ATV help needed

[Cake Monster]

12 hours ago, ktm jeff said:

Well done Zongshen. That sounds good service to come to your house , and take the quad away. Shame they cant get the part/s earlier , but i guess they dont stock everything.

I am starting to think that its a Business strategy on Zongshen,s part.

Their main core business here in Thailand will be the step through Moped market, and they are happy to sell cheap, and have the guy down the road fixing them the same as all the Honda,s Etc

When it comes to something different ( such as my Quad Bike ) they fix it " in house ", and as its a small market for their product, they will not carry so many spare parts. ( I wonder if Honda Etc do the same ? )

That aside, I am grateful to them that they consider my problem to be their problem, and have taken it on board

I looked up a 6 pin AC CDI unit wiring diagram, and yes, its the same as a 6 pin DC unit, with the 2 ground wires and all the other wiring the same. the only difference that I can see is the hot wire into the units colour( Red/ Black for AC and Red for DC ).

The Honda Wave CDI is AC, but only a 5 pin unit.

Its now that I realise why I am a Mechanical Engineer specialised in Machining, and not an Electrician  / Electronics Engineer. I also realise how little I know about this stuff.

I will keep you guys posted on progress Etc.

[Cake Monster]

On Monday I got an email from the Lady at Zongshen Thailand in which she said that they hoped the Quad would b e ready before 13th of the Month. Great ! thought

Then on Monday Evening my Missus got a call from the Service guy saying he would bring the Quad back on Tuesday Am at 9.30 !!!!!

Anyhow, the Service guy shows up at 9.25 with the Quad, and it starts now.

He said what a nightmare job for him, as some previous " service guys " had cobbled everything together, and it was the worst work he had ever seen.

In order to fix the machine,  he had to change the Ignition from AC to DC ( which is now correct )

He changed the whole Ignition harness, complete with Voltage Reg, Solenoid, CDI, Coil, Plug lead and Plug as and Stator and Pickup, as well as putting on a new Carb, as he reckoned the old one was no good. He also fixed an Oil Seal that had gone on the Crankshaft behind the Flywheel  

Well ! thats excellent service in anybodys book. All that work in 9 days, Quad picked up from, and returned to my house, all Zongshen genuine spares,and all from really nice people.

And the total cost ? An eye watering 4,500 Baht ( so I gave the service guy a good drink on top for all his hard work.)

I know one Chinese Company that nobody will ever trash to me - Its Zongshen

 

[ktm jeff]

Fantastic Zongshen Ryuka service. They have dealt with this problem ( well out of warranty ) in a very professional manner throughout. And at an excellent price. What impressed me most from your post , was they have also done some preventative maintenance , renewing the seal. This type for-thought isnt always forthcoming at many garages. Enjoy your Quad.

[canthai55]

Lets hope the China bashers read this thread - and hang their heads in shame.

China is growing quality-wise by leaps and bounds. Watch out Japan.

I bought a Platinum bike in Pattaya years ago - cheap copy of Honda Wave.

BIL still uses it - with a knobby on the rear to get up into the mountains.

Now wears a Wave voltage regulator - otherwise bone stock

[Cake Monster]

19 hours ago, ktm jeff said:

Fantastic Zongshen Ryuka service. They have dealt with this problem ( well out of warranty ) in a very professional manner throughout. And at an excellent price. What impressed me most from your post , was they have also done some preventative maintenance , renewing the seal. This type for-thought isnt always forthcoming at many garages. Enjoy your Quad.

KTM and canthai55,

Having dealt indirectly with Chinese product coming into my Machining business back in the UK,I was not a great believer in Chinese quality, or customer service. However, after this experience with Zongshen, I have now changed my mind ( although not completely ) about the Chinese business ethos.

A very, very, competent Company indeed, that will always have my vote of confidence. And I have not just told you guys this, I have also sent an email to Zongshen complimenting them on an excellent service.

Its now time to enjoy the Quad - all be it, at a fairly leisurely pace, as i am too old to be setting fire to the trails now. I am of the age where its better to take things slowly and absorb your surroundings and enjoy.

Good luck to you guys

 

[ktm jeff]

Lets hope Zongshen will lead the others by example. Ive heard of terrible service from a past Lifan dealer in Chiang Mai , so much so , they are no longer allowed to trade with Lifan. The lady that took over the sales licence of Lifan has 3 shops . The one i have visited is North bound on the HangDong road , just North of Big C. Her professional attitude mirrors your experience with Zongshen . That is the way forward. Years ago , the biggest problem with buying an "unknown" make of bike/quad , was the dealer set up and their backup service. A problem also found in some "mom and pop" shops. This is a step in the right direction. 

[Cake Monster]

KTM,

You are correct in stating this is a long way forward in customer service from a Chinese Company

I am glad that the Lady in Chang Mai has a professional attitude trading with the Lifan Marque.

Gone are the days when all Chinese product was of poor quality, today, the better Chinese Companies are up there with the best in the World, and the Lifan, Zongshen and Loncin brands are leading the way in small engine Motorcycles Etc out of China.

Their products are good (not the best maybe ) but for your buck you get a machine that will do the job, and for many years if correctly maintained and looked after.

Buying a Generic machine such as a Lifan still holds a bad stigma about it. Thai " Mechanics " when told the machine is Chinese either want nothing at all to do with it, or instantly want to change every component to Honda or Susuki Etc.

Why do they do this ?. I think its purely based on the " havnt seen one of these before - dont know what to do with it. "which is down to a severe lack of training / skill and the Thai ability to be lazy when it comes to using some grey matter.

Maybe, this is why Zongshen have no Service Dept or Spares in their Dealerships. They simply cannot find the required skills and attitude here in Thailand that is required by them.

It is sort of a shame that there are no Dealerships where its possible to just pop in and buy that Bolt that holds the thingamy-jig in place to stop that annoying rattle. But if Zongshen can service all their customers as they have done so with me , then there is only a very small issue, and one that I am sure they will address in the future through a network of " main dealers " with Service Mechanics that are trained by them, and the Dealership having the right attitude towards their customers. 

As I stated in my initial email to Zongshen Thailand, the Dealership is a conduit between the customer and the supplier, and without this, as you say, people are reluctant to buy the generic machine because they believe there is no back up service.

 

[ktm jeff]

I think part of the problem is lack of trained mechanics , seen throughout multiple marque dealers . Maybe this is why some bikes are returned to the factory. Cant be the easiest option , depending on where you live. A decent independent mechanic is is most valuable if you dont want to/cant do the work yourself. Another problem is some mechanics and potential buyers cant see past the sticker on the tank ,  or they fear the unknown , so are reluctant to deal with , or buy , these machines . Years ago , i bought a 2011/2 model Platinum PX 250 motard , in Chiang Mai. I fitted motocross tires on the 17" rims , and it has served me very well on and off road since. Other than service items and replacing  the plastic hand guards and front fender for Acerbis copies ( from Honda ), the only items i have replaced are the front disc brake master cylinder piston and rubbers , and the brake pads. I used genuine Honda parts for replacement , as they are the same fitment. Two years ago , i replaced the brake pads again , and used Bendix type , again from Honda. What a great improvement over the Honda parts. The Chinese / Taiwanese companys are heading in the right direction , and quickly too.