|
07-01-2016, 06:25 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Heartland of America.
Posts: 25
|
Compare Hawk to other 250cc enduro bikes?
I see a lot made of the inability of the Hawk maintain extended highway driving. I also see a lot about people taking long highway trips on other 250cc enduro bikes, like the KLR250, WR250, and CRF250.
Are those other bikes in a different league than the Hawk? Is it just a matter of a gearing change? Are all 250cc bikes going to be wound out the max and uncomfortable at 60 mph? I'm a total motorcycle noob trying to figure out what to get for a first bike. I'm not a big guy, 5'9" 150lbs. My plan involves a lot of highway time mixed with back roads for this bike. Thanks! |
|
07-01-2016, 06:57 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Gurnee, Illinois
Posts: 277
|
My hawk will do 65, but its not comfortable for more than 20 minutes or so. The other 250 bikes you mentioned will go faster. They have much more power, somewhere in the 28-30hp range vs the 15hp of the hawk.
Comes with the price tag |
|
07-01-2016, 09:02 PM | #3 | |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: George West, Texas
Posts: 4,097
|
Quote:
__________________
***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
|
|
|
07-01-2016, 10:55 PM | #4 | |
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Heartland of America.
Posts: 25
|
Quote:
http://www.cycletrader.com/dealers/G...50GS-117589781 2005 BMW F650GS. I'm seeing a few around that price. I also see lots of KLR650s around $2000, about the same as a Hawk. I'm not seeing many 250cc bikes in that price range though, and I'm afraid a 650 might be too big for me. |
|
|
07-03-2016, 06:06 AM | #5 | |
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 770
|
Quote:
go to youtube, look at the various bike videos, and specially Motocheez's Hawk vids and CSC's TT250 vids.
__________________
Seer's First LAW-"FLY THE PLANE!", fail that, and nothing else matters. 12th Law- Consider what marvels you might do if only you had tomorrow to live over again. Third Law-When someone tells you some thing "Can't Be Done", what they're really saying is They can't do it!!14th Law-Just because something "IS", doesn't necessarily mean it SHOULD be.. Eighth Law-The only true personal security is anonymity.Ninth Law-Humans tend to learn very little when speaking.10th Law-Some lives ARE worth taking |
|
|
07-04-2016, 01:53 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ChCh , NZ
Posts: 2,265
|
Quote:
I'm 5' 7" 80kgs and think nothing of tossing a 170kg "400lb" Yamaha XT660R around the trails... ..
__________________
09 XT660R ... 06 TTR250 ... 80 Montesa H6 125 Enduro... 77 Montesa Cota 348 MRR "Malcom Rathnell Replica"... Current resto projects.. 81 Honda CT110... 80 Kawasaki KL250A1... 11 Husaburg TE125 enduro... "sold" along with another 31... Lifan 125 Pitbike.. "stolen" ... KIWI BIKER FORUM...... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/content.php All the best offroad rides in NZ... http://www.remotemoto.com/ E-mail... xtpete1@gmail.com |
|
|
07-04-2016, 06:57 AM | #7 | |
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 770
|
Quote:
Several years ago, He was surprise attacked by a huge 300 lb'r black felon (wanted for homicide at the time) in Vegas. Bro hit him so hard, one shot, gave him a concussion, fellow went straight to emergency room, nearly died. I tell you this cause even my Bro (who is an excellent lifetime offroad rider) has trouble in the gnarlies muscle-fooking a KLR around. If it falls down hill instead of up, takes three men and a small boy to lift one. There's a vid on youtube of a trails competent aussie I think going singletracking on a KLR. when it falls downhill , he can't do a thing untill he finds 2 other guys to help get it back on the track. and don't tell me you never fall. People that don't fall off road, don't ride anywhere worth riding. Even at my size, and I routinely hand-muscle 300-900 lb round bales of hay around the ranch, I am much more careful and deliberate when offroading my KLR's, especially if riding alone.
__________________
Seer's First LAW-"FLY THE PLANE!", fail that, and nothing else matters. 12th Law- Consider what marvels you might do if only you had tomorrow to live over again. Third Law-When someone tells you some thing "Can't Be Done", what they're really saying is They can't do it!!14th Law-Just because something "IS", doesn't necessarily mean it SHOULD be.. Eighth Law-The only true personal security is anonymity.Ninth Law-Humans tend to learn very little when speaking.10th Law-Some lives ARE worth taking |
|
|
07-02-2016, 08:48 AM | #9 |
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Blue Ridge Mtns Ga
Posts: 437
|
The bottom line is the Hawk is 70's technology and it's performance reflects that. There is an upside to this "old school" bike. It's super easy and inexpensive to maintain. It's fun to ride also, not because its fast and powerful, rather it harkens back to the day's of my youth riding bikes like the Honda Sport 50 and 90.
I have both a Hawk and a Honda CRF250L. The only similarity between the tow is the 250 designation. The Honda is smooth, comfortable, faster(78mph) with 21 HP and 6 speeds. The Hawk is none of these yet it is my daily ride.
__________________
Mark 2015 Haosen Hawk 250 2014 CRF250L 2014 CB500X Rally Raid |
|
07-02-2016, 10:20 AM | #10 |
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Volcano, Ca
Posts: 7,112
|
What the Hawk doesn't have regarding blistering performance, it more than makes up for in rugged durability of the CG motor. They're made to run a very long time on very poor maintenance. It's why they're so successful around the globe.
If you're going to be doing a ton of open highway, I'd not go for any small displacement enduro/dually. If you're not into the RX3, get something larger and used.
__________________
"Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 |
|
07-02-2016, 11:25 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: East Central Hellinois
Posts: 1,344
|
ditto 2LZ
__________________
************************************************** *** " Time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted." - John Lennon “I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” ― Thomas Jefferson "If you don't know where you're going any road will take you there" ....George Harrison song |
|
07-02-2016, 05:32 PM | #12 |
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ChCh , NZ
Posts: 2,265
|
For a lot of highway use you need a 6 speed gear box on a 250...
thats prob the hawks biggest let down as a true dual sport.. low HP & 5 speeds it always going to be struggling.. the avarage jap 250 with 6 cogs will sit on 100kmph at around 6000 to 6500 revs.. I have read here the hawk sits at 7500 revs.. where the Hawk is near red line the jappers still have revs/power left.. That takes it's toll on the motor in the long run.... I think the hawk would be a very good town / secondry / back road bike / trail bike.... where lower speeds are the norm... my old XR250 sat at 6200 @100kmph My TTR250 sits at 6300 @ 100kmph ..
__________________
09 XT660R ... 06 TTR250 ... 80 Montesa H6 125 Enduro... 77 Montesa Cota 348 MRR "Malcom Rathnell Replica"... Current resto projects.. 81 Honda CT110... 80 Kawasaki KL250A1... 11 Husaburg TE125 enduro... "sold" along with another 31... Lifan 125 Pitbike.. "stolen" ... KIWI BIKER FORUM...... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/content.php All the best offroad rides in NZ... http://www.remotemoto.com/ E-mail... xtpete1@gmail.com |
|
07-02-2016, 11:13 PM | #13 |
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 454
|
My Xf 250 claims to have a whopping 19 hp and I find it pretty comfortable cruising at 65 and I will even push it to 70 for extended ranges so long as there is little to no wind. In a good 25mph desert headwind I struggle to see 60.
__________________
2013 SSR XF-250 |
|
07-04-2016, 08:21 AM | #14 | ||
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 380
|
Quote:
Quote:
All I can add is that for a new rider, I wouldn't really recommend either riding highway or riding 2 up, both present challenges not really suited for a new rider IMHO. |
||
|
07-04-2016, 08:45 AM | #15 | |
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Heartland of America.
Posts: 25
|
Quote:
After reading lots posts on here, I decided that probably ant the best plan. I should probably start on a smaller bike and stick to the dirt around here until I get my experience. I haven't had a bike in 30 years. As a kid I rode all the time, I had trail bikes starting at about 9, and got an XR75 that I rode everywhere as a teen. My dad rode too. I've got some funny stories about that XR, like I used to do my paper route on it. When I was about 14 I started taking it on trips out of town. I would load up and head out on a mix of back roads and highway and visit paces. Went about 60 miles 1 time, and ended up with a breakdown. My parents were not happy. So yeah, that's where I'm at now. Thanks guys for all the help and knowledge on here! |
|
|
|
|
|
|