The ups and downs of chinese bike ownership - Herald 250cc classic custom

[-Ralph-]

They are not just a Chinese bike with a different badge on.

Herald bikes come in from China and are basically rebuilt by a small team of guys in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, who upgrade many of the components, before selling them on. Anything that they are not happy with the quality of they reject and send back. The only problems they've had so far was the finish of some of the forks, which were removed from the bikes and replaced with UK sourced items before the bikes were sold and the bad forks returned back to China.

The company is owned by a millionaire who just loves bikes and wanted to build retro bikes, runs it as a bit of a hobby, so getting it right is more important to him than profit, he doesn't need the money.

I work just round the corner from the distributor in Huntingdon but to view any I have to travel into Cambridge which can be a chore I've been eyeing up the 125 hope you get on with the bike
They also do custom builds using the chinese bike as a base, they are about twice the price, but they do look good.

Just separating the two posts so people can read it.

[Sykesy]

I bought one last week. 2nd hand with 1500 miles on at half the cost of a new one. It fits in the back of my VW Caddy easily. Planned trips for this little monster are NC500 and the Picos in Spain next spring. Loving it!!









even the wife loves it!!!

[dubber68]

Welcome to the club mate. I hope you love yours as much as I do mine. If you are planning on touring on it then the Jofoma bag is a really good fit on the back. I quite fancy doing the NW500 on mine as well as I think it would be an awesome bike to do it on. Get ready for lots of comments every time you stop though as mine always gets comments and leads to loads of conversations.

[Sykesy]

Yes, will be touring on it. Which size Jofoma bag did you get? I was thinking of just throwing some old army canvas panniers over it with a drysac on top.

[dubber68]

Yes, will be touring on it. Which size Jofoma bag did you get? I was thinking of just throwing some old army canvas panniers over it with a drysac on top.

I got the smaller of the 2 sizes. The large one was fouling the indicators but the small one is almost made to measure. You can strap another small bag on top of it. I am thinking of making some pannier racks to take my magadans at some point though.

[dubber68]

DSC_0003_2016-08-19.JPG (48.51 KiB) Viewed 3113 times

Mine loaded for France. Kinda heavily loaded but was going with the missus so not exactly minimalist.

[Tink]

I bought one last week. 2nd hand with 1500 miles on at half the cost of a new one. It fits in the back of my VW Caddy easily. Planned trips for this little monster are NC500 and the Picos in Spain next spring. Loving it!!









even the wife loves it!!!

That's a really nice bike and a bargain,
I too am looking for one. (thumbs)

[Mad Hatter]

I really like the look of these and I've crawled all over them and they look good, but a bit too much when I consider I've already got a van and three bikes

Also I'm slightly addicted to projects that will never recoup the money they cost so I'm tempted to sack off the hornet I've somehow ended up with and build something like it from a cheap 200/250/350 if I can find one at the right price.

[Sykesy]

DSC_0003_2016-08-19.JPG

Mine loaded for France. Kinda heavily loaded but was going with the missus so not exactly minimalist.

Looks really good. You'll have the 42 litre bags then?. I did consider moving the indicators further back as i knew they would be an issue with luggage, but dont want to spoil the looks. Something else i noticed on yours, you have a rear reflector below the number plate. Mine dosent have that. My reflector is at the sides of the rear light. Mines a 65 plate, maybe they changed it?

[Sykesy]

New group for the Herald is anyone is interested. https://www.facebook.com/groups/854969351270459/