100% no BS, straight honest talk, bought the bike with my own money, I will say what I like about it, take it or leave it, what more does anyone want? Carry on the great work Nathan.
Firstly, id like to say many thanks for the thourough review of the Rieju Aventura.I was recommended your channel a year ago and have been impressed with the content,nuff said.For you to put your hand in your own pocket and take a chance on this relatively unknown machine says a lot. I want to talk about pricing. Nathan, you mentioned in your video that the bike should be nearer to £5,500.00, i totally agree, given its a new and relatively unknown and untested model etc ,at least in the UK market.Heres the thing- As someone has already mentioned, in Europe its a lot cheaper.I live in Falmouth,Cornwall, and have ridden dirt bikes scince i was a kid. I ride a lot in Spain.I speak Spanish.I rang a couple of Spanish dealers, one on the North coast in Galicia(N.W.corner of Spain) and another near Barcelona, Tarragona.Both dealers offered the same price: €6,700.00 which today Nov 1st 2024, is : £5,610.00 approx. In fact one dealer hinted that if i were to pay cash( no finance) he could offer an additional 5% off the quoted price! Why the difference? its nearly £1k !! I realise were no longer in the E.U. but surely this isnt the whole story? OK, ill try to keep this brief: As regards the brand RIEJU, here are my personal thoughts on the use of the "spanish" branding ,by the Chinese, of this bike. Obvs. The bike is about as "Spanish" as Big Ben! When i was 16 the bikes of choice were 2-stroke mopeds, Yamaha FS1E, Suzuki AP50 etc etc. If i had been living in Spain at the same age, i would have been lusting after a Rieju sports moped, at that time every village and City in Spain was heaving with them.Rieju were home-built, amongst several other now obsolete manufacturers from Spain, Montessa, Ossa, etc .When i was there back in the day, Japanese sports mopeds were rare, it was all home grown small manufacturers.Of which Rieju were very popular.The name Rieju, in Spain will bring back may fond memories for much of the intended market ,40-50 year olds who clearly remember Rieju as possibly their first motorcycling experience.Ive watched the Spanish reviews of this bike, i dont have any figures or anything,but they seem to be popular,at least in Spain.I think some of it popularity is due to the name, which a lot of buyers will equate with fond (early motorcycling) memories. Finally, the pronunciation of Rieju, as some people struggle 😮with it.. The "J" in the middle is pronounced like the "CH" at the end of the word "LOCH" as in Loch Ness, can be difficult to say for many English speaker,i know!! Its horses for courses,i know, BUT ,this Rieju 500 Aventura makes a lot of sense for me,personally. Santander to Granada in Andalucia , in 8 hours done easily on a bike with a 40 litre fuel capacity without stopping for fuel(with all the attendant stress) -i tend to take the backroads on a trip like this so its a win-win for me . The fuel tap falling off Nathans bike won't put me off a potential purchase of this bike .Only time will tell,i guess as to the future long term reliability of the machine.In my opinion, its a great-specced machine with lots of standard parts that are "extras" on other bikes ,Good MPG to boot, If the UK price was sub £6K they would potentially be selling a lot more... Again, a great and honest review of the Rieju.
Honest insightful entertaining and accurate….. gotta love a Nathan real world review of a bike. I watched a vid the other day of the 452 and it was such a poorly produced bit of content …. A swipe at RE not inviting RUclipsrs onto launches …. Long may that continue. Buy it then give it the honest warts and all review after proper miles…. Only one place to come for that…right here ! Thanks for the content
I once got accused of not liking the Himalayan 450 because I wasn't invited on the launch. When I was on the bike magazines I hated bike launches. 6am flight out of Luton for half a day riding a bike then back again. Pointless experience bar some glossy photographs
Thanks for another informative video Nathan. Your summary of this bike comparing it to others is why we all consider you to be the authority on these type of bikes, keep up the good work.
People who say what's the point with the fuel/milage range can't do a lot of travelling. It's very easy to get dangerously low or worse run out when even just riding down through France or Spain . Especially if you're using back roads. And I don't want to keep checking the fuel guage or taking a detour to find a petrol station. You don't have to fill both tanks if you don't want to either. I'm impressed with this bike. You know it's not a rocket ship ,not a dedicated tourer,not a dedicated off roader but it is a good jack of all trades bike.
Got almost stranded in Normandy with a 400km range KLR. Petrol stations closed and automated stations not accepting foreign cards. Had to spend the night at a random camp site in order to wait for the petrol station 20km down the road to open in the morning.
Nothing worse than crossing a country and not knowing in advance that there's a national fuel strike or it's a public holiday and all the petrol stations are closed. Happens less frequently now that things are better automated but you get the idea.
Sorry I don't see this. I've travelled extensively in Europe on bikes with ranges from 150 to 250 miles and while the latter is more convenient some of us will ride up to the limit and then panic when we have 20 or so miles left, whether we've already done 130 miles or 230 miles at that point matters little, at least in my book. Sadly it looks like another Chinese bike where the price simply isn't competitive because it's wholesaled by the maker and then other brands put their mark up on it too. As Nathan says, this is why CFMoto 500 tends to stand out as a more 'transparent' and better value brand than this 'Rieju'.
You are never far from a petrol station in rural France so having a 600 mile range is pointless. Most people are going to be looking to stop every 100 miles or so so finding and stopping for petrol is never going to be a real world issue. In all the time I’ve travelled in Spain I’ve never had fuel anxiety. You may have to do a bit of research but petrol stations are never going to be far away from your route. The twin tank idea in Europe is no more than a gimmick.
@@XLV750RD01When did your foreign car get rejected? 20 years ago? 25? It doesn’t happen these days. How are you going to be magically near a petrol station if you have a 600 mile range but be in trouble if you can only manage 300? It’s not a real world problem.
Great review as always Nathan. Impressive bike and will probably suit more people than they’d care to admit. You could take it two up across any continent I can think off and with that 600+ mile range there’s not much that could challenge it for that. Only thing I’d say is I’d be happy to have the Hengjian version for 2 grand less.
The one thing I find great about your bike reviews Nathan, is honesty about the bikes you buy, warts and all, another RUclips channel in Bulgaria mentions you several times for this. I agree with the idea small is beautiful, just watched another RUclipsr downsize from a BMW 1200RT to I think a 850cc due to the weight and being unable to move it around!
Wonderful video as always sir! I really appreciate how you blend the bread and butter practicalities of a bike’s performance with a chain of thoughts that goes deep into why we ride a bike .
Great review as always, founded in real riding from someone who does the miles. I agree totaly with the comparison with CFMoto and I think China has definitely got the formula right as Japan did some years ago. For me the brand is unimportant, the practicaluty is what matters but I know a brand to some gives comfort if not a guarentee of reliability and longevity. Time will tell with these bikes. I went for a 2018 Himalayan purely for the fact I didn't want something to replace my Guzzi V7, I wanted to add a bike that would do something different to what I already have. A bit like having brown sauce and red sauce in the cupboard 😊
if you need a pot for the tanks i would suggest a micrometer and then head to a company called thonk, they make pots for synthesisers and they simply slide over shafts - you may well find something for a quid or so with the right dimension 🙂 wicked bike thanks for the review post Spain
Another great, balanced review, Nathan. Clearly identifying the type of rider that it could appeal to and those that it definitely wouldn't suit. No nonsense review of its strengths and weaknesses in context and over a decent distance. I struggle with reviews from guys who take a bike out for a few hours and then give their verdict! First impressions are fine, but they need to be backed up with a longer review. It normally takes me a month or two with a bike to really develop a real feeling for it and decide if I made the right choice or not. Anyway, I appreciate your reviews as a good starting point in researching my potential next bike. 👍
Usual to the point honest review. Certainly does look like a sound choice for a travel bike. Even running up over the boarder into Scotland, not worrying about fuel stops would be a huge bonus. What so many people don't seem to be able to get over is, if you're travelling surely you're doing it to see things and meet people - doesn't need to be fast a hairy, surely? The price does still feel a little high though. Just finished reading Running Towards the Light - great, great read! Wish you had time to write a third one and make it a trilogy...!
I've been waiting for this final review video. Thanks for that. Now I'd like to see some maintenance done on it. I was still not able to find the service manual for the 500 or one of it's derivatives.. In Spain and France you can now get the bike for €6700 new and under €6000 with just a few hundred km on it. I want one.
There is a service manual now online which is fairly comprehensive but for the most parts it's simple tech. Oil and filter at 5000 miles, valves at 24000
@@nathanthepostman Have used up my Google fi via various countries in 10 different languages.Can only come up with the owner's manuals. Can't see the service manual for the life of me. I hate that.
Fantastic review as always. Great bike in it's own right. Regarding weight, just fill tank 2, this still gives the best part of 300 miles and keeps the COG down.
Nathan you have a way of reviewing bikes that resonates with me and i guess many other people too. Proper information and all relevant to helping people make informed choices. I have done about about a dozen European tours including one very similar to what you have just done which i did on a 950 adventure. So i get what you are saying completely. I have had many bikes and know only too well that each can excel at different tasks but not be the best at everything. Unicorns are mythical!
Another absolutely awesome video mate, it’s great to see you finding stuff that gets you excited dad an I have been really enjoying the videos an your thoughts It’s great that in the same way dad and I’ve loved the Honda nx500 and I love my 1150gsa I couldn’t imagine riding anything else at the moment for my adventure stuff. although I was out on the 1927 Norton the other day 4.9hp 252lbs an throttle lever manual air, an ignition timing an 3 Speed hand shift getting held up by modern traffic makes you realise how little motorcycles have moved on in 97 years stuck a clip up on savingclassicmotorcycles the other day mate, keep the awesome vids coming 😊 I’m still hoping Enfield are gonna bring a new bullet500 out one day
Just seen a video from Eicma, Rieju are launching a 307 Aventura, rally style 300cc with 20l ish tank.... that would be another interesting one if it comes to the UK.
Great watch Nath . I’m fairly sure my knob fell off once going over the glen coe in the freezing rain 😂😂😂. I work with a fantastic young Chinese engineer here in the uk and the stories of home are heartbreaking. Poor working conditions etc I really struggle with the geo politics knowing that the western rider is getting better and better machinery at the expense of the Chinese worker . It sure is keeping the Japanese manufacturers in their toes .
Well said, we have been getting charged big money for bikes for a few years now from the big brands, but now the Chinese have stepped up offering decent bikes at more affordable prices, good for them.
I would recommend anyone to go and try these bikes with Dorothy, certainly changed and confirmed some of my assumptions about these bikes. Cheers dude.
Brilliant times gor those of us who don't care what other people think. 5yrs ago thete almost nothing. Now we are spoilt for choice. The 500(ish,) and under club is go. Ride safe 👍
Hi Nathan, these bikes are currently 6699 euros in Spain, where I live or 99 euros a month with a 461 euro deposit! With 699 euros for luggage! My nearest dealer in 28km away, so not too far! It's worth a look. But I love my Scram 411!!!
I totally agree with you about the branding issue some of the Chinese manufacturers have. I am currently riding a Keeway V250i. This is available as a Hanway VBob 250 (Belgium), Longja VBob 250 (Phillipines), RKS K Light 250 (Turkey), Mondial Nevada 250 (Turkey), Bluroc VBob 250, RegulmotoVBob (Russia), and a Mondial V2 250. Here Keeway are sold out of the Benelli showrooms. It seems as if they are determined not to build up a brand following. . . . . . 🤔
Great review, what an interesting bike, but my CF Moto 450Mt is perfect for me. I was trying to get on your website to look at booking a trip next year but it was not coming up, is it just me!!
Yep....what you said! The Rieju feels like a real mile-eater, the CFmoto has a massive 'Wow' factor, their pricing should be at least in the same ball-park
Great summary - i like this, a good all round bike that is good in most areas, but doesn't excel in any, the swiss army knife of bikes........ If you want to make it lighter for day to day riding then just fill 1 tank then it will be as light as bikes that are the same size!!
In reality almost everything is like this know. Products will have some guff such as "Engineered/Designed in UK/Germany/USA" etc etc printed on the packaging but in reality these days the Western companies are just resellers and marketers. They go to big trade fairs in China and just stick their brand on a product designed, engineered and manufactured by a Chinese company. God help us if our politicians ever decide to go to war with China - we will all be in for a rude shock I suspect and a big dose of humiliation at the very least if we are lucky.
Great review! When you say the footpegs and handlebars are in the right place how do you measure that and what body size is it for? I'm 194 centimeters tall and have a 35.5" inseam. Can I fit on it and how much folded knees do I have there?
Great review. Ride an NX but like the fact the chinese are disrupting the market otherwise the big manufacturer’s would just keep increasing the price of bikes until they were beyond being attainable to the average rider.
If that was a 270 degree 500 or 750 i'd be all over one, they'd be fantastic to tour on in Australia, where huge distances are the norm.... PS, with a bit of suspension fettling and remove the centre stand, that bike would do off road easily....
Yeah it'd be fine for some moderate off road. I guess Ozzie Outback riding. For UK trails and mud I'd find it a bit too weighty myself, but there's some great videos from the same bike from these guys ruclips.net/video/kWM8yTFDUz8/видео.html
looks like a really good bike for travel, and the Chinese are doing what the established big names have neglected to do for years, just sat on their jaded arses and done very little innovation or building what many actually need for a reasonable price for many years now, love that they are getting a kick up the backside and waiting to see how they respond as if they don't they will die like so many have before
How are the brakes on yours? I test rode one at the dealer and sadly found out that the brake lever doesn't give you good feedback . At first half of lever movement it doesn't brake and you have to reach it untill the bars in order to brake enough. It has 8.000 km and maybe bad use from others.
Great review. Totally agree with you about Japanese bikes losing the edge. They have left the same designs stagnant for far to long. Chinese bikes are pushing the limits of expectations that are affordable and loaded with kit. Once they get the dealership availability they are going to put pressure on other manufacturers to step up their game....by then it may be too late for them to recover
Having the knob come off that controls the bike's USP is pretty bad. 90's bike fuel taps had a screw that held them in for goodness sake. This is not new tech.
And we'll agree to disagree. For me this is a 'better' bike than a cb500x, apart from obviously confirmed long term reliability. Which I appreciate is important.
genius, we know, Reiju, Spanish name, Chinese bike, Moto Morini, Morbidelli, both old Italian names but Chinese owned and built, Triumphs are mostly built in Thailand and now India, Honda and Suzuki have factories and build bikes in China, Yamaha have a production line in a Chinese factory, Norton and BSA owned by Indian companies and BSA like Royal Enfield are built there, like it or not bikes are a global business both in manufacturing and sales and selling a product under a different name is not new, it is called badge engineering and has gone on for decades
@@andyc750Yup, and Triumph and BSA did the badge engineering thing, as BSA did with Arial, AMC did with Fanny Barnett/James… Indian did with RE, HD did with Aermacchi (plus others). As you say, it’s been going on for years (and with cars…).
I will be sticking with me tênere. Looks the part, but when you buy a brand,they tend to hold they reliability. The money you save is irrelevant when you are in the shat in the middle of nowhere.
@@aaronperry862 A tenere 300 using the MT03 engine would be a great way forward I think. Lighter and lower than the T7, to take on the new 390 Enduro R
@@nathanthepostman that is not a bad idea. The T7 is ideal but if it was lighter it would be more capable for off road. T7 is ideal for when you need to do 250+ a day
Yup, definitely an interesting bike but as you said, it’s just too much money at £7.5k (in my humble opinion of course)...for me personally, you could get a CF Moto and a decent second hand himmy 411 for that money..and I’d rather have two bikes ha ha!..hats off to the Chinese in terms of innovation though. It shows you what Honda could’ve done with the nx500. I don’t know what’s going on but the big four seem to be treading water or just going through the motions..where are the breakthrough bikes, the bikes that make people sit up and take notice?..it feels like they just can’t be bothered and are relying on the prestige of their name. Dodgy territory though. It seems pretty clear to see that the quality of fit and finish is declining with Japanese bikes too…Kawasaki and Suzuki for instance, fasteners going manky and rusty within a year as an example..presumably they’re cheaping out on the finishing of nuts and bolts, it’s shocking that fasteners are rusting that quickly. Then, add in that the quality of Chinese bikes seems to be improving all the time, well they’ll soon meet in the middle?..If the Chinese can improve parts availability, dealer networks and service intervals, they’ll take over eventually quite possibly. Anyhow, enjoyed the honest review as always Nathan..a good bike, brilliant bit of innovation with the two fuel tanks, but for now..I’d stick to buying a cf or new himmy and an old himmy as a backup 😆😀👍
Your reviews are amongst the best and most honest around….a lot of channels would do well to follow your lead….
I'll second that! a fantastic review as always, no nonsense, all aspects covered.
Totally agree
100% no BS, straight honest talk, bought the bike with my own money, I will say what I like about it, take it or leave it, what more does anyone want?
Carry on the great work Nathan.
This channel is like carlsberg the best larger in the world 🤣 seriously Nathan is the best motorcycle journalist this country has to offer.
"It's a seven and a half grand bike, but it's not a seven and a half grand company" jeez Nathan, love you to bits!
Haha. Thanks my long distance lover
Firstly, id like to say many thanks for the thourough review of the Rieju Aventura.I was recommended your channel a year ago and have been impressed with the content,nuff said.For you to put your hand in your own pocket and take a chance on this relatively unknown machine says a lot.
I want to talk about pricing. Nathan, you mentioned in your video that the bike should be nearer to £5,500.00, i totally agree, given its a new and relatively unknown and untested model etc ,at least in the UK market.Heres the thing- As someone has already mentioned, in Europe its a lot cheaper.I live in Falmouth,Cornwall, and have ridden dirt bikes scince i was a kid. I ride a lot in Spain.I speak Spanish.I rang a couple of Spanish dealers, one on the North coast in Galicia(N.W.corner of Spain) and another near Barcelona, Tarragona.Both dealers offered the same price: €6,700.00 which today Nov 1st 2024, is : £5,610.00 approx.
In fact one dealer hinted that if i were to pay cash( no finance) he could offer an additional 5% off the quoted price!
Why the difference? its nearly £1k !!
I realise were no longer in the E.U. but surely this isnt the whole story?
OK, ill try to keep this brief: As regards the brand RIEJU, here are my personal thoughts on the use of the "spanish" branding ,by the Chinese, of this bike.
Obvs. The bike is about as "Spanish" as Big Ben!
When i was 16 the bikes of choice were 2-stroke mopeds, Yamaha FS1E, Suzuki AP50 etc etc.
If i had been living in Spain at the same age, i would have been lusting after a Rieju sports moped, at that time every village and City in Spain was heaving with them.Rieju were home-built, amongst several other now obsolete manufacturers from Spain, Montessa, Ossa, etc .When i was there back in the day, Japanese sports mopeds were rare, it was all home grown small manufacturers.Of which Rieju were very popular.The name Rieju, in Spain will bring back may fond memories for much of the intended market ,40-50 year olds who clearly remember Rieju as possibly their first motorcycling experience.Ive watched the Spanish reviews of this bike, i dont have any figures or anything,but they seem to be popular,at least in Spain.I think some of it popularity is due to the name, which a lot of buyers will equate with fond (early motorcycling) memories.
Finally, the pronunciation of Rieju, as some people struggle 😮with it..
The "J" in the middle is pronounced like the "CH" at the end of the word "LOCH" as in Loch Ness, can be difficult to say for many English speaker,i know!!
Its horses for courses,i know, BUT ,this Rieju 500 Aventura makes a lot of sense for me,personally.
Santander to Granada in Andalucia , in 8 hours done easily on a bike with a 40 litre fuel capacity without stopping for fuel(with all the attendant stress) -i tend to take the backroads on a trip like this so its a win-win for me .
The fuel tap falling off Nathans bike won't put me off a potential purchase of this bike .Only time will tell,i guess as to the future long term reliability of the machine.In my opinion, its a great-specced machine with lots of standard parts that are "extras" on other bikes ,Good MPG to boot, If the UK price was sub £6K they would potentially be selling a lot more...
Again, a great and honest review of the Rieju.
Another Nathan masterclass! So wonderful to hear true reviews with so much thought and insight! Tops! 👍💯
Honest insightful entertaining and accurate….. gotta love a Nathan real world review of a bike. I watched a vid the other day of the 452 and it was such a poorly produced bit of content …. A swipe at RE not inviting RUclipsrs onto launches …. Long may that continue. Buy it then give it the honest warts and all review after proper miles…. Only one place to come for that…right here ! Thanks for the content
I once got accused of not liking the Himalayan 450 because I wasn't invited on the launch. When I was on the bike magazines I hated bike launches. 6am flight out of Luton for half a day riding a bike then back again. Pointless experience bar some glossy photographs
Thanks for another informative video Nathan. Your summary of this bike comparing it to others is why we all consider you to be the authority on these type of bikes, keep up the good work.
Thanks William
People who say what's the point with the fuel/milage range can't do a lot of travelling. It's very easy to get dangerously low or worse run out when even just riding down through France or Spain . Especially if you're using back roads. And I don't want to keep checking the fuel guage or taking a detour to find a petrol station. You don't have to fill both tanks if you don't want to either.
I'm impressed with this bike. You know it's not a rocket ship ,not a dedicated tourer,not a dedicated off roader but it is a good jack of all trades bike.
Got almost stranded in Normandy with a 400km range KLR. Petrol stations closed and automated stations not accepting foreign cards. Had to spend the night at a random camp site in order to wait for the petrol station 20km down the road to open in the morning.
Nothing worse than crossing a country and not knowing in advance that there's a national fuel strike or it's a public holiday and all the petrol stations are closed. Happens less frequently now that things are better automated but you get the idea.
Sorry I don't see this. I've travelled extensively in Europe on bikes with ranges from 150 to 250 miles and while the latter is more convenient some of us will ride up to the limit and then panic when we have 20 or so miles left, whether we've already done 130 miles or 230 miles at that point matters little, at least in my book. Sadly it looks like another Chinese bike where the price simply isn't competitive because it's wholesaled by the maker and then other brands put their mark up on it too. As Nathan says, this is why CFMoto 500 tends to stand out as a more 'transparent' and better value brand than this 'Rieju'.
You are never far from a petrol station in rural France so having a 600 mile range is pointless. Most people are going to be looking to stop every 100 miles or so so finding and stopping for petrol is never going to be a real world issue. In all the time I’ve travelled in Spain I’ve never had fuel anxiety. You may have to do a bit of research but petrol stations are never going to be far away from your route. The twin tank idea in Europe is no more than a gimmick.
@@XLV750RD01When did your foreign car get rejected? 20 years ago? 25? It doesn’t happen these days. How are you going to be magically near a petrol station if you have a 600 mile range but be in trouble if you can only manage 300? It’s not a real world problem.
Great review as always Nathan. Impressive bike and will probably suit more people than they’d care to admit. You could take it two up across any continent I can think off and with that 600+ mile range there’s not much that could challenge it for that. Only thing I’d say is I’d be happy to have the Hengjian version for 2 grand less.
The one thing I find great about your bike reviews Nathan, is honesty about the bikes you buy, warts and all, another RUclips channel in Bulgaria mentions you several times for this. I agree with the idea small is beautiful, just watched another RUclipsr downsize from a BMW 1200RT to I think a 850cc due to the weight and being unable to move it around!
Wonderful video as always sir! I really appreciate how you blend the bread and butter practicalities of a bike’s performance with a chain of thoughts that goes deep into why we ride a bike .
Great review as always, founded in real riding from someone who does the miles. I agree totaly with the comparison with CFMoto and I think China has definitely got the formula right as Japan did some years ago. For me the brand is unimportant, the practicaluty is what matters but I know a brand to some gives comfort if not a guarentee of reliability and longevity. Time will tell with these bikes. I went for a 2018 Himalayan purely for the fact I didn't want something to replace my Guzzi V7, I wanted to add a bike that would do something different to what I already have. A bit like having brown sauce and red sauce in the cupboard 😊
We need to get this in Australia ❤
Great to hear your thought on the bike and how it fits in the market
if you need a pot for the tanks i would suggest a micrometer and then head to a company called thonk, they make pots for synthesisers and they simply slide over shafts - you may well find something for a quid or so with the right dimension 🙂 wicked bike thanks for the review post Spain
Another great, balanced review, Nathan. Clearly identifying the type of rider that it could appeal to and those that it definitely wouldn't suit. No nonsense review of its strengths and weaknesses in context and over a decent distance. I struggle with reviews from guys who take a bike out for a few hours and then give their verdict! First impressions are fine, but they need to be backed up with a longer review. It normally takes me a month or two with a bike to really develop a real feeling for it and decide if I made the right choice or not.
Anyway, I appreciate your reviews as a good starting point in researching my potential next bike. 👍
I've that kind of run a few times - inland Spain on minor roads. It's brilliant. Nick
Usual to the point honest review. Certainly does look like a sound choice for a travel bike. Even running up over the boarder into Scotland, not worrying about fuel stops would be a huge bonus. What so many people don't seem to be able to get over is, if you're travelling surely you're doing it to see things and meet people - doesn't need to be fast a hairy, surely? The price does still feel a little high though. Just finished reading Running Towards the Light - great, great read! Wish you had time to write a third one and make it a trilogy...!
I've been waiting for this final review video. Thanks for that.
Now I'd like to see some maintenance done on it. I was still not able to find the service manual for the 500 or one of it's derivatives..
In Spain and France you can now get the bike for €6700 new and under €6000 with just a few hundred km on it. I want one.
There is a service manual now online which is fairly comprehensive but for the most parts it's simple tech. Oil and filter at 5000 miles, valves at 24000
@@nathanthepostman Have a link ?
@@XLV750RD01just Google it. it'll come up?
@@nathanthepostman Have used up my Google fi via various countries in 10 different languages.Can only come up with the owner's manuals. Can't see the service manual for the life of me. I hate that.
Fantastic review as always. Great bike in it's own right. Regarding weight, just fill tank 2, this still gives the best part of 300 miles and keeps the COG down.
Droitwich, that's where I'm from ! 😂
Small town near Worcester.
Interesting bike! Thanks for sharing. 👍
Nathan you have a way of reviewing bikes that resonates with me and i guess many other people too. Proper information and all relevant to helping people make informed choices. I have done about about a dozen European tours including one very similar to what you have just done which i did on a 950 adventure. So i get what you are saying completely. I have had many bikes and know only too well that each can excel at different tasks but not be the best at everything. Unicorns are mythical!
Nathern I bought the re411 on your say so and the voge 300. I'm now thinking about the cfmoto 450 , good stuff 😂
Another absolutely awesome video mate, it’s great to see you finding stuff that gets you excited dad an I have been really enjoying the videos an your thoughts
It’s great that in the same way dad and I’ve loved the Honda nx500 and I love my 1150gsa I couldn’t imagine riding anything else at the moment for my adventure stuff.
although I was out on the 1927 Norton the other day 4.9hp 252lbs an throttle lever manual air, an ignition timing an 3 Speed hand shift getting held up by modern traffic makes you realise how little motorcycles have moved on in 97 years stuck a clip up on savingclassicmotorcycles the other day mate, keep the awesome vids coming 😊 I’m still hoping Enfield are gonna bring a new bullet500 out one day
Good to see some variety, range impressive, not for me personally as I favour lightness cos I'm old!
Just seen a video from Eicma, Rieju are launching a 307 Aventura, rally style 300cc with 20l ish tank.... that would be another interesting one if it comes to the UK.
Yes, looks interesting that one!
Great content, Nathan 👌
Very good Nathan.
Cheers.
Great watch Nath . I’m fairly sure my knob fell off once going over the glen coe in the freezing rain 😂😂😂. I work with a fantastic young Chinese engineer here in the uk and the stories of home are heartbreaking. Poor working conditions etc I really struggle with the geo politics knowing that the western rider is getting better and better machinery at the expense of the Chinese worker . It sure is keeping the Japanese manufacturers in their toes .
Loved the line in 2000 miles and the only thing was my knob fell off! 🤣
Well said, we have been getting charged big money for bikes for a few years now from the big brands, but now the Chinese have stepped up offering decent bikes at more affordable prices, good for them.
I would recommend anyone to go and try these bikes with Dorothy, certainly changed and confirmed some of my assumptions about these bikes. Cheers dude.
Brilliant times gor those of us who don't care what other people think.
5yrs ago thete almost nothing. Now we are spoilt for choice.
The 500(ish,) and under club is go.
Ride safe 👍
Interesting bike, a back to back comparison with the Moto Morini would be a helpful video for a replacement for my ageing Versys 650.
Hi Nathan, these bikes are currently 6699 euros in Spain, where I live or 99 euros a month with a 461 euro deposit! With 699 euros for luggage! My nearest dealer in 28km away, so not too far! It's worth a look. But I love my Scram 411!!!
I totally agree with you about the branding issue some of the Chinese manufacturers have. I am currently riding a Keeway V250i. This is available as a Hanway VBob 250 (Belgium), Longja VBob 250 (Phillipines), RKS K Light 250 (Turkey), Mondial Nevada 250 (Turkey), Bluroc VBob 250, RegulmotoVBob (Russia), and a Mondial V2 250. Here Keeway are sold out of the Benelli showrooms. It seems as if they are determined not to build up a brand following. . . . . . 🤔
Great review, what an interesting bike, but my CF Moto 450Mt is perfect for me. I was trying to get on your website to look at booking a trip next year but it was not coming up, is it just me!!
No not just you David. I've had some spam trigger knock out the website. Trying to get it sorted now
Yep....what you said! The Rieju feels like a real mile-eater, the CFmoto has a massive 'Wow' factor, their pricing should be at least in the same ball-park
Many riders don’t know what fuel anxiety is until it’s removed. It’s a great feeling to have the freedom of a long range tank
Succinct review👍🏾
Great summary - i like this, a good all round bike that is good in most areas, but doesn't excel in any, the swiss army knife of bikes........
If you want to make it lighter for day to day riding then just fill 1 tank then it will be as light as bikes that are the same size!!
We're settling on "Rye-You" for the pronunciation then? 😅 Definitely looks like a solid and capable machine.
I gave up worrying. Seems like there's 3 ways of saying it so who's to know what's right!
@nathanthepostman haha fair enough. We know it's really pronounced 宗申 RX4 anyway! 😅
Nice, honest review. What's it like dawdling around at low speeds (say, on gravel etc)? Is the throttle snatchy like many Euro 4/5/etc bikes?
It is one of the best looking small bore chinese adventure bikes
Lots of scooters are also sold into Europe from China with the importers setting-up their own brand. It's a standard business model now.
In reality almost everything is like this know. Products will have some guff such as "Engineered/Designed in UK/Germany/USA" etc etc printed on the packaging but in reality these days the Western companies are just resellers and marketers. They go to big trade fairs in China and just stick their brand on a product designed, engineered and manufactured by a Chinese company. God help us if our politicians ever decide to go to war with China - we will all be in for a rude shock I suspect and a big dose of humiliation at the very least if we are lucky.
Great review! When you say the footpegs and handlebars are in the right place how do you measure that and what body size is it for? I'm 194 centimeters tall and have a 35.5" inseam. Can I fit on it and how much folded knees do I have there?
Great review. Ride an NX but like the fact the chinese are disrupting the market otherwise the big manufacturer’s would just keep increasing the price of bikes until they were beyond being attainable to the average rider.
If that was a 270 degree 500 or 750 i'd be all over one, they'd be fantastic to tour on in Australia, where huge distances are the norm.... PS, with a bit of suspension fettling and remove the centre stand, that bike would do off road easily....
Yeah it'd be fine for some moderate off road. I guess Ozzie Outback riding. For UK trails and mud I'd find it a bit too weighty myself, but there's some great videos from the same bike from these guys
ruclips.net/video/kWM8yTFDUz8/видео.html
looks like a really good bike for travel, and the Chinese are doing what the established big names have neglected to do for years, just sat on their jaded arses and done very little innovation or building what many actually need for a reasonable price for many years now, love that they are getting a kick up the backside and waiting to see how they respond as if they don't they will die like so many have before
How are the brakes on yours? I test rode one at the dealer and sadly found out that the brake lever doesn't give you good feedback . At first half of lever movement it doesn't brake and you have to reach it untill the bars in order to brake enough. It has 8.000 km and maybe bad use from others.
Brakes have been fine but haven't got as many miles on mine. Maybe try new pads?
So, it took better part of 21. century to come back to kle500 specs... Great.
Yes, bar the 40 litre tank, pretty much.
Great review. Totally agree with you about Japanese bikes losing the edge. They have left the same designs stagnant for far to long. Chinese bikes are pushing the limits of expectations that are affordable and loaded with kit. Once they get the dealership availability they are going to put pressure on other manufacturers to step up their game....by then it may be too late for them to recover
Great review thanks, but still the CF450 mt for me
Bonus, no jogging bottoms 😅
they were in the wash unfortunately
No doubt about it that at £6500 that bike would sell well. At £7500 it takes a bit more thinking about. At £5500 it would sell itself.
Just to let you know your website is down.
Yes thanks. Some spam triggered the alarms so just trying to resolve
I like the concept but the price in the Netherlands is to high. CF Moto €8000 Reiju €10.000. To much in my opinion.
Buy it in France for €6700 new.
In Poland is about 8300 euro.
Not comparable bikes
It is Better than the Japanese bikes
first to watch🤩
Saw a new one today on offer for £6,999.00
Midlife classics is I think still doing them for £6500
@nathanthepostman That is certainly a generous discount.
@@eddiejefferies3659 I think Tim there just wants to get sales moving knows that in this day and age price is key
Nothing worse than when your knob doesent fit 😮
Having the knob come off that controls the bike's USP is pretty bad. 90's bike fuel taps had a screw that held them in for goodness sake. This is not new tech.
There is a screw…..but aybe someone forgot to tighten that screw ?
Your missing knob? 🤣
Next time he better check to tighten bolts…
A 500X has a range of 500+km. For anyone travelling in Europe that is more than enough. Adding unnecessary weight is a disadvantage not an advantage.
And we'll agree to disagree. For me this is a 'better' bike than a cb500x, apart from obviously confirmed long term reliability. Which I appreciate is important.
Stop spamming your useless opinion mate, not everyone rides where you do or wants what you do..... Geeze some people need to grow up....
Benelli. Chinese bikes, Italian name.
genius, we know, Reiju, Spanish name, Chinese bike, Moto Morini, Morbidelli, both old Italian names but Chinese owned and built, Triumphs are mostly built in Thailand and now India, Honda and Suzuki have factories and build bikes in China, Yamaha have a production line in a Chinese factory, Norton and BSA owned by Indian companies and BSA like Royal Enfield are built there, like it or not bikes are a global business both in manufacturing and sales and selling a product under a different name is not new, it is called badge engineering and has gone on for decades
@@andyc750Yup, and Triumph and BSA did the badge engineering thing, as BSA did with Arial, AMC did with Fanny Barnett/James… Indian did with RE, HD did with Aermacchi (plus others). As you say, it’s been going on for years (and with cars…).
I will be sticking with me tênere. Looks the part, but when you buy a brand,they tend to hold they reliability.
The money you save is irrelevant when you are in the shat in the middle of nowhere.
A smaller tenere would be well appreciated I'd imagine
@nathanthepostman you mean, height or cc? Or both? My father does struggle with the seat height.
@@aaronperry862 A tenere 300 using the MT03 engine would be a great way forward I think. Lighter and lower than the T7, to take on the new 390 Enduro R
@@nathanthepostman that is not a bad idea. The T7 is ideal but if it was lighter it would be more capable for off road. T7 is ideal for when you need to do 250+ a day
There are so many low mileage bikes for sale.
Why buy a chinese bike ?
It's a great point and if that's what suits you best then go for it.
Yup, definitely an interesting bike but as you said, it’s just too much money at £7.5k (in my humble opinion of course)...for me personally, you could get a CF Moto and a decent second hand himmy 411 for that money..and I’d rather have two bikes ha ha!..hats off to the Chinese in terms of innovation though. It shows you what Honda could’ve done with the nx500. I don’t know what’s going on but the big four seem to be treading water or just going through the motions..where are the breakthrough bikes, the bikes that make people sit up and take notice?..it feels like they just can’t be bothered and are relying on the prestige of their name. Dodgy territory though. It seems pretty clear to see that the quality of fit and finish is declining with Japanese bikes too…Kawasaki and Suzuki for instance, fasteners going manky and rusty within a year as an example..presumably they’re cheaping out on the finishing of nuts and bolts, it’s shocking that fasteners are rusting that quickly. Then, add in that the quality of Chinese bikes seems to be improving all the time, well they’ll soon meet in the middle?..If the Chinese can improve parts availability, dealer networks and service intervals, they’ll take over eventually quite possibly. Anyhow, enjoyed the honest review as always Nathan..a good bike, brilliant bit of innovation with the two fuel tanks, but for now..I’d stick to buying a cf or new himmy and an old himmy as a backup 😆😀👍
Stonking real world, no BS or underlying agenda review, telling things exactly as they are!
A hotel to hotel "adventure". No luggage? Get a job "mate".
I do think about that from time to time.
It's a bike review, not a claim to be Christopher Columbus, "mate"!.