Quote:
Originally Posted by SpudRider
In my opinion it is unsafe to ride any 200cc, air cooled, carbureted motorcycle on limited access highways or interstate highways.  If you want to do this kind of riding, you need at least a Kawaskai Ninja 250 or Honda CBR250R.
If the speed limit doesn't exceed 55 mph, the Roketa DB-05H will work for you. I have inspected the TMEC bikes up close, and they are decent motorcycles, but they are not worth $500 more than the Roketa DB-05H.  |
I ride my TMEC on roads that are limited to 50 mph, but w/o law enforcement, some cars are at 70+ mph, but most are at 60 mph. I had to go back to the 56 tooth rear sprocket, and it will keep up (or in some cases , hold up, LOL) 60 mph traffic.
The only reason I would consider another one is that I know my '09 model did well, and the '13 models should, in theory, be a little better. Plus, I have stopped by Excalibur in person, and they have always had the parts I needed. I bought it used without a side panel, and a month after I bought it, the ignition switch wouldn't work anymore (like I mentioned, I don't know how many owners the bike had been through prior to me, or how long it sat in the elements before I bought it--plus, the speedo cable was already broken, so don't even know how many miles the beast had).
I now have around 8,000 miles or so that I put on it. It is not the greatest bike, but not the worst. I might have overspent at $800 used since the guy had no one else to sell to since the bike is not California legal (they are definitely 49 state legal--I have seen the EPA list with all the '13 bikes that have passed EPA certification for street bikes, and Excalibur are not lying when they say 'DOT' legal), but that is my opinion. I am considering a new one simply because it would be mine from the beginning, and I could prep it properly, as well as lube the speedo cable (all Chinese bikes seem to have this problem) from assembly.
I would definitely get a 48 tooth sprocket made by JT Sprockets; the closest I have seen them offered is the UK. I had custom ordered a 40 tooth sprocket for my bike for $55, but with several chain failures, I believe the source was the sprocket. The JT one is close to stock as it is made in steel vs. aluminum, or alloy the custom was made from. There is one UK Ebay dealer selling them for $45 including shipping to the US. Again, that is my only planned modification if I get a new one--at least for now. I might look into one of the popular Ebay carbs that are advertised as 'mikuni' 30mm vs. the stock 'Sheng Way' 30mm stock. There is really not much else to do with the bike. As well, I don't know if I would go with knobby tires vs. the street tires. I do want to know if the knobbies are the 18"/18" front/rear wheels because I really don't like the look of the 21"/18" knobbies Excalibur shows on its site. The Denali bike seems to have the 18/18 setup, though, at ocalaatv.com
I do believe the asking price of the Denali is a little high, vs. ordering directly IMO, although you do need to do some assembly if you mail order. BTW, I spoke with the main sales guy, Alan, at Excalibur, and he is not familiar with Ocala ATV, but believes that they probably get their bikes from a company called mefast
www.mefastmotors.com which makes sense since mefast is out of Georgia, and Ocala has a dealership in Georgia.
Anyway, I would say that TMECs are decent bikes for the price, and I can vouch for Excalibur. In fact, about 5 or 6 years ago or so ago, they used to bring in Shineray bikes like the one you showed on craigslist, as well as Roketa made bikes (similar to that $1200 one Spud linked). The Shineray-made Speedee had several people buy them who became members on Chinariders. Those members are long gone, but Excalibur are still in business.
The consideration factor--these are bikes that are decent bang-for-the-buck. They are not equal in quality to any of the Japanese brands. They are almost 'delicate' in nature, meaning if you are the first owner, you will know everything about it, but if you are a second or more owner, you will not know this. I would personally buy another TMEC simply because I could get one on the road for about 10% what a brand new compact car costs (on sale, lower-end model) meaning less than the down payment on such a car. I ride mine year round 32 miles round trip Monday through Friday to work and back.
If you are planning harder riding, consider a higher-end Chinese enduro (Qlink or SSR) although much, much more out of your range, or a used Japanese dual-sport. Of course, the best deals as Spud and Doc mentioned can really only be found in the Northwest based on the Craigslist I peruse including L.A. to S. California and Yuma and Phoenix (about my realistic range of purchase). There are lower-priced dual sports, such as $1500 Yamaha XT 220's, but those are often 1989 to 1993 models.