New Bashan DB08-250

[Ogre81]

Folks near VA this bike will be for sale in a few months. I'm on the waiting list for the Zongshen RX3.

[culcune]

Found this thread and starting towards the bottom of this page, page 6, someone buys a new Bashan in South Africa joining in the ride with the guy who started the thread, and ends up riding it for over 6000 miles with the chain being the only issue (stock cheap Chinese chain that came with the bike), and the fact that they could not find a chain to replace it (they were in Africa somewhere). The guy writing the thread (very well worth the read from the beginning, btw) acknowledges how well the bike held up, the exception being the chain.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...fboard-72401-6

[culcune]

"Mike had flown to Cape Town the day after he finished teaching school, bought a cheap Chinese-manufactured 250cc dirt bike, bungeed his backpack to the seat, and rode the thing to death across 8 countries in southern Africa. Everyone who knew anything about bikes swore that he’d never make out of South Africa on such a cheap ride, yet there we stood on the island of Zanzibar, 6 thousand miles and two and a half months later. He even rode the original knobby tires the entire way. I don’t know anyone else who would have made it happen."

[Weldangrind]

That statement shows how naive some people can be about China bikes; they're not all created equally.

[Ogre81]

1000 Mile update: I've done nothing to the bike except change the oil so far. It does not like starting in the 30's but a mikuni could fix that. It could really use a few things to make it better but I am going to leave it alone until my RX3 shows up and then decide if I sell the Bashan or keep it! If I keep it the first thing its gets is a smaller rear sprocket.

[culcune]

Originally Posted by Ogre81

If I keep it the first thing its gets is a smaller rear sprocket.

You should do this anyway. If you don't keep it, I guarantee whoever is looking to buy it will notice the bike smoothly running along vs. if you don't change it, the bike will be peaky and vibrating which might turn them off.

My suggestion is 17 tooth front (if it doesn't already have a 17 and/or you want to bother with the front) and a 44 rear (rear 44 for sure no matter what). I am guessing the hub is setup like a 1979 xl185. These are a dime a dozen. For the time you ride it until the RX3 comes, as well as to potential buyers if you decide to sell it, it will be well worth the small cash outlay and sweat of dealing with taking off the old sprocket, having to cut links, etc.

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the update.

[Weldangrind]

A new Mikuni is a good idea, because you can replace the slow jet with something larger for smoother cold starts.

[Ogre81]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

A new Mikuni is a good idea, because you can replace the slow jet with something larger for smoother cold starts.

Would you get an ebay mikuni copy or a genuine mikuni?

[Weldangrind]

A China Mikuni. I've probably bought 15 of 'em, and they've all been perfect.