Group buy? China bicycle engine kits?

Local time
8:01 AM
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
79
Location
Oakdale Calif. Cowboy capital of the world
I was poking (slow poking on dial up connection) around the internet and Googled China bicycle motors. Seems there are makers (GruBee? and others) that will sell you kits BUT you have to buy 50 or more (100) minimum. When broken down the kits come out to around $50.00 each. I don't have any experience with importing or international trade, but this sounds like something that maybe a group could purchase. I know there has to be someone here with international trade experience. I live near Stockton Calif. which has a large port. Can something like this be shipped here and hauled in a cargo container to my place (I have room for a container). There are a lot of logistical issues to figure out. I don't know what the shipping charges would be etc. and if this would bring up he cost of the engines too much.
 
Not sure on how to answer your questions.....but the most important thing is I do not think they can be imported to California like that due to CARB.
 
First to consider....

The quality of these kits, or lack of quality is well known to us!

Pot luck shot with no exchanges or warranties of any kind... you may just wind up with a heavy loss or failure rate in the purchase

Unless you want to become a dealer, I would think this to be kind of like playing the stock market and losing money!
 
I took a look on taobao.com (Chinese Ebay) and found some kits you guys should find quite interesting!

I am a Brit currently living in Shanghai China and came across those pages while browsing an English language Chinese Moto forum. Unfortunately I cannot read Chinese. It is very unlikely that the Taobao sellers will be able to communicate with you in English, or be able to ship internationally. But I have heard of companies that specialise in buying and shipping items from taobao for international clients, you'll have to google for them though and I'd check their background out before thinking about using them.

I wouldn't be too surprised if some of the companies you guys buy your kits from get their stuff from taobao and just take advantage of their English language skills to make a profit selling it on to you guys.

I've not seen any bikes with these kits in Shanghai, that's probably because <50cc mopeds are so cheap. Ebikes are dirt cheap here as well. There are a lot of trikes here that use kits like these though, they're usually hauling a load of plastic bottles on the back to be recycled.

List of engine kits
http://s.taobao.com/search?q=%D7%D4%D0%D0%B3%B5%B7%A2%B6%AF%BB%FA&style=grid&s=0

A kit that looks similar to what a lot of bikes in the gallery here have
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=4261493821

new0002.jpg

new0001.jpg
 
Last edited:
very good way to jip americans sell us all junk and keep good stuff for your selves
 
very good way to jip americans sell us all junk and keep good stuff for your selves

Actually... you'll find that all the good quality goods get exported and it's usually the stuff that didn't pass quality control or cheaper knock off versions of the export goods that are sold locally here. :rolleyes:
 
set up?

Jack, the folks that DID their homework and bring in those kits really do earn their money! ALL of em! Big & small, good & NOT so good. :devilish:

Someone, somewhere, has got to take the risk.
And of course they should be rewarded with a profit for taking that risk.

SURE ! Count me in!
I'll take a chance and obligate myself for a $50 kit...

The question is, how many others will you be able to put together, such as myself, (a newbie on THIS forum), AND, how are you going to handle the affairs?

You are either asking everyone to send YOU money, in advance, or YOU will stand behind the cost of the shipment, PERSONALLY.

I know what Stockton is... and cost of a drop there, as opposed to Frisco, will be a bit more. There's a reason why the biggest, best, and cheapest importers function within the port of call... Tacoma, Portland, Frisco, Longbeach.... are where they are!

Someone STILL needs to make arrangements for the dreyage AFTER the import duties are covered. Customs has HUGE auctions periodically during EVERY year for all kinds of products... and the cause may be only that the proper fees and excises were not paid at the proper time.

Not to belittle your offer of a place to temporarily plant the container, it's setting up all the details, couple with the financing of the deal that is the difficult part. ...and it is worthy of compensation... in other words, profit.

Still, right here on Motoredbikes Forum is where you have a good chance of making a contact who might be willing to take on the financing of such and operation... probably for profit, but possibly for fun and higher motivations.

I personally thing every household should have at least a couple motor assisted bicycles because our present method of transport is too bulky and NOT cost efficient, expensive, and bad for Mother Gaia !
But I haven't pulled the winning lotto ticket.

Good luck with putting together a set up, Jack !
rc
 
Back
Top