Trail 70 Clone update
- Thread starter CT70Fire
- Start date
TrailRyd3r
Member
Hmm, what is Honda trying to do exactly, are they wanting people to stop making the repos, man that would suck, I have a Redcat, it was my first repo bike, now all we get is Lifan.
www.hooperimports.com
www.hooperimports.com
Seems kind of unlikely, to me anyway, that Honda would be that concerned about repop bikes. Their patents/copyrights expired in `98. More likely it involves someone making false claims about clone bikes. As I've mentioned, there have been a lot of shady sellers making lots of misrepresentations over the years and this kind of thing has really turned-up the heat for everyone. I imagine that's muddied the waters for the legit sellers, too. It sucks, but what can you do?
The competitve bidding process is so cutthroat in PRC that it makes what goes on between Walmart and it's vendors look like Tuesday bingo night at the old folks' home. Dealers in Europe have experienced what you're seeing now, and worse, over the past 2-3 years. Typically, a manufacturer will offer to build to a quality/cost specified as levels 1-5. As more and more fly-by-night sellers race to the bottom for selling price, anything that hasn't been cost-reduced to the limit simply stops selling, then goes out-of-production and disappears. It's really hurt a lot of quality-oriented dealers, i.e. the guys that maintain a business presence and offer ongoing customer support.
I haven't heard a lot about Lifan products as yet, but that's probably a good thing. Bad news travels fast. You should see some of the garbage being sold on the other side of the pond
. The Brits and Europeans complain bitterly that the best PRC stuff comes here, leaving them with the bottom of the barrel. I'd hate to see the clone bikes disappear, too. They offer an easy intro to the world of CT70s and Z50s and help generate interest.
The competitve bidding process is so cutthroat in PRC that it makes what goes on between Walmart and it's vendors look like Tuesday bingo night at the old folks' home. Dealers in Europe have experienced what you're seeing now, and worse, over the past 2-3 years. Typically, a manufacturer will offer to build to a quality/cost specified as levels 1-5. As more and more fly-by-night sellers race to the bottom for selling price, anything that hasn't been cost-reduced to the limit simply stops selling, then goes out-of-production and disappears. It's really hurt a lot of quality-oriented dealers, i.e. the guys that maintain a business presence and offer ongoing customer support.
I haven't heard a lot about Lifan products as yet, but that's probably a good thing. Bad news travels fast. You should see some of the garbage being sold on the other side of the pond
. The Brits and Europeans complain bitterly that the best PRC stuff comes here, leaving them with the bottom of the barrel. I'd hate to see the clone bikes disappear, too. They offer an easy intro to the world of CT70s and Z50s and help generate interest.Thanks Racerx and Trailryd3r!! I, too, really like these clones. I have 2 Redcats that I bought last Summer and they are quality bikes that are a lot of fun. I bought one of them at Trail1.com and the other one at Capital Motor Bikes. Trail1.com does not carry them anymore and the salesperson told me that they are no longer available to sell. Capital Motor Bikes have just a few of the 70cc models left and can't get anymore. Retrobikes.com said the same thing but they are trying to fight it. They both told me parts are still easy to come by but how long will that last?
In summary, I am really bummed!! Does HooperImports have trouble getting any in?
Thanks again!
In summary, I am really bummed!! Does HooperImports have trouble getting any in?
Thanks again!
Regardless of how the situation goes, since the clone bikes have zero collector value, there's a huge variety of OEM Honda and aftermarket parts available that can be used any way one sees fit without concern over resale. It's kind of like a free pass. Most riders who keep these bikes a long time end up replacing/upgrading parts until little more than the frame remains from the original bike. That essentially means that you can not only keep your bike going but gradually, painlessly, customize it to your taste over time.
I see the same vendors selling repop bikes year after year but the brand names are different every time. That's just the nature of the beast. These are small businesses that have no more control over the market than anyone else. So, they do what they must to stay in business: sell what's available. You can't fault them for being survivors. The only ones to watch out for are unknown sellers, mostly on ebay, offering deals that seem too good to be true. Mostly, they are. It's buyer beware on ebay
I see the same vendors selling repop bikes year after year but the brand names are different every time. That's just the nature of the beast. These are small businesses that have no more control over the market than anyone else. So, they do what they must to stay in business: sell what's available. You can't fault them for being survivors. The only ones to watch out for are unknown sellers, mostly on ebay, offering deals that seem too good to be true. Mostly, they are. It's buyer beware on ebay
TrailRyd3r
Member
No, Hooper imports doesnt have any trouble that I know of getting any bikes, my dad is a dealer for him and we get bikes all the time and sell them to other people here in Kansas. But your right, I too love my Redcat, its been a good bike overall, except for the motor locking up part
talkinshop
New Member
hi - I'm new here - just one quick question. What do you mean by 'motor locking up?' Does that mean it 'stalled' ? I just got a redcat trail 70 and loved it but while my son was riding it at about 40 mph - it just stalled- he finally got it running enough to get back (about 1/2 a block) it idles but when you give it gas (throttle) it dies. Is that the same thing? Guess it wasn't such a quick question. thanks for any info!TrailRyd3r said:No, Hooper imports doesnt have any trouble that I know of getting any bikes, my dad is a dealer for him and we get bikes all the time and sell them to other people here in Kansas. But your right, I too love my Redcat, its been a good bike overall, except for the motor locking up part
TrailRyd3r
Member
Well mine had the carb choke flap screw fall into the motor and lock up a valve, so mine was a little more major
But back to your question, thats weird that it is doing that, I guess I would start with the idle mixture screw make sure it is adjusted right.
And check the rectifier and make sure it is plugged in, mine wasnt and I went through 2 batterys before I figured it out
But back to your question, thats weird that it is doing that, I guess I would start with the idle mixture screw make sure it is adjusted right.
And check the rectifier and make sure it is plugged in, mine wasnt and I went through 2 batterys before I figured it out
makotosun
Member
http://www.hooperimports.com is having a sale on these at the moment and appear to be offering free shipping!
I inquired and they come with an unrestricted MSO so your state should be able to give you a street title, just like any other legal motorcycle. I am leaning this way for a couple of camping rigs..... Not Honda, but these have a pretty good reputation on this board and others.
I inquired and they come with an unrestricted MSO so your state should be able to give you a street title, just like any other legal motorcycle. I am leaning this way for a couple of camping rigs..... Not Honda, but these have a pretty good reputation on this board and others.
Engine "lock up"
One of my redcats was doing the same thing. Turns out there is a floater cap in the carberator that gets stuck cutting the gasoline off. If you tap the carberator a few times, it eventually becomes un-stuck. However, it will do it again so I had to take mine back to the shop to have a new floater installed.
I am no engineer so if I made no sense - sorry! Once mine is fixed and I get to talk to the mechanic again, I will get a more correct and detailed report.
Good luck!
One of my redcats was doing the same thing. Turns out there is a floater cap in the carberator that gets stuck cutting the gasoline off. If you tap the carberator a few times, it eventually becomes un-stuck. However, it will do it again so I had to take mine back to the shop to have a new floater installed.
I am no engineer so if I made no sense - sorry! Once mine is fixed and I get to talk to the mechanic again, I will get a more correct and detailed report.
Good luck!
Also back when I first got my redcat 70 it would stall to and it ended up being that the rubber boot from the airfilter to the carb wasnt attached to the carb tight enough,I put some sealant around it and it ran fine.Just something to check out.Also I e-mailed redcat and they said the trail 70 is discontinued,I dont know exactly what for though.
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TrailRyd3r
Member
moko said:
I got rid of my airbox right away, to restrictive and robs power on the bike. I got one of these, http://www.hondatrailbikes.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_32&products_id=218
It works great!!
Cool, if they are discontinued, then ours are now worth more money