Are "name brand" motors worth it?

[Captain Rainmaker]

Once again I find myself needing a new motor. Right now I'm trying to decide between a no-name engine on eBay for $80 or a genuine Grubee GT5A for $180. Would paying the extra hundred dollars for the Grubee net me anything as far as reliability and a reduced chance of it junking itself, or am I just paying for a name and a shiny sticker? Normally I would just buy the cheap one, tear it apart, and clean it up, but I've recently moved into a new place and no longer have any real space to do that.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

Once again I find myself needing a new motor. Right now I'm trying to decide between a no-name engine on eBay for $80 or a genuine Grubee GT5A for $180. Would paying the extra hundred dollars for the Grubee net me anything as far as reliability and a reduced chance of it junking itself, or am I just paying for a name and a shiny sticker? Normally I would just buy the cheap one, tear it apart, and clean it up, but I've recently moved into a new place and no longer have any real space to do that.

Very reliable company. Generally you're paying for them to do the work you'd otherwise be doing yourself.

 

[Chainlube]

Once again I find myself needing a new motor. Right now I'm trying to decide between a no-name engine on eBay for $80 or a genuine Grubee GT5A for $180. Would paying the extra hundred dollars for the Grubee net me anything as far as reliability and a reduced chance of it junking itself, or am I just paying for a name and a shiny sticker? Normally I would just buy the cheap one, tear it apart, and clean it up, but I've recently moved into a new place and no longer have any real space to do that.

If it comes in china packaging, i.e. straps and writing, then it needs to be checked over. I usually buy 10 at a time but my customs broker retired so I've been buying the odd one here and there and the reputable name ones are the same as off of Amazon or distributor store. My Skyhawk needed a little love when I received it. Casting flash and bent studs are still an issue, even though now most are sold with 8mm studs that resist bending more.

 

[Captain Rainmaker]

Alright then. Sounds like I need the Grubee. Thanks everyone.

 

[Cypher_Xero]

This is the motor ive bern running for over a year now and so far so good. Just dont know what type it really is, ive had it up to 36mph (gps speedometer) so far with a 44 tooth rear sprocket and the stock front sprocket (not sure atm on teeth) i ride it 2 miles to and from work daily and on joy rides on the weekend.

 

[Karl Snarl]

I'd say some are, some aren't. I personally get my engines from CDH. Have yet to have one fail. I'm pretty good about the care for my engines though. I hear good things about Zeda, but they are more you better know what you are doing kinda business. Hear their customer service sucks, but their engines make up for it. idk, never bought one though. Tried a few dealers before I found CDH, and they have treated me very well ever since. I happily spend a little more knowing if anything happens I didn't do, they will fix it with a smile. An knowing I'll be returning on my next build, or when I need parts.

 

[DAMIEN1307]

Hear their customer service sucks,

its the Zeda motor sports that suck for customer service...bicycle-engines.com which is the Zeda dealer in Montana has most excellent customer service...sometimes people confuse the two and gives bicycle-engines an undeserved bad name...DAMIEN

 

[Captain Rainmaker]

Well I went with the Grubee. Haven't torn it down yet but one neat thing is it has this little socket head screw on the clutch cover that you can use to start the motor using a drill and a sprag clutch tool that it came with. Thought that was cool.