Apollo DB36 Deluxe: I think I give up, I can't recommend this bike and I'm selling

[Ski_rush]

The other day I decided that I was going to try remove my tire so that I could have a better time trying to true the front wheel. Take a look at the picture. That's from one spoon with two attempts or bites. The end of the tire iron was all the way inside the tire and under the lip of the tire. This damage was not from the tip of the tire iron. It is from the edge or side of the tire iron. This damage is simply pathetic, in my opinion. I've watched numerous videos of people changing dirt bike tires of big brand bikes and most of them did NOT use a rim saver because they said they simply didn't need to. And, they removed the tire without damage.

If this were just as scratch, I'd say who cares. But, one bite at the tire to move the lip of the tire over the rim actually gouged the rim. The metal in the rim must be extremely soft.

That, plus, the rim is very much out of true. I'm able get the rim laterally true, not problems there. However, the radial trueness might actually be worse now that it was before. I didn't officially measure it, but I'm guessing a 1/4" or so higher on one end of the rim, compared to the other. And, it makes no different how I tighten the one side and loosen the other, the radial trueness of the rim does not change.

This is why I decided that paying a shop $120 to do this would basically be kissing $120 goodbye. I'm confident he would have told me that there's nothing he can do to fix it.

I rode this bike one real time. I'm not counting 2-3 trips around town for 2 miles. The one ride I took was about 20 miles. That's it. One trip for 20 miles.

The softness of the metal in the rim is pretty scary if you think about it. There is not way I should have been able to damage that rim like that just from one bite of a tire iron.

[Wild Dog]

It's a shame you got a lemon, just sell it a be done with it. it's quite annoying when you get something new and can't ride it.

[NzBrakelathes]

Now you can see why many shops won't touch Chinese bikes.

[chazglenn3]

That's a bummer. I had almost ordered one of those when I discovered the Blue Eagle Brozz.

[Hancadam]

Originally Posted by chazglenn3

That's a bummer. I had almost ordered one of those when I discovered the Blue Eagle Brozz.

I almost did as well. Was very torn, but like the Brozz more and more each day. Great value.


Sorry for the disappointment Ski_Rush.

[Ski_rush]

Originally Posted by Hancadam

I almost did as well. Was very torn, but like the Brozz more and more each day. Great value.


Sorry for the disappointment Ski_Rush.

I did a tire on a Bashan before and was pretty aggressive with the tire irons and never saw something like this. I had one try/grab with the tire iron and it didn't just scratch the rim (which I wouldn't care about) it put a gouge in the metal. I'm getting it's cheap a$$ steel? Now I understand why guys report turning their rim into taco's.

Either way, I've had it with this rim and this bike. I've owned it since February and only rode it one time. That's it...one time. And, the hop in the wheel has been there since I took the bike out of the crate. My dumb mistake for, 1) buying the bike from Manny, and 2) thinking the hop was in my head and not really looking into it until it was too late and now the 3 month Manny parts warranty is expired.

I'd be real dumb to dump another $200 into this bike just to get another stock rim. First, it's $200! Second, the stock rim will likely be another piece of garbage like this one. It's not like the new rim is going to be made of better steel. It's going to be the same crap metal used to make this rim.

I understand that my opinion here is not going to be a popular one on this forum. Oh well. The truth is that this rim will likely never be round and the hop will be there. The rim should be replaced, but frankly, I don't think the bike is worth spending an additional $200 for a friggin rim. That's ridiculous.

And, they make these bikes with such funky wheel sizes that I can't just walk into a dirt bike store and buy a replacement rim. There are a lot of factors at play when buying a rim above and beyond the 17" diameter. Buying a custom rim from a legitimate manufacturer is $500+. Which is about a third of the cost of the bike...way over the hump of not being worth it.

The other day, a buddy of mine invited me to go dirt bike riding with him. He bought a 1994 Yamaha 230 enduro. He's had it for a a few years. He knows I have a new enduro. I had to decline his offer and and explain that my brand new bike has a $h#t rim that's not round and I can't ride my brand new bike. He was bewildered and I felt like a moron. It's embarrassing actually.

To all those who have an Apollo and they think they're riding around just fine on their bikes...I say, wait until you need a new tire and you try to remove the old one. That rim of yours will cripple within itself.

[Ski_rush]

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

Now you can see why many shops won't touch Chinese bikes.

Right on brother, amen.

For a matter of perspective, I own 2 motorcycles, but only one is viable and rideable.

One is a 25 year old Honda with over 20k miles. Drives fine, no issues.

The other is a brand new Apollo with 20 miles on it, but can’t be used due to the rim...go figure.

[NzBrakelathes]

Chinese stuff n people you always get something you didn’t bargain form and gotta fix it your self.
Not like western thinking or prices and always things to give trouble is normal here as “we are Chinese” and “ you are a foreigner”

[NzBrakelathes]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

Right on brother, amen.

For a matter of perspective, I own 2 motorcycles, but only one is viable and rideable.

One is a 25 year old Honda with over 20k miles. Drives fine, no issues.

The other is a brand new Apollo with 20 miles on it, but can’t be used due to the rim...go figure.

Someone with skills will buy it cheap n end up with a bargain after fixing it themselves

[Megadan]

Hate to see you sell it, but I can undrstand the frustration. For what its worth, I have seen high end alloy rims do the same thing. Bead buddies and good tire spoons go a long way to preventing rim damage.

[Sochin]

I changed the tires myself on the Hawk, and I never used rim savers.....they were more in the way than anything. And the Hawk rim didn't even get that sort of damage?

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Sochin

I changed the tires myself on the Hawk, and I never used rim savers.....they were more in the way than anything. And the Hawk rim didn't even get that sort of damage?

Hawk rims are steel.

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

Chinese stuff n people you always get something you didn’t bargain form and gotta fix it your self.
Not like western thinking or prices and always things to give trouble is normal here as “we are Chinese” and “ you are a foreigner”

I gather you are not a big fan of your own people

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

Right on brother, amen.

For a matter of perspective, I own 2 motorcycles, but only one is viable and rideable.

One is a 25 year old Honda with over 20k miles. Drives fine, no issues.

Well because it's an Honda and older ones made in Japan are built like tanks.
I have a 1992 KMX 125 2T, i went out of the country for 2 years. For those years nobody touched the bike.
When i came back, i just cleaned the carb, put new fuel, two kicks and the bike run just fine.. Like it was just not running for a day.

Still think that you got a big lemon, because there are thousands of chinese bike running alloy rims without an issue.

[NzBrakelathes]

Originally Posted by Wild Dog

I gather you are not a big fan of your own people



Well because it's an Honda and older ones made in Japan are built like tanks.
I have a 1992 KMX 125 2T, i went out of the country for 2 years. For those years nobody touched the bike.
When i came back, i just cleaned the carb, put new fuel, two kicks and the bike run just fine.. Like it was just not running for a day.

Still think that you got a big lemon, because there are thousands of chinese bike running alloy rims without an issue.

I’m not Chinese at all not even close - if I was Chinese the shame of the others shit ways would embarrass me to death

[culcune]

For all it is worth, Azhule got 'Manny'd' and still held on to his bike repairing a couple things out of pocket; fast forward and he still currently holds one of the fastest top speeds on a Chinese enduro with his same bike. As someone above posted--you are probably going to give someone else a bargain that they will fix and end up with a bargain. Just wait a few days to think it through mainly so you don't sell yourself short.