The Yutong ZK6147H Is A Full-Zize Coach For Enthusiasts

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 07/28/2015 at 14:33 • Filed to: Essay, buslopnik

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Anyone who boarded a bus lately will confirm, Western bus manufacturers have lost their ways. They’re all bloated lumps with automatic transmissions, wifi and whatnot. Worst of all, they’re mostly powered by alternative energies such as CNC, propane or even worse : electricity.

But thanks to baby Jesus Confucius, we have Yutong, a Chinese bus manufacturer that makes buses the way we like them: Manual, slow and Diesel.

Yutong was funded in 1963 by who don’t know who exactly, but it was not before 40 years later that Yutong buses found it’s niche a in the “driver’s bus” market.

The ZK6147H is powered by a proper 8.9L inline 6 Diesel engine producing 360 Break Horsepowers and a mindblowing 1100 ft/lbs of torque. All this power is unleashed to the ground through a 6 speed manual transmission and by no less than than 8 295/80R22.5 tires, all located at the rear of the vessel, right in front of the Cummins powerplant.

This Yutong bus can carry up to 60 passengers on the upper deck, all seated while its cargo bay can hold 300 cubic feet of luggage.

The driver-oriented cockpit is located low and at the front, this is to allow the pilot to have a better feel of the road and enjoy the driving dynamics of the vehicle.

In the rear cabin, the fit and finish depends on your tastes and budget. If you don’t want anything, Yutong will sell it to you in ultra weight-saving basic configuration, no questions asked.

If, however, you want to treat yourself and your passengers, sky’s the limit ..

Unfortunately, don’t look for a Yutong bus here in the America of the northern hemisphere, but if you happen to be in Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Iran or Tanzania, don’t waste the opportunity to treat yourself and get a ride in a Yutong.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 14:37

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don’t look for a Yutong bus here in the America of the northern hemisphere

Thanks, Obama.

Margin Of Error > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 07/28/2015 at 14:38

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Yeah what a shame

jkm7680 > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 14:40

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Automatic buses are honestly more useful for both the drivers and the passengers. American buses are still better, I really don’t see the advantages of a poorly built Chinese bus.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 14:41

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Nice Neoplan

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 14:45

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>Lost their ways

HOWABOUTNO.jpg

Comes with an ISX Diesel engine pushing 425 Horses through an Allison.

Margin Of Error > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 07/28/2015 at 14:46

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Looks heavy

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 14:47

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For a reason. The J4500 actually feels safe and comfortable compared to that ironmongery.

Cé hé sin > jkm7680 07/28/2015 at 14:48

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It’s poorly built? “Made in China” does not necessarily equate to “poorly built”.

Interestingly, the last time I was in America many of the buses were from Van Hool. Nope, they’re not American.

nermal > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 14:53

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CNG is a superior energy source for city buses. It burns cleaner, it’s cheaper, and it’s easier to build a fuelling station at bus depots - just tap into an existing natural gas pipeline.

Plus, since this bus Chinese and targeted at less-developed countries, it probably has zero emissions equipment.

Amoore100 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 07/28/2015 at 14:57

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Exactly what I was thinking...

Amoore100 > Margin Of Error 07/28/2015 at 15:00

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It’s a ripped off, far worse version of the Neoplan Starliner...

jkm7680 > Cé hé sin 07/28/2015 at 15:08

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Most of the time, Chinese=Poorly built. The only well built thing from China I’ve ever owned was a Coleman flashlight. Everything else has been sub par.

MCI is the most popular make here, Van Hool also makes good products.

Cé hé sin > jkm7680 07/28/2015 at 15:38

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Everything Apple make is Chinese and you don’t hear complaints...

Cé hé sin > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura 07/28/2015 at 15:48

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Is that a common engine/gearbox combination in America? The only buses I’m familiar with are from various bits of Europe and it’s usual to buy your engine from a truck maker - Volvo, Scania and DAF are popular - and the gearbox from whatever maker the engine maker uses which is usually ZF or Voith for public service vehicles with ZF automatics or various automated manuals for long distance use. The Volvo i Shift is particularly popular. Increasingly engines are only sold with a rolling chassis or front and rear subframes and a requirement to have their maker’s name on the bus and if you don’t want to go down that route you tend to be stuck with a Cummins, otherwise not a common choice.

TylerLinner > Margin Of Error 07/29/2015 at 15:38

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So it’s basically a Porsche 911 Turbo.

Telumektar > Margin Of Error 07/29/2015 at 16:32

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I’ve been transported in many of Yutong’s finest around Uruguay and let me tell you, those buses are GARBAGE.
-Horrid comfort for passengers: the seats are minuscule, they are really “thin” and there is zero legroom between rows, you cannot fit two grown men side by side comfortably, there will be awkward touching during the time on-board. That, if we are not accounting for a properly-full bus, with people standing and all... then we will have LOTS of swearing, as the lack of space isn’t limited to seats, they make properly thin buses, as a result you get squished like a tuna. For a tall-ish man like myself (1,80 m tall and about 74 Kg) these buses are terrible and pretty much everyone hates sitting on those plastic buckets they use, the cushioning is nonexistent AND it gets destroyed after about a year of daily usage (they make buses, durability should be a priority, but call me crazy)

On top of this there is a second issue. Reliability and Build Quality.

About five years ago a local company shifted from Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Scania units (which are pricey for a reason) to the far cheaper Yutong’s product. Fast forward one single year and those new units got so run down they made the old ones (15+ years under the belt) look like the solid option. And it was not only in the looks department, as apparently Yutong buses break down a lot more than their European analogs, and this are new buses versus buses with millions of miles on them.

I know they could put better seats if asked and maybe the parts they use are not that bad, but the build quality is abysmal, these buses get thrashed so fast it’s crazy.

You should look at what MB, Volvo, Scania and the rest put on the road, some of their new stuff is just so good it’s unfair. I recently had to make an all-night trip on a newer unit and I loved it, slept all night on a super-comfy seat. Also, I’m pretty much certain bus drivers prefer a good Auto trans to a manual, they are not init for the fun and carving curves, they are getting from A to B and back.