Back for Round 2

[tknj99]

Hey guys,
Been a minute since ive posted on here. Bought and sold the RX4 as its shortcomings became too much to remedy as a primary bike and have since replaced it with a 2003 Kawasaki Vulcan Mean Streak 1500 that I'm loving!
I also still have the Brozz Recon that I tricked out with alot of goodies and its been great as well, over 2k miles now and runs like a top!
So we also had a Tao DBX1 140cc pitbike that my son learned on the past year but recently he felt it was getting small and he wants my bike instead or something as large.. So we just sold it today for $850 which amazingly is what I bought it for last May.. Inflation lol!
So looking to see what's out there and seeing that damn the Hawks also went up in price a few hundred and now around $1800 (carb model)..
I'm thinking to give him the Brozz as it will fit his size best and then buy a Hawk to take advantage of the 21/18 wheels and general dependability that ive grown accustomed to with the Brozz..
Having the experience of owning the Brozz, I know exactly what I'm getting back into and all the assembly best practices, maintenance and mods that will be needed soon after purchase..
I was thinking of another Brozz but it seems they are all sold out..
So guys, Hawk carb or something else? Id like to avoid the EFI models sue to it making a simple bike into something more complex and then more prone to issues as I've read alot of DLX guys posting about fueling issues..
Let me know your thoughts,thanks

[Emerikol]

Buy the carb Hawk. No question about it. I've got EFI on the Ural, and I absolutely HATE it!! You can't go wrong with a carb model. Yeah, you'll be spending a few extra buck than you would have this time two years ago, or even last year, but the demand for simple, cheap bikes has only gone up, especially since so many people aren't working the same way they were 18 months ago. Some people are in new jobs and are looking for cheap ways to commute, some people are working from home and are taking advantage of the ability to go for an afternoon ride, and some people have just cashed in their chips and are riding full time to see where the road takes them. I have about 3,500 miles on my Hawk, and even though I haven't been able to ride it since the move back to Georgia, I wouldn't even consider getting rid of it. Hopefully this bit of advice helps out. Be safe out there!

[herbie]

The Brozz Recon is supposed to be in stock by November sometime. It might have the 21/18 combo too

By the way, what was the main issue with the RX4? I’ve had my eye on them

[tknj99]

Originally Posted by herbie

The Brozz Recon is supposed to be in stock by November sometime. It might have the 21/18 combo too

By the way, what was the main issue with the RX4? I’ve had my eye on them

Good to know.. i am partial to the Brozz as it has done everything i have asked of it and then some with no disappointments. But i also noticed the Orion RXB250L is now coming with a 6th gear which is sweet although a bit if sticker shock at $2500.. not sure if the Brozz will still be at 2k or not, and i can wait so no worries i guess..

The RX4 let me down in 2 ways.. and mind you.. i was planning it to a primary do-it-all bike for touring and light gravel road rides...
1. the seating position for some reason was killing my back, specifically my sciatic nerve.. i tried to make the seat more comfortable with gel inserts which helped but still not ideal
2. it was just not powerful enough for touring.. on an up-hill 70mph highway i'd be full-throttle trying to overtake and thats just not fun


The Meanie on the otherhand is super comfortable, has the big-3 already (pipes, intake, pc3) and has great power and sound all around and just works much better as a touring bike for me.. plus i have the Brozz for any dirt/gravel riding i may want to do

[herbie]

Thanks for the heads up on the RX4! That kills my interest in it
I bought a brand new Versys 650 in 2015, I loved the bike in every way but that seat killed my back. I like you tried everything short of paying the big bucks for a new seat which you never really are sure about. So I ended up selling it too.
The mean streak is an awesome bike, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it

[tknj99]

So i emailed Jeff at Peace Sports and he said its looking like early 2022 for the Brozz and said they'll publish more about it once on the way, didnt give me any info on new specs or pricing.
I'm thinking strongly about the RXB250L at this point.. it shows as $2500 shipped and fully assembled, 20hp, 6 speed, better suspension.. my only worry is whether the seat will be hard as a rock or not.. the Brozz seat is silly comfortable and comparatively my sons bike we just sold, Tao DBX1 felt like a 2x4.. If anyone can comment on the RXB seat comfort i would greatly appreciate that..
The other thing im thinking is that i spent probably close to $400 on the Brozz with the upgrades on it and if the RXB is $2500 and already has all the goodies and more, it might be a no-brainer..
I also think on the flip-side if i get the base Hawk for $1500 or so, i know it will need some upgrades right off the bat, maybe chain, gearing, carb, exhaust, air filter to make it good and then it still wont have the best suspension or frame rigidity that the RXB seems to offer..
Decisions, decisions..

[tknj99]

Originally Posted by herbie

Thanks for the heads up on the RX4! That kills my interest in it
I bought a brand new Versys 650 in 2015, I loved the bike in every way but that seat killed my back. I like you tried everything short of paying the big bucks for a new seat which you never really are sure about. So I ended up selling it too.
The mean streak is an awesome bike, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it

The hardest part in our cases with the China bikes is that we have to order them blindly, relying on written and video reviews, and usually not having a real world test ride to kick the tires before making the purchase.. with that being said, the RX4 was uncomfortable for me, but who knows, perhaps for you it might wind up being perfectly comfortable, so it can be very subjective.
And i guess the same can be said for the power i mentioned.. whats slow for me may be a rocketship for someone else (although i very much doubt that). And at a $5k price point the decision becomes much more critical, because resale can be hit or miss.

[XLsior]

I'd say the RXB250L is worth the premium over any of the CG250 based China bikes.

Better components all round more power and a 6th gear.

It's just that upfront cost, but given the current economic climate I'd say it'd pay for itself over time.

[krat]

Has everyone really missed the point that the upgrade from a brand new "top tier" China bike was to a 16 year old Japanese cruiser?

[XLsior]

not really an upgrade more off a side step...apples/oranges, pretty hefty oranges though.

[tknj99]

You like oranges?.... how bout dem oranges

All kidding aside, yes, completely different animals.. the China bikes hold a special place in my heart for their extreme affordability, simplicity and smiles per inexpensive mile.. ofcourse they may not stand the test of time like a Japanese or Euro bike but you pay in multiples upfront for that engineering and quality of the components..
But even this 18 year old Mean Streak came with its share of problems.. the bike was super clean and test rode perfectly but after i purchased her and went to fill up the tank on my way home i was greeted to a completely rusted fuel tank :(
So i had to de-rust the tank for a few days and have since rebuilt the fuel pump, changed every fluid, and have a water pump seal on its was to resolve a slow coolant leak while running.. im not complaining though as these have all been within my mechanical comfort zone and all in maybe $200 in addition to the $2500 initial purchase, im happy..