What do you get for 3000 bucks?

[IronFist]

That's just a great pic!!!!!!

[alonzo]

I liked it too I wonder how much weight each bike is carrying. Kinda drives the point home that honda strives for more than one type of performance.

[TeamCheap]

The honda 650 that the guy at my work just bought didnt need mods or add-ons or anything, he simply had to REMOVE the performance robbing stuff Honda has on the bike that are there most likely to get it past the EPA.

He said it was just a matter of some simple wrenching and the thing became a power monster but it is a 650.

I suspect the honda 230 is similar but you'd have to talk to people that own and know all about them to be sure.

My regret is that I bought the wife a china bike and she cant really ride it offroad and that means I could have gotten ME a much bigger bike like the DRZ400.

Ohh well this riding season is closer to being over than starting and I'll just have to wait and see what next year brings.

[elroyjetsn]

Originally Posted by TeamCheap

I could have gotten ME a much bigger bike like the DRZ400.

You could get a second mortgage. :wink:

[TeamCheap]

Those bikes dont really cost all that much, 5 grandish.

But I might go with something a bit different at this point.

This would be my extreme want.
HP2 enduro

Yeah its ugly.......but then ...so am I.

[tcs]

Originally Posted by elroyjetsn

Just read a review of the new Honda 230 enduro. One of the complaints the reviewer made was that the top speed was only 65MPH. You would think that for all that extra expense, you'd at least get to 70mph on the thing. Don't think it's the gearing since the Honda has a 6 speed tranny. 6th usually being overdrive?

Don't know what review you read, but the ones I've read (here's one) did indeed say the top speed was only about 70, but, and it's a big but, first gear was so low that it was almost useless on road and the reviewers began starting off in second when street riding.

So why would a beginner's dual sport play bike be geared so low? Sell those bikes in America for 50 years like Honda and you'd know.

Can you get more top speed by regearing? Yep - but maybe you should have bought a road bike in the first place?

Best,
tcs

[tcs]

Honda has been sourcing parts in China since 1964 and building complete bikes there since 1982.

Originally Posted by TeamCheap

I wouldn't be surprized to find "made in China" stamped somewhere on the Honda.

J'think?

And actually, my "made-in-Japan" Honda did say "made in China" on the tail light bulb.

BTW, the headlight bulb said "made in Germany".

tcs

[tcs]

Originally Posted by elroyjetsn

They make bikes for their own market and export a sprinkling of them here and there. Chinese buyers may have no interest in bikes over 200cc. They may produce 1 million bikes a year and 10,000 or so come over here (mostly scooters).

Yep - except the Chinese actually manufactured over 25 million bikes last year. 96% of Chinese production is 50cc to 150cc. They exported almost a third of their 2007 production, mostly to other world markets that want small displacement machines (the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa).

tcs

[elroyjetsn]

Originally Posted by tcs

Yep - except the Chinese actually manufactured over 25 million bikes last year. 96% of Chinese production is 50cc to 150cc. They exported almost a third of their 2007 production, mostly to other world markets that want small displacement machines (the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa).

tcs

Would you venture a guess at the total US DS market? 50,000 bikes?

Besides, i suspect that a growing number of "Japanese" BIKES are actually chinabikes in disguise.

THATS's what irks me about all this. :x

Yeah, the Japanese do the bulk of the R&D themselves still, but there's no excuse for them not passing on some of the cost savings from farming out the actual manufacture to the Chinese.

Besides, we have a pretty good idea what the cost of manufacture might be.

Let's say 1,500 BUCKS! TOPS! Now do you think i'm gonna fork out 3000 just to pad Honda's CEO's retirement. :roll: :wink:

[TeamCheap]

Just because something is made in china does not mean it is sub-par I think a lot has to do with WHO is having the part made.

If honda let the chinese just make the parts for them then honda's quality would sink terribly but honda and many other companies in china have to basically babysit every tiny aspect of production or they'll end up with sub-par products.

I also doubt that china lifan has been sued by anyone in north america for a serious or fatal accident caused by one of their motorcycles.That might keep the costs down.
Are individual chinese citizens allowed to sue the big companies in china ?

I do have to agree that the japanese bikes are a bit over priced and the true price of all these TOYS is likely to be some where right in the middle.

[IronFist]

Originally Posted by tcs

Honda has been sourcing parts in China since 1964 and building complete bikes there since 1982.

J'think?

And actually, my "made-in-Japan" Honda did say "made in China" on the tail light bulb.

BTW, the headlight bulb said "made in Germany".

tcs

My honda is a "72. I don't think it's Chinese. :roll:

[warrior91]

My buddy at work bought a 230l this spring$6,750 including tax.
It is pretty nice and made in Japan...
He is going to trade it off next spring on a 650. He has 6000km so far trouble free...His cousin has a 07 honda 230 mx and it runs circles around the 230L. If he wasn't going to trade it he would bolt on a real muffler,tweak the carb, and add a good filter/airbox mod to keep up with his cousin.

[elroyjetsn]

Originally Posted by warrior91

My buddy at work bought a 230l this spring$6,750 including tax.
It is pretty nice and made in Japan...
......His cousin has a 07 honda 230 mx and it runs circles around the 230L. If he wasn't going to trade it he would bolt on a real muffler,tweak the carb, and add a good filter/airbox mod to keep up with his cousin.

For almost 7k$ it should be the finest 230 on the planet!!! You're telling me the bike needs mods to keep up with a stock MX.

With almost 4500km on my $900 Viva, which is a less refined, but comparable performance and has had no problems so far. My hat's off to the Chinese and non-union labor. :wink:

[TeamCheap]

I'm still trying to figure which honda (rip-off) bike elroyjetsn is talking about at 7K?

WHICH HONDA IS IT ???

I see they have some crf450's for up around 7K but they probably are just slightly faster/quicker than a well tuned 200cc china bike so its a total honda rip-off.

All sarcasm aside :roll: I see honda has a 50 and a 70 that come in at the price point of most 200cc china bikes so maybe those should be compared to the china bikes to see whats what.

Of course all those honda prices are MSRP and the bikes can and are easily bought at less than those prices.

All other issues aside isnt nice to see a full range of bikes to choose from from just one company instead of only one, two or maybe three at best "take it or leave it" china bike choice.

[warrior91]

In Canada the 230l sells for $6500 bucks (+/-)
The 230L is bunged right up from factory...the mx 230 is way zippier but not much faster in top end, It just gets there quicker.
Nice bike with good fit and finish ...but I am going to go with China KTM (xtm) copy for $1400 including shipping and tax!...it might only do 70mph...but who cares for that price :P ...even without the honda "reliability" :wink: