Where in the UK are you ?
- Thread starter madmart
- Start date
Windsorlad
Been Around the Block
notlob said:
My brother was recently in China and found a 1959 Harley, its now on its way back to his home in Thailand, so don't give up the hunt notlob
Not to mention all those "Borrani" alloy rims @ $30 [ US ] if you buy 100 units !!!!!
China is the new India ! ;D
China is the new India ! ;D
Titan performance
Titan cafe racer builders.
Hi Miffa.....those Borranis Beach mentioned are in fact Akronts. I have a Chinese contact for them, and have indeed had a few sets....and they are nice, bloody nice ! The spokes are shouldered stainless, and of nice quality too. Spoke sets of a similar quality are at least £50 here in the UK. Our wheel builder couldn't tell the difference between our Chinese rims, and Akronts bought over here. We desperately wanted to buy more, but MOQs just prevented it financially for us. I am in touch with the guy regularly, and think the MOQ could be negotiated to 65 pairs of wheels. Rumour has it that Akront were in fact getting them from China...
Titan performance said:
Hate to disagree Titan - the rims I was referring to are the ones now imported to Italy by Borrani in the raw unfinished state, prepped, drilled and indented with the Borrani logo in Italy.
That is not to say that Akront and others are doing precisely the same. In fact I'd be amazed if they weren't !
Re: the Borannis, I'm going back 5 years when I first heard about these [ and other ] rims and contacted a pal in the trade as I was unable to invest enough to buy minimum 100 rims [ of each size !] He brought a consignment over, and these came out of the same factory that now supply Borrani. These rims had NO marking at all apart from the size.
I have some original Borranis in my garage [ ex. Le Mans ] and you really cannot tell the difference.
At the time [ 5 years ago ] they were around $12 [US ] each. I tried to drum up interest for a group buy on this forum, but fell on deaf [ cynical ? ] ears. I did the same with 2 1/2" Monza gas caps [ $12 ] and again no response.
There was a recent [ last August ? ] round of letters in one of the comics starting out from Central Wheel Co. - who were slagging the Borranis as NOT being made in Italy. Borrani replied and within the letter of the EU regs. they did enough work to call them Borranis and have the "made in Italy" logo stamped on. There were pix of the rims being stamped as "proof" [ of something ? ]. I'll try to dig it out.
Miffa - I'll make some enquiries about the current prices and min. quantities, but the Chinese have cottoned on to this "start cheap - hook 'em in, them bump the prices up" business strategy [ just like the Indians ! ]. EG - the Monza caps are now $40, min 50 units.
The problem is that just to serve front and back in the two popular rims [ 36 / 40 hole ] you would be talking 400 rims !
You can get lower numbers, but then the prices zoom up. STILL cheaper than buying the "branded" makes.
I may have a UK contact for alloy rims - probably from the same source - at reasonable prices.
Titan performance
Titan cafe racer builders.
I stand corrected Beach...I really didn't know that story about the Borannis. funnily enough, I too have a set of genuine borannis that I have owned over 30 years. I have had them relaced and polished, and will be fitting them to my current T500 build shortly.
I have checked with my Asian contact, and I can order as little as 65 pairs...but no less. We had a few sets for 500 twins tacked on to someone else's order, 1.85 x 19 and 2.15 x 18 from memory...36 holes. We cut a 4 hole section out of an old steel rim, and sent it to China, so they could correctly drill the rims they sent us. the spokes were polished stainless, and our wheel man described them as very nice. The rims were un-branded, but we were offered the option of branding if we wanted it. These rims were identical to Morad Akronts....they also supplied stainless nipples, but we we didn't use these, as our builder suggested they were more likely to stick to the spokes than brass ones.
We too, tried to summon up enthusiasm among the members of the Sundial forum, to make a MOQ order, but we got nowhere near enough interest. As I have said, I am still in contact with the Asian guy on other matters, so inquiring about rims would be no problem. Their range of sizes and shapes is comprehensive, so it would be easier if you just state the size/s and style required, and I can ask.
I have checked with my Asian contact, and I can order as little as 65 pairs...but no less. We had a few sets for 500 twins tacked on to someone else's order, 1.85 x 19 and 2.15 x 18 from memory...36 holes. We cut a 4 hole section out of an old steel rim, and sent it to China, so they could correctly drill the rims they sent us. the spokes were polished stainless, and our wheel man described them as very nice. The rims were un-branded, but we were offered the option of branding if we wanted it. These rims were identical to Morad Akronts....they also supplied stainless nipples, but we we didn't use these, as our builder suggested they were more likely to stick to the spokes than brass ones.
We too, tried to summon up enthusiasm among the members of the Sundial forum, to make a MOQ order, but we got nowhere near enough interest. As I have said, I am still in contact with the Asian guy on other matters, so inquiring about rims would be no problem. Their range of sizes and shapes is comprehensive, so it would be easier if you just state the size/s and style required, and I can ask.
Titan performance said:
Hey no probs - in reality I think we are both correct !!!!
Just to finish up the Borrani story - I ordered a WM2 [ front ] and a WM5 [ rear ] from my pal to build up for my Vindicator [ TR1 ].
Same story - I could have various brands [ !! ] stamped on the rims for £220 the pair, or non stamped for £170 the pair.
The slagging match in the comics from CW was ongoing at the time and as a matter of principle I would use anyone else other than CW due to a major run in I had with them many years ago when they were just starting out.
However, my tame Speedway wheel builder [ ALWAYS the cheapest ! ] was snowed under and although he was half the price of CW, I had to swallow my pride and use them for the build. Drill and build with stainless spokes £220 TRADE !
When I took my rims up there they were more than a little surprised to see them and especially the quality for the price. They were not particularly impressed when I said I was looking at importing a batch [ AFTER I'd paid them ] - I did offer to supply them at a trade price, but they declined.
crazypj
Split personality, I fake being smart
I remember you posting about rims but not Monza petrol caps.
Unfortunately, I was almost as broke then as I am now so couldn't invest
Seems I'm almost back where I started in the late 60's, messing about with old Honda's for about the same reward (probably less taking inflation into account )
I still have fun some of the time though ;D
Unfortunately, I was almost as broke then as I am now so couldn't invest
Seems I'm almost back where I started in the late 60's, messing about with old Honda's for about the same reward (probably less taking inflation into account
)I still have fun some of the time though ;D
crazypj said:I remember you posting about rims but not Monza petrol caps.
Unfortunately, I was almost as broke then as I am now so couldn't invest
Seems I'm almost back where I started in the late 60's, messing about with old Honda's for about the same reward (probably less taking inflation into account
I still have fun some of the time though ;D
Yes Crazy - there was some limited interest in the Monza caps, but not enough for me to take a punt on holding [ ie paying for ] at least 30 caps ! No longer in business [ retired in 2000 ], so funding not my current strong point. You may have seen elsewhere that I DID put my hand in my pocket for gauges and roller bearing conversions for ther TR1 / XV / Virago range. But that was a much lower level of investment.
BTW - same deal with the Indian gas tanks. 4 - 5 years ago you could buy 5 [ min order ] alloy tanks for $120 each - cheapest Indian deal now $500 each.
There were a load of folk obviously had the same idea around that time [ and the capital to invest ] as the original manufacturer's promo pix [ Monzas ] appeared under several UK based e-bay sellers !
Totally off track - 6 years go I needed some bathroom and kitchen parts - taps, showers, etc. for our place in Saxony. I found a super modern waterfall tap ass'y in a local UK "Bathroom Specialist" - £125. Trawled the Chinese trade pages and found the IDENTICAL part - supplied in the same box for £15 !!!!!!!!! That was £15 delivered price. A very brief check of the specialist company's other items revealed many identical parts offered - sinks, cabinets, showers .....................all for 10 x + the price from the Chinese source.
Glad to see you're still enjoying our chosen hobby !
Windsorlad
Been Around the Block
Great find and very nice work miffa
Titan performance
Titan cafe racer builders.
Top job Miffa......you are clearly very skillful. The Honda looks great.....better colour too.
Back to wheels......I have now managed to beat my Chinese wheel supplier up some more....and got him to agree to 50 pairs !
What size would you want Miffa? We work with T and Gt500 Suzukis, so 1.85 x 19 and 2.15 x 18 (36 hole) are our choice.
Back to wheels......I have now managed to beat my Chinese wheel supplier up some more....and got him to agree to 50 pairs !
What size would you want Miffa? We work with T and Gt500 Suzukis, so 1.85 x 19 and 2.15 x 18 (36 hole) are our choice.
Doctor Jones
Been Around the Block
Newbie based just north of Brighton. Hi all.
Doctor Jones said:
Hi Doc,
good to have you along - hope you're not too wet down there !
Doctor Jones
Been Around the Block
Wetter than an otters' pocket. Good time to build if not to ride. Thanks for the welcome.
Doctor Jones
Been Around the Block
Anyone heading for Stafford in April and fancy a pint?
Doctor Jones said:
I'll be there - as long as I'm not in Saxony ! I'll sort my dates out.
