Recreation - Made in China

Many sport enthusiasts today have noticed the influx of motorized product arriving from China. Companies like "Baja Motorsports", "lifan", and "lingtian" have flooded the marketplace with vehicles with a price tag much lower than their Japanese counterparts. It is likely you've seen one of these knock offs at your local auto parts shop, or maybe you've been KO'd by the endless pages of them for sale on ebay. If you are considering purchasing one of these vehicles there are some very important questions that the prudent consumer needs answered.

One: How long has this company been in business? Some manufacturers haven't had enough time for research and development or product testing to provide a competitive machine.

Two: Does this manufacturer provide a warranty? Though not common, some Chinese companies like Baja Motorsports provide a limited warranty on their products.

Three: Can I find parts for my hot new ride? Even the best motorcycles break, so make sure you can replace every part before you buy. Some bikes are made up of two or more completely separate products, an engine from one place wheels from another and a frame from a company that went out of business five years ago. There are hundreds of different bikes to choose from so be picky.

Four: What are my expectations? If you are expecting to hop on your brand new "Chinese dirtracer 250" and be the next Jeremy Mcgrath then prepare to test the durability of your new safety equipment.There is nothing like finding out how little your suspension can take after your bike folds up underneath your soon to be bed ridden body. You are also much better off buying a Japanese four wheeler if you plan on using it for a workhorse around the farm.

Chinese steel just doesn't hold up against the cruel punishment of the American worker. One place that these companies really shine is in their production of mopeds and scooters. These 50 to 250 cc machines are fast, reasonably reliable, extremely good on gas mileage, and they are cheap cheap cheap. They also have a very stylish design that is similar to the Vespa, Metropolitan, and Vino scooters. After all is Said and done there aren't many good things to say about Chinese design, but that's what they said about Japanese cars in their early years. So if you are looking for a tried and true indestructible farm tool, or a balls to the wall, super technical, high performance race machine then spend the extra money and buy from the big four Japanese companies. But if you are new to the game and want a cheap thrill for the grand kids then by all means buy a disposable little buggy from China.