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[simon]

Joining the motorway on the B44 today i was passed by a red Continental. He (gender presumption here it could have been a she) had clearly modified the exhaust because it was loud. Looked and sounded pretty good actually and motoring at a clip. However much they badge engineer little 125 Honda or Suzuki copiies they are not going to capture the spirit of English motorcycles at their best despite what they claim on the site. They can badge them AJS, Vincent or Brough they are just little jap comuters made in China. Not bad at all if thats what you want but nothing whatsoever to do with classic Brit bikes. The Enfield marque though has pedigree and so for me until someone turns up with a new design of bike and manufactures it in Blighty they are imho the clear aire apparent.

[RancidPolecat]

At the risk of taking this thread further off topic but to answer some questions and comments:
Eddie, I agree that the original Avon SM2 rear tyre was very poor at cornering especially if it had been fitted for years and had hardened considerably but the new S(afety) M(ileage)2 and its ribbed Speedmaster companion are much better. The SM2 has a rounder profile and both benefit from advances in tyre compound technology. My preference is for the Road-Rider but if these physically won't fit in the space due to the wider profile rubbing on the mudguard edges for example, then I have no hesitation in fitting a Skidmaster which is of course an amusing epithet for a possibly historically correct outcome of fitting said tyre. We also laugh hysterically at "Joseph Lucas - Prince of Darkness" but with modern electronic control units both the Lucas dynamo and alternator rarely give trouble.
I remember when I started riding in the 1970s that most people dumped the Bridgestone tyres fitted to most Japanese machines due to their dire performance in the wet but Bridgestone are now regarded as one of the best tyre manufacturers and this is what I meant about outdated cliches.
Simon, whilst I agree that the Royal Enfield marque has pedigree I feel that no modern machine truly captures the "spirit of English motorcycles" as you put it. The day of classic British bikes has long gone and let's not forget that in their day they were mostly get to work plodders or to put it another way - commuters so surely the "little Jap commuters made in China" are the true heir apparent?

[simon]

I agree but it wasnt my phrase but one on that AJS 125 site. To cheesy for words. You are right about the tyres too, old fashioned compound turned any tyre lethal if it was let get too old. The modern softer compounds makes them all pretty bloody good in comparison. I have three bikes, one with new classic profile Metzlers, one with a new TT100 on the rear and a Pirelli on the front and the other with Mitas classic profiles front and rear and to be honest they are all excellent.

[nigelphoto]

Just a footnote on Chinese manufacturing and quality . . . I have a 1982 Honda XL250 Prolink which misfires and stutters under load at half throttle openings. Easy peasy, fit new needle, main jet and emulsion tube - only these items are made of that very rare metal 'Unobtainium'. Ah ha - so we send off for a replacement Keihin PD73A and what final arrives is a very badly made Chinese copy on which the throttle spindle hole in the casting is over bored so much that it locks the slide solid about 1/3 way open. So we complain bitterly and another one turns up a few weeks later. Only this one also doesn't work as the choke assy has been very poorly made and won't work and the con rod to the accelerator pump is bent and that doesn't work either - besides which they're both jetted wrong although of course I could change that for more money only now both carbs have been taken away in the blue bin. So lets have no more casual racism but calculated, informed critique from empirical experience of Chinese manufacturing quality controls which are CRAP!

[papasmurf]

Nigelphoto, is this any use even though it is an American site:-
http://www.hondarestoration.com/for_sal ... Motorcycle Parts&md=Air Intake and Fuel Delivery&d=Carburetors and Parts&p=Parts and Accessories&c=177773&k=XL250

[nigelphoto]

Thanks Papa I will contact the site but I'm not overly hopeful. The first ad on the website I clicked on led me directly to ebay US and the dreaded Chinese carbs!! But anythings worth a try so we'll give them a go. Cheers mate

[Bullet Whisperer]

From my experiences with Chinese stuff ... I have had two brand new non runners brought here to be sorted out. The first, a small quad, had wiring issues and mismatched wire colours in the loom connectors, as well as a choke which was impossible to put 'on', because the operating lever was jammed in the 'off' position by a frame tube !!! The second was a small pit bike, again with electrical issues and a duff cdi box. Both left here working, but should have been working to begin with. The metals the engines are made from shatter like glass in an accident, although the engines perform well while the piston rings last. The last Chinese bike I had here burst into flames and nearly caused a major fire and possible deaths when I tried to start it. Chinese machines are now banned from my premises.

[papasmurf]

Some of the parts on Indian Enfields are sourced from China. (Which may explain a lot.)

[simon]

Sadly this manufacturing model comes from computers. It involves producing enormous volume with no quality control at a very low price. Whilst any defect will result in no questions asked replacement it doesnt make up for the shagging around involved. Also because of the seductively low price no one can compete with quality. That is why people hark back to the halcion days of the British motorcycle industry more than any other reason because the bikes and all their component parts were made to last and to be reparable for as long as you can stick a bit of metal in a lathe or turn on a welder. Simple rugged machinery that was built to last.

[jefrs]

Inside the casquette of my C5 at least one pair of wires have their colours reversed to the ignition switch, a mistake by whoever assembled it but it works. I think we often view old british bikes with rose tinted glasses, I met more than a few and a lot of them were complete disasters. I've also met chinese reverse-engineering - avoid.