anything but a happytime

[Happy Valley]

Woot, turf war....don't come over into my forum. LMAO

Just think, when you get your own forum you can call the shots. A good name: TOOL

 

[Sasquatch]

I love my HappyTime, its running great so far and was about $165 shipped, but if I hadn't found the bunch of sharp little metal shards in my fuel valve, the engine would probably be siezed up by now and I'd be out the cash. A HappyTime can be made reliable, and a mined field can be made into a safe neighborhood. You just need to catch all the traps in the way. If I didnt own a grinder my rear sprocket, which looks like it was stamped out of a piece of metal that used to be the factory floor, couldve taken me all day with a file to make it safe for actually using on a motored bike. I dont think that a Swiss or German company would've done that to me, and I dont think I'm racist for noticing. Then again you dont see me dishing out the cash for high quality non-Chinese engines, so go figure... Anyway, I think HappyTimes are great, if you're lucky and vigilant and find this forum before you fire them up. If anyone out there wants to save up and get something better though, its probably wise.

Sinophobia (from Latin Sinae "the Chinese" + Ancient Greek φόβος -phobos, "fear") or anti-Chinese sentiment is a fear or dislike for China, its people, or its MANUFACTURING PRACTICES It is rampant on this and many other internet forums. and wherever people value thier lives.

Thanks to all who have helped me. I'm no mechanic.

 

[arceeguy]

Woot, turf war....don't come over into my forum. LMAO

Just think, when you get your own forum you can call the shots. A good name: TOOL

Is that the best you can do? I'm disappointed. I guess Pioneer Valley is a long way from Cambridge. Hahaha.

.....I dont think that a Swiss or German company would've done that to me, and I dont think I'm racist for noticing.....

Hello Sasquatch - as a newcomer here, I think you (and many other members) are misunderstanding my signature. I am not calling everyone a racist if they think that HT engines are poorly made pieces of sh1t. Call it sh1t, I can care less - but when people call them "Chinese Sh1t" with "China quality control", it comes off as a bit bigoted. I am very familiar with the HT engines and know that they are not of the highest quality or consistency. However, some people have this notion that everything built in China is substandard in quality, which is not true. When people use "China" or "Chinese" as a pejorative term, it is in fact "Sinophobic" behavior. I own (and you probably do too) many quality items that were manufactured in China. American companies have knowingly sold products to the public that they knew would injure or kill people, does that reflect on all American businesses? Of course not.

You don't think that a Swiss or German company would "do that to you?" Do what to you? If you believe that all Swiss and German companies are inherently good, and all Chinese companies are inherently bad, then (as Jeff Foxworthy says) you just might be a Sinophobe. I hear a lot about Japanese quality around here too. But lets remember something, we were never at war with China - However, Germany and Japan are a slightly different story.......

 

[Sasquatch]

If enough American companies knowingly sold dangerous, or just low quality stuff, at some point it would indeed reflect on all of us. I dont think that the chinese are bad folks, or that their companies are Inherently bad. I'm just saying that statisticly, you have better odds going with something made in a different country. I only reference Switzerland and Germany because they have great records of producing high quality stuff. They dont tend to leave you trying to modify something so that it will work like its supposed to. There are exceptions to every rule of course. The Chinese make some good stuff somewhere I'm sure. Look at the stories in the news about lax quality control causing problems. A disporportionate number of them are about Chinese products. Milk killing babies, GHB in kids toys, lead and antifreeze in the toothpaste... the list goes on. No matter how much you love Chinese, you must admit that the "made in China" sticker has become akin to a warning label. If I didnt realise this, I might have never taken that valve apart, just to check... Many and Statisticly, not All and Inherently.

Thanks to all who have helped me. I'm no mechanic.

 

[arceeguy]

If enough American companies knowingly sold dangerous, or just low quality stuff, at some point it would indeed reflect on all of us......

Don't get me started on that long list! But once again, crappy products are a reflection on crappy companies, not an entire country or race of people. For example, I get annoyed at the term "American Greed" being thrown around in the news. Greed is greed, does calling it "American" greed make it different?

China is going through their industrial revolution right now, and like Japan and other countries before it, they are manufacturing low-cost "disposable" items because it is not cost effective to produce them in "industrially mature" nations anymore. (Someones gotta make happy meal toys) The Japanese used to copy American and British designs all the time. Unscrupulous Japanese companies sold inferior, cheap electronics. Of course, there were quality Japanese electronics from Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Sharp, etc - but there were also a lot of junk producing factories. A lot of people thought that all Japanese products were inferior because of the few junk factories. ("Jap Cr@p" was a popular phrase) Eventually, the inferior products were weeded out, and the superior manufacturers survived. In that respect, enjoy the HT while you can still get them because they will go extinct in a short period of time. It will probably be replaced with a far superior product, with excellent quality, and it will be made in China. It just won't cost 99 bucks anymore, it'll be more like $500. (Judging by the cost of a GEBE) For a hundred dollars, I can forgive a lot about a bicycle engine kit! BTW, for all you know I could be black, mexican, Portuguese, or whatever. Wrong is wrong, no matter how you spin it.

 

[duivendyk]

People base their judgment on experience.All they say that in their experience the Chinese. HT engines are poorly made and prone to fail,but they are cheap.You don't get what you are unwilling to pay for,take your pick.The record of the Chinese in general on consumer protection is DISMAL there simply is no getting away from that!.But I think the Chinese govt.is starting to get the message.

 

[arceeguy]

.....The record of the Chinese in general on consumer protection is DISMAL there simply is no getting away from that!.....

You crack me up duvdyke! If you really want to get into the "blame game", it was the company putting its name on the products that were the ones ultimately responsible for "protecting the consumer". So Mattel Corp. was the one ultimately responsible for not providing the QC necessary to test for lead paint. Do you know the name of the toy manufacturer in China? No you don't, all you know that the toys were made in China. Mattel was the brand on the toys, they were ultimately responsible. Same goes for the dog food, infant formula, etc. The manufacturers want the stuff made dirt cheap, and then, in your own words, they get what they pay for.

 

[duivendyk]

As usual I can't fathom what you on earth you are talking about,apparently you are incapable of comprehending clear English.What "Blame game"?.I merely pointed out that the Chinese make a lot of shoddy or even dangerous stuff,so in dealing with the Chinese you have to be vigilant and accept that "you don't get what you won't pay for".Clear enough,I did not "blame " them I just stated a fact.I also made the pertinent observation that they do a poor job as far as consumer protection is concerned,as has by now been abundantly documented.I did not "BLAME" them for that either,may be you do, but I somehow doubt it,considering your aversion to any form whatsoever of any kind of government protection on behalf of it's citizens.As far as I can figure it out,you think this is the greatest thing ever,"individual responsibility" being your big thing .Why not then go to China,you can set up your home test lab,to keep you from getting poisoned.Now if you find that your children have developed irreversible kidney damage,just say "that's how the cookie crumbles", it's all my fault&take it on the chin,but don't expect to sue anybody overthere,you'd have a very hard time,there's happens to be nobody to sue!!, period.

 

[andyinchville1]

For serious speed and performance (although at far greater cost) check out the Morini engines like Easy Rider has....

Hope this helps you

Andrew

 

[arceeguy]

As usual I can't fathom what you on earth you are talking about,apparently you are incapable of comprehending clear English.What "Blame game"?.I merely pointed out that the Chinese make a lot of shoddy or even dangerous stuff........

And I point out that manufacturers in every country make "shoddy or even dangerous stuff". American manufacturers included. My point is that while the toys were made in China, an American company (Mattel) put their name on it, failed to keep their suppliers "in check" and sold the toys to the American consumer. Did you know that the CEO of the toy company that made the toys for Mattel killed himself? This was because he had disgraced his country by not keeping close watch of the quality of the product. What happens to CEO's that ruin companies here? They get a multi-million dollar "golden parachute" and go work for Obama, that what happens! Hahaha!

Once again, you totally miss my point. Let me spell it out for you again.....

The country of origin does not indicate the quality of the product. Oooookaaaayyyyyy - let's repeat that folks. The country of origin does not indicate the quality of the product.

All countries produce good products along with "shoddy or even dangerous stuff" as you so eloquently put it. Blame the manufacturer or retailer, not the country. Pretty easy, huh?