Motorcycles made in China are getting better and better. Should you buy a Keeway?

[@stuartdrury4297]

I bought a brand new RKV 125C and I cannot fault it. It is great to learn on, looks gorgeous and is great on fuel. Gilly I have to thank you for your review on them as it was you introduced me to the RKV 125C on your channel. Thank you friend

[@GillyBikes]

You’re very welcome. The RKV is a brilliant bike. Probably better than the Vcruise when it comes to value as well. 👍

[@mraidymaddful]

In 1979 when I left school I got a job in an engineering factory. My Dad bought me a Yamaha FS1E_DX (Fizzy) moped for getting to work and finding my freedom as a young biker. In those days you could get a provisional licence, tax/test and insurance and that was you. Out on the road, free to go wherever and whenever you liked. Forty something years later that's all changed. No longer is it that easy to get on the road for a young person as it was back then. And sadly, that is reflected in the lack of young people riding these days. Not so long ago in the early Noughties, young people were flying about on 50cc Scooters/Peds, but even that has fizzled out to practically none nowadays. It really does look grim for the future of motorcycles in the form we all know and love. Todays youth get about on customised electric bikes that in some cases are much faster than the Peds or mopeds of my generation. And of course they don't have a licence, insurance etc. Good luck to them I say, the government has priced the legality out of motorcycling for young people and they have spoken in the only way they can.

[@GillyBikes]

Yes it’s a shame. But if you go across the channel the young ones are all on bikes and scooters. I’m guessing rules and insurance over there make them more accessible.

[@alternativeperception6949]

I agree with everything you say . In 2000 Peugeot speed fight 50cc where everywhere in My area but now you never see Youngsters on the road

[@tombartram7384]

I paid £22 for my rider policy in 1986 which is equivalent of approx £120 now. 21 years old, provisional licence. Kids now are paying EIGHT HUNDRED EFFING QUID for a rubbish one-bike-only policy in 2024. And this in an era when roads are "safer" with poxy cameras. The whole thing's daft, I don't know why .. etc.

[@GillyBikes]

@tombartram7384 it’s shocking how much the prices have shot up.

[@billienomates1606]

Wow just like me, I started my first job in 1979 got myself a pretty new KH250 on a provisional licence stuck allspeed expansions and kN filters on it and road it like a Tasmanian devil for a few years before taking my full test. I then bought a Suzuki GS1000S put a four into 1 on it and a 2-4 seat and did the same and that was just from 19 years old to 21 years old. No stupid multiple tests, just one for my full licence that lasted 30 mins or so. Today is all about control and how much money the establishment can bleed out of people's wallets in my opinion. If I had a chance I would go back to the 60's/70's in an instance.

[@AndyBranchett]

Had a superlight to learn on. Now got a 302. Brilliant bikes!!

[@GillyBikes]

I love the 302. Great choice.

[@alternativeperception6949]

Made in China - Honda engines, BMW engines, Kawasaki engines, KTM engines. I have a Sym scooter ( Taiwan? ) it doesn't burn a drop of oil and will start every time regardless of weather or temperature and never misses a beat

[@MartinRamsbottom-is2bl]

I had a sym Nht 125 and it was unbelievably reliable..

[@GillyBikes]

@MartinRamsbottom-is2bl nice big bike 👍

[@Pommo70]

The manufacturers you mention: Honda, BMW, Kawasaki, KTM maybe made in China and from a cheap labour perspective it makes sense, but there is a huge difference. They still have the quality control department of the brand overlooking every part that’s made. This is why they are more expensive still than the likes of CF Moto etc. The bikes that are exclusively made in China using Chinese parts with their own QC are NOWHERE near the quality you’ll get from the aforementioned manufacturers. Sorry to be harsh here but they are at least 20 years behind in that department and I wouldn’t have one, even for free.

[@GillyBikes]

@Pommo70 it’s not harsh. I think some of the Chinese bikes that come over are not good enough. But some are. They are definitely upping their game. Maybe not quite as good as the Jap bikes but they are getting much closer to them.

[@funkygrib1]

@@GillyBikes Not only are they getting close I think some models actually hit the demographic better (Adventure style) thev300s, 450s and 800swe know the ones. Un lucky for me ;-) I remember "Jap Crap", Rice Burners" and "Monkey Metal" been common terms, look how that turned out for the British motorcycle industry.. China is here to stay, more suspect is Triumph ? manufactured in Thailand , not exactly a powerhouse of engineering fame ! I may have read, 70% of what we consume comes from China ?

[@fatange]

I think they are brilliant. My first bike was a Superlight. I loved it. Kept it for a couple of years then went for something bigger. It was a brilliant bike to learn on.

[@GillyBikes]

That’s a good choice for a first bike. They seem much bigger than the average 125 so have a nice big road presence

[@WillHoll4399]

At least I’ve read a good few reviews about the Superlight. I’ve just done my CBT at 16 and have a Honda vision NCS50 and am definitely looking at a 125 for when I’m 17. The Keeway S-Light is a bike I came across with interest due to its price and how good it actually looks. That might be the one I go after tbh

[@GillyBikes]

@WillHoll4399 for the money I think it’s hard to beat.

[@zlatanragnar7120]

Got a Superlight & its superb

[@GillyBikes]

Great choice. 😎

[@RAD_RIDERS_UK]

Great review. These bikes have massively improved so much over the last few years 👍

[@MartinRamsbottom-is2bl]

I got the keeway x light 125 on your recommendation and its great.

[@bostonbikebits6539]

Well, we used to break Chinese bikes but the number of usable parts usually taken off a five year old bike was surprisingly small. With Japanese bikes of over 20 years old it's a very different story with usable parts aplenty. My biggest gripe with Chinese bikes though is the appalling spares situation, they change models on a monthly basis and couldn't car less about maintaining a decent spares supply. I gave up with them in the end, too much hassle. Yes, they have got better in recent years but remain cheap for a reason, the engines are actually pretty good but the quality of chromed parts, for example, is nothing short of hideous.

[@GillyBikes]

I 100% agree about the chrome bits. They are very cheap. The current bikes are much better than the bikes they were selling 5 years ago. Would be interesting to see how many useable parts you could get from them in 5 years from now.

[@user-vh2yb2ul9l]

I bought a v cruiser 125. I bought it because it is so much more comfortable to ride than a Suzuki gsx-r. Getting the parts is a nightmare as the clock was damage, but I wouldn’t change it. The build quality feels great. The only problem I found was the rear down pipe of the exhaust can burn your leg so I put some exhaust tape on it and it cured the problem.

[@shadowoftheraven619]

nice vid. thinking of getting a V Cruise but have heard that if parts are needed they are hard to get.

[@GillyBikes]

I think it depends on the parts needed. I asked at the dealers. They said most parts are in stock but if it’s a part that they don’t have then they have to order it. Worse case it could take a few months to come by boat. I know that’s not great.

[@shadowoftheraven619]

@@GillyBikes thanks for the reply.

[@deanedeane4318]

Bloody good review Man ! Soom folk don't know its 2024 and that many things have changed and improved ! 😉🙃😎 NZ

[@GillyBikes]

I suppose that’s a good thing. It keeps the price low for the rest of us 👍

[@sebastianbolt7886]

My favourite reviewer.

[@GillyBikes]

🤩🤩. My favourite subscriber 😎

[@sammuyingi]

The RKF looks good

[@GillyBikes]

They are decent bikes. Very popular for riding schools. Very similar to the Benelli BN and now the Voge R125.

[@sammuyingi]

​@@GillyBikesunfortunately where I reside we have to settle for poor quality Chinese motorcycles.anyway life moves on

[@GillyBikes]

@sammuyingi shame.

[@ripmax333]

Design wise are surely getting better than the big Japanese 4, they are much better looking and more appealing.

[@GillyBikes]

Absolutely. They are designing some nice looking machines.

[@northvanwan7428]

Better ? doubt it. They are just waiting to reverse engineer jap bikes and ignore patents.

[@just_bickers]

Buying 1 this weekend

[@GillyBikes]

What bike are you going for?

[@billienomates1606]

They may be getting better but the lack of local support is a big factor as far as I am concerned. I would not pay thousands for a bike only to have to bin it for lack of parts.

[@GillyBikes]

I don’t think that’s a massive issue with these. They import lots of bikes and parts.

[@bostonbikebits6539]

@@GillyBikes it is a massive issue, because they change models frequently and only support one or two models back.

[@maskedavenger2578]

I know Chinese bikes are getting better , because I own a Chinese built Suzuki , & it’s just as reliable & as well built ,as any Japanese made budget Suzuki I ever owned . The Keeway brand seems to have a good name ,regards value for money motorcycles & scooters & have been around for a while now , so not one of these here today & gone tomorrow merchants . What’s noticeable now is even the more budget generic Chinese bikes are now much improved , to what was on offer five to 10 years ago . The top companies wouldn’t get their components ,engines or even whole bikes built in China , if they didn’t think the Chinese couldn’t deliver to a good standard . 👍

[@GillyBikes]

Absolutely. They have made massive improvements over the last few years. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

[@carlhibbert5260]

I would worry about the re- sale and part exchange value of it compared to Kawasaki, Suzuki,Yamaha,honda bikes!

[@iandennis7836]

Now, I have NEVER understood this mindset. When I buy something, it's for ME, not temporarily "renting" it for a short time and passing it on to someone else. If I get around to buying a new bike (tbh, it's probably gonna be the new Himalayan) I intend to keep it, ride it, enjoy it......worrying about how much its resale value will be at some point in the future comes VERY low on my list of priorities .......🙄

[@GillyBikes]

I understand that if your only planing on keeping for a short time. But in the uk when you buy a new bike 17% is VAT so when you ride out of the dealers you have lost 17% so on a bike bought for £2500 you lose £425 straight away. On a more expensive Japanese bike that might cost £5500 that’s £1000 lost straight away. Simple maths really but if you spend more you will definitely lose more.

[@GillyBikes]

I see both sides. If you plan to just have it for a year or 2 the sell on value can be important, but I’m like you. I buy what I want. I buy what I like.

[@andyc750]

@@carlhibbert5260 ah the old residuals argument that doesn't hold water if you think about it a little, percentage wise yea they look bad but if you look at the actual monetary side of things the losses are often less, a 50% loss on a 5 grand bike is the same as a 25% loss on a 10 grand bike and most loose 30% as soon as you go out on the road and do a few miles meaning that generally the more expensive items have lost monetary more than the percentages suggest

[@neilhubbard9791]

I have a keeway RKV 125 Bike and a Keeway V Cruiser and Voge R125

[@GillyBikes]

Wow. You have all my favourites 👍

[@alanhayward6719]

I've got nothing against Chinese made bikes, however it's the resale value that stops me from buying one. Bought an '06 125 Suzuki, wonderful bike. Sold it 3 years later for the same amount I paid for it, £1,100.

[@GillyBikes]

If you buy low you lose less. Like yours eventually they hit there bottom price and stick there.

[@ricardoalves1004]

I'm still gathering info on 125s for my first bike. There are some who are telling me chinese bikes are unreliable, there are others that are telling me that's a thing of the past. There are so many dissonant voices, I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and see for myself, regardless of my decision. Cheers and thank you for your videos, especially the ones on Keeway models, they were valuable for information! Although, I wish your video on the X-Light were a bit longer, I really liked the bike and there is little to no info on the machine online.

[@GillyBikes]

There are so many people who think of Chinese bikes as poor quality. Thats because they used to be poor. 10 years ago the bikes were not the best, but they are so much better now. Just going to take some time to shake off the bad rep from years ago.

[@Rogueonepigeon]

The issue is not that they re from China but you have to check what you are buying and cheap doesn't always mean better or safe, for example Hanway, Voge and Zontes they look decent on paper but if you pay attention to the crucial parts such as brakes, swingarm and tyres they are unfortunately very cheap and low quality, it's not worth the risk, speaking from experience of crashing due to a parts failure on a cheaper bike, and motogb suck and will not back you up. You are best going for an independent brand not linked to motogb such as Mash, Bluroc or Hyosung, Sinnis etc

[@robertboomsema4422]

The chinese manufacturers are really on the move I think 👍 Without being disrespectful to all the other manufacturers but I think that CF Moto is the one who is developing the most… great range in all kinds of bikes 😊👍 Great review 👍

[@GillyBikes]

CFMoto are definitely up there With Voge and Benelli.

[@neilhubbard9791]

Keeway V Cruiser is a 125 to

[@SandStormPower]

I remember how crappy old keeways used to be. Like the original hurricane. Nowadays they're fairly ok. And do not forget they also have benelli and other couple of brands. They're evolving. A lot. Still, they consume a little more petrol than other competitors.

[@GillyBikes]

They are improving with every new bike. And let’s be honest they had to.

[@Lander76]

Anyone looking to buy a 125 should take a serious look at the new wk125 scrambler, for £2k it's unbeatable.

[@GillyBikes]

For a new bike to start with a 2 is pretty good 👍

[@RR-rk5gj]

How do I buy you a coffee (or the beverage of your choice!)?

[@GillyBikes]

Link in the description 😁

[@RobertDodge]

Still cant get an ignition switch for my partners 2023 V Cruise and no delivery date in the offing from the dealer

[@GillyBikes]

What was the issue with it?

[@RobertDodge]

@GillyBikes it rusted at the bottom (common issue) and my partner has a warranty claim for it so waiting on keeway to supply a replacement bike is / or would have been unusable we have had to buy one from Aliexpress From what I've heard quite a few parts are difficult to source. Would be good to hear what in 2 moto say on this. At this time I am not prepared to name the keeway dealer. Who now will not even return our calls and emails

[@Rogueonepigeon]

Because motogb suck, the issus start when the bikes develop problems and all bikes do after a while, you are better off selling it or sourcing the part yourself, you are throwing money away with a motogb bike. I have got a Bluroc and any parts needed have been supplied within about two weeks, service is very good and gives you confidence in the brand.

[@GillyBikes]

@RobertDodge that’s terrible. I’m going in there today so I will ask the question.

[@Rogueonepigeon]

Keeway and Benelli are good, it is motogb that is bad as a distributor, I wouldn't trust anything anymore from motogb because they will not help if thr bike has any issues,also if Keeway went independent they would have a better reputation

[@GillyBikes]

I’ve not heard of any issues with the importer?

[@Rogueonepigeon]

@@GillyBikes they have a terrible reputation with shoddy service, the parts delays is not a surprise, the fact most of their bikes need parts so regularly and people cannot get them just shows that the bikes are not good enough quality in the first place, you will also have no chance claiming a smooth warranty claim if things go wrong

[@markhinde6187]

Motorcycling has become a rich mans hobby, problem is we are not all rich, these bikes and others like them will soon become the bread and butter of the majority of future riders....

[@GillyBikes]

I agree. Not many can afford the £20,000 and up bikes. I certainly can’t. We all have a limit.

[@steve00alt70]

Yes the chinese are becoming more advanced and better looking than the well known brands like Honda. But independant garages dont have parts ready to fix them like they do with Yamaha.

[@GillyBikes]

Hopefully that’s something that will improve

[@andyc750]

have to say the Chinese are here to stay and they are now doing far more development of their own tech and mechanics rather than just copying, also they are now developing their own designs and styles now, they are here to stay so it is something the naysayers are going to have to get used to, and a good thin g it is as well, it is beginning to force the mainstream brands to look at their own ranges and to start to make more value for money machines, the bike industry had become very jaded and the Chinese are giving them a kick up their complacent arses

[@GillyBikes]

Very true. What I find funny though is they compete by getting their bikes built in china then putting their own badge on. Thats cheating. 😂

[@andyc750]

@@GillyBikes in actual fact Yamaha own a production line and both Honda and Suzuki have their own factories in China

[@GillyBikes]

So they all have factories in China to make bikes. Keeping their cost down, but not passing on those savings with their prices.

[@andyc750]

@@GillyBikes they are only making small bikes out there,.think all 4 have factories in Thailand, Honda has a factory in Spain and Yamaha in Italy and yes they save money but don't pass it on, just like Triumph, same for KTM with having bikes built in China and India, hence my comment earlier about a kick up their jaded arses, the Chinese are going to force them to stop taking the piss out of us all

[@andyc750]

@@GillyBikes it is worth having a loom at what they have for the home.markwt in China and also what is coming in the near future that will likely end up in Europe, they are making some really tidy cruisers and adventure bikes and are now getting into home grown sports bikes with engines to match that are not copies of anyone, Zontes and CFmoto have mid sized triples coming soon, and there is a lot of stuff that would sell over this side of the world should they decide to send it here

[@TringmotionCoUk]

Bikes are good, parts backup is terrible

[@GillyBikes]

I was having a chat with a dealership the other day about a similar thing. Their response was the good dealerships will always help and get the parts.

[@bostonbikebits6539]

@@GillyBikes they can't get the parts because thee aren't any parts, once a bike from China is 2 years old you are well and truly stuffed, especially for body panels.

[@GillyBikes]

@bostonbikebits6539 I have to disagree with this. Bikes like the Keeway Superlight have been being made for 20+ years. Same goes with brands like Voge and Benelli much easier to get parts. The really cheap and nasty bikes then maybe but not these.

[@cb3391]

And more affordable.. Chonda Nation???

[@romgl4513]

Nice try, but no way. And they are overpriced. Royal Enfield are a better choice.

[@GillyBikes]

I think of them the same way. Bikes made in India. It wasn’t that long ago everyone was talking about their poor quality. But once people realised they were good their prices creeped up. These are going through the same transformation I think. As the quality improves and their rep improves the prices will creep up.

[@northvanwan7428]

i wont support our enemys.