A lot has been written about mechanical bulls coming out of China recently. So
much so that we have decided to dedicate a page on our website outlining the information we know about these
machines.
Having been in the leisure industry for 25 years we have seen people have huge
successes as well as make terrible mistakes. We include ourselves.
The following information is to help and assist those purchasing a mechanical
bull. Non of the information is fabricated or doctored in any way. We obviously want you to buy one of our machines
and we understand that not everyone's budget allows that.
All we ask is that you do your homework and you know what you are buying and from
whom.
We have one statement to conclude everything we know on Chinese Bulls.
"If these bulls were of any quality that we could fix and market do you not think we
would be doing this?!"
The Bull from
China
Over the last few months we have
noticed a steady increase in phone calls from potential customers asking the difference between our machines and
the ones from China. Obviously there is a huge difference but what seems prevalent is the cost. Bulls from China
are being sold in the USA by a couple of companies for as little as $7,000!
As well as calls from people who were considering buying them, we have also had people who have already purchased
the bull from China and learnt the hard way.
So that got us thinking. We know in detail the problems and dangers of the Chinese Bull but how do we convey that
to the general public? From the photographs and sales talk the bull looked OK however it is not until you receive
the machine that you would discover the problems and dangers.
We got
talking and came up with an idea; lets buy a bull from China! We thought it would be best that we spend the $2,800
(this is what they cost ) to show you what the bull is really like so that you don't waste your money, even if you
don't buy of our machines. You invest in us as a company so this is us giving something back and helping the
leisure industry.
The video below (in two parts) shows us unpacking the machine and putting it together. It shows the build quality,
ride quality, the positives and negatives. This is how the machine came out of the crate.
I can guarantee you will be shocked at
what you see, while making the video we couldn't believe what we were seeing.
For those who cannot view the video here are some bullet points on the issues we found:
No ground / earth protection (The machine
is electrically live)
Not UL approved for the
USA
Not CE approved for
Europe
Not ADIPS for the UK
Not approved for
Australia
Not TUV approved for the TUV in
Germany
Bolts are finger tight, very loose. Some
had no nuts
Aluminum gear boxes that will shear away
from their mountings
Unchallenging ride - Rider could stay on
with no hands on the fastest speed
Damaged in transit. Horn missing with
screws exposed
Please
view the video if you have time, it has to be seen to be believed!
The three
companies in question are selling these bulls are charging between $7,000 and $15,000 for a machine that costs
$3,000 (maximum). They have no mechanical expertise, they cannot offer you any service for WHEN it breaks down.
They only offer the manufactures warranty of a year, which would mean you would have to send your bull back to
China. These people are pushing up the cost of insurance for the rest of the industry by selling unsafe, unreliable
pieces of equipment. And effectively they are taking your money, knowing full well that these are unsafe and unfit
for purpose with the proven history of failing and breaking down.
We know the people and companies that are selling
these bulls. If you need any names or information on any other bull please don't hesitate to contact
us.
Since this article went live we have removed 4 companies names due to agreements and
discussions about the selling of the China Bull. More news will follow in due course.
People
are asking how can there be such a vast difference in the price between Chinese and ours let me
explain.
We have
visited China and done our home work;
if these bulls were any good we would buy them ourselves and market
them.
The Chinese work for pennies if you
could see the conditions they work & live in you would understand why they make them so cheap
We have been making bulls for nearly 20 years and are the market leader; we have to pay our staff, pay for our two
factories, pay insurance, pay taxes, pay to got to trade shows.
We stand by our warranties which is a two year warranty.
We use high quality parts which are approved for use worldwide
We spend the money ensuring our bulls can be used in any country
If you have any questions about this bull or any mechanical bull on the market today please do not hesitate to call
us with any questions. We have been manufacturing mechanical bulls since 1990 and are the original innovators of
the multi ride system, so use our knowledge and expertise when purchasing a mechanical bull.
Ultimately it is your money and you can spend it in any way you like all we are trying to do is save you the pain
& heartache of wasting your money and fighting a law suit when someone gets hurt which they surely
will.
Don't Buy Chinese
Crap
This is an email I received this
week, it makes for interesting reading. Thankfully Richard has let us put the email up on the website for you to
read
"I am looking to get a price of
your rodeo bulls. I am based in Ireland and I am considering getting one. As your website says don't
buy from china, your right, i did and sure enough its sitting in a garage with two burnt out motors after 3
shots.
The bull I bought came in fitted to a steel frame that you would need 4 guys to move. I wasn't told that when
buying it. I was led to believe that it was easily transported, (yes, if you had a crane).After three go's the
motors burnt out. It would make a nice expensive garden ornament now. The electrics are all over the place.
There's no earth. I'd advise anyone don't buy Chinese crap, save up the extra bit of cash and buy
quality"
Regards
Richard www.abbiesbouncers.com
BEWARE OF CHINESE
CRAP
It has come to our notice that our bull has been ripped off & copied by a Chinese
company. Buy this bull at your
peril! Although it looks like our Macho bull unit we can assure you it is not made by us at
all.
We have a customer who has bought one and is having so much trouble that he is trying
to get his money back; these are the things you must look out for.
The control console fascia plate does not have our name & number on in the top
left corner it is blank
It does not have a soft head
It does not have the Auto Stop System
It has very poor quality aluminum gear boxes that will break (ours has cast iron
units)
The control console will be very heavy as it has a step down transformer in it to
convert it to 110 volts.
Our control consoles are already set up for 110 volts without the need for a
transformer (220-240 volts the rest of the world)
The quality is very poor as is the performance; the motion base will be rusty inside
& out NON of the
bolts are fitted with locking nuts and therefore will become loose in no time.
It is neither UL (or CE) approved or tested; there is no ground (earth) protection so
it is potentially lethal
It does not have a warranty, there is NO back up or repair
service