John Heim of Chang Jiang US
(Newest images are at the top of the page.)
 
"Here is a my new girlfriend on Beta. She's a model and was just in China for a beauty pageant. She won second place! She's a tall (5 foot, 10 inch) Chinese girl who was born in Brazil!" [Where can I get one of these?]
March 16, 1007  
John was photographed by a professional photographer as he relaxed in the sidecar of one of his CJs at least year's Love Ride in California.
February 9, 2007  
You have to get up early to be the lead bike in the 23rd. Annual Love Ride, so John was there at 3 AM!
November 14, 2006  
Celebrating Halloween in California... CJ-style!
November 14, 2006  
John's bikes at the 35th. Annual Sidecar show at Griffith Park.
October 23, 2006  
On the left is a beautiful OHV solo and on the right, the print-out from some dyno runs. The thrd run produced a 17.351 ET in the quarter mile, speed: 74.7 MPH and dyno reading of 24.2 HP at the wheel.
May 5, 2006  
New products available from Chang Jiang US—brass carburetor floats and insulated carb spacers. They also carry stainless steel spokes and nipples. Contact John at JohnH9097@aol.com for more information.
March 9, 2006  
"I learned something about spokes today! The Chinese have been using the wrong spokes on half the wheels for who knows how long.  There are four different spokes—two long, two short. They differ by the angle of the bend. This is one reason why people break spokes.  The nub on the end of the spoke won't sit flat in the cradle of the hub if you use an 84° bend where it should be 90°.  This is one reason why wheels make that creaking sound when they roll them. Everyone has spoke Issues! I will be selling these correct spokes, made here in Southern California."
March 9, 2006  
"An incorrect spoke next to a correct one! When incorrect, the nub won't lie flat in the seat. It puts a load on the outside of the spoke. They break at the bend. They bend them in the middle to make them fit. The wheel will never true properly. Spokes should be straight in the middle." 
March 9, 2006  


Here's John flying the chair on Beta.

December 5, 2005  








Imagine this—the annual Love Run consisting of 20,000 bikes—being led by four Changs! John arrived at 4:00 AM in order to grab the pole position. He reckons the CJs will be showing up in all the biker mags that covered the event.















November 16, 2005  
Beta steals the show!
November 15, 2005  


"Halloween in Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard."



November 5, 2005  


"From the last sidecar show here in California at Griffith Park—their 34th year."





October 30, 2005  














A couple of John's CJs were used in a fashion photo shoot for a men's clothing company advertising campaign. They'll probably have record sales once these images hit the media. The green bike is Beta.
July 20, 2005  
From Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader, May, 2005. Yep, that's John!
March 20, 2005  
Beta was included in this article from Motorcycle Sport & Leisure #533.
March 19, 2005  
A handsome PLA bike in a pretty setting.
The sidecar passenger looks relaxed...
...but not for long!
 
Beta with a set of John's leather saddlebags.
This is probably the only vintage Chang in the States—and almost certainly the only one that's been restored as a correct, original bike.
John doesn't hesitate to put some hard mileage on her either.
That's half the fun of owning one these bikes.
 
What's all the fuss? Why Beta of course. John has been taking her around to some of the bike events around California where she generates a lot of interest.
What IS this thing? They might not know but I'll bet they'd like to have one.
Eat your hearts out Harley riders.
 
Here's a sample of John's gorgeous leather saddle bags and seats for CJs (and other bikes.)
 
Nice looking OHV solo.
Nice looking Indian too.
And even nicer with a set of John's leather saddle bags and seat. John makes these items.
Really nice.
Here's a set of saddle bags on a sidecar M1M.
November 19, 2004  
There were a lot of bikes at Love Ride 21... but only one Chang—John's ex-PLA M1M.
This year's Love Ride was held on November 13th. It has become a major LA biker event with proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Here's a view of hundreds of bikes with John's CJ in the foreground.
And again...
...and again.
Nobody's paying any attention to the Harley.
John makes these leather bags, by the way.
And once again, the Harleys are being ignored.
They're probably thinking "What IS that thing?"
This is the first of several Changs in John's collection. Others are in transit from China including one we're all very familiar with—LRM's Beta Project.
Nice, eh?
November 16, 2004  
Posing next to a brand new Ural. The CJ wins this beauty contest. The gal in the sidecar is Madai Mellin.
November 16, 2004  
More images from the Hansen Dam meet, some of which will be appearing in various motorcycle magazines. With this bike as the subject matter, the CJ will be getting some excellent publicity.
The bikes.
John, Kwai Wing Cheung (just call her Sandy) and the M1M.
John is perhaps the only person in the US who strives to keep the bike as original as possible. Most of us have a tendancy to personalize our bikes. This one is bone stock.
It should (hopefully) serve as an inspiration for those contemplating a new CJ or restoring an older one.
I can safely say this is the finest CJ restoration in the States, correct in every detail.
November 15, 2004  
This is Movie Town, USA—Hansen Dam in the San Fernando Valley of California. John attended a vintage bike show there recently. Can you spot his bike?
How about now? This is one of the CJs he got from LRM. (Scroll down the page for pictures of this bike as it was being restored.)
There's a bunch of sidecar rigs in this shot including an interesting Beemer.
Looks like a Guzzi and a Harly too but nowadays it's kind of hard to tell sometimes.
Have you ever noticed the contented look people have when they're on a Chang?
November 9, 2004  
Gerald Gardebled sent this shot of some guys in LA restoring a Chang. Look familiar?
A week later John—the bike's owner—sent this "after" shot. What do you think? (John is Beta's new owner.) Nice!
Here's another "before" shot. The bike doesn't really look that bad...
...but there's certainly no comparison with the way it looks now. WOW! Great taillight too. It looks very similar to a Model A assembly but it's actually from an old Chinese army truck.
October 28, 2004  
Introducing Beta's new owner, John Heim.
As you can see Beta is getting ready to be shipped along with four brand new PLA bikes.
John already bought an OHV solo, two PLA bikes and an M1 solo with a Type I engine from LRM.
His LRM next order? A Dong Hai 750 that Gerald will be restoring along with a rare 6V OHV Chang, the first of its kind going to the US.
What a lucky, lucky guy.
September 26, 2004