185s/200s Carburetors Chinese vs. Japanese built

**jeepcollector** · 09-10-2009, 11:24 AM

I need a carb for my 1983 Honda 185S.

I can get a 26 year old Japanese built Keihin or a new Chinese Keihin. If I get the 26 year old I have the skills to rebuild it. I guess it comes down to asking if the Chinese ones are worth buying?

Any opinions?

**Coaltrain** · 09-10-2009, 12:54 PM

I bought one of the chinese ones new off of ebay for my 200es about a year ago. I bolted it on and it worked flawlessly. I was skeptical at first but my experience with them was a good one.

**rdlsz24** · 09-10-2009, 01:09 PM

Search around on here. I think others have said they work fine and some that don't like them. I myself have always had good luck cleaning the oem ones.

Rob

**inv3ctiv3** · 09-10-2009, 01:31 PM

I bought one for my 200x and couldn't get it to work very well...but it could have been something else. I bolted the original one on that hadn't been ran in years and bump started it and it cleaned it out and it ran!

**Dirtcrasher** · 09-10-2009, 02:28 PM

I don't trust a 60$ carb when a good rebuild kit is 25$ of that anyhow.....

They're all knockoffs and not built to the same specs.

I bought one, just so I could be 2MM larger but otherwise I would have just rebuilt a stock carburetor.

**fabiodriven** · 09-10-2009, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Dirtcrasher

I don't trust a 60$ carb when a good rebuild kit is 25$ of that anyhow.....

They're all knockoffs and not built to the same specs.

I bought one, just so I could be 2MM larger but otherwise I would have just rebuilt a stock carburetor.

I'm gonna tie a rope to your carb and drag it behind my car.

**jeepcollector** · 09-10-2009, 05:57 PM

Thanks for the responses. In general it seems like the feedback is 50/50 on the Chinese made carbs. If I had the original I would just rebuild it but I don't

I'm leaning towards getting a used one and rebuilding it.

**oscarmayer** · 09-11-2009, 07:00 AM

lol fabio

I tink the chinese are fine, the issue sis rebuild kits and parts. the honda stuff has parts and kits, the chinese do not, some of the chinese ones will take a honda jet some will not. but if you have a good rebuildable honda carb, then redo it instead. it's the correct one fo the bike and will work best.

**3Razors** · 09-11-2009, 03:02 PM

As long as there isn't any corrosion/etching of the aluminum on the inside of the carb bowl I would rebuild the oem one. If the the alum is corroding its time to start over as the process cant be stop and will keep clogging the jets.

**Thorpe** · 09-11-2009, 03:19 PM

I would track down an original and rebuild it... Thats just me...

**daniel_250r** · 09-11-2009, 03:25 PM

i would go chinese just because its a brand new unit and oem used ones are pretty worn sometimes

**atctim** · 09-11-2009, 03:32 PM

I have had very good luck with the china cheapies!

**3Razors** · 09-11-2009, 03:34 PM

The chineese ones may be brand new, but the quality and performance won't be as good as the oem one. Then again we are talking about 185 and 200's so that might not be that important to some people.

**jeepcollector** · 09-14-2009, 06:40 PM

So I ordered an OEM carb off ebay. I disassembled for cleaning and inspection. It has the plastic float and it is broken where it meets the inlet need valve. Thus it looks like it won't seal. Any recommendations on where to get a replacement float?

Thread: 185s/200s Carburetors Chinese vs. Japanese built

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185s/200s Carburetors Chinese vs. Japanese built

Follow-up question: need plastic float