Hensim 150DB tales....

[2LZ]

Good day, all. New guy here. Per Spuds request, he'd asked me to give some input on our pair of Hensim's so here goes.....and this time after 15 minutes of typing, I won't accidently brush the 'escape' key. :evil:

Late 2008, the wife and I decided that we'd get a pair of little trail bikes for our pop-up camper. Just some "green stickered" trail bikes for fire roads and sight seeing while camping. After searching ebay, craigslist and coming up empty handed, walking in and out of the Japanese brands....in total shock....we found the Hensim's at our local China bike dealer.....and wow...am I glad we did. The price was right in line with what I was looking to spend for a couple little trail bikes, helmets and all.

Of course....they needed all the normal fixes to get them running right. Move the slide needle and adjust the mixture. Readjust everything and check every nut and bolt. Inflate the tires, etc...etc...

I know a year and a half isn't a very long time for a review but we have ridden them quite a bit between camping and our OHV park and I have to say, I don't regret a single penny I've spent on them.

The little typical pushrod China motor has been spunky and flawless. Always start first kick and not a leak or drip. At first I thought I'd NEVER use the 'granny' first gear but after a day on fire roads....I found myself spending the majority of time in first. Being only a 150cc and not having tons of grunt, you put these things in first or second and they'll climb a tree....and I'm 220 pounds.

Another thing I did was take the baffles out, cut off that metal sleeve that wraps the tube full of holes (California only??) and do some magic on the drill press to enlarge all the holes. This definitely spunkerd it up a bit and still allowed it to pass the "California Coat Hanger Test" by Park Rangers. Also, the change in sound was basically unnoticed.

After a good break-in, I changed to oils to Mobil 1 without any trouble with clutch slippage. They also shift smoother now, neutrals are a snap to find and what little mechanical noise that was there, all but vanished. I know there are varying opinions on oils...so of course, use what you like.

I also drained all 4 forks of the original 'water' after break-in and put in some good ol' Bel Ray 10W. I put in spacers on both forks for a little extra spring rate. 1" on hers. 2" on mine. Wow! What a difference between the good oil and spacers! BTW 1/2" Sched 40 pvc pipe is great for this.

One upgrade I wouldn't suggest..... I originally installed the little red foam, Uni double sock filters. Gets dusty here in the summer. Here's the problem I ran across. Let's say your going up a long steep hill and load the bike up (like my friend did on my wife's bike)....and you stall it on the side of the steep hill, (like he did) and gas dribbles back into the filter and when you go to kick start it on the hill (like he did) and it pops back....."POOF!"....that filter...and with seconds...the entire top end of the bike are fully engulfed in flames. Wrapping around the fuel tank and everything. I ran down the hill and slapped it off the bike onto the ground.
End result? The bike was just fine! Those Hensim plastics are incredibly hard to start ablaze.....my hand wasn't so lucky but hey....I heal.
We brought the bikes home and after cleaning all that sticky, gooey Uni rubber off of everything it dripped on, I reinstalled the stock filter box. Both my neighbor and I compared the two bikes with two different filters and we noticed basically zero power difference between the two. Needless to say, both bikes have the stock filters on them now.

One more thing, not only did the plastics seem amazingly hard to start on fire or burn but they come off in seconds. After we get back from getting them muddy, I take the plastics off both and wash them like dishes in my garage sink. Piece-o-cake to clean. Oh....and the hand guards I almost took off when I first saw them?....even when she dumped hers hill climbing, they did their job amazingly well.

Needless to say, I haven't regretted a second of these little guys, so far. I just sold mine to get the larger GY that just got signed off for sale in California (dirt only) but if it wouldn't have popped up, I'd still be quite content on my Hensim.

Hope this answers a few questions.....

[katoranger]

Where are the pics? We like pics.

Thanks for the review. I have a hensim built baja. It has been extremely tough.

[TurboT]

Great write up. Scary scenario with the Uni. I'm curious what is in the stock airbox, and if you don't think that would have happened with the crappy foam they put in their as stock?? Or was it a wire mesh, K&N style?

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by TurboT

Great write up. Scary scenario with the Uni. I'm curious what is in the stock airbox, and if you don't think that would have happened with the crappy foam they put in their as stock?? Or was it a wire mesh, K&N style?

Thanks for asking Turbo. The biggest difference isn't the foam.....it's the 7 or 8 inch tube that runs between the carb and enclosed air box with the foam filter. The Uni hose clamped right on the back of the carb intake. Fuel got right to it.

Again....I've had tons of bikes and it may have been a 'happen-stance' situation....but it was my last one. That's for sure. Boy that stuff get sticky and messy. Dang hot too. 8O

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

Good day, all. New guy here. Per Spuds request, he'd asked me to give some input on our pair of Hensim's so here goes.....and this time after 15 minutes of typing, I won't accidently brush the 'escape' key. :evil:…

Thank you, LZ, for posting this excellent review of the Hensim 150DB! Incidentally, I have had the same thing happen to me with the “escape key.” :evil: Now, I type my long posts in my word processor, then I copy the text into the forum’s “message box;" trust me, this technique makes life much less frustrating!

P.S. I agree with Allen; we would love to see some photos!

Spud

[2LZ]

Thanks all and I'd love to post some pics of "2LZ Stable" but I guess I have to go to Photo bucket according to another thread? Heck....never done that before. My life hasn't been exciting enough to show off!
Guess I'm going to have to nose around.........

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

Thanks all and I'd love to post some pics of "2LZ Stable" but I guess I have to go to Photo bucket according to another thread? Heck....never done that before. My life hasn't been exciting enough to show off!
Guess I'm going to have to nose around.........

Here is a link to a thread describing how to post photos, LZ.

http://www.chinariders.net/modules.p...ewtopic&t=6240

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Photobucket is a decent way to host photos; lotsa space too. Give it a try. Spud's right, we really do love photos.

Thanks for the reviews and the Uni lesson. 8O I'm guessing that your stock airbox also has a screen in it to prevent backfire trouble, just like you described. My complaint with the stock airboxes in Chinese stuff isn't a lack of power, but poor filtration. You might be able to use bulk Uni filter material in your stock airbox, along with a quality oil, like Maxima.

Thanks also for the PVC tip. 8)

[FastDoc]

Great review and thank you.

Spud, what about a "Owner Review" forum or stickie? We have received some excellet ones.

Another consideration on eliminating the stock airbox is dirt water and mud contamination/infiltration. I always run a stock filter/airbox on my bikes.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Great review and thank you.

Spud, what about a "Owner Review" forum or stickie? We have received some excellet ones.

Another consideration on eliminating the stock airbox is dirt water and mud contamination/infiltration. I always run a stock filter/airbox on my bikes.

Well, we have added a Review Forum, Doc; I guess we, as moderators, have been remiss in promoting it. :oops: Therefore, I will attempt to remedy the error, and give LZ's excellent review more exposure, by moving this thread into our Review Forum!

Spud

[FastDoc]

Shows what I know. Tunnel vision?

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Shows what I know. Tunnel vision?

Don't feel bad, Doc; the Review Forum is fairly new.

Spud

[panterra_rider]

you might be interested in this thread :wink:

http://www.chinariders.net/modules.p...viewtopic&t=59

Still bits of snow here. But still last weekend, I unchained my wife's bike after sitting for 5 months, opened the fuel petcock, set the choke, twisted the throttle coupla times and it fired up first kick. It was about +5 Celsius outside. Drove it up and down our acreage driveway...no probs. Solid machines.

Both our 150s will need spring preventative maintenance and a good cleaning but my Hensims are 2006s - just to give you an indication of their durability. Teenage boys, wife, friends, myself have ripped around on these bikes - on- and off-trail. It's now very apparent, 4 years later, that these things are the real deal...I stole them from the dealer, looking at what I paid, and what I've gotten out of them...and I would not hesitate to buy another in a second.

Incidentally, their small size is an advantage where I ride - I frequently dive into forested areas off trail and can navigate pretty easily between trees. Gawd, can't wait for a bit warmer weather!

I actually haven't modded anything except the exhausts, a bit. I'm trying to think of anything that I've had to fix - just leaky fuel petcock, rattling exhaust, and rear flat (hardly the bikes fault :P). I guess the clutch is slipping a bit on my bike - not enough that I even care to deal with it yet tho.

Safe rides,
Rian

[SpudRider]

Thank you for adding your feedback, Pantera. The Hensim 150DB sounds like a great little dirt bike!

Spud

[katoranger]

My 90 has been abused and keeps going too. The hensim product does seem to have a honda xr toughness to it.

Allen