Potential new owner: now which one?

tknj99 · 10-21-2020, 07:15 PM

Hi All,
I've been on 2-wheels for the last 30+ years from dirtbikes (2-stroke when it was still the shit) up to sport bikes and cruisers. I got my first foray into Chinese bikes after buying my son a Tao DBX1 recently which has been great and am now looking into getting a street legal dual-sport to join my current stable (ZX14R). I'm very sold on the Hawk 250 but am torn whether i should get the $1400 carb model or the $2000 EFI model.. I have researched that the DLX has better forks and maybe instrument cluster as well as EFI ofcourse but not sure whether its worth the extra $600 over the base model. I am fairly mechanical and can do basic work on bikes but am kind of concerned whether the EFI, fuel pump and extra sensors, etc are just a problem waiting to happen later down the road.. least maintenance/most reliable being one main objective.
Any opinions are very welcome.. also if i should be swayed to another bike for the same money i'd like to hear that as well.
Thanks

Wild Dog · 10-21-2020, 07:23 PM

I would get a carb model, not because there anything wrong with EFI version, but the carb ones are more fun to mess with.
Plus it is easier to replace a carb and a whole efi unit.

DeCoY · 10-21-2020, 08:12 PM

I bought a Hawk 250 (Carb model) here in Denver at 5,000 ft. The thing runs flawlessly around town, and required no additional work to run well at 11,000ft on the trails, completely stock.

The ONLY thing you should be very aware of, is that the Carb model is lacking the FMVSS certification, which can make the bike more difficult to plate in many states. I personally had to register mine in South Dakota because Colorado is dumb, the plates should come in the mail in a day or so, can't wait.

For easier registration, the DLX has all the highway certifications, but it will depend on your state. Either get the DLX, call your DMV, or be prepared to ride with SD plates like me lol.

(It's a big thumbs up from me for the Hawk 250, I LOVE this bike!)

tknj99 · 10-21-2020, 08:22 PM

Thanks guys and that's a good point about the certification. I'm in Virginia and saw it posted as a state where the base Hawk has been registered but haven't been able to get thru to DMV to validate.. with that being said id rather err on the side of caution and lean towards the DLX than buy a bike that I can't get a plate for, that would defeat the purpose for sure as I want to be able to ride my son to new places that he can enjoy as well with it

DeCoY · 10-21-2020, 08:49 PM

Yeah, I had no idea when I bought my Hawk that I was going to run into problems registering it. My long term plan is to swap these South Dakota plates for Colorado plates when they expire, I THINK since the bike will already have a title and plate, it should be easier. We'll see!

gwowzer · 10-22-2020, 03:17 PM

You could look into the Brozz 250. Money wise in the DLX category but has the upgraded forks etc. over the standard hawk.

Ina Ditch · 10-22-2020, 08:13 PM

i have nothing to compare the brozz forks to but on mine they are pretty crappy as they arrived. one was leaking at pretty low mileage ( probably around 300 )
you could probably change the fork oil and make them better but stock mine bottom out way to easy.
I probably have around 1600 miles on her and so far she has been extremely reliable and easy to take care of. the chain needs way more attention than my Japanese bike did but it only takes a few minutes and chains are easily upgraded as you know. the seat on the brozz is really plush and comfortable too. to make it shorter, I don't like everything about the brozz but all the things I have been less than tickled with are easily and cheaply upgraded.
again, I can't compare it to the hawk but I have been really and happily surprised with what 2000 dollars can buy, it is not a honda but for weekend trail rides and trips to the store or work it seems to be a solid bike for a good price. mine is the recon by the way but the differences are slight from what I can gather.
Good luck and happy trails !!!

Ina Ditch · 10-22-2020, 08:17 PM

I should have added that Jeff and his parts person took care of the fork issue and a few parts ( nuts, bolts and grommets ) that were missing very quickly, Jeff even called before they shipped and reviewed the list with me to make sure that everything I needed was packed, they run a tight ship and the customer service has been excellent through the entire process.

gwowzer · 10-22-2020, 10:00 PM

Yes, my experience with Peace Sports was also excellent. They sent me several new parts before I even had the bike fully assembled, and to be honest, it was nit picky stuff on my end.
One of the reasons I would steer people towards the Brozz 250 over the Hawk would be because of the customer service that comes with it.
Motocheez has his review rankings chart and has the Brozz as the top rated China Bike.
Mine was the opposite experience of InaDitch. I have never had a problem with the forks at all. But that being said, I drained the fork oil and replaced with new quality stuff before I ever rode the bike. The stuff that came in it was grungy looking.
However, I would say the stock chain was the biggest problem I had with the bike. It was constantly stretching and I would have to adjust it like once a week. I put an aftermarket chain on about 1500 miles ago and haven't had to touch the adjustment, just clean it.
I put over 4000 miles on the Brozz from this past spring until now and it has been super reliable. Haven't had a single malfunction at all.

tknj99 · 10-22-2020, 10:05 PM

I am still going back and forth in my head between the cheaper base Hawk and the DLX.. I still plan to contact local DMV and I'm in no rush to buy but after watching videos about fuel leaks and possible EFI issues on the DLX I'm not convinced it may be worth the perceived upgrade over the base Hawk especially if its going to be problematic from the get go.. Interestingly on the base Hawk RPS on Amazon it shows a 3 year extended warranty for only $50 that says it covers parts and labor.. Id love to hear any feedback on that as it sounds too good to be true.. I may call them as well to inquire. A forum search around it lead to no results, so not sure if its something new or not.. Thanks

gwowzer · 10-22-2020, 10:07 PM

In my opinion, the advantage the regular Hawk has over the Brozz 250 is the tire availability. The Hawk has standard size tires and the Brozz comes with a size that limits the tires you can put on.
The Brozz comes standard with a lot of things you would have to upgrade on the standard Hawk.
As far as Hawk DLX vs. Brozz, I chose the Brozz because it was cheaper and this is a cheap bike. I want to be able to work on it and figure it out. I felt the fuel injection on the DLX was a little unproven/not as reliable.
If I trusted the fuel injection maybe I would lean towards the DLX. But I would hate to buy a cheap bike and not be able to simply diagnose it. Maybe in 2-4 years when others have already worked the troubleshooting out.

DeCoY · 10-23-2020, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tknj99

I'm in no rush to buy but after watching videos about fuel leaks and possible EFI issues

This is the exact reason I chose the base hawk over the DLX, chinese fuel injection sounds dicey and hard to fix. If the carbuerator has issues there are LOADS of resources and products available to assist. On the other hand the DLX does look like it has better forks.

As a side note, I ordered my hawk from q9powersports as they confirmed they were in stock and I didn't really trust amazon for any sort of aftermarket support. My experience with q9 was amazing and I got the bike 5 (business) days after ordering it, I highly recommend q9powersports.

tknj99 · 10-23-2020, 09:35 AM

Thanks.. yes i also looked at the Brozz, TBR, TT, etc but keep coming back to the base Hawk for its price point, simplicity, larger wheels, and knobby tires. I already have a street bike for highway/back road touring so it would not be my only bike where i'd need more of a street based tire.. my plan is to ride local gravel/off road stuff with my son and his Tao DBX1 and then ride him on the back to other places to explore together and then eventually get a trailer most likely. With that being said, im sure ill do some back road exploring solo looking for trails in the area and i think it will be perfect for this duty.

DeCoY · 10-23-2020, 03:45 PM

If you need any more convincing to choose the Hawk 250, check out this Youtube vid:

Sure made me glad I bought mine!

tknj99 · 10-23-2020, 04:44 PM

Yea i watched that.. was pretty funny and sad at the same time. it definitely takes a beating that's for sure.. it was amazing that it started back up esp with all that muddy goo that came out of the crankcase

10-21-2020, 07:15 PM	#1
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,258	Potential new owner: now which one? Hi All, I've been on 2-wheels for the last 30+ years from dirtbikes (2-stroke when it was still the shit) up to sport bikes and cruisers. I got my first foray into Chinese bikes after buying my son a Tao DBX1 recently which has been great and am now looking into getting a street legal dual-sport to join my current stable (ZX14R). I'm very sold on the Hawk 250 but am torn whether i should get the $1400 carb model or the $2000 EFI model.. I have researched that the DLX has better forks and maybe instrument cluster as well as EFI ofcourse but not sure whether its worth the extra $600 over the base model. I am fairly mechanical and can do basic work on bikes but am kind of concerned whether the EFI, fuel pump and extra sensors, etc are just a problem waiting to happen later down the road.. least maintenance/most reliable being one main objective. Any opinions are very welcome.. also if i should be swayed to another bike for the same money i'd like to hear that as well. Thanks
	0

10-21-2020, 07:23 PM	#2
Wild Dog Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Argentina Posts: 756	I would get a carb model, not because there anything wrong with EFI version, but the carb ones are more fun to mess with. Plus it is easier to replace a carb and a whole efi unit.
	0

10-21-2020, 08:12 PM	#3
DeCoY Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 26	I bought a Hawk 250 (Carb model) here in Denver at 5,000 ft. The thing runs flawlessly around town, and required no additional work to run well at 11,000ft on the trails, completely stock. The ONLY thing you should be very aware of, is that the Carb model is lacking the FMVSS certification, which can make the bike more difficult to plate in many states. I personally had to register mine in South Dakota because Colorado is dumb, the plates should come in the mail in a day or so, can't wait. For easier registration, the DLX has all the highway certifications, but it will depend on your state. Either get the DLX, call your DMV, or be prepared to ride with SD plates like me lol. (It's a big thumbs up from me for the Hawk 250, I LOVE this bike!)
	0

10-21-2020, 08:22 PM	#4
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,258	Thanks guys and that's a good point about the certification. I'm in Virginia and saw it posted as a state where the base Hawk has been registered but haven't been able to get thru to DMV to validate.. with that being said id rather err on the side of caution and lean towards the DLX than buy a bike that I can't get a plate for, that would defeat the purpose for sure as I want to be able to ride my son to new places that he can enjoy as well with it
	0

10-21-2020, 08:49 PM	#5
DeCoY Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 26	Yeah, I had no idea when I bought my Hawk that I was going to run into problems registering it. My long term plan is to swap these South Dakota plates for Colorado plates when they expire, I THINK since the bike will already have a title and plate, it should be easier. We'll see!
	0

10-22-2020, 03:17 PM	#6
gwowzer Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 297	You could look into the Brozz 250. Money wise in the DLX category but has the upgraded forks etc. over the standard hawk.
	0

10-22-2020, 08:13 PM	#7
Ina Ditch Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: NW-Fl Posts: 305	i have nothing to compare the brozz forks to but on mine they are pretty crappy as they arrived. one was leaking at pretty low mileage ( probably around 300 ) you could probably change the fork oil and make them better but stock mine bottom out way to easy. I probably have around 1600 miles on her and so far she has been extremely reliable and easy to take care of. the chain needs way more attention than my Japanese bike did but it only takes a few minutes and chains are easily upgraded as you know. the seat on the brozz is really plush and comfortable too. to make it shorter, I don't like everything about the brozz but all the things I have been less than tickled with are easily and cheaply upgraded. again, I can't compare it to the hawk but I have been really and happily surprised with what 2000 dollars can buy, it is not a honda but for weekend trail rides and trips to the store or work it seems to be a solid bike for a good price. mine is the recon by the way but the differences are slight from what I can gather. Good luck and happy trails !!!
	1

10-22-2020, 08:17 PM	#8
Ina Ditch Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: NW-Fl Posts: 305	I should have added that Jeff and his parts person took care of the fork issue and a few parts ( nuts, bolts and grommets ) that were missing very quickly, Jeff even called before they shipped and reviewed the list with me to make sure that everything I needed was packed, they run a tight ship and the customer service has been excellent through the entire process.
	1

10-22-2020, 10:00 PM	#9
gwowzer Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 297	Yes, my experience with Peace Sports was also excellent. They sent me several new parts before I even had the bike fully assembled, and to be honest, it was nit picky stuff on my end. One of the reasons I would steer people towards the Brozz 250 over the Hawk would be because of the customer service that comes with it. Motocheez has his review rankings chart and has the Brozz as the top rated China Bike. Mine was the opposite experience of InaDitch. I have never had a problem with the forks at all. But that being said, I drained the fork oil and replaced with new quality stuff before I ever rode the bike. The stuff that came in it was grungy looking. However, I would say the stock chain was the biggest problem I had with the bike. It was constantly stretching and I would have to adjust it like once a week. I put an aftermarket chain on about 1500 miles ago and haven't had to touch the adjustment, just clean it. I put over 4000 miles on the Brozz from this past spring until now and it has been super reliable. Haven't had a single malfunction at all.
	0

10-22-2020, 10:05 PM	#10
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,258	I am still going back and forth in my head between the cheaper base Hawk and the DLX.. I still plan to contact local DMV and I'm in no rush to buy but after watching videos about fuel leaks and possible EFI issues on the DLX I'm not convinced it may be worth the perceived upgrade over the base Hawk especially if its going to be problematic from the get go.. Interestingly on the base Hawk RPS on Amazon it shows a 3 year extended warranty for only $50 that says it covers parts and labor.. Id love to hear any feedback on that as it sounds too good to be true.. I may call them as well to inquire. A forum search around it lead to no results, so not sure if its something new or not.. Thanks
	0

10-22-2020, 10:07 PM	#11
gwowzer Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 297	In my opinion, the advantage the regular Hawk has over the Brozz 250 is the tire availability. The Hawk has standard size tires and the Brozz comes with a size that limits the tires you can put on. The Brozz comes standard with a lot of things you would have to upgrade on the standard Hawk. As far as Hawk DLX vs. Brozz, I chose the Brozz because it was cheaper and this is a cheap bike. I want to be able to work on it and figure it out. I felt the fuel injection on the DLX was a little unproven/not as reliable. If I trusted the fuel injection maybe I would lean towards the DLX. But I would hate to buy a cheap bike and not be able to simply diagnose it. Maybe in 2-4 years when others have already worked the troubleshooting out.
	1

10-23-2020, 09:35 AM	#13
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,258	Thanks.. yes i also looked at the Brozz, TBR, TT, etc but keep coming back to the base Hawk for its price point, simplicity, larger wheels, and knobby tires. I already have a street bike for highway/back road touring so it would not be my only bike where i'd need more of a street based tire.. my plan is to ride local gravel/off road stuff with my son and his Tao DBX1 and then ride him on the back to other places to explore together and then eventually get a trailer most likely. With that being said, im sure ill do some back road exploring solo looking for trails in the area and i think it will be perfect for this duty.
	0

10-23-2020, 03:45 PM	#14
DeCoY Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 26	If you need any more convincing to choose the Hawk 250, check out this Youtube vid: Sure made me glad I bought mine!
	0

10-23-2020, 04:44 PM	#15
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,258	Yea i watched that.. was pretty funny and sad at the same time. it definitely takes a beating that's for sure.. it was amazing that it started back up esp with all that muddy goo that came out of the crankcase
	0