Has the Stigma of "Jap" Bikes been Exorcised in the USA?

[zeroxs650]

I remember the "rice burner" comments from the hardcore HD riders I knew in the late 60's, earlier 70's. But I didn't care what you rode as long as you rode. My first ride was a Triumph Trophy and it got me around for a few years. Now my regular ride is a HD Road King for long trips back and forth from my PA home to my home in Fl along with other places of interest. I've owned several XSs over the past 10 years and love them. Easy to ride around town and work on, make it your own since I am a novice at motorcycle repair. I enjoy the brotherhood when I meet other bikers at different events, common interest in riding and making the bike your own. Now they call them metric bikes.

 

[BigJohnParts]

Along with brand discrimination, you also have the size thing.
More than the "whatcha ridin" question, I hear the "how big is it" question.
One upmanship is alive and well and as ingrained as any habit. Even here on the XS650 site.

So very true...When a 1300cc cruiser is deemed a middle weight machine. A lot of people perceive our old 650s as akin to something a little bigger than tiddlers..Sucks, but true...Here is a fact. Most stock XS650s make better power than the stock 883 H-D- Sportys...

Why I remember the day when the Triumph and BSA 650 "Big Twins" were the baddest things on the road..Little did they know that both Honda and Kawasaki were each concocting a their 4 cylinder game changers in the way of the Honda 750 and the then yet unreleased Kaw 900....There is where the CC. size war started.. Of course Norton had their 750 Commander, Benelli had their 6 cylinder machine...But Honda and Kaw put everyone on their arses and started the size war thing that continues today...

 

[Orion61]

Yeah I remember the inline 6 cyl Hondas in the 70's, You couldn't tip it because it would hit a cylinder lol. But those V65 Magnas were scary fast.
They were scary because the HP and gear ratio didn't give you the sense of speed the smaller bikes did.
I saw a guy kill himself on a V65, He blew past me one misty day. I was doing 65 on Asphault and I cant imagine his speed. He was just getting out of view in a matter of seconds, I had just thought "That's not a good idea", when I saw him lose it! His Bike threw about a 20' high shower of sparks.
When I got up to him he was still alive. He was laying on his Right side and when I put my jacket under his head and helmet, to sooth him a vertical line was ground away from his outer eyebrow to mid jaw. He died a few minutes later...what a shame. DONT RIDE HARD when it is wet please... I never want another guy to die in my arms along the road.

 

[upthemaiden]

I see guys riding around town on these giant bikes that have to weigh 900lbs, have massive windshields that have to make the handlebars feel so sluggish, and I try to figure out how much fun they can even be having. As stated it's more about the lifestyle than fun, but I'm just trying to enjoy my commute, and seeing how big even most 900cc cruisers are, I can't imaging riding one anywhere but the highway.

 

[wrenchjohns]

Riding a big bike not fun WTF. Now how about some history. Does no one remember what happened December 7, 1941. How about the following 4 years, only ending in August 1945 after Japan's industrial capacity was destroyed. In my youth, "Made in Japan" had a single meaning, cheap junk. Little gold stickers on junk trinkets announced that you were purchasing cheap junk. Any one see where this stigma came from? Now, you find the same gold stickers on Chinese products. Are you jumping up looking for new Chinese bikes? No? Why not?

 

[grizld1]

There's one big difference, wrenchjohns. True, the Japanese put out a lot of cheap goods while they rebuilt, and some folks were still fighting WWII in their heads, but by the late '50s and early '60s if you wanted quality optics, a quality SLR camera, a quality radio, etc., you at least gave the Japanese stuff a serious look. The Japanese went upmarket as soon as they could, and the transition was fast; cultural values pushed them to produce high quality. As to bikes, there were a few exceptions (TX750 for one), but overall Japanese machines, big and small, were second only to BMW for reliability and durability through the '60s and early 70s, and that was true from the start (when BMW decided to pursue the performance market, the Japanese found themselves second to none).

China is a different case altogether. They've had a long time to get their act together and with a few exceptions they've chosen to compete only on price. Some of their optical goods are first class. But as far as motorized gear is concerned, guys who buy a Chinese tractor, ATV, or motorcycle at Rural King or buy a Chinese scooter anywhere are buying a load of grief and frustration with it. And then there are Chinese aftermarket parts. If Chinese goods bear a "stigma," it's one that's been earned and is still deserved.

 

[Orion61]

To add on that, we sure didn't have any issue with Volkswagons, and your Harleys by the 70's were built with some Japanese parts like forks..
The US made a TON of money off the backs of Japanese labor in the decades until they surpassed our auto quality in the later 70's then in other items.
China is a different thing all together where our republican President sold our workers out by signing permanent trade deals with a Country that uses virtually Slave Labor to replace nearly every product we manufactured.

 

[fredintoon]

- - - as far as motorized gear is concerned, guys who buy a Chinese tractor, ATV, or motorcycle at Rural King or buy a Chinese scooter anywhere are buying a load of grief and frustration with it. And then there are Chinese aftermarket parts. If Chinese goods bear a "stigma," it's one that's been earned and is still deserved.

Hi grizld1,
as long as you realize they are disposable items you'll not be disappointed. They work OK until they don't and then you sell them for scrap.

 

[grizld1]

Fred, I've seen too much of that stuff that failed within a few hours of use, the ag equipment in particular. I was shopping at the local Rural King for some hitch parts when a guy rolled in with one of their Chinese tractors on his trailer. It was his third trip in for warranty repair, and according to the owner the thing had spent more time in the shop than it had in service; it had less than 15 hours on it. The local independent shop I patronize had a contract with Lowe's to do warranty work on their Chinese ATVs. Let's just say it was a very lucrative contract. The consensus among the mechanics was that the equipment was scrap right out of the crate. Chinese scooters are notorious. Bottom line: You can't get something for nothing, but if the price is low enough it's easy to get nothing for something.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi grizld1,
I've never ridden a Chinese bike but I've seen them offered at small independent car dealerships, tucked behind the used Chevys; they are that bad, eh?
A riding buddy said:-
"Chinese bikes? They seldom run good and there's no way to get parts to fix them, I wouldn't touch one with a shitty stick."
And I thought:- "Yeah, but how much of that is because you are a Honda dealer?"
Seems it wasn't mere prejudice on his part.

 

[Orion61]

We have kind of drifted off course a bit here, But I will drift it a bit further to the left.. Chinese electronics.. They make the public eat the costs of their failed components with their warranty, I bought a Tablet PC for my Daughter 2 yrs ago, It only had a 90 day warranty but was a $59.00 7" screen.
It failed in 30 days, when I contacted them they informed me it only had a replacement warranty for 2 weeks (not mentioned in the online warrantee info) BUT I had to pay to send my bad pc back and 1/2 of the shipping for the rpl!!!! that equaled EXACTLY $50.00! plus packing and time.
I have a Chinese made gasoline generator for my RV.. but they require an oil change every 20 hrs operation! go on a hot weekend 2 oil changes?
I have used the synthetics and go about 80 hrs with no problems, and I suspect they are only a 2 ring piston..what a way to save money! But the 4000
watt genny was only $249.00 SHIPPED. I did knock down the idle speed which was really high, since it is governor operated it works fine, with only a split second delay on an AC cycle..

 

[Fortunate son]

"The "American Iron" line is deceptive propaganda. Forks made by Showa, ignitions by Hitachi, carbs by Mikuni, pistons cast in Mexico, etc. About all that happens in Milwaukee is assembly. I have more American made bits on my XS650 than the average HD."

OUCH!!!

Yeah I say that to every biker douch that trashes my XS. Look at all the USA made parts on my bike, vs the Mexican /China found on Harley's these days "built not bought"