Most of the time it boils down to coincidence.
Sometimes it is knowing where the quality was lost, like with Chinese carbs. Great little items for about 20- $30 new, if you don't mind replacing the all the rubber gaskets immediately, as they will all start to dry crack in 1-3 months. Chinese rubber components are the worse quality product I can think of that comes from china, followed by the poor metallurgy I have seen in their fasteners. Lifan engines are actually great quality, if you replace the rubber grommets and the exhaust studs. I have never snapped a honda exhaust stud, but I can ring off a lifan stud just by giving it the wrong looks.
Good to see another car guy going bike. Love your ghia, i have always wanted to build one. i was cars cars cars for 10 years or better, being a little younger than you, my star shooter is a built 93 mx6 tuner (2400lbs/200 hp), and it out does my brothers stage 1 Subaru sti in the twisties.
But it has been bikes for me for the past 3 years, and just look at my signature! You'll find you can fit 6 small motorcycles in the same area one car would need...