Fun with the TSE300R (PDS) Shock

Eh not truly fun but we can talk about it now because it feels kinda funny to me at this point. Not a fan of this bike stock, requires a LOT of work to be a good bike and many OEM parts won't last a single season.
Rather have a WP shock on here anyway, have had too many issues with this bike to go back and forth with GPX, rather just fix things myself where I know it works.
More of a heads up for others thinking on these bikes, be aware of what you're getting into. Bike/parts support is not as good as you might read online, be prepared to support these yourself.

[@SeanSR]

GPX customer support gets worse as the price of their bikes get higher. Its not ok that you are able to rebuild it yourself, not alot of people can and it shouldnt be expected. Awesome video.

[@SCakey]

Yea it's weird like I think of my own suspension guy in town but he's not working on some Chinese shock. If my suspension guy did this and I reported it he'd be like, "Get that back to me NOW, I will fix this! That's not okay!" I think GPX spreads themselves too thin with bikes/stuff and things slide.
Fun addition to this story is, I had emailed GPX months ago to get my full suspension re-done, forks and shock. Like I was ready to pay them a grand for their full upgraded setup that I was going to try...GPX ignored the email so that's what originally triggered me to just do the forks myself.

[@0cernnunos0]

Thank you for sharing all your experiences. There are some very good youtube videos made by Russian riders that seem to have a very good insight and knowledge about these bikes including suspension. That might be another source to get more info about these bikes.

[@SCakey]

Yea I can handle the bike it's just the amount you have to change off it and rebuild before it's a decent bike. Also not too good at Russian :). I got a WP shock on the bike now so I'm fine going forward, maybe this winter I'll try rebuilding this shock.

[@jimmast2509]

I've had, and sold new to customers, about 15 GPX's, and have not had any real problems. I think that GPX going from trail bikes to race bikes might be the area where people start having problems. As far as support, they've been good to us, as they should be. Support should be paramount for anyone selling a Chinese product as there are already plenty of questions other than that to be dealt with. I'm from an era when Japanese motorcycles were thought of the same way Chinese motorcycles are thought of now. It didn't take long for the Honda's and Yamaha's of the world to take over. That being said, these bike importers are making a mistake thinking they can continue to raise prices just because there still cheaper than the Japanese bikes, there attractive because they're cheap, and they should not forget it.....

[@SCakey]

Yea I hear ya and I ain't racing the bike, maybe on a good day I can push B-class speed but I'm just being an idiot on the trails. My FSE300R's had quirks but I'll stand behind them being good bikes, not great, to be that they'd have to be lighter but they are solid.
I'm not angry, more disappointed and I've just had so many issues with this bike I'm literally tired of talking to GPX and waiting for fixes from them that I have to rebuild myself. I laughed at myself early on "Dude you bought a KTM copy....why are you surprised about having ridiculous KTM issues?" :)

[@downherefordancing]

earlier this year had similar experience. The compression clicker completely blew out, like it shotgunned out and now have a hole in the shock where it should be, causing all my shock oil to eject with it. These things happen i thought, but what i wasnt expecting was to be completely fobbed off by GPX (UK) since suspension is a 'wearable part''. after trying to explain that this wasnt simply wear but a component/assembly failure according to my suspension tech, i was again given short change and told to send to authorised KTech engineer if i wanted it repaired. When i pressed about wanting at least replacement parts - the compression adjuster assembly - was told there are none, WP stuff all fits, send it to a KTech shop and they can fix it. I now have genuine WP shock with bladder kit and the SZC garbage is where it belongs. For the record i love the bike (FSE250E) but have been left with a sour taste.

[@SCakey]

Yea it's really just not worth servicing them getting answers like that, so few suspension shops will even look at these since they have one-off parts. China loves to do things like use the 'same parts' but change thread pitch in one area so other parts won't fit.
GPX will claim their suspensions are good and when they work they aren't bad but fact is they just don't last like WP stuff. It's why I kinda chuckled at the recent Kove bikes early on advertising KYB suspension then switching to....Yu-An for production models. Early reports seem to say "suspension is quite good" but lets see how they last and then how repairable it is, I have some doubts. :)

[@lowstakescrusher]

I'm so glad I saw this. I was planning to order a TSE300 on Friday.
Never mind.
Looks like a used KTM is the answer.

[@SCakey]

And I'm not trying to deter folks from buying these but I do think people should be aware of what it involves. I've bought (3) GPX bikes over the last few years, I was fairly 'ready' for China-quirks with this TSE300 but even I've been a bit surprised by some of the issues I've seen.
Like I said, no ill will towards GPX, I bought these bikes out of curiosity to see what China could offer and I feel I understand that now. Personally to go back, I could have bought a used KTM last fall for $6k, rebuilt it over the winter and had a better bike for this year while doing roughly the same amount of work but that's me personally.

[@lowstakescrusher]

To be clear, it isn't problems I'm worried about. To have them "write you off" and then send an obviously bent part to fix it yourself, after you paid them to rebuild the shock for youis absolutely terrible service.
I can spend less money and get vastly better service. That's the issue.