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!

Dusman as a new owner of a 2019 TBR7 I could not agree more and I had been in a local showroom checking out Japanese bikes weeks before making my purchase.

I have to admit, I am surprised you felt comfortable with the height at 5'8".

I am 5'10" all day, closer to 5'11" with riding boots and I have my rear shock dropped and front forks lowered and I'm still tippy toe-ing at red lights.

Just not a fan of sitting like that at a red light or stop sign as a new rider ...perhaps just my pet peeve.

Otherwise... I highly endorse the TBR7

I agree. Perhaps the mechanic had already lowered it for the showroom. But it felt great.

I bought both the Hawk for myself and the TBR7 for my cousin Jay and I have to say I was definitely impressed by the fit and finish of the TBR. Just seemed like they put more thought into the little details compared to the Hawk, and alot easier assembly. Now as far as offroad the Hawk will kick the TBR's butt with bigger, knobby tires. But the two are very similar in alot of ways.

This is true for a lot of the cheaper bikes, but there are still areas where you can tell they cut a few corners to meet those price points. Take care of it, make some appropriate upgrades as desired/needed, and going through the bike yourself to ensure wiring is routed away from hot things and not rubbing on others, grease is where grease needs to be, and keeping on top of the fasteners to make sure they don't buzz out and you can get a lot of miles out of these bikes reliably.

P.S. "Millennials" as a generation range from 23 to almost 40 years old. I was born in 83 and am technically a Millennial at 36 years old. So us "old" millennials also buy them, and then the new generation (not Millennials) do as well (basically college kids). ;) Lots of old farts buy them too, a large number of which are looking to get back into riding on the cheap. Sorry old farts. :p

I am doing up a 1980 KL250 it has the crapyest welds I have ever seen
on a motor bike.... when the frame was striped and sand blasted I was
going to grind a few out and re-do them....
But I then thought this thing is 40 years old and not one weld has cracked..
So I left it alone..


can't always judge a weld by its looks..


...

Talking about making sure things are routed and greased well, Megadan did a bang-up job with his sticky addressing these very issues with Hawk and "Hawk-like" bikes. What a great resource!

Hey I resemble this remark :D

I too resemble that remark! :hehe:

Glad to see Dan's back, I was concerned we might have to have a changing of the guard and I ofcourse would have to dutifully throw my hat in the ring lol. They would be some big shoes to fill but I'm confident I've memorized and plagiarized enough of his hard work and information to get by.. :lmao:

I will too one day. I already am in the eyes of my very young cousins lol.

Plagiarize away. I never really left, just too busy to do more than occasionally lurk about for a bit.

I am an old, 63, fart maybe??? a biker, long haired (prob a wanna be...lol)...I am growing my pony tail again...yeah baby!!!! ….no not going thru my 3rd childhood...

we were camped over the weekend, had a few people look at the BMS and ask me what is that? I would always reply....made in china Idaho...

maybe onelegged could put a hells angel emblem on his new jacket!!!! LOL or Ohio hells angels!!! LOL!!!

you gotta send a pix of Jay in the bruce jenner shorts.....ha ha lol!!!

we should start a new thread, as 2lz would say "bench buzzards"

okokok back to tbr bike!!!!! I would say a good buy, and there are a lot of kind folks here that have experience....even motocheez has a video. I think forgiven here has a video as well....for the dollar, and what a person gets out of the enjoyment, well worth every penny. Jumping and racing the bike? hmmm prob not a good idea. We are impressed with the BMS.

Keep us posted and thanks for all the info!!!1

I don't know about the Hell's Angels patch, I'm not a Hurley fan to say the least lol. But an Iron Man patch.. :hmm:

As far as Jay's pics in his Bruce Jenner shorts.. I asked him and he said he'd gladly send out some pics, but due to hard times and a struggling economy he wants $5.99 for a glossy. :lmao:

Glad this running joke hasn't gotten out a hand. But 5×7 are sold out.

Omg I can't stop laughing :lmao:

But just renounce the Frisbee golfing and the BJ shorts and I guarantee you I won't let anyone else run with it..

Sorry,, you'll have to give me a minute to quit laughing... :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

I'm going to be 48 in November, so I'm a Gen-X as can be........but my body is old from all my skating on pavement and t-boning deer on m/c's. I got into the China bikes because I am a closet cheapskate and like the charm of cheap bikes and keep them roadworthy.