Difference Between Chinese & Japanese Dirt Bikes

Chinese and Japanese dirt bikes, what's the difference?

Dirt bikes, also known as trail bikes, are lighter than average motorcycles and designed for riding off-road on rough, rocky and woody terrains. These machines are stripped down motorcycles with specialized suspension units to withstand jarring, without fittings such as lights, and with engines between 50 and 400 cc. Learn about the difference between Chinese and Japanese dirt bikes to save money on your next bike.

Pricing

Chinese companies mass produce dirt bikes with many of the same features as their Japanese competitors but at a lower price. Some Chinese models are less than a third of the price of similar Japanese dirt bikes, which allows new dirt bike riders to enter the sport earlier and for less cash. Industry insiders predict these less expensive Chinese brands will be available over the long term. In a recent Business Week article, Tue Mantoni, chief executive of the British Triumph Motorcycle Co., comments, "The Chinese have 25 to 50 brands now, but in 10 years there will be two or three that will be as successful as the Japanese."

Quality

Early models were inconsistent in quality, but the Chinese manufacturers have learned valuable lessons by producing inexpensive motorcycles for their huge home consumer market. Chinese-built dirt motorcycles, in general, are less sturdy than Japanese models, with weaker suspensions and smaller engines, which produce less horsepower, but advances in designs on features such as automatic transmissions are winning the Chinese favorable reviews. Big-name Japanese dirt bikes, famous all over the world, have a long history of good quality and safety, but in the early days of manufacturing, they also had a reputation for low-quality. Some Chinese dirt bikes do still suffer from issues such as poor quality control, but the Chinese are making progress and challenging their competitors for a bigger market share, not just the Japanese, but dirt bike manufacturers all over the world.

Availability of Parts

The major Japanese dirt bike manufacturers, which also make road bikes, offer a wide range of branded replacement parts, available all over the U.S. Non-branded spare parts for Japanese motorcycles, such as brakes, are just as easily available. Many of these non-branded dirt bike parts are made in China. Chinese dirt bike manufacturers are slowly gaining a foothold in U.S. bike dealerships, offering better availability of spare parts.

After-Sales Service

Chinese dirt bike manufacturers do not offer the same degree of after-sales service the Japanese makes of motorcycles do. This is because the majority of them have not yet established a network of dealers. As the strong design-driven Chinese dirt bike manufacturing market establishes a good reputation the level of services available to owners of Chinese dirt bikes will improve.

References

• The Dirt Biker Chronicles: After-Market Parts Lessons and Observations
• The Kneeslider: Chinese Motorcycles Growing Fast
• Bloomberg Businessweek: Japanese Bike Makers Hit the Wall in China
• Bloomberg Businessweek: China Design
• Larvatus Prodeo: Cheap as Chips Chinese Dirt Bikes and Aussie Manufacturing
• Businessweek: Online Extra: Yamaha's Attempt to Brake Fakes

Resources

• Bloomberg Businessweek: The Return of Britain's Triumph Motorbikes
• TMW: Beginner's Guide to Motorcycling