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#1 |
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 32
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Hi y’all, so I just bought my hawk 250 yesterday off Amazon and I live in Florida. Just wanted to drop in and say hi and kinda tell y’all my ideas for the bike and see if you guys have any improvements on what I have to say. So my first mod will probably be to put a nibbi 28fl on it and try either a 110 or 115 main jet on it( going off the carb calculator….I have no idea what I’m doing). Then I’m planning on a jfg exhaust and eventually want to get a 295 mm rear shock and raise the forks about a quarter of an inch. I’m also planning on getting an aftermarket head, thinner head gasket, and a 300 big block which I hear only makes it a true 250 somehow? Possibly looking at eventually switching the wheels and tires out with the smaller tbr7 ones… I just want a bike that I won’t die on riding on the highway, this is also going to be my girlfriends main mode of transportation so a drop in height would be appreciated too lol. Oooh also looking to get a 17/42 sprocket combo but I’m wondering if it could get better top speeds with another gearing. I’m 5’8” and my girl is 5’4-5’5 I weigh about a buck 40 and she’s right around 100. It’s nice to be a part of the community and I’m hoping y’all can help shed a little light. Thanks for taking the time to reach the end and I’ll be looking forward to hearing y’all’s responses.
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#2 |
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,343
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It's not really a highway bike for starters...especially 2up.
All those mods a doable...But you will unlikely ever come close to 20hp. 17/42 will be ok for flat roads. if you want to do highway miles with a GF on the back...get a different bike. 400cc or more. If you both want to learn to ride back roads then get 2 bikes. |
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#3 | |
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 32
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#4 |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Posts: 988
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The 17/42 sprockets will quite possibly be too high for you, and your girlfriend. The Hawk has a big enough rear tire that you may be better to run a 46-47, and a 17. The exhaust, and proper jetting of your carb ,along with a better chain, Honda rear sprocket studs, and what ever sprockets you decide on , are probably the only mods that you may want to do to a new bike. If you are determined to go with a big bore, the you should also port the head, and then the PE28 may be a little smaller than desired. I would at least run the bike some with the common simple mods, before going the whole 9 yards with it.
You can get killed on any bike, and a light bike is especially affected by wind, and passing trucks. You stated that you may go with smaller wheels, or eventually buy a TBR7, but like the other guy said, these are not ideal highway bikes. One of the cheapest, and usually low mileage small cruisers is the Suzuki Savage/S40, LS650, and a pretty good one is going to cost you about what a new TBR7 would cost. They are easy for anyone to handle, because they are low, and they have plenty of torque, and a very wide ratio transmission to optimize the torque, There are other options out there as well. Last edited by Bill Hilly; 04-16-2023 at 02:00 PM. |
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#5 | |
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 8,100
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I weigh as much as the two of you together. My 2 cents, don't go lower than a 45 rear sprocket. It's the perfect sprocket combo for this bike, the power it makes, and the speeds it is capable of. With the exhaust upgrade and a 17/45 sprocket combo you will be lookin at top speeds of about 65-68mph, and a bike that will happily cruise along at 50-60mph all day long. That is the realistic best these bikes can do. Just my 2 cents.
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Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124 |
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#6 |
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,343
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Yes the bikes can go on highways...but I would not recommend it.
Even if you spend the full $2600 modifying the bike to make better at a job it was not designed to do...The novelty will ware off on the highway. I think the money could be better spent on another bike/vehicle platform with highway performance out of the box and probably safer for your girlfriend. |
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#7 | |
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 32
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#8 | |
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 32
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#9 |
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 8,100
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When I got my first Hawk I rode it mostly stock with only 17/45 sprockets and a vm26 carb with proper jetting for the bike and it could propel my 6ft4 self along up to 63mph at full throttle after break in was complete.
I then installed an exhaust and did the airbox lid mod, adjusted my.jetting, and the bike could reach up to 68mph. The stock exhaust is choked off by a rather crappy catalyst and is the.biggest single restriction on the carbed Hawk.
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Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124 |
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#10 | |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Posts: 988
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#11 |
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 101
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I love my carbed 250, I weigh 300lbs and got it to 65 on a flat road BEFORE doing the sprockets and chain. Just a carb, air filter and exhaust put it there. Haven't tested top speed now that I have 17/45, 428 and an oil cooler, but I imagine it'll be higher lol
All that being said, ffor what you want and what you have, you'd be better off getting a different bike. Hawk is great for offroad/trails, getting around town, not great for the highway, especially for longer rides. At the very least if you insist on the hawk carbed go ahead and pick up an oil cooler if you plan on redlining her to do highway speeds. |
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#12 | |
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 8,100
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All of my speeds are via a GPS reading for that very reason. Most people find the stock speedo to be 8 - 10% off at 60+mph
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Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124 |
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#13 | |
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 32
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#14 | |
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 32
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#15 | |
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 8,100
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Let's say the standard sprockets are a 17 front and 50 rear. This gives us a numeric gear ratio of 2.94:1, or 2.94 turns of the front sprocket to 1 turn of the rear. A "tall" or "high" gear is one that is numerically smaller. So if we wanted to gear it higher we would install a 45 tooth rear, which gives us a ratio of 2.65:1 Essentially, it's a higher/taller gear because you get a higher output rpm since gear ratios divide rpm to multiply torque (vice versa if over driven.)
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Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124 |
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Tags |
big bore, hawk, hawk 250, nibbi, rear shock |
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