HITESH ADHIKARI cost of fuel is the cost of operation. Operating cost shouldn’t be included in the immediate comparison. I wouldn’t complain about fuel when I pay 1,300 for something anyways. I got 8 miles to the gallon in 3/4ton Chevy that I got for $1,000.
The quads are significantly more horrible than the bikes. A friend of mine has a rental service and he doesn't let customers that rent a quad go further away than 30 miles.
Same here. I had a Kazuma or something like that. It's actually a rather big Chinese manufacturer of quads, ATVs etc. And it was broken more than it worked, not to mention it had overheating issues from the first day
Dude you’re a hero, that was a most entertaining video and funny in a sad sort of way. I would buy one, just for the mechanical challenge and the joy of fathoming out the problems. For the price you paid, the entertainment factor alone was worth every dime. Thanks for the video, I loved every minute, compared to the review of a BMW GS it was pure gold.
I have a CG 250 motor on a Chinese dirtbike. I would suggest you remove the EGR valve for more power. It makes a big difference with low rpm and pinning the bike. Also just run the air box with the small drain hole unplugged
Indian bikes rock!! There is a dealership near my place where they import bikes from India. I bought my wife a Gixxer SF there. And now I also want to buy a Navi 110.
I bought one of these a few years ago, the brand name was different but it was identical. It did come fully assembled as I bought it from a dealer, however I had to go through the while bike and check all the torque settings . It’s basically a modern build of an old Honda XL motorcycle, I was told that the Chinese factory licensed the design from Honda for the engine but I don’t know if that’s true or not. Anyway, it was OK, it was much slower than a Japanese bike of the same capacity, but it was reliable and good. The engine seemed to need the valve clearances adjusted frequently, but I seem to remember 70,s Hondas being the same. For the money it was good and yes I would buy another. I did buy a different Chinese motorbike and that was a total disaster, total rubbish.. and it cost a lot more too. So not all Chinese bikes are the same and spending more does not guarantee better quality.
I had a honda xl back in 84. I was 14 maybe, that's when you are legal to ride here, nothing over a 125cc tho. Not until a bit older, and there's a curfew unless you work. I used mine for my paper route. That thing went 60 with me and a friend on it lol. We rode that bike all over NE Oklahoma. You couldn't tear it up unless you literally wrecked it. I have heard the same that you said about these having a honda engine or I heard a honda "clone", IDK...I still want one and am ready to give up my Honda Shadow Custom Deluxe VLX 600 with just 12k miles. Don't wanna, but they way things are going, I could use a bike that I can get off road with. Plus my bike is LOUD, because it's a custom deluxe and I put pipes on it, changed the bars out, etc..etc...it's just really low set and very heavy for a 53 yr old female who weighs all of 110 lbs. on a good day. Anyway, I'm replying to an old comment. It's 2022 and I see these and the Hawks (selling for a bit more) fully assembled Tao Tao is about 1600 bucks. Can't really beat that. I'm heading out to find a dealer hopefully nearby that carries them. I don't want to put anything together lol. Thanks for confirming what I keep hearing tho.
I bought a used enduro 2000 Kawasaki kl250 super sherpa for $700! I cleaned the carb, changed the seat, added a fuel filter and changed the oil. Top speed is 75-85 mph. RUNS LIKE A CHAMPION. It has been very reliable so far. With that being said I can get a very nice reliable used japanese enduro bike in my area for $1350.
Thanks for testing this bike and making this video. You covered some very important issues that need to be addressed to make the bike safer and work better, and that's worth a lot :-)
You are one of the five, I get what he was showing. Stretching a heavy spring onto a post sucks, been there too many times on too many different things. Nice trick ;)
Before buying always make sure the manufacturer includes with the bike a "Manufacturer's Statement of Origin" (MSO). You then take the MSO certificate and bill of sale to your local DMV to get the title (after you pay the tax on it, of course).
A tip when rideing mud and swamp and slick. " I know it is scary" but you gota keep speed. bikes are unstable at low speed man. Happy trails man!. Keep the rubber side down!.
Anyone buying a Chinese enduro, should be buying a Hawk 250 or a CSC TT250. Your video just cemented that even more, for me. LOVE my Hawk 250! Thanks for the great video!
I agree with that info. My dad was importing chinese bikes back in '03, and I was the 'parts manager'.. learned a lot, these '19 bikes are very similar only slightly improved designs with time. Still engine architecture copied from a Honda XL185s? I also have experience with an XT225 Serow, and currently with a Kawasaki KLR250 I just rebuilt fresh top-end, have that '00 bike listed for $2,300.. you're pretty spot on, it is what it is.
Ljoel McHanley Lol yeah man I say exactly that ! Although I’ve heard a few ppl say that Chinese bike are getting better?🤷♀️ Omg I swear I’ve just heard this dude say . . . The best thing about this bike is the engine? WHAT I’m gonna subscribe too this guy I bet in 4000 miles he says different!! Rant over !!! Oh just to ad $1300 that’s £1000 wtf man
Like it! Have a few but expensive old timers and also 2 cheap ones which i call disposable. Well, once you get a strange noise from the engine block or timing chain/pushrods get some play that cannot be fixed due to unobtainable parts...ehm...you donate to someone who will truly appreciate it and drain the sweat out of it. At least what's left. Just ride.
May as well buy any year model used XT, ride with little maintenance, and hold its value. I do like the front wheel pop up on the China bike. My CRF250l and 225 XT didn't do that with ease. At least they stayed together :)
Great price, depends on how durable it is. Had a Chinese 125cc dual purpose bike, best part was the engine. Put it through hell off road, plastics and metal very weak, bits would fall off. Going up a steep gradient I hit a bump and the seat fell off (was standing on pegs). Couldn't stop laughing as surreal WTF moment
I live in Panama. That is a third world motorcycle. That is pretty much all you see where I live. We have a popular name brand here called AVA. They sell motorcycles that look almost exactly like you bought for 1450. dollars. They are practical also because labor to keep them maintained is much cheaper than it is in the USA. We do have Yamaha's and Honda's in the same category but they are much more expensive so we do not see many of them. The US is not set up for these cheapy motorcycles. You need to work on them yourself if you have one of them. They are not worth putting in the shop frequently because shop rates are just too high. You need a good quality motorcycle in the US to make it practical to own it and worth the high cost of maintenance. In Panama the mechanics work for less than 10 dollars per hour under the shade tree. You can afford to get the motorcycle worked on as frequently as necessary to get the bike up to standards and keep it that way. If you live in the US, don't buy one of these motorcycles. They are too expensive to keep up because of their low quality. Shop rates are what? 100 bucks per hour?
Shop rates vary. I've seen some independent small shops ask about $75 per hour, Harley and Ducati dealerships want about twice that in California (Japanese bike dealers want about the middle, $100+).
@@playsportfun3356 I never thought of myself as a dumb ass just because I don't work on my motorcycle. The point of my comment was about the motorcycle in the video. I would own that motorcycle in Panama. I can have that motorcycle gone over and brought up and made safe for very little money. The mechanics know what to look for in Panama since these types of motorcycles are very common and are what everyone here rides. Shop rates are ridiculously cheap also. I drive my motorcycle in and watch the mechanics work on my motorcycle. They are as good as any shade tree mechanic I have ever seen work in the US. And, for you Mr. Playsportfun, you take the fun out of watching video's about motorcycles and trying to learn something with your ridiculous and rude comments. Please comment elsewhere.
Playsportfun man, what a poor attitude you’ve got there. The gentleman was giving some nice useful info and you go and call him a dumbass and make fun? Go learn some manners, tough guy. The nerve of some people...
Yes, anything over a 125 is scarce. When you buy a motorcycle over-seas you have to make sure you can buy parts though. Suzuki is very popular in Panama so have to assume that parts are easy to come by. I have a Honda XRE 190 that I bought from a Honda dealership. The young kids here think I am the man. There is only a handful of these in my area.
You have oil in the air box because the breather valve is defective. Replace it with a part from whatever motor they cloned. Or just cap the breather (google it). Come to think of it the engine might not have been designed to have a valve breather and that might be an add on to satisfy US emissions requirements.
This is the best, honest review I've ever witnessed on youtube, thank you Matt Smith I wish others have your integrity. I also like how you gave credit to other channels.
Great video! I think a 400 or 450 is much better for hills. Those extra cc's make hill climbing so much easier. Don't be intimidated by the extra cc's, it makes riding easier, not harder. I've had a Chinese bike and I think the components on it are junk. I rode mine on some long rides and it held up. The plastic was painted blue, so if you wrecked, the paint chipped off. I sold mine to a freind and he rode it for years and went on some long rides on it. Eventually, he bought a japanese 450 and likes it much better.
on my lifan i modded , i found most older xr parts , especially carbs., ignition , exhaust etc. , were actually what they copied when designing the bike , many, many other parts suspension included are mostly a straight bolt on , and of course better quality .
Yeah, i think those Japanese patents expired (not that matters to chinese mfg). Using the design and fitting is one thing, the metallurgy is comparable to 1950s japanese or worse. More like caveman level--thats why their shit breaks see easy.
Basically; these make a good bike if you know there limitations. Keep it on the road, forest service roads & very light trails, don't over do it. If you want a more extreme bike, pay 5 x the price. Going to get a Tao or Hawk.Thanks good vid. seen Motocheez also.
Too scummy for me. They RIP off japanese designs and basically use slave labour (pennies on the hour) to build these terrible quality bikes . People talking about how they got a few thousand km out of them ... japanese bikes go for 100,000km then replace rings and go another 100,000km . If you dont think you are going to want to ride in a few months or put 10km on a "long ride" then ok but if you actually want to ride it's a terrible idea.
I have a 2017 Hawk 250 and I have done all of the mods. It's got over 5k miles and has been an amazing bike. I've rode 400 miles in one day, loaded it down with camping gear, max out at 70 mph after mods and new sprockets. This guy is short that's the only reason he'd think it's too tall. I could go on for days about why the hawk is a good bike. I've taken some rough trails, even crashed at 60 mph and rode the bike 30 minutes home after. Had the cosmetics fixed in a week after getting only what couldn't be plastiwelded back together. I still ride it everyday as my main transportation. It has an exact copy of the Honda CG engine and I've gone to the Honda dealer for engine parts to upgrade from the Chinese parts that came on it. I did a port and polish on the cylinder head and got my head gasket from Honda. Took less than an hour to swap heads. You can get all engine parts from Honda. I used the Honda service manual I found in .pdf on Google for specs. If you are a capable DIY you can handle the maintenance and mods. Motocheez, JerryHawk250 and Oddball performance (aka MegaDan) have excellent videos and tutorials. I've been a professional mechanic for 13 years and I love my chonda. You definitely need to check it over right out of the box, make sure all bolts are tight and put loctite on the important stuff. I never needed loctite I just made sure everything is torqued. Common sense people. You'll have to do the same thing with a used Japanese bike too. But if you're lazy and can't do preventative maintenance or pre ride checks then you probably shouldn't own a bike anyways. Other than that, pretty spot on review. The hawk is better quality than the tao. The luggage rack will also bolt right on the Hawk. It's perfect as a commuter bike and fun on trails. It will do long distance as well. Taking it on the trans America trail when I get home from Kuwait next year.
Remember: when you buy a bike online you MUST change the oil when it arrives! Bikes are shipped with a special protective oil that's NOT suitable for riding around!
Dude, so thorough, great articulation and explanations. Great video! After all of these issues and since I’m no mechanic, I may just have to save up for a Japanese bike lol sounds like a nightmare of fixes.
Do an airbox mod when the emission police aren't looking. Not only will your oil problem disappear it will also help with the stuttering and loading up common with 2 stroke bikes.. Too much oil in the airbox will screw it up every time. I bought a CZ 400cc motocross racing bike in the early 70's. The carb sucked so it was replaced with a Mikuni. At 400 cc pulling up the wheel and riding it out in 3 gear was pretty easy and the torque was awesome. At the age of 72 my son and I went to the Mojave Desert and rented dirt bikes for the day, rode them with a former M/C rider as the tour guide and the 300cc I had would have put the 400cc away easily. In fact, the whole bike was so good that I actually thought I was as good as I was when I was almost 50 years ago..
I actually have a Yamaha XT225 and XT350, which are both fantastic bikes. I also have a big road bike and lots of quads, etc. I have to agree with your review, as I purchased a Chinese 150 scooter years ago. It was cheap, but had tons of problems as well. The carburetor was dirty and I didn’t realize it at first which caused the starter to go bad from overuse! This caused the switch to go bad, which caused the wiring to short!😧 The scooter rides good now, but if I didn’t have 35 years of motorcycling experience, it would never be running! Just stick with a Japanese bike! I would rather have a 25 year old Japanese bike than a piece of garbage you can’t get parts for! Just my thoughts!😜
percussion 44 Yes, you can still get most oem parts on bike bandit.com. The Chinese parts are nowhere near the quality, even the carb orings shrink and become brittle! The just don’t last overall! I have a couple of 1970’s Honda’s the still have good carb gaskets.😆
Nice video. My daughter bought an RPS Hawk in the spring of '18 and is riding it without much agony. I was a career motorcycle mechanic in the '60s and '70s and assembled and serviced it for her. On the carburetor issue, it was much as you described on this TBR7 and all it took to make it decent was to put a couple thin washers under the throttle slide metering needle clip to make it richer - they are set up very lean, apparently to comply with emission regs somewhere. She also has trouble with the tallness of the machine, hers came with a very oversized knobby on the rear and the smaller dual purpose tire would be sufficient and help lower it. It is very tricky to find the optimum chain adjustment on them and it is important as the slack is drawn very tight with a load and could damage both the rear and output shaft bearings if not set up well.
14:44 ya this is how all bikes should be described including ebikes and modified 10 speeds with the tiny gas motor. It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.
Thank you thank you thank you!!! Your review helped me greatly. I am a very tall fellow and your observation that this one rides tall SOLD me. Then your observation that the tires are a little better suited for street use was right on my list.
You can run a pcv valve and a rubber fuel tube out the crank case breather and run that tube straight down instead of into your airbox. The Hawk 250 has front and rear disc which alone might make it a better option than the Tao...otherwise they're quite similar.
I've never laughed so hard through a motorcycle review! The last 10 minutes killed me. I freak'n love this guy. I'm almost a buyer ….almost. What a fun project. Only criticism of the review is that you should probably include the cost of additional life insurance in your price comparison.
I got the hawk 250 and I got my title shipped in the mail few days after and have not had half the problems you had and I've got a rack and a digital cluster very cheap
Your getting oil in the airbox due to doing wheelies, the oil gets shifted back and up letting it come out of the crank case breather and into the air box. Had a Suzuki at do that all the time.
Same one pliz tell me about the Chinese made Feugo Scrambler 250, it looks so nice and powerful though too cheap. I want to buy one but I don't want to be at lose buying abike that will not last long
If it was easily ridden up and down the road once and a while and maintained adequately, it would probably last pretty long for the price. However, riding through the woods over stumps and through water would be hell on a bike of this quality and would quickly let you know that you get what you pay for. Excellent and thorough review!
In the 1970's the cheapest trail bike on the market was a CZ 175-482. 40 years later most are still running. Will this still be running in 4 years time, let alone 40??
The PCV hose (spitting oil into the airbox) is working properly. Might not be the best implementation, as it will cause the plastic to fail sooner, but extending the hose to create a low spot will only make the oil pool up. Eventually, it'll all get sucked into the engine at once. Not sure how carbureted bike engines handle it, but fuel injected cars will bog down and spit out a cloud of smoke when they ingest that much oil at once. Best plan is to add a baffled oil catch can, which requires draining (usually every oil change, depending on size). Many people will use an air/water separator for this, which is originally intended for use on compressor lines. They're also usually clear, so you can easily check the level of oil.
yes those bikes "could" also be a potential risks if not maintained. i would buy this new for 1400euro if i could have it here in North (Finland) Åland islands... nope i CANNOT !
Sorry i forgot about the 2% of people who found deals on 35 year old motorcycles. Nah fam... its 1300 for a brand new bike. 0 miles. Cheap parts that stick around and a rich aftermarket. Dont tell me its the same for a 1980 whatever its not. Thats going on ebay to find a used clutch lever mechanism and paying what ever they ask.
Well I mean if you pay $1,350 and you’ve already ridden it 1500 miles, you’ve crossed the $1/mile mark
Consider the cost of fuel
I had one it was so crappy even after fixing it I wanted $30 a mile.
Good point..
HITESH ADHIKARI cost of fuel is the cost of operation. Operating cost shouldn’t be included in the immediate comparison.
I wouldn’t complain about fuel when I pay 1,300 for something anyways. I got 8 miles to the gallon in 3/4ton Chevy that I got for $1,000.
I've had good luck with mine. Put 6,000km which is little less than 4k miles last year with zero issues. Took it on a few 500 mile weekend trips to
Why does the idle sound like Mr.Krabs walking.
Fried Turkey bruh😂😂😂😂
I'm honestly laughing at 1:38 am. way too loud too.
Because it a two stroke
@@July_Da_Fox Dunno, the two strokes I've owned sounded nothing like it.
@@July_Da_Fox that is N O T a 2 stroke cuh, ive practically fapped to the sound of a 2 stroke before, i know one when i hear one.
I had a Chinese 110cc fourwheeler, while working on the engine we found a factory glove stuck between the head and the block. No fingers though.
That has got to add at least 50 hp
Did TheFactory Run Out of Gaskets?!?
@@aretnap3653 Well I guess a glove is atype of gasket in a way Glove/Gasket duality
No fingers no refund!!!
Lol only china would do something like that.
I bought 2 250 Chinese quads a few years ago. Within 3 hours, one became a parts doner for the other one.
The quads are significantly more horrible than the bikes. A friend of mine has a rental service and he doesn't let customers that rent a quad go further away than 30 miles.
ROFL
Same here. I had a Kazuma or something like that. It's actually a rather big Chinese manufacturer of quads, ATVs etc. And it was broken more than it worked, not to mention it had overheating issues from the first day
@J G I'm dead ahahaha made my minute 🤣
J G never knew y’all have döner kebap in the US
Best thing about this bike is when it breaks down in the woods you can light it on fire to keep warm
Honest and down to earth review with no BS. I like it!
Thanks much!
So basically it's a death trap for anyone not mechanically minded!
Says it's a good buy then every reason he gives discouraged the hell out of me lol
It's from a crate it needs checking if people are not mechanical the go to a good shop.
Its a death trap from day 1 ..look at the shock bounce. that rear swingarm is like box tube tin plate
So, if you are an experienced bike owner and rider, it's an acceptable purchase. But probably not a bike to learn or for a learner.
I'm sticking with saving up for my zero fxs
It kinda looks like a 80's Suzuki, with a face lift!
Engine is a copy of the old reliable suzuki gn engine
david gustafsson absolutely a piece of garbage. Chinese won’t make quality the made quantity. That’s why those Chinese bikes are so cheap
@@datadavis Engine reminds me more of a TTR-230
For the money it doesn't look to bad if it last a few years it's done it's job! 😀
@@justinpyne968 fuck that garbage pile mentality
Dude you’re a hero, that was a most entertaining video and funny in a sad sort of way. I would buy one, just for the mechanical challenge and the joy of fathoming out the problems. For the price you paid, the entertainment factor alone was worth every dime. Thanks for the video, I loved every minute, compared to the review of a BMW GS it was pure gold.
To avoid draining the oil, install a separate airfilter like a small fuel filter to the crank case breather.
I have a CG 250 motor on a Chinese dirtbike. I would suggest you remove the EGR valve for more power. It makes a big difference with low rpm and pinning the bike. Also just run the air box with the small drain hole unplugged
This is not the cheapest bike in da world.
Come to India
Indian bikes rock!! There is a dealership near my place where they import bikes from India. I bought my wife a Gixxer SF there. And now I also want to buy a Navi 110.
Well indian bikes are not cheap they are value for money.. rocking like a rockett still easy on the pocket..
Not the KTM
let me invite you to the Philippines... :)
@@joclay I know Philippines also have diverse two wheeler inventory for sale
This has to be one of the most fantastic thorough and easy to follow reviews ever. Nice job!
I lost my shit laughing when you said "like 5 people are going to realize the significance of what i just showed" thanks for that
how to stretch the spring back on?
I like your video style. It's honest, It makes me happy.
Keep doing your thing!
Put an oil catch can between the crankcase breather and the airbox to prevent oil from entering the airbox.
got a link on a specific model?
or plumb it back to atmosphere.
I bought one of these a few years ago, the brand name was different but it was identical. It did come fully assembled as I bought it from a dealer, however I had to go through the while bike and check all the torque settings . It’s basically a modern build of an old Honda XL motorcycle, I was told that the Chinese factory licensed the design from Honda for the engine but I don’t know if that’s true or not. Anyway, it was OK, it was much slower than a Japanese bike of the same capacity, but it was reliable and good. The engine seemed to need the valve clearances adjusted frequently, but I seem to remember 70,s Hondas being the same. For the money it was good and yes I would buy another. I did buy a different Chinese motorbike and that was a total disaster, total rubbish.. and it cost a lot more too. So not all Chinese bikes are the same and spending more does not guarantee better quality.
I had a honda xl back in 84. I was 14 maybe, that's when you are legal to ride here, nothing over a 125cc tho. Not until a bit older, and there's a curfew unless you work. I used mine for my paper route. That thing went 60 with me and a friend on it lol. We rode that bike all over NE Oklahoma. You couldn't tear it up unless you literally wrecked it.
I have heard the same that you said about these having a honda engine or I heard a honda "clone", IDK...I still want one and am ready to give up my Honda Shadow Custom Deluxe VLX 600 with just 12k miles. Don't wanna, but they way things are going, I could use a bike that I can get off road with. Plus my bike is LOUD, because it's a custom deluxe and I put pipes on it, changed the bars out, etc..etc...it's just really low set and very heavy for a 53 yr old female who weighs all of 110 lbs. on a good day. Anyway, I'm replying to an old comment. It's 2022 and I see these and the Hawks (selling for a bit more) fully assembled Tao Tao is about 1600 bucks. Can't really beat that. I'm heading out to find a dealer hopefully nearby that carries them. I don't want to put anything together lol.
Thanks for confirming what I keep hearing tho.
I bought a used enduro 2000 Kawasaki kl250 super sherpa for $700! I cleaned the carb, changed the seat, added a fuel filter and changed the oil. Top speed is 75-85 mph. RUNS LIKE A CHAMPION. It has been very reliable so far. With that being said I can get a very nice reliable used japanese enduro bike in my area for $1350.
It's Kawasaki, do you expect less?
The old adage: “You usually get what you pay for! “. There are bargains out there just get the low down on the model. Thanks for the heads up!
Thanks for testing this bike and making this video. You covered some very important issues that need to be addressed to make the bike safer and work better, and that's worth a lot :-)
i noticed the significance of what you did with the kickstand spring...... you, sir... are the REAL MVP!!!! #salute
Can you please explain it?😭
Easy to put on with it off
I just about took my fingers off two days ago trying to get a side stand spring back on. Watched this and was like.... dooooood.
Seems like a very good and honest review. Thanks guy.
As someone who built the first shipments of these bikes. I can definitely understand the pain of reinstalling the kickstand.
you hav to lean the bike the other way?
You are one of the five, I get what he was showing. Stretching a heavy spring onto a post sucks, been there too many times on too many different things. Nice trick ;)
Extremely well detailed video on this bike! Overwhelming detail in the links! All I can say is WOW, I wish every video was this detailed!
Good review. I wondered about the engine...good to hear its at least usable.
Honestly it looks like a total blast for under $1,500
Not bad at all.
Thats the México ITALIKA 2018 dm 200CC or 250cc. For 35k pesos ÷2 =1,650.00 usd
I got the hawk 250 and all the problems he list I don't have
That xt-250 (here in the Philippines we call it Serow 250) is a real beast...
Kirk Dave Vai yeah compared to our stuff it’s a piece of shit tho
I had a 2007 Serow XT 225, the lightest (good) dual sport made. In 2008, they made the XT250.
Nah in my opinion the best light duel sport is the Yamaha tw 200
@@jakethegreat4466 tw200 is a farm bike, ain't gonna be doing any highway work on one.
Yeah your right but it has head and tail lights and blinkers
Matt , your XT250 will be heavier because its made out of metal
Before buying always make sure the manufacturer includes with the bike a "Manufacturer's Statement of Origin" (MSO). You then take the MSO certificate and bill of sale to your local DMV to get the title (after you pay the tax on it, of course).
A tip when rideing mud and swamp and slick. " I know it is scary" but you gota keep speed. bikes are unstable at low speed man. Happy trails man!. Keep the rubber side down!.
True, but ONLY if his bike has knobby tires. With those sport tires, you're asking for SERIOUS injury if you try using too much speed in mud.
Anyone buying a Chinese enduro, should be buying a Hawk 250 or a CSC TT250. Your video just cemented that even more, for me. LOVE my Hawk 250! Thanks for the great video!
Those trails look fun. Glad you're having a good time and have a safer bike now.
I agree with that info. My dad was importing chinese bikes back in '03, and I was the 'parts manager'.. learned a lot, these '19 bikes are very similar only slightly improved designs with time. Still engine architecture copied from a Honda XL185s? I also have experience with an XT225 Serow, and currently with a Kawasaki KLR250 I just rebuilt fresh top-end, have that '00 bike listed for $2,300.. you're pretty spot on, it is what it is.
The way I see it you paid $1300 for a crate of headaches. $2000 will get you a good used japanese bike for a savvy buyer.
Ljoel McHanley
Lol yeah man I say exactly that !
Although I’ve heard a few ppl say that Chinese bike are getting better?🤷♀️
Omg I swear I’ve just heard this dude say . . . The best thing about this bike is the engine? WHAT
I’m gonna subscribe too this guy I bet in 4000 miles he says different!!
Rant over !!!
Oh just to ad $1300 that’s £1000 wtf man
I got a great running kdx200 for about 250$.. serviced it and off i went!
I would go for the suzuki dr250 instead of this, thats what the engine is based on anyway
I got my magna for $1500
@@datadavis actually the motor is based on a honda cg 125. Just as all chinese engines are.
I love TXPowerSports! I was missing a headlight bolt I email them got a response the same day and received 2 replacements in 3 days.
Good way to easily put a kickstand spring back on 👍
Like it! Have a few but expensive old timers and also 2 cheap ones which i call disposable. Well, once you get a strange noise from the engine block or timing chain/pushrods get some play that cannot be fixed due to unobtainable parts...ehm...you donate to someone who will truly appreciate it and drain the sweat out of it. At least what's left. Just ride.
May as well buy any year model used XT, ride with little maintenance, and hold its value. I do like the front wheel pop up on the China bike. My CRF250l and 225 XT didn't do that with ease. At least they stayed together :)
Great price, depends on how durable it is. Had a Chinese 125cc dual purpose bike, best part was the engine. Put it through hell off road, plastics and metal very weak, bits would fall off. Going up a steep gradient I hit a bump and the seat fell off (was standing on pegs). Couldn't stop laughing as surreal WTF moment
The bike will fall apart long before the motor kicks the bucket...after all, there simple motors.
tvs an indian bike company has a$780 bike
Was it made of legos?
@@Adam-ce2fe nope. It's a 100cc moped
@@philiploydrecto8655 moped is 50cc
@@vk7073 it is very similar to a 50cc moped, but without the pedals and it uses automatic transmission. It is called TVS XL100
Pk 300£ bike 80 Kmh eazy
_"You don't even have to use the clutch to get the front end in the air."_ Answering the important questions, lol. Awesome video here.
I have to say this was a quite an entertaining review. The joy of cheap thrills.
I live in Panama. That is a third world motorcycle. That is pretty much all you see where I live. We have a popular name brand here called AVA. They sell motorcycles that look almost exactly like you bought for 1450. dollars. They are practical also because labor to keep them maintained is much cheaper than it is in the USA. We do have Yamaha's and Honda's in the same category but they are much more expensive so we do not see many of them. The US is not set up for these cheapy motorcycles. You need to work on them yourself if you have one of them. They are not worth putting in the shop frequently because shop rates are just too high. You need a good quality motorcycle in the US to make it practical to own it and worth the high cost of maintenance. In Panama the mechanics work for less than 10 dollars per hour under the shade tree. You can afford to get the motorcycle worked on as frequently as necessary to get the bike up to standards and keep it that way. If you live in the US, don't buy one of these motorcycles. They are too expensive to keep up because of their low quality. Shop rates are what? 100 bucks per hour?
Never let anyone but yourself work on your motorcycle if you value your life. Unless your a dumb ass, then you shouldn't even own one.
Shop rates vary. I've seen some independent small shops ask about $75 per hour, Harley and Ducati dealerships want about twice that in California (Japanese bike dealers want about the middle, $100+).
@@playsportfun3356 I never thought of myself as a dumb ass just because I don't work on my motorcycle. The point of my comment was about the motorcycle in the video. I would own that motorcycle in Panama. I can have that motorcycle gone over and brought up and made safe for very little money. The mechanics know what to look for in Panama since these types of motorcycles are very common and are what everyone here rides. Shop rates are ridiculously cheap also. I drive my motorcycle in and watch the mechanics work on my motorcycle. They are as good as any shade tree mechanic I have ever seen work in the US. And, for you Mr. Playsportfun, you take the fun out of watching video's about motorcycles and trying to learn something with your ridiculous and rude comments. Please comment elsewhere.
Playsportfun man, what a poor attitude you’ve got there. The gentleman was giving some nice useful info and you go and call him a dumbass and make fun? Go learn some manners, tough guy. The nerve of some people...
Yes, anything over a 125 is scarce. When you buy a motorcycle over-seas you have to make sure you can buy parts though. Suzuki is very popular in Panama so have to assume that parts are easy to come by. I have a Honda XRE 190 that I bought from a Honda dealership. The young kids here think I am the man. There is only a handful of these in my area.
That trail footage was beautiful.
I miss living in the Ozarks :(
“I don’t think I need to own a lathe and a welder to operate a bike” that’s all you need to know about Chinese bikes.
I love this type of engine, it's very easy to work on and modify. I have a DL150 that run's pretty well
You have oil in the air box because the breather valve is defective. Replace it with a part from whatever motor they cloned.
Or just cap the breather (google it).
Come to think of it the engine might not have been designed to have a valve breather and that might be an add on to satisfy US emissions requirements.
There is no "Breather valve" in such small CC bikes.
There's a foam filter in the air box thats supposed to keep the oil back.
This is the best, honest review I've ever witnessed on youtube, thank you Matt Smith I wish others have your integrity. I also like how you gave credit to other channels.
Nothing like hoping on the bike and forgetting about everything else! Didnt know you rode!👍🤘
Matt: street legal dirt bike
Everyone else: dual sport
Use to be called Enduro
Great video!
I think a 400 or 450 is much better for hills. Those extra cc's make hill climbing so much easier. Don't be intimidated by the extra cc's, it makes riding easier, not harder.
I've had a Chinese bike and I think the components on it are junk. I rode mine on some long rides and it held up. The plastic was painted blue, so if you wrecked, the paint chipped off. I sold mine to a freind and he rode it for years and went on some long rides on it. Eventually, he bought a japanese 450 and likes it much better.
on my lifan i modded , i found most older xr parts , especially carbs., ignition , exhaust etc. , were actually what they copied when designing the bike , many, many other parts suspension included are mostly a straight bolt on , and of course better quality .
Yeah, i think those Japanese patents expired (not that matters to chinese mfg). Using the design and fitting is one thing, the metallurgy is comparable to 1950s japanese or worse. More like caveman level--thats why their shit breaks see easy.
A cheap bike that gets the job done. You can't ask for much more than that. Great review!
Basically; these make a good bike if you know there limitations. Keep it on the road, forest service roads & very light trails, don't over do it. If you want a more extreme bike, pay 5 x the price. Going to get a Tao or Hawk.Thanks good vid. seen Motocheez also.
Road ... Check.
Forrest Service Roads ... Check.
Very Light Offroading ... Check.
Up to 60 mph ... Check.
Sounds good to me for the price.
For the $ ? I’d say it’s hard to beat
Well if you're a full time mechanic and a part time rider GREAT CHOICE
Seems cheaper to just buy 1 that dosen't break
Too scummy for me. They RIP off japanese designs and basically use slave labour (pennies on the hour) to build these terrible quality bikes . People talking about how they got a few thousand km out of them ... japanese bikes go for 100,000km then replace rings and go another 100,000km . If you dont think you are going to want to ride in a few months or put 10km on a "long ride" then ok but if you actually want to ride it's a terrible idea.
I have a 2017 Hawk 250 and I have done all of the mods. It's got over 5k miles and has been an amazing bike. I've rode 400 miles in one day, loaded it down with camping gear, max out at 70 mph after mods and new sprockets. This guy is short that's the only reason he'd think it's too tall. I could go on for days about why the hawk is a good bike. I've taken some rough trails, even crashed at 60 mph and rode the bike 30 minutes home after. Had the cosmetics fixed in a week after getting only what couldn't be plastiwelded back together. I still ride it everyday as my main transportation. It has an exact copy of the Honda CG engine and I've gone to the Honda dealer for engine parts to upgrade from the Chinese parts that came on it. I did a port and polish on the cylinder head and got my head gasket from Honda. Took less than an hour to swap heads. You can get all engine parts from Honda. I used the Honda service manual I found in .pdf on Google for specs. If you are a capable DIY you can handle the maintenance and mods. Motocheez, JerryHawk250 and Oddball performance (aka MegaDan) have excellent videos and tutorials. I've been a professional mechanic for 13 years and I love my chonda. You definitely need to check it over right out of the box, make sure all bolts are tight and put loctite on the important stuff. I never needed loctite I just made sure everything is torqued. Common sense people. You'll have to do the same thing with a used Japanese bike too. But if you're lazy and can't do preventative maintenance or pre ride checks then you probably shouldn't own a bike anyways. Other than that, pretty spot on review. The hawk is better quality than the tao. The luggage rack will also bolt right on the Hawk. It's perfect as a commuter bike and fun on trails. It will do long distance as well. Taking it on the trans America trail when I get home from Kuwait next year.
Remember: when you buy a bike online you MUST change the oil when it arrives! Bikes are shipped with a special protective oil that's NOT suitable for riding around!
You just saved my life.
Dude, so thorough, great articulation and explanations. Great video! After all of these issues and since I’m no mechanic, I may just have to save up for a Japanese bike lol sounds like a nightmare of fixes.
Nice buy. Looks like it’s got plenty of power. Rear drum is fine. You won’t use the rear brake that much anyway and drums last forever
I agree about the rear drum, they also don't get affected by water that much compared to discs, especially after creek crossings, etc.
Buys a Chinese motorcycle, gets a Chinese motorcycle.
Nah, buys a cheap Chinese motorcycle and gets a cheap but fairly decent Chinese motorcycle. Your prejudice is even cheaper. ;)
Not true, Tao is a India brand, Tao Tao is Chinese.
@@worldhello1234 I bought a coolster and in 5 months it won't start tao tao and coolster our the same pretty much
lindol crews you get whatcha pay for.
@@Agavegaming I mean it's a pretty good bike but the gas tank started rustingso it's not running currently it's about to get fixed
Do an airbox mod when the emission police aren't looking. Not only will your oil problem disappear it will also help with the stuttering and loading up common with 2 stroke bikes.. Too much oil in the airbox will screw it up every time. I bought a CZ 400cc motocross racing bike in the early 70's. The carb sucked so it was replaced with a Mikuni. At 400 cc pulling up the wheel and riding it out in 3 gear was pretty easy and the torque was awesome. At the age of 72 my son and I went to the Mojave Desert and rented dirt bikes for the day, rode them with a former M/C rider as the tour guide and the 300cc I had would have put the 400cc away easily. In fact, the whole bike was so good that I actually thought I was as good as I was when I was almost 50 years ago..
I have the TBR7 bike myself, my first motorcycle, and love the price of entry for getting into motorcycles. Thanks for video!
In India you can buy high quality bikes for this price branded as Honda,bajaj,yamaha.etc..
I actually have a Yamaha XT225 and XT350, which are both fantastic bikes. I also have a big road bike and lots of quads, etc. I have to agree with your review, as I purchased a Chinese 150 scooter years ago. It was cheap, but had tons of problems as well. The carburetor was dirty and I didn’t realize it at first which caused the starter to go bad from overuse! This caused the switch to go bad, which caused the wiring to short!😧 The scooter rides good now, but if I didn’t have 35 years of motorcycling experience, it would never be running! Just stick with a Japanese bike! I would rather have a 25 year old Japanese bike than a piece of garbage you can’t get parts for! Just my thoughts!😜
You feel you can get parts for a 25 year old bike?
percussion 44 Yes, you can still get most oem parts on bike bandit.com. The Chinese parts are nowhere near the quality, even the carb orings shrink and become brittle! The just don’t last overall! I have a couple of 1970’s Honda’s the still have good carb gaskets.😆
when i saw the loose steering head and cracked brake drum holder i said no way!!
Nice video. My daughter bought an RPS Hawk in the spring of '18 and is riding it without much agony. I was a career motorcycle mechanic in the '60s and '70s and assembled and serviced it for her. On the carburetor issue, it was much as you described on this TBR7 and all it took to make it decent was to put a couple thin washers under the throttle slide metering needle clip to make it richer - they are set up very lean, apparently to comply with emission regs somewhere. She also has trouble with the tallness of the machine, hers came with a very oversized knobby on the rear and the smaller dual purpose tire would be sufficient and help lower it. It is very tricky to find the optimum chain adjustment on them and it is important as the slack is drawn very tight with a load and could damage both the rear and output shaft bearings if not set up well.
Awesome ! I had a 110 TaoTao quad indestructible and there are parts every where
You get what you pay for. When buying a Motorcycle, always stick to a good well known brand.
Right. My used Honda NX 650 (same as XR 650L) blew up after a few 100 km.
NoNoNoNii Why?
NoNoNoNii Your silence speaks volumes.
@@arewethereyet6413 exactly, unless that was a sarcasm attempt at humour, no no is a tool tool.
@@lenny0347 Perfect? That chinese bike is very dangerous. Did you see how the front was attached? Imagine your front tire goes off on a highway.
"hit the switch" - you got an electric starter for $1300? Win!
You will get the electric starter bike for around 700 dollars in india
LOL !!!
It has both kick and electric
Louie Watson what happens when you push the kick starter all the way down and then use the electric starter
@@kuntrybruh296 you take a screenshot
14:44 ya this is how all bikes should be described including ebikes and modified 10 speeds with the tiny gas motor. It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.
Thank you thank you thank you!!! Your review helped me greatly. I am a very tall fellow and your observation that this one rides tall SOLD me. Then your observation that the tires are a little better suited for street use was right on my list.
You can run a pcv valve and a rubber fuel tube out the crank case breather and run that tube straight down instead of into your airbox. The Hawk 250 has front and rear disc which alone might make it a better option than the Tao...otherwise they're quite similar.
Thx for a good honest review. Chinese cycles or atv’s require mechanically inclined owners to get the best value.
What a great deal $1350 delivered and then only about $1750 of my personal labor time to make it half decent......Uh NO THANKS Matt.
I bought a Chinese bike in 2005, and it was nothing but trouble from the get-go. $1200 down the tube!
Those problems sounds a bit much for me. I would rather pay 2500 and not worry about all that.
Thanks for the scenery. I grew up in SW Missouri too and remember those muddy back roads.
I had the same bike, I took off the 15 tooth front sprocket for a 17, made a big difference on rpm and made me about 8+ mph.
I dont ride mcs but love your reviews on anything it seems. Keep it up!
I've never laughed so hard through a motorcycle review! The last 10 minutes killed me. I freak'n love this guy. I'm almost a buyer ….almost. What a fun project. Only criticism of the review is that you should probably include the cost of additional life insurance in your price comparison.
Hey, great video buddy. I'm trying to see how I would look on it, how tall are you?
I got the hawk 250 and I got my title shipped in the mail few days after and have not had half the problems you had and I've got a rack and a digital cluster very cheap
Your getting oil in the airbox due to doing wheelies, the oil gets shifted back and up letting it come out of the crank case breather and into the air box. Had a Suzuki at do that all the time.
Atv*
'Significantly more hazardous to your life', you got to love this review 😂
Another shared interest. I grew up riding in the woods, trails, enduro. Enjoyed the vid, though I'd probably stick to the Yamaha.
Interesting ... but I'm pretty lazy ... so I'd just pay extra for the Japanese "turn key" version.
lmfao! a little bit of hardwork won't kill ya, unless your a liberal
Pay extra as in, a couple thousand more
@@amanteapasionado6836 i guess those days of hard work and learning new skills are over!
@@amanteapasionado6836 right on! its cheaper to buy a chinese Hawk 250 and tune it up a little bit then your good to go!
@@MatthewHensley8304 Dont you have a Klan rally to attend?
Man ever since The Crew 2 i've been obsessed with motorcycles.
Bought myself my first bike: the Kawasaki Ninja 650.
its so fun crusing around.
ninja 650 is a great starter bike to get used to "big bike" torque
Same one pliz tell me about the Chinese made Feugo Scrambler 250, it looks so nice and powerful though too cheap. I want to buy one but I don't want to be at lose buying abike that will not last long
Great review thank you very much, indeed that is a lot of value for the money big time!
For every flaw he found there are probably 20 that only a motorcycle engineer would spot or know of.
I've been to many China factories as part of my job. The quality you described is basically what I expected.
If it was easily ridden up and down the road once and a while and maintained adequately, it would probably last pretty long for the price. However, riding through the woods over stumps and through water would be hell on a bike of this quality and would quickly let you know that you get what you pay for. Excellent and thorough review!
XT 250 Yamaha is my brand and choice. I would not buy this myself.
Not in America. To each their own.
RUclips COMMENTATOR- Mr. Hahn absolutely is a Chinese piece of garbage just junk in couple months
I have an 09 xt250
At 14:46 " This bike is significantly more of a hazard to your life " lmao 🤣 that's awesome and such an honest opinion 👍 Awesome 👌
And a Wish ad before this HAHA
I got an add about Mr beast and honey
A spanking brand new Rice Burner, on & off Rd. for 1500.00?? I want one! Thanks for the review!
Excellent Review! Honest and HIGHLY informative. Thanks!!
I just have two words for you bro: Motorcross Boots.
In the 1970's the cheapest trail bike on the market was a CZ 175-482. 40 years later most are still running.
Will this still be running in 4 years time, let alone 40??
The front tire isn't even mounted to spin the right direction for braking
Awesome video bro, that's a ton of good information for anyone that wants one. Cheers for making this.
The PCV hose (spitting oil into the airbox) is working properly. Might not be the best implementation, as it will cause the plastic to fail sooner, but extending the hose to create a low spot will only make the oil pool up. Eventually, it'll all get sucked into the engine at once. Not sure how carbureted bike engines handle it, but fuel injected cars will bog down and spit out a cloud of smoke when they ingest that much oil at once.
Best plan is to add a baffled oil catch can, which requires draining (usually every oil change, depending on size). Many people will use an air/water separator for this, which is originally intended for use on compressor lines. They're also usually clear, so you can easily check the level of oil.
1300 new? Goodluck finding a dual sport thats not 500 pounds from the 80s for under 1300.
yes those bikes "could" also be a potential risks if not maintained. i would buy this new for 1400euro if i could have it here in North (Finland) Åland islands... nope i CANNOT !
My $1000 1985 xr600r would rape this piece of shit
My $400 1980 dt175 and my $500 1978 honda xl250 would smoke it as well
Sorry i forgot about the 2% of people who found deals on 35 year old motorcycles. Nah fam... its 1300 for a brand new bike. 0 miles. Cheap parts that stick around and a rich aftermarket. Dont tell me its the same for a 1980 whatever its not. Thats going on ebay to find a used clutch lever mechanism and paying what ever they ask.
@@richardballs8618 street legal xr600? Thats pretty awesome for $1000!