Near Lethal Product Failure on Grubee GT1

[Irish John]

ATTENTION ALL OWNERS OF GRUBEE GT CRUISERS
Today on the busy Pacific Highway in far northern NSW a 3 week old Grubee GT1 cruiser suffered catastrophic failure in the steering head nearly causing the death of my customer who got the GT1 & G4 Grubee kit that I reported on elsewhere.
The alloy that is inside the steering head tube completely fractured and the only way the rider maintained some steering ability was by pressing the failed tube downwards to get some purchase between the broken parts. The only thing stopping the handlebars from falling right off was the head bolt that was allowed the rider to get a little steerage to avoid veering head on into oncoming traffic. The attached photos show what snapped. I reckon this is so serious that the authorities will probably demand a total product recall.
This is on top of the 11T freewheel failure after 120 kms and the new 11T will fail at the same mileage because it cannot withstand the forces that the gearbox applies to it. I think this justifies my frequent complaints about dangerous quality fade and attrocious quality control. The rider is ropeable with anger and wanted to fly down to Sydney and see the wholesaler but the wholesaler has just left for Thailand.
Suffice to say I was totally justified in bagging this whole product package. I hope you are reading this Biketec because the crystalline alloy in the sheered tube clearly tells us that the problem is unsafe weak alloy mixes being used on applications that absolutely demand quality control. The whole head design is a fatality waiting to happen and blame will need to be laid squarely at the feet of the manufacturer. I stated in another thread appraising the GT1 that I didn't like it because it was pokey and had no fenders but that it is probably OK for someone who can't afford a decent cruiser bicycle. I will stick with the one piece Schwinn quill stem & head because they are made to the required strength and that's important when your life depends on it. I am very angry at what nearly happened to my friend and customer and I think it is justified. It really emphasises the folly of using cheap shonky bikes and this GT1 has a very very serious problem to be resolved. Personally I don't see any option other than a total product recall.

 

[customcruiser]

not meaning to be smart ***.....but no i dont remember when windows 3.1 nor was i a user of it i know of it but have never used it and iif u noted my age then no most likely not i only really started using computers when i was 12 or something like tht...

 

[loquin]

I still have an Osborne Executive in the closet. Built in 1980. I fired it up last month. Took about 3 seconds to boot up... THOSE were the days. Yeah, it only had 128K of memory, and a pair of 180K 5-1/4 inch diskette drives, but, you could get serious work done with it.

Made in the USA...

Chinese computer manufacturing has only really gotten started in this decade, and really taken off, in the second half of this decade.

 

[customcruiser]

i pulled a macintosh off the side of the road one time......no keyboard just a mouse mannnn wat a beast still works too....im happy with my acer aspire one.....

 

[jimraysr]

Experience And Cycles In Life Can Only Be Gotten With Age.

I would love to have all my experience and knowledge and only be 17.

At 17 I had fresh eyes and when I observed or learned something I often thought it was the total and only answer. Black or white. Now I now when I see something is happening I often flash back to something that has occured before and can in general see the outcome.

One example is a product I have sold for almost 40 years. When the patient ran out we saw a knock off appear. Ours is made in the US, the other in China. It looks just like ours and has captured a good part of the market along with an other China product that is a copy of the copy.

None of the "producers" have done any engineering work on this product. They have no idea why there are several parts there and what purpose they serve.

Many applications of this product do not stress it to the full capability of its design. Last year I was contacted by a contractor, saying that the knock-off product was not preforming and when he tried to tighten the bolts further the washer under the heads and nuts started to bend.

Making something look like something else is the easy part. Making it preform like the original is something else.

I don't know where the Happy design came form. Maybe it was developed in China as so few citizens can afford cars and most ride bikes daily? So can't comment on that.

I do see the Honda engine knock-offs. Honda perfected this slant cylinder design along with the OHV anf verticals like the GXH50 and they preform flawlessly. The HS China version look the same, but for some reason don't produce the same horse power? They leave off other things that Honda includes, like the governor. Most of us don't use the governor. I do and most of these small engines are used on machinery that needs a governor to adjust the carb as the output load changes. (like throwing and other 80# bag of cement in the hopper). Interesting that most parts interchange? The HS is about $100 cheaper, wow, that allows many to afford a 4 stroke that couldn't afford one otherwise. Fine, but don't expect Honda dependability, power or parts availability.

My daddy always told me : Only a rich man can afford to buy cheap stuff, because he is he only one that can afford to replace it!

As to wanting to be 17 again. No thanks. So many things are changing here that is making it like other western countries, I would have a very difficult time accepting it. If you have not experienced a freedom, you won't know you should have it or ever be able to experience it.

Jim

 

[Sean.au]

I am the person Irish John purchased the GT1 bike and G4 for. If you have been reading this thread and can not see or understand the why the neck failed, print the pictures supplied, take to a local bike shop and talk with people at the shop.
The GT1 is advertised as a Heavy Duty bike designed for motorising, the steering neck snaped within one month of purchase.
I ride the bike a long a 3km section of highway that joins two major cities, trucks pass within a meter, doing over 100 km.

So what is the truth in all this;
1. New bike model been marketed as heavy duty and designed for motorizing.
2. Steering component was installed by a professional and was inspected by an experienced rider.
3. Steering component failed after 3 weeks.
4. Control of steering was maintained.
5. No injury or death occurred.
6. Irish John believes this could cause injury or death, plausible.
7. MBc member arceeguy says Irish John busted it himself, which is FALSE and then slanders Irish John.
8. MBc member customcruiser believes that this steering component is not meant to last longer than three weeks, I don't agree.
9. The bike is sold retail for $399.99 and a steering component that would not fail, can be purchased for $12.00.

 

[Pablo]

Nasty junk. Slap a lawyer on that.

 

[customcruiser]

I am the person Irish John purchased the GT1 bike and G4 for. If you have been reading this thread and can not see or understand the why the neck failed, print the pictures supplied, take to a local bike shop and talk with people at the shop.
The GT1 is advertised as a Heavy Duty bike designed for motorising, the steering neck snaped within one month of purchase.
I ride the bike a long a 3km section of highway that joins two major cities, trucks pass within a meter, doing over 100 km.

So what is the truth in all this;
1. New bike model been marketed as heavy duty and designed for motorizing.
2. Steering component was installed by a professional and was inspected by an experienced rider.
3. Steering component failed after 3 weeks.
4. Control of steering was maintained.
5. No injury or death occurred.
6. Irish John believes this could cause injury or death, plausible.
7. MBc member arceeguy says Irish John busted it himself, which is FALSE and then slanders Irish John.
8. MBc member customcruiser believes that this steering component is not meant to last longer than three weeks, I don't agree.
9. The bike is sold retail for $399.99 and a steering component that would not fail, can be purchased for $12.00.

i never said it was not meant to last longer than 3 weeks........i said nothing lasts forever whether it be 3weeks or 3 years

 

[suspect]

imagine riding down the road on a powered bike and the steering goes out?
thats a bloody scary thought, can hardly blame him for being ****ed off about it.

 

[Xqizid]

No you cant..

 

[Irish John]

i never said it was not meant to last longer than 3 weeks........i said nothing lasts forever

That must be OK Custom cos that's exactly what the Dalai Lama said as well when I saw him speak in Sydney once. Mind you I don't think he'd be too impressed with some of the stuff in those kits!