I suggest you buy it from the local dealer. Many members of these forums are looking for local dealers, and can't find them; you are lucky in this regard. ;)

[Weldangrind]

I am mechanically capable as I have been around them a good bit but wouldn't necessarily consider myself "inclined" I would have to imagine that the dealer would do warranty work but I'm hoping after that time expires I would not be stuck with a constant project.

Welcome!

As FastDoc has often said, a China bike requires a sense of humour. If you're looking for Japanese-style reliability, buy a Japanese bike. If you don't mind wrenching on your own bike and you're fine with the careful prep that's needed, enjoy a China bike.

[culcune]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_2lc9_mJjQ

"They are BAD!"
--guy in Denali video

[Weldangrind]

Needs a bigger font on the side panel.

[SpudRider]

:hehe:

[culcune]

:hehe: x2

[Daeouse]

I still love this bike. . . One day I hope to be able to purchase one. . .

[culcune]

Here is the video of one just assembled and being tested from Excalibur. I will ask them for longer videos of these in action. Interestingly, the Excalibur distributed bikes have 21"front/18" rear wheels/tires on their knobby equipped bikes vs. the 18" front/18" rear setup on the Denali. The street versions have the common 17" front/17" rear found on most motards, and I believe the street setup is only available through Excalibur bikes.

Even better--notice the 'beeping winker' feature... :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSgLzFNs4I

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the video, Culcune. :)

If one prefers, the 'beeping winker' is easily disabled. :hehe: The TMEC 200 Denali in the Lake Lanier Powersports video definitely has the conventional, 18-inch rear wheel, and 21-inch front wheel. :tup:

[jjn]

I looked at the online parts manual referred to in this thread for the TMEC, and I am impressed. I just glanced through it. MY reading eyesight isn't too good, (lol), but it looks very organized. Someone put some effort into it. I didn't actually see the brake pads, but I was just skimming through.

I am considering buying a new TMEC. I go by birdmove on most other forums such as mychinamoto, advrider, etc. I am leaning towards the TMEC partly due to comments by culcune, and partly due to a few emails back and forth with Mr. Liu previously. I will not be able to buy from a dealer, as there are zero in Hawaii. So I will have to assemble it myself, which I am not concerned about. I am hoping to be able to order one maybe some time next month (June). I was also considering a new Bashon 200, or even a new SSR Honda CT70 clone. I believe SSR has dropped the clone. And, the reputation of Mr Wade Liu, as told by culcune, and that fact that culcune says they always have the parts he needs, and this organized online parts manual are leading me to buying a new TMEC. I did get to look at one a few years back when we were still living on Puyallup, Washington, and I liked the looks of the white TMEC very much.

I would like another Kawasaki KLR650, but I am retired, money is tight, and I am not too bad of a wrench turner after 52 years of riding motorcycles. New and many used bikes are expensive here, as you don't have much competition in sellers. I have seen several used Honda Grom's on craigslist here, where the seller's are asking $5000. And they state, if you think that's too much, just try to buy one from the dealer.

I have also looked at the Qlinks, but I understand Qlink is shut down.

[fattybikejones]

Hey y'all.. new to these boards.. really interested in either the TMEC 200 enduro, or one of the Bashan dual sport.. Dumb noob question, but which one would be the better buy.. or are they all pretty much a horse a piece?

[culcune]

Go through this thread http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=13708 since it is more active. I have one and another guy has one, and 'footer' is just about to get one. I have a thread somewhere. I had an '09 TMEC endure, and just bought a brand new one after 10k miles on the '09. I bought it used, and wanted to see what a brand new one would be like since I did not know how many miles the bike really had when I bought it. I ride 33 miles daily round trip to work 12 months a year. I rode the used one for 18 months. These bikes are going to be more delicate than a Honda, but the engine is reliable, but that is speaking for the TMEC. Excalibur Motorsports distributes the TMEC 200 and always has parts. www.atv4usa.com The Bashan has just hit the market, so no one has a lot of experience with that brand yet. TMEC also distributes through another company and they badge it the 'Denali 200XT' (what this thread was about) but it is identical to the TMEC and uses the exact same parts. Join us on the other thread...

[Vanier]

Can you put an adjustable rear shock on the Denali 200 xt? Also what Japanese bike is this equivalent to?

[2LZ]

Can you put an adjustable rear shock on the Denali 200 xt? Also what Japanese bike is this equivalent to?

Good morning, Vanier, and welcome to the forum!

Any shock you can source on Ebay, Amazon or other outlets will work, as long as the mount ends are basically the same width and the bolt holes are the same size. I would suggest removing the current shock and putting a tape measure on it, to be sure.

The Denali is a Honda clone, probably not any Honda in particular. Many of the Honda clones (Hondoids) will share some parts with the CRF230, such as exhaust. Hondoids are so common now, many replacement parts can be bought on the CSC website, Ebay, Amazon or member NZbrakelathe has an Ebay store specializing in many of these parts.

Long time member culcune still has a Denali, I believe and is a wealth of information on it. Hopefully he'l chime in here. Thanks for resurrecting the old thread. Good to see some old names.

[culcune]

I do not have info as far as what to replace parts with. I am fairly certain a shock would be fairly universal as far as Chinese motorcycles go, so research in the dual-sport section, or ask this question there. I am fairly certain I have read people successfully changing out their shocks for adjustable ones, just not on a TMEC specifically.

[Vanier]

I just got home with my Denali 200xt. Is there a aftermarket dash (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc.) that someone sells that will fit? Mine has no fuel gauge on it.

[JerryHawk250]

I just got home with my Denali 200xt. Is there a aftermarket dash (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc.) that someone sells that will fit? Mine has no fuel gauge on it.

Does the tank have a sending unit? if not the gauge won't do much good. A few members have used this gauge and seems to work well. https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Odometer-Speedometer-Tachometer-MotorBike/dp/B01LYK10Q2/ref=pd_day0_hl_263_3/141-7668701-1383422?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01LYK10Q2&pd_rd_r=a7d12a64-9207-11e9-96fb-258736ea0892&pd_rd_w=wp07n&pd_rd_wg=ZOjSt&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=0TFZTBKN4CYAMAW61205&psc=1&refRID=0TFZTBKN4CYAMAW61205

[culcune]

I just got home with my Denali 200xt. Is there a aftermarket dash (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc.) that someone sells that will fit? Mine has no fuel gauge on it.


Not sure but I used my odometer as the fuel gauge. I figured to fill up every 3 days on my commute; 33 miles a day roundtrip. I rarely if ever rode the bike outside of commuting, however. Check with NZbrakelathes or Matt (the guy who sells Hawk digital dashes). My speedo stopped working, so I just kept up with traffic or stayed on the gas to keep ahead of traffic behind me, lol. The engine runs forever, and is quite strong for 'only' 200cc vs the more common 223 and larger engines. I would actually consider another TMEC even without digital dash and smaller engine.

[NzBrakelathes]

Not sure but I used my odometer as the fuel gauge. I figured to fill up every 3 days on my commute; 33 miles a day roundtrip. I rarely if ever rode the bike outside of commuting, however. Check with NZbrakelathes or Matt (the guy who sells Hawk digital dashes). My speedo stopped working, so I just kept up with traffic or stayed on the gas to keep ahead of traffic behind me, lol. The engine runs forever, and is quite strong for 'only' 200cc vs the more common 223 and larger engines. I would actually consider another TMEC even without digital dash and smaller engine.

Mines got option to select it as fuel or volt gauge and more versatile then any other Hawk like dash