to chinese or no to chinese

[Petrus]

When you buy from a seller in China, you know the product is Made in China.
When you buy from a manufacturar in say Spain with in house production, you know it is Made in Spain.

Buying something from a European or US based after market seller, no matter how renowned, you may get Made in Anywhere incl. and quite likely even China.

Many western brands have production facilities in China making your product in effect Made in China.

There was/is some agravation among BMWs German customer base about many bits of the R18 being outsourced. So yes, buílt in Berlin but made in Italy, Austria etc. inlc. Germany. The scale of production is such that outsourcing is more effecient/economical. There is of course nothing wrong with that as many specialists are the top shelf.

Why observing this?
Well time and again on this forum I read about Chinese quality like that is a thing. When I started motorcycling the same derogatory implication was with ´Japanese quality´ whereas that was even at that moment bétter than that of the awful products of the British motor industry. And need I mention AMF HDs?

My point is that we are well past the simplistic days of German Made vs Made in Taiwan. The imo undeservedly renowned heritage brands from Jaguar to Norton are now Made in India and China.
Royal Enfields Made in India are better than the Made in Redditch ones were in theire hayy days.

I have two windshields for my Vespas. Both were cheap. Both simply good quality; well finished and complete with all the mountings/fittings. I have nó idea where they were made. I bought one from a local andalucian after market seller and the other from a large German based one. If I were to bet I would bet the first is Made in Spain and the latter form China but for all I know the former may have even have come via the German seller and be Chinese too.

Anyway, imo there is no such thing as ´Chinese quality´. Rant over

 

[PHIPHIGOY]

Je suis entièrement d'accord avec vous. L'image des produits chinois comme de simples copies de mauvaise qualité n'est plus tout à fait exacte. Dans de nombreux domaines, la Chine est aujourd'hui à la pointe, et c'est l'Occident qui copie. Les produits fabriqués en Chine pour les grandes marques (Apple et Tesla, entre autres) sont d'excellente qualité. La seule chose à éviter absolument, ce sont les contrefaçons de piètre qualité !

 

[Red64]

As mentioned previously. The quality is stipulated by the price willing to be paid. This is true no matter where the product is made.

 

[Petrus]

As mentioned previously. The quality is stipulated by the price willing to be paid. This is true no matter where the product is made.

and that is only partly true because of differences in production costs. That is not even mentioning brand ´added value´.

 

[LBV]

You know, I'd happily support the company's that invent these products instead of the Chinese ones that end up copying them but for THIS kind of price differential I will NOT.

I ended up buying 1 from China for much much less. $97 USD which by the time it converts to CAD and I include shipping and any duties etc it'd be $200 CAD ... for a bloody peg! C'mon Wunderlich.

 

[Petrus]

You know, I'd happily support the company's that invent these products instead of the Chinese ones that end up copying them b

As observed there is probably a bit nuance to ´copy´. In most cases the original was fabricated in China already.
The Chinese shifter I got from China is pretty much ok and for the price VGVFM.

Here a nice quote lifted from the German R18 forum:
´Die neuen G450er Modelle werden in Indien gebaut. Bei den F Modellen kommen Motoren und Getriebe aus China. Nur der Preis, der kommt weiterhin aus D.´

 

[LBV]

You can bet that the design and pre-manufacturing work was done in Germany for those Wunderlich pegs. The Chinese then just buy a set and easily copy them. It's what they've been doing forever.

The Wunderlich pegs it says on the ad are made by hand in Germany and for sure their labour is more expensive than in China but is it THAT much more expensive!?

 

[Petrus]

You can bet that the design and pre-manufacturing work was done in Germany for those Wunderlich pegs. The Chinese then just buy a set and easily copy them. It's what they've been doing forever.

Again not thát cut and dried.

The Wunderlich pegs it says on the ad are made by hand in Germany and for sure their labour is more expensive than in China but is it THAT much more expensive!?

Yes it is thát much more expensive to be Made in Germany.

 

[Noelpolar]

We have sold our decendents future for more stuff now. Well done to us.

 

[Petrus]

We have sold our decendents future for more stuff now. Well done to us.

in the larger scheme of things it does not matter and will be ok anywhichway: Change happens and a new balance will establish.
And that ´us´ is as much us plebs as our span of control reaches.

Same thing ... ´we´ did destroy the two richests cultures in past centuries; India and China, to enrich.... oúr rich. How much choice(infuance ´we´plebs had in that?
So what do we complain about now both those get up to be important again?

All this current crap started with ´developing´ from egalitarian hunter collector to agriculture, tilling the soil for those who claimed to be owners of the territory with hoodlums to serve and protect (them).

Next shot in our own feet is mechnisation/automation for more efficient, profitable production making labour obsolete again only benefitting the owners of sad (pun intended) businesses.

The next upcoming sabotage of our possibilities is a universal income. No labour and only income on a personal credit account. Obviously electronically and minimal/marginal thus totally controlled who/where/what/when by AI. Ah, we can get bonus family health care and food credits for ´services to the nation´ under arms.

....and then Campi Flegrei or Yellowstone erupts/explodes or a stone from space erases all of our sins. Problems solved.

Ergo; don´t worry, apart from personal feel good from say boycotting Chinese products there is nothing we plebs acan do about it; memento mori = carpe diem. Ride your R18 with or without Made in China thingamies. Ah and with your own réal intelligence please