mangocrazy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:14 pm
When I was rebuilding my 350LC a year or so back I was told in no uncertain terms by a number of people who did actually know what they were talking about to NOT use cheap Chinese pistons. Stick to decent quality Japanese items (Mitaka), they said.
So while I'm sure that China can and does make quality stuff, when I'm splashing the cash for critical items I'll go for stuff I trust. When it comes to stuff like CNC brake and clutch levers, I'll happily pay £20 for a pair of trick anodised jobbies and laugh all the way to the bank.
I'm amused that you think a piston is more critical than a brake lever.
I'm flattered that you care...
The parts in question are demonstrably stronger and stiffer than the OE items they replaced and I took great care to ensure that actuating pin adjustment was correct, with no binding. Once you've experienced a 2T seizing on you halfway round a LH corner and doing its best to fire you into oncoming traffic you may understand why I regard pistons as a critical component.
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:14 pm
When I was rebuilding my 350LC a year or so back I was told in no uncertain terms by a number of people who did actually know what they were talking about to NOT use cheap Chinese pistons. Stick to decent quality Japanese items (Mitaka), they said.
So while I'm sure that China can and does make quality stuff, when I'm splashing the cash for critical items I'll go for stuff I trust. When it comes to stuff like CNC brake and clutch levers, I'll happily pay £20 for a pair of trick anodised jobbies and laugh all the way to the bank.
I'm amused that you think a piston is more critical than a brake lever.
I'm flattered that you care...
The parts in question are demonstrably stronger and stiffer than the OE items they replaced and I took great care to ensure that actuating pin adjustment was correct, with no binding. Once you've experienced a 2T seizing on you halfway round a LH corner and doing its best to fire you into oncoming traffic you may understand why I regard pistons as a critical component.
I get that bit because I've blown up enough 2t bikes in my youth and had to push them home off the South Wales mountains, and I would only fit 'named' pistons myself.
The bit that amused me was the thought that a brake lever is not a critical part when it is actually a 'safety critical part' under every definition of the term
Not saying they all do it, but there's deffo more than one firm who take creative interpretation of the "made in..." label. Sure, the very last bit was done on the country in the box
Still...could be worse...there's a fair amount of "Made in China" stuff that's actually made in North Korea.
I'm amused that you think a piston is more critical than a brake lever.
I'm flattered that you care...
The parts in question are demonstrably stronger and stiffer than the OE items they replaced and I took great care to ensure that actuating pin adjustment was correct, with no binding. Once you've experienced a 2T seizing on you halfway round a LH corner and doing its best to fire you into oncoming traffic you may understand why I regard pistons as a critical component.
I get that bit because I've blown up enough 2t bikes in my youth and had to push them home off the South Wales mountains, and I would only fit 'named' pistons myself.
The bit that amused me was the thought that a brake lever is not a critical part when it is actually a 'safety critical part' under every definition of the term
Yes, take your point. A brake lever is a safety critical part. Bad choice of phrasing on my part.
I was trying (badly, as it turned out) to make the point that I'm very happy to use Chinese parts in a lot of cases, but draw the line at others. At least with an external part you might get some advance warning of impending failure, whereas with an internal engine part that likelihood is far less.
Mr. Dazzle wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:40 pm
Not saying they all do it, but there's deffo more than one firm who take creative interpretation of the "made in..." label. Sure, the very last bit was done on the country in the box
Still...could be worse...there's a fair amount of "Made in China" stuff that's actually made in North Korea.
Yes, it's only words on a box. But everything I have heard and read indicates that Mitaka pistons are made in Japan, and their reputation is to some degree based on that. And the price differential is reassuringly large, although again that is not necessarily a guide.
I do wonder when (if) China starts to become less of a low cost provider of goods, where will the race to the bottom take us? Will it be (as you suggest) North Korea masquerading as China? Made in Taiwan used to be a red flag - now it's seen as a mark of (comparative) quality
I was a teenager in the 60s as the Japanese 'invasion' was gathering pace. There were no end of folk decrying Japanese stuff as poor quality, but to me it didn't stack up. I stripped a number of Japanese and British bike engines and the engineering on the Brit stuff was shoddy and agricultural. Japanese engines were like Swiss watches in comparison. A friend of the family was vocal in his contempt for Japanese bikes, claiming they'd fall to pieces in no time, and cited the difference in maximum revs as an example. His Velo Venom 500 maxed out at 6200 rpm. My CD175 was good to 10,500. But when you calculated piston speed my Honda was less stressed than his Velo. And the Honda's crank had roller bearings which allowed a much higher rev limit.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying I never bought the 'Jap crap' line.
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:11 pm
I was a teenager in the 60s as the Japanese 'invasion' was gathering pace. There were no end of folk decrying Japanese stuff as poor quality, but to me it didn't stack up. I stripped a number of Japanese and British bike engines and the engineering on the Brit stuff was shoddy and agricultural. Japanese engines were like Swiss watches in comparison. A friend of the family was vocal in his contempt for Japanese bikes, claiming they'd fall to pieces in no time, and cited the difference in maximum revs as an example. His Velo Venom 500 maxed out at 6200 rpm. My CD175 was good to 10,500. But when you calculated piston speed my Honda was less stressed than his Velo. And the Honda's crank had roller bearings which allowed a much higher rev limit.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying I never bought the 'Jap crap' line.
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:11 pm
I was a teenager in the 60s as the Japanese 'invasion' was gathering pace. There were no end of folk decrying Japanese stuff as poor quality, but to me it didn't stack up. I stripped a number of Japanese and British bike engines and the engineering on the Brit stuff was shoddy and agricultural. Japanese engines were like Swiss watches in comparison. A friend of the family was vocal in his contempt for Japanese bikes, claiming they'd fall to pieces in no time, and cited the difference in maximum revs as an example. His Velo Venom 500 maxed out at 6200 rpm. My CD175 was good to 10,500. But when you calculated piston speed my Honda was less stressed than his Velo. And the Honda's crank had roller bearings which allowed a much higher rev limit.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying I never bought the 'Jap crap' line.
Do we as a whole believe that no-one in China is capable of sourcing or making all the components to build a complete motorcycle that is as reliable as the Japanese bikes? I would say 20 years ago definitely, but they must be learning some lessons along the way !?
Mr. Dazzle wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:09 am
A long time ago "Made in Japan" was a bit of a joke wasn't it (literally, in Back to the Future) and look at it now.
I guess you're not old enough to remember 'made in hong kong'?
