I rode about 10 miles to the nearest barber shop this morning. About half way back, I'm doing around 30mph, and suddenly loud noises, lots of shaking, and I come to a very wobbly, but fortunately safe, stop. This is what I was looking at. The engine came right off the frame. My first thought was that I hadn't properly torqued the mounting bolts and the nuts had shaken loose and fallen off. Upon examination, I realized that what happened was that the mounting studs had sheared right off flush with the engine. Don't anyone even try to tell me that it's my fault for overtightening the mounting bolts. I tightened them enough so that I could be sure they wouldn't come loose. If they hadn't been made from such cheap metal, they wouldn't have broken, period. These things are not safe because of the poor quality of the materials they are made from. Don't risk your life trying to save a few dollars by riding one of these things. I am definitely finished trying to polish a turd. These things are dangerous and there is no way to make them not dangerous, except to melt them down and turn them into yard sculptures. My parting advice: Take all your cheap crappy Chinese junk metal and put it where it belongs, in a trash compactor.
Warning to All! - Everyone look at this!
- Thread starter brucemg51
- Start date
i sheared two studs, but not at the same time. I stopped safely as well, then replaced the studs with american made all-threads. Sorry to here you are giving up on these fun little machines. But keep in mind, we are not all here b/c of a cheap transportation. A lot of us are here for the pure enjoyment of tinkering and the enjoyment of those onlookers.
You get the MrLarkins patented "ok".
You get the MrLarkins patented "ok".
Ditto MrLarkins,
This is a "Hobby" not a ford taurus.........building and running into problems until your set-up/engine becomes a fun and enjoyable ride around town.
You miss my point. That's all it was to me, too, a fun hobby. That doesn't mean you won't get seriously hurt or killed playing with something that's just plain dangerous no matter how you use it.
I, too, have replaced a lot of the hardware with higher quality parts, but I'm at the point that I have to wonder when is enough, enough? The whole thing is so cheesy, it could just come apart at the seams at any time. This isn't a video game. When you're doing 30 mph on a bicycle, you'd better be sure you have the best quality machine you can get between you and the pavement. Riding something that you know is of such poor construction, is bordering on suicidal.
Your only as safe as the next guy. What I mean by that is do you wear a seat belt in you car? Even if you do that alone does not protect you from the person speeding through an intersection? If your wear a bicycle helmet then your as safe as your going to get. Just because hardware can fail on these motors, doesn't mean they are going to kill you. Live every day as if it is gift.
This is how I feel, you are "very" entitled to do what you want in life! There is danger in every aspect in life take what you are willing to live with.
I agree life is very short and whatever power is out there will take when it's your time you can get killed doing any thing but that will not stop me from living life do whatever makes you happy!
My mother drooped dead at 39 at work brain hemorrhage cased by fatal leukemia she had a full blood work up two weeks before that and nothing turned up.
so since I have been 16 I value wach day as a gift!
Sadly, you're all missing my point. I agree totally with living life to the fullest. However, I've been riding motorcycles since 1967. I'm still here and in one piece. That's because I've found that space between the thrill of taking risks and doing things that are just plain dumb and don't add to the thrills in any way. I wouldn't ride a motorcycle on a bald tire and just figure what the hey, I could get killed anyway. Riding these things that are made out of chewing gum and old Chinese newspapers is about as dumb as riding on a bald tire.
I have a trash compactor ,i will even pay the freight and give the china doll a good home. harleys dad
See I have this pesky thing called a conscience. I wouldn't sell something that I know is unsafe, even if used as directed. I've sold many motorcycles. Life is short, and I wouldn't want to think that someone got killed because I sold them something that I knew was dangerous, and I've had many opportunities do that. Thanks for the offer, but I'll put it in the trash compactor myself.
There are a few engine makers that aren't state owned communists. They usually provide quality stuff.
Yes, that is true. However, from what I've seen, for what you'd pay for that, you might as well just buy a moped or scooter already made.
I am glad you think that way,life is to short.At one time i thought i was bulletproof,3 years of kemo made me think long and hard about my life,I wanted a drag boat many years ago so i had one built,5000hp blown nitro ,200+mph 1/4 mile her name was mothers worry if that tells you anything,ran it 2or 3 times,i got rid of her,after thinking of how short life really is.HARLEYS DAD
Admins, considering the nature of machinery, from the supply soruce to manufacturer to the end users perhaps we should have a thread here for posting heads up's. Those of us who have been around aviation know what "AD Notes" (air worthyness directive notes) are and why they exist.
Since I've been here I've seen several reports of malfunctioning parts. There could be alot of reasons for it. But in the greater scheme of things when business and industry want inspections, regulations, and other consumer safegards abolished in order for the "free market" to resolve all problems
we see this more and more frequently.
I don't know how well organized quality control is in China, thruout their supply chain. The Japanese learned their lessons after WW2. But we're all taking alot here on faith whether we can even speak a common language...other than money.
Item: When I was in business school I had to study the history of the British and American Industrial revolution. It seemed that the American Industrial Revolution exceded the Brit's and several reasons were given for it. But of those reasons one was offered by the German Sociologist named Max Wertheimer. He claimed that the American Industrial Revolution was what it became because of "Protestant Ethic". What he ment was that doing one's job in America was tied to their spiritual faith and to allow their work to be any less than the quality it was expected to be was to be in "sin". I don't know if the Chinese have any point of view like this or not now that they are in their Industrial Revolution. Or if it's only about money and production quotas and let the buyer beware.
I've for years listened to machinist and welders lament the low grades of Asian metal used to make some of the products brought to them to repair.
So that's why I make this suggestion about having a thread to address problems in makes, models, sizes, styles, & series of these units that may serve distributors, resellers, and end users.
I also urge everyone here who is into reading about the Chinese Industrial Revolution to consider this book from their public library:
Amazon.com: China Shakes the World: A Titan's Rise and Troubled Future -- and the Challenge for America: James Kynge: Books
I especially urge those considering importing directly from China themselves to cover the information regarding the corruption there before proceding on their own. The writer of this book is one of the best quaified to write such a book about China.
If a supplier was short on an order of studs and wanted to make the sell they may be inclined to ship some lesser grade studs to make up the order, and any failures be explained as an occasional random breakdown. But having a place where owners inform each other may be one way to protect owners and keep suppliers informed and manufacturers in line.
Just offering this as a thought.
Since I've been here I've seen several reports of malfunctioning parts. There could be alot of reasons for it. But in the greater scheme of things when business and industry want inspections, regulations, and other consumer safegards abolished in order for the "free market" to resolve all problems
we see this more and more frequently.
I don't know how well organized quality control is in China, thruout their supply chain. The Japanese learned their lessons after WW2. But we're all taking alot here on faith whether we can even speak a common language...other than money.
Item: When I was in business school I had to study the history of the British and American Industrial revolution. It seemed that the American Industrial Revolution exceded the Brit's and several reasons were given for it. But of those reasons one was offered by the German Sociologist named Max Wertheimer. He claimed that the American Industrial Revolution was what it became because of "Protestant Ethic". What he ment was that doing one's job in America was tied to their spiritual faith and to allow their work to be any less than the quality it was expected to be was to be in "sin". I don't know if the Chinese have any point of view like this or not now that they are in their Industrial Revolution. Or if it's only about money and production quotas and let the buyer beware.
I've for years listened to machinist and welders lament the low grades of Asian metal used to make some of the products brought to them to repair.
So that's why I make this suggestion about having a thread to address problems in makes, models, sizes, styles, & series of these units that may serve distributors, resellers, and end users.
I also urge everyone here who is into reading about the Chinese Industrial Revolution to consider this book from their public library:
Amazon.com: China Shakes the World: A Titan's Rise and Troubled Future -- and the Challenge for America: James Kynge: Books
I especially urge those considering importing directly from China themselves to cover the information regarding the corruption there before proceding on their own. The writer of this book is one of the best quaified to write such a book about China.
If a supplier was short on an order of studs and wanted to make the sell they may be inclined to ship some lesser grade studs to make up the order, and any failures be explained as an occasional random breakdown. But having a place where owners inform each other may be one way to protect owners and keep suppliers informed and manufacturers in line.
Just offering this as a thought.
I think I get the point but to be honest I really don't care. You pays your dollar you takes your chances. A doctor told me forty years ago, "You ride that bike long enough it's gonna kill you." So I can't say I wasn't warned.
I also agree with Deacon, and I'll add this, there ARE ways to make these motors safe. I have done it and many others have, if they hadn't, I would not have know what to do in order to make it safe.
I can understand your frustrations, I've had a few myself, but I stand by my statement that they can be made safe.
I can understand your frustrations, I've had a few myself, but I stand by my statement that they can be made safe.
If they cant be made safe the ntsb and our gov. will stop the import of these motors, it is up to us to make them safe,find new and better ways of mounting etc. our gov. stopped the import of three wheelers because they were killing people. harleys dad