[malky]

  Profit rather than reputation seems to be the current byword. Let's hope that Enfield doesn't fall into that trap.

I think you omitted the word "good" somewhere in that sentence.

[mc35803]

 . Let's not forget about Urals.  Their build quality continues to go up over years ago, they still continue to need adjustments, still best around 50-55mph, still a boat load of fun if used as designed.  Took the Ural over my Harleys on a 1300 mile trip through Florida over the MLK weekend because I wanted the ride experience and character Urals and Royal Enfields provide over the Harleys. 

[NorEaster]

My most enjoyable riding is on back country roads doing 45-55.
For a time in my life I had a 70 mile commute to work daily (140 round trip). It's what prompted me to get a motorcycle, something I had only wished for up until that time.
It was 95% highway driving. I avoid the highway at all costs now and enjoy taking the long way to get there.

[malky]

. Let's not forget about Urals.  Their build quality continues to go up over years ago, they still continue to need adjustments, still best around 50-55mph, still a boat load of fun if used as designed.  Took the Ural over my Harleys on a 1300 mile trip through Florida over the MLK weekend because I wanted the ride experience and character Urals and Royal Enfields provide over the Harleys.

I'd love one for wild camping trips, but just can't get my head round U.K. pricing. $17800. Ouch

[Rattlebattle]

Yes, they look to be much better made than they used to be. They have decent Brembo brakes (sidecar wheel too), but the opportunity cost is way too high now; they are £12,700 and for that money there are loads of other seriously good new bikes to be bought. Apparently the market for Urals has changed from being cheapo bikes for enthusiasts to being occasionally used second or third bikes for taking the other half out on sunny days, according to F2 Motorcycles, the U.K. importer. Better for pulling a sidecar than the RE would be though.

[suitcasejefferson]

Many "Japanese" bikes are now being built in China, Taiwan, Thailand, and a few other third world countries. Many more use parts from those countries. BMW uses a lot of Chinese parts. I heard one BMW mechanic on Youtube say that only one in a hundred BMW final drives are properly aligned. BMW has a bad reputation for exploding final drives, especially on their GS series "adventure" bikes. I would take a KLR over one of those any day. (and yes, KLRs are now made in Thailand) And of course people have ridden around the world on a Royal Enfield. I'm reading a ride report right now on another forum about a guy who is riding around the world on a 50cc Honda Ruckus scooter, towing a mountain bike.

[malky]

I remember giving a friend a lift to pick up some brake parts for his iron barrel sportster from the nearest HD dealer, the packaging stated MADE IN CHINA. I don't really mind where anything is made, but when you're handing over the cash for some iconic brand like HD or Levis, they should be made where they originate from. Buying Levis and HD parts made anywhere else but the USA is subterfuge.

[Rattlebattle]

In my view it doesn't matter so much where a product is made so much as whose QA procedures and production methods etc they use. To me there is a world of difference between buying a bike made by an established Western bike manufacturer having parts or whole bikes made and/or assembled in the Far East, Eastern Europe etc and buying a bike designed and made in those countries using their own design and methods. A good example of this is Skoda cars. These are now made in Czechoslovakia and are every bit as good as VW, Audi and Seat, the other marques in the same group made in Western Europe. The point is that they use Western European production methods and QA procedures. BMWs can be poor, but I don't believe it's because some of them are made in China any more than Triumph Bonnevilles are well regarded because they are made in Taiwan (arguably they have fewer issues than the Hinckley built Triumphs). As a long-time (ex) BMW owner my experience is that each successive generation of bike, while arguably having superior (though in my view unnecessary) technology has inferior build quality to the previous ones. The truly well-made ones were the old Earles fork models. I doubt that many Western bikes are now wholly made from parts manufactured locally; simple economics regarding manufacturing costs renders this impractical. I was brought up to make do and mend things (why I like my old Triumph and my C5); sadly these days many bikes are largely designed to be obsolete fairly quickly.

[Otto_Ing]

Regarding the VW group, i read a estimation that about 70% of value is created in China which is where the money goes. However it seems to me we reaching a point where the transportation cost kicks in and a local production becomes more profitable by reducing logistical and political risks.

Af far as I can say the germans remained competitive in the manufacturing sector against the chines by adding more complexity in the product. Take forging as an example. Today gears can be wholly forged without the need for machining and grinding of the involute. Not many chines or indian forgers will be able to do it.

[wildbill]

lets look at cars - bmw had 10 or 12 of them actually still have one. image cars only highly priced and very expensive to fix Mercedes same again good when they were going but once something went wrong -they too didn't miss you on a repair. Porsche same again good when there going but they certain have major engine problems. I had a rear main seal go in my boxster with only 30,000 on the clock and the part was $10 but to get to it repaired they had to pull the motor a bit and would then have too fit a new clutch and plate to make the venture worthwhile. quoted price dealer $5000 independent $3000
so if you play with the European cars in aust -you will get burnt and it will cost you a lot more than buying a new enfield every few months...lol
the above cars were not heaps of shit boxes. the bmw z4 rattle in the lifters at 14,000 miles. dealer wanted $10k for the new head and $2k to fit it. research on my behalf found that the new alloy N22 motor was flawed with this fault right from the beginning. apart from being placed in the z4 it came up faulty in the 3 and 5 series too plus a few others. all this from a car which cost $109K new.
at the moment I'd say the jap cars the Honda mazda and toyota would be the pick for the best cars to buy. I would certainly buy Honda or mazda again. now that says a lot considering in the '70 a mazda was just a crap car you wouldn't be seen dead in. plus those horrible looking rx models -excluding the r100
but there is a dark horse coming -its Hyundai. they are now getting a very good track record for reliable cars plus they are make some very good looking units. I saw a new i30 driving around the other day and thought -what a great looking stylish car which ticks all the boxes. actually looked like something bmw had made  -only one major flaw -the badge. I couldn't buy one on principal..... lol. after all it might look like I am going bad!..........vain person here...lol but its that reason which keeps me moving along
 

[Rattlebattle]

Yes, the South Koreans are right up there with the Japanese these days. Either Hyundai or Kia have good build quality and reliabilty. Who else gives a 7 year warranty? The Germans still trade on perceived quality. Not sure about Mazda these days. My MX-5 (Miata in the States) was a proper Mazda. The later ones have a lot of Ford dna in them, so I'm not so sure about those. The latest version is very nice by all accounts though and gets back some way to the concept of the original in terms of balance and lightness, but not price.

[Otto_Ing]

The design responsible for the i30 at Hunday was Thomas Bürkle who is a former BMW man by the way.

@wildbill: maybe that's what makes you feel the similarity.

[Rattlebattle]

Maybe he got fed up with their poor QA or something? The i30 shares the same platform with the Kia C'eed (possibly one of the most stupid car names ever?). FWIW I took the decision a couple of years ago to sell my MX-5 and keep the VW Polo, since most of our mileage is local and has one ot two occupants only. If we go any distance we hire a car. So far we've hired 16. Easily the best was the Audi A3 TFSI, which went like a rocket and was very economical. Not sure I'd buy one because Audis seem to be the most troublesome in the VAG range, but a PCP deal would be a good way to go maybe. Second best driver was the Kia C'eed; better than the Hyundai i30 IMHO. I don't know why, because they're essentially the same thing.

[ROVERMAN]

I recently bought a new (2014) Hyundai Elantra GT (nee' I30) in the US. Part of the decision was cost (below 20k) and partly because the choice of cars with a manual trans is getting very slim. It is a very simple, comfortable, and capable car as long as you don't think it is a "GT" in any way, shape (maybe) or form. I wish the sales blurb about it having "Euro tuned suspension" was accurate though. Sounds like an upgrade is in the future.
Roverman.