Why do people automatically have this huge downer on things Made in China? We're not in the 20th century any more and China has been building high quality goods for export for decades now. They have a space programme. The phone you're using to slate them was probably made there. When western (and Japanese) manufacturers build in China they do so to take advantage of very low labour costs, not so they can churn out some shite that falls apart in a year. Are KTM or Honda going to do that and ruin their brand reputation? No, they are not. At the very least, major brands manufacturing in China will have rigorous quality control and supply line management in place to ensure the product meets build and reliability standards as good as one built "at home". Because it's all the same brand, which they have spent a lot on to make it favourable.

I'll grant you there are no such guarantees for Chinese brands, but even they are fast improving. Anyone remember the old 70s taunts of "Jap Crap"? Well look at them now. A byword for quality, and the Chinese realise that - they are building their own brands and want to build a reputation to go behind them. Products exported to the west are profitable for them, not like the mass-produced dross churned out for the developing world. Chinese goods are better than most people think, and getting better.

BTW Grant, re your last comment I'm aware they can't build such a "simple travel bike", and no doubt the market would be small if they did. My comment was what I'd like to see, and that's a personal view. Dunno why people get so aerated about that.