China's best?

delonick347
Posts
314
Joined
12/22/2011
Location
Omaha, NE US
3/23/2015 6:54am Edited Date/Time 3/23/2015 3:29pm
I refuse to pay 450 bucks for an OEM radiator (non fill side - 05 KX 250 2 stroke). On the way home from the track yesterday, I ebay'd a replacement and saw a few companies selling a set of brand new radiators for 80-120 bucks approximately. "Winners" and GPI Racing...

Does anyone have any reviews or testimonies about these aftermarket radiators?
|
pete24
Posts
2733
Joined
10/20/2011
Location
Marlborough, MA US
3/23/2015 7:05am
i hate chineese rubbish, but those rads are dam cheap and they are pretty good ive put on a few sets, some take a little "fitting" but well worth it, no one can weld as good as a 8 year old chineese kid!
MXVet261
Posts
711
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Valley City, OH US
Fantasy
3973rd
3/23/2015 7:13am
Got'em on three bikes, one modern 450 and two 80's/90's bikes. Work great.
3/23/2015 7:22am
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered some and also made me up some silicon hoses. All very good quality and work well....


3/23/2015 7:29am
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered...
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered some and also made me up some silicon hoses. All very good quality and work well....


That looks great, Dick!

The Shop

delonick347
Posts
314
Joined
12/22/2011
Location
Omaha, NE US
3/23/2015 7:29am
pete24 wrote:
i hate chineese rubbish, but those rads are dam cheap and they are pretty good ive put on a few sets, some take a little "fitting"...
i hate chineese rubbish, but those rads are dam cheap and they are pretty good ive put on a few sets, some take a little "fitting" but well worth it, no one can weld as good as a 8 year old chineese kid!
Laughing
Xeno
Posts
3630
Joined
12/30/2010
Location
San Clemente, CA US
3/23/2015 10:13am
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered...
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered some and also made me up some silicon hoses. All very good quality and work well....


Nice dirt-sicle, Dick Trickle!
jeffro503
Posts
27442
Joined
7/22/2007
Location
St Helens, OR US
3/23/2015 10:41am
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered...
I had some bent up ones on my bike. GPI didn't make them for my model. I sent them some old ones and they reverse engineered some and also made me up some silicon hoses. All very good quality and work well....


That looks great, Dick!
That looks like a start of a great project Dick! Very clean looking.
imoto34
Posts
3781
Joined
1/28/2010
Location
TN US
Fantasy
3151st
3/23/2015 10:44am
I usually take tweaked radiators somewhere local. Usually get a better product for fractions of the cost of new
Matt Fisher
Posts
3947
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Visalia, CA US
Fantasy
1084th
3/23/2015 10:45am
It seems to me that the aluminum used in the China rads is only slightly stiffer than room temp butter. They bend very easily and it seems to take very little bending before they leak. That said, unless I find OEM radiators at a reasonable price, I'll keep using the Chinese ones.
Adam43
Posts
3179
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
WF
3/23/2015 10:51am
It seems to me that the aluminum used in the China rads is only slightly stiffer than room temp butter. They bend very easily and it...
It seems to me that the aluminum used in the China rads is only slightly stiffer than room temp butter. They bend very easily and it seems to take very little bending before they leak. That said, unless I find OEM radiators at a reasonable price, I'll keep using the Chinese ones.
My experience is the opposite. If anything the Chinese radiators seem overbuilt and many times more robust the weak OEM rads. I can bend stock rads just squeezing the bike with my legs, but the cheapo rads are beastly.
NCProaction
Posts
77
Joined
2/25/2010
Location
Fuquay Varina, NC US
3/23/2015 12:41pm
Call Brett @ ICW 919-795-8084

He can fix any radiator better than new for a fraction of the cost.

Contact the guy at MOTO HOSE he is reasonable and has a great product.

704-340-7958 He is on here too Lumpy790 is his handle, send him a message
wpark89
Posts
1115
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA US
3/23/2015 1:00pm
I bought a set for my 09 125 Husky...thought I'd save a few bucks.
They look super sturdy but they're not.
First I noticed the cap side radiator was full of drill shavings and aluminum pieces when I got it...so I took time to rinse both rads out with a garden house and they were full of shit.

They lasted about an hour before they started cracking.

Luckily my dad owns a welding/fabrication shop because we had to keep repairing something on the Winners radiators every couple hours of riding time. They never leaked, just cracked in the framework around the core.

Like a lot of parts I hear guys on here say they hold up awesome and last years. I can't judge how hard they really ride and the wear they put on their bikes. For me, I won't buy another set.

The GPI hoses I've used on a couple different bikes with no issues.
delonick347
Posts
314
Joined
12/22/2011
Location
Omaha, NE US
3/23/2015 1:24pm
Thanks for the feedback dudes. I think I am going to try my local radiator shop first.
40Plus_922mx
Posts
2901
Joined
4/17/2009
Location
High Desert, CA US
3/23/2015 3:12pm
Used em on an 03 YZ250 smoker a few years back. No complaints.
njracer46
Posts
711
Joined
3/20/2011
Location
NJ US
3/23/2015 3:29pm
I'm in the same boat as you but dam 450 for one? Oem for my 2013 ktm is 130 and 160. My friend bought a set of the Chinese for his honda and don't remember him having any problems.

My concerns are fit and strength, I hear a lot of mixed reviews about both. Even with the aftermarket ones! I read a bunch of reviews on a few different sets and some people say they're brittle, fitting is horrible, and random things like hoses don't line up or have to take shroud off to open cap. It seems like a 50/50 shot with most. Some people have good experiences while others don't. That's why I'm leaning towards sending mine out to be fixed which they should be able to. One is twisted up and the other just started leaking through the fins. Either that or buy a new set, doesn't seem worth it to you if they're that expensive.
FWYT
Posts
3305
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA US
11/7/2016 8:04pm
Old thread, I know, but still relevant.

Got a set of those Chinese POS radiators and they SUCK ASS. Both sides have cracked, fit was shit and
overall finish and quality blows monkey balls. #fail
FWYT
Posts
3305
Joined
5/25/2014
Location
San Diego, CA US
11/7/2016 8:04pm
wpark89 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/03/23/84938/s1200_DSC00341.jpg[/img]


Yup, this is how mine broke as well.
11/8/2016 2:43am
Always use GMX ones over here and they are the best quality, probably get a good price with the pound being crappy well.
11/8/2016 5:33am
Call Brett @ ICW 919-795-8084 He can fix any radiator better than new for a fraction of the cost. Contact the guy at MOTO HOSE he...
Call Brett @ ICW 919-795-8084

He can fix any radiator better than new for a fraction of the cost.

Contact the guy at MOTO HOSE he is reasonable and has a great product.

704-340-7958 He is on here too Lumpy790 is his handle, send him a message
X2
philG
Posts
9630
Joined
5/12/2012
Location
GB
11/8/2016 7:38am
We have a set on our 89 RM, needed a mod to fit, but a loads better than what we had, at a price to cant beat.
delonick347
Posts
314
Joined
12/22/2011
Location
Omaha, NE US
11/8/2016 7:45am
I am the OP of this thread. Here's what transpired:
*local shop did a piss poor job patching it - leaked right away
**china's best lasted 3 rides and started leaking, without ever crashing
***got super lucky and found used OEM on ebay, snatched it up for 80 bucks

The End.

Don't waste your money. Send it to a reputable shop or find a used one on ebay.
11/8/2016 8:00am
wpark89 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/03/23/84938/s1200_DSC00341.jpg[/img]


FWYT wrote:
Yup, this is how mine broke as well.
Mine did that as well. They were custom made for my AF, so had it welded and it held up fine afterwards.
Excaliburbmx
Posts
1872
Joined
6/21/2014
Location
Indianapolis, IN US
11/9/2016 6:24am
I have bought a few sets as we have 8 bikes with never a problem.

Maybe some of you ought to buy two sets and if one fails send it back they will send a new pair.
metzler316
Posts
254
Joined
12/3/2013
Location
Sherwood, OR US
11/9/2016 10:35am
I used the GPI on my RM125 build and loved them!! For the money you cant go wrong! and they look sweet!



Post a reply to: China's best?

The Latest