Which Dual Sport to purchase

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by crixster

The end location for the bike will be in the Bahamas. So the 10% will be sandy areas or limestone roads. Street bikes wont do, some of the paved streets sometimes suffer from potholes where in my experience dual sports are that much better.

I appreciate all the input guys. Still leaning toward either the Hawk X due the large support base of resources or base templar. Still undecided guys!

The sandy roads take priority because sand is the worst conditions and you don't want to be washing out (front tire going sideways) or spinning out on corners with the wrong tire just because it wasn't the best road tire!!

The best for sand are desert oriented knobbies or aggrssive dual sport tires. If you get ANY knobby tire on the bike originally, at least you won't have to switch tire to survive on sand.

A dual purpose (lower seat height) with knobbies is probably a couple of criteria to start with. Hawk is one of them.

If you don't mind working on lowering the bike, the Templar M and X are great bikes. No one has found the right lowering link for the Templar, so the only way to lower it until we have a link is to drill a new hole in the lower shock mount position of the rear shock mount.

https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=31860

Here is the info on the link. Anyone??? I am thinking this has same dimensions as ~2000-2008 CRF250. I haven't had time to look into it.

https://www.chinariders.net/showpost...9&postcount=57
https://www.chinariders.net/showpost...0&postcount=58

I lowered mine using the new lower mount position (5/8" gave me 2", and no need to cut the kickstand), so finding a compatible lowering link is on the back burner for me.

[crixster]

Originally Posted by Sport Rider

don't over think it. you won't go wrong either way.

Thanks for your advice and all the others who took their time to post their comments. I do think I was overthinking it from a support perspective. I'm going with the counter balanced Hawk X. Appreciate all the input here guys. Going to order the bike tomorrow and should be chiming in soon! Wish me luck!

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by crixster

Thanks for your advice and all the others who took their time to post their comments. I do think I was overthinking it from a support perspective. I'm going with the counter balanced Hawk X. Appreciate all the input here guys. Going to order the bike tomorrow and should be chiming in soon! Wish me luck!

I am sure the Hawk X will work out great for you. From what I have seen, they have made several small changes/upgrades to them, including the sprockets they come with. Unless the information I got was wrong, it looks like they come with a 17 front and 45 or 46 rear sprocket. I still wouldn't trust the chain it comes with, and I have no doubt the carb is still jetted pretty lean, but I suspect it has slightly better jetting than the standard Hawk since it also comes with all of the other emissions equipment.

Just make sure to stay on top of the maintenance, and I would still go over the bike during assembly and follow as much of the first post in my resource guide as possible. "Better" is still a subjective measure lol.

[crixster]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I am sure the Hawk X will work out great for you. From what I have seen, they have made several small changes/upgrades to them, including the sprockets they come with. Unless the information I got was wrong, it looks like they come with a 17 front and 45 or 46 rear sprocket. I still wouldn't trust the chain it comes with, and I have no doubt the carb is still jetted pretty lean, but I suspect it has slightly better jetting than the standard Hawk since it also comes with all of the other emissions equipment.

Just make sure to stay on top of the maintenance, and I would still go over the bike during assembly and follow as much of the first post in my resource guide as possible. "Better" is still a subjective measure lol.

Thanks Dan! I sure will review the post in the forum, was a big part of my decision to purchase the Hawk X. Ordered from TxPowersports today.... fingers crossed!

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by crixster

Thanks Dan! I sure will review the post in the forum, was a big part of my decision to purchase the Hawk X. Ordered from TxPowersports today.... fingers crossed!

Now for the best part of ordering a Hawk. Waiting for it to arrive.

[DasEnduro]

For me I just don’t like the cheaper look of the hawk 250. I’d choose the Templar X as I already have it and it’s awesome. That being said valve clearance checks suck on the Templar and look extremely easy on the hawks.

[Bill Hilly]

Originally Posted by DasEnduro

For me I just don’t like the cheaper look of the hawk 250. I’d choose the Templar X as I already have it and it’s awesome. That being said valve clearance checks suck on the Templar and look extremely easy on the hawks.

I know that the Hawk, and most of it's close cousins share the spilt level seat, which no one really seems to like, but there is a version of the Hawk out that is a nearly identical bike, and from what I had seen in the Facebook groups, it's less expensive. It's the XPro RXE , but in my opinion it looks better because of the simple fact that it's lower forks, and passenger grab handles are black. I think they have some with the counter balanced motor, and are basically a HawkX, except with different decals. From what I seen about a month or so ago in Facebook they were around $200 ,or $250 cheaper than the equivalent Hawk. If there is no difference in the chances of getting one titled, then I would choose one over a new Hawk.

[maxbottomtime]

Howdy! Question on the Templar X - is it street legal? I have seen some posts suggesting you can get a motorcycle title sent (rather than off road motorcycle). Not CA/NJ (OH is state I'd be looking at).