Sorry man. This is the whole reason I was being vague is becasue the issues were taken care of and I do not want to start anything esle. They were not mine, but the two guys I ride with. I just had to hear the crying all the time, that is why I considered it "first hand".

You guys fired a few shots both for and against the Pit-Viper. So I looked it up on the internet. Yea it probably is a good bike. It better be for the money! I may have mislead when I said stay away from china bikes but then I still agree that You Get What You Pay For. So lets re-phrase that.
"Stay Away From The China Bikes That Are Affordable"! If it looks to good to be true - it is! Those 500 dollar Kayaks were trash! And I did the right thing getting better "used" Jap bikes for my kids for the same money as the Kayaks.

id look into a pitster pro as well those bikes are well made and have had rave reviews... and as far as the 500af goes there is also a place out of the houston area that builds them as well ... but i havent talked to anyone who has had them made by them before so i dont know of thier reputation...