Ky.Donk's Green Vbike V4SW Review

[KentuckyDonkey]

O-K quad fans, I've had my V4SW for a few weeks now, and have ridden it almost every day- so I think it's time for an initial review. [Will be updated over time, to report on durability].

This is the 250cc liquid-cooled sport model from Vbike- http://www.vbike.us/index.php?page=s...s=&pz=&scid=73

The bike made the trip from OK. to KY. via UPS Freight without incident and on-time. (Ordered it on a Thurs and it arrived on Tuesday!)

Although I was told that it did come with assembly instructions when I asked before purchasing it, when it arrived with no instructions, I was told "they don't come with instructions". No biggie- I just hate being confronted with a pile of nuts and bolts and having to figger[sic] out where everything goes...but it was pretty straight-forward with this bike.

Here's the bike partially unpacked:


Overall, I am really impressed with the quality of this bike for $1275!

The good:
The engine and tranny seem solid.

The bike rides GREAT! I'm 6'/215 lbs. and the bike is comfortable for me, and I can blast through my pasture and it rides like a Cadillac- not harsh and bumpy at all.

It starts right up on the first tap of the starter button.

Everything works as it should. The rear brakes were non-functional when I got it- but Vbike sent me a new rear brake system, and now I have fine rear brakes.

The bike is quite fast for a 250. I can't tell you the exact speed in MPH- but it goes faster than I need to go!

It is very stable, and has one of the widest stances of all the Vbike models, and of most Chinese imports, period!

The green color is much nicer in person than the photo on their website!

It has an electronic LED gear indicator, which is really nice, as you always know at a glance wehat gear you are in:


The Bad:

There is no way to attach a sturdy trailer hitch to it! (Granted, this is a sport model- not really designed for towing things- but it has the power to, and the website does show a trailer ball mounting plate.) In actuality, the hole in the plate is about an inch and a quarter- too big for a regular ball- and even if the ball would fit, the axle housing cover would be in the way. My neighbor made me a handy-dandy ball mount for it...but it turns out that the hitch plate on the V4SW is too weak to really use it with anything other than a very little garden cart. The plate bends very easily; and there is nothing else of any strength back there to brace onto. If you want to pull trailers...this is not the machine to do it with!

Home-made trailer hitch:


The brakes: With drums in the front and a disc in the rear, the brakes are...adequate. They stop you. Definitely not performance braking here- but good enough for me. I rarelyu use the brakes. And there is a little pin that you can use to hold the front brake lever in the "on" position, to use as a parking brake. Not up to Jap bike standards here...but no complaints for the price I paid!



No grease zerks anywhere on the suspension. I would have really liked to have seen them on the tie-rods, frame bushings and especially on the front spindle ball studs! But again, for $1275, not a big issue. It'll last for qwuite a few years with reasonable use and care....but definitely not for going swimming! This would be something that would be a major issue if I were buying a bike for more money- like $1700-$2000.


Fenders: O-K, I know I really should have gotten a utility model- but even for a sport model, the fenders are pretty ineffective on this! If you ride on a wet day (and I'm not talking about riding in slop) or hit some cow pies, the crud just goes flying! (mostly on YOU!).

Overall:

Basically, I LOVE this bike! It might not be a Jap bike...but for the amazing price of $1275 it is a fast, comfortable and so-far, reliable bike!

It has really helped me to increase my productivity around my little 27 acre farm. The only thing I can't do with it, is pull a substantial trailer.

It even gets good traction, with it's solid rear axle, it's like having posi-traction!





I am very happy with it's usability, and with the low price I paid. I'd imagine after dealer prep and taxes, one would have to pay around $4500 for a similar Japanese bike. Maybe if you're a rough rider and give a bike a lot of abuse, that would be the way to go (and thosxe bikes are by no means bulletproof or perfect) but for the average user with a fair ammount of mechanical ability, I feel that thios bike is a STEAL for the money- and would be great for kids or adults...all except perhaps for abusive teens! (and it even looks like it might take some abuse....but i wouldn't expect too much considering the price).

I wired a plastic box to the rear rack, and hung a bucket off the rear for carrying stuff:


IMPORTANT

One thing I have to caution about Vbike, is that just because one of their moldels is good...doesn't mean they all are! They seem to put their name on a plethora of bikes made by different manufacturers. This V4SW, judging from my own experience, and from reports from others, seems to be a solid bike. The V4S also seems to be very good.

The V4SW is manufactured by Zhejiang Mengdela Electric Co. Some of their other models are made ny otjher manufacturers, and from what I've heard, are not of the same quality- so do your research before you buy! See what others say...and if you are trying to find out if a particular model has a feature that you want, make sure you can see that feature in the photos on their site, or request that they send you appropriate pics. Do not take their word for something without seeing it, because they seem to guild the lilly a little sometimes, and do not always tell things the way they are.

As for customer service: Vbike has been better than most of the other internet dealers of Chinese imports. They always answer the phone, and really do help you.

The drivetrain on these bikes are warranted for 1 year, and other parts for 90 days I believe. You have to send defective parts back at your own expense, before they will send a new one. And in the case of my rear brakes, they sent me back my original part, which they tried unsuscessfully to repair- and i had to send it back again, before they finallyu sent a brand new part that worked.

Again...for a nice bike for $1275 vs. a name-brand bike for $4500...it is easy to put up with a little inconvenience.

Persoanlly, I cvan not justify spending $4500 on an ATV- even though it used both as a tool and a toy for me- and I am really excited to have found this bike, and it is both fun and functional, and I feel that I have gotten a real bargain!

...oh, and so far, no nothing has fallen off. No bolts have fallen off...no parts disappeared. A little care when assembling these, goes a long way. (I think a lot of the complaints about Chinese bikes are due to poor assembly by the purchaser- something which the dealers/manufacturers have no control over.)

A Few Things To Do If You Buy This Bike:

Install an in-line fuel filter. It does not come with one (No wonder so many people end up having carbh trouble!)

You may also want to remove the steering column and grind off the steering stops- as the bike does not turn very sharply at all. (Haven't done it to mine yet...but I may soon, as it will not manuever in tight quarters as it comes from the factory!)

Check tire pressure! My tires were rock solid out of the crate- they had to have a lot of air let out of them.

My bike has not required a lot of tinkering thus far- other than a quick carb adjustment (it ran fine out of the crate- just wanted to make it purrrrfect!)

[SpudRider]

Thank you, KD, for the thorough report and great photos.

Spud

[katoranger]

That is a great initial review. Keep is posted. Not really sure what could be done with the trailer hitch, but I think you may find that you really don't want to pull a large trailer around with it. Remember that the the clutch and brakes may not be up to the task.

Allen

[KentuckyDonkey]

Thanks for the comments, guys!

Originally Posted by katoranger

I think you may find that you really don't want to pull a large trailer around with it. Remember that the the clutch and brakes may not be up to the task.

Allen

Yeah, I wouldn't really try and pull anything heavey- just really wanted to get maybe a 4x8 utility trailer to use with this bike, for when I do fencing and stuff. But even that's out of the question.

Most of Vbike's utility models don't seem to be any better in that regard- most don't even have a provision for a hitch- and I hear one of the new models does have a good hitch plate....but is not up to par in other areas.

Kinda sucks- it's the only drawback to these things!!

[AZ200cc]

Nice review, Good pics of the Quad . Have You gotten a chance to open her up and see what she can really do :twisted: ?

[KentuckyDonkey]

Hehe...yep, AZ! Almost every time I ride her, when I'm presented with the opportunity of a nice straightaway, I get her into 4th gear and open her up. Of course, I have no way to actually clock the speed in MPH- but I can tell you...it boogies!

Maybe I'll get ambitious soon and measure off a fixed distance, and see how long it takes to travel it.....and can then make a reasonable estimate of the speed.

Funny thing is, with only 4 gears, I had imagined I'd be looking for a 5th....but that's not the case! It's geared kinda high....so if anything, it could use that 5th gear below 1st. (If it were a problem- say for someone who operates on steep terrain, one could install a smaller front sprocket).

It'll run circles around my neighbor's 500cc Polaris! (O-K, it's an old, 4x4 Polaris....)- but it isn't as fast as the '05 Bombardier 500 Tracster I rode last week....which I never got past 3rd gear!(on the street, no less!)

[warrior91]

I have seen a clamp around the bearing carrier itself on sport models(round tube style) and braced it further to the mounting holes for the wimpy stock "protector :roll: ".

For my sport bike,I built a new swingarm protector from scratch and added a Towing lug directly to it... :wink:

[smoothie911]

I would like to see a pic of that warrior

[KentuckyDonkey]

Originally Posted by warrior91

I have seen a clamp around the bearing carrier itself on sport models(round tube style) and braced it further to the mounting holes for the wimpy stock "protector :roll: ".

For my sport bike,I built a new swingarm protector from scratch and added a Towing lug directly to it... :wink:

Originally Posted by smoothie911

I would like to see a pic of that warrior

I've seen that, too- someone hadf a muffler clamp around the bearing carrier, with a L-shaped piece of metal coming out over the bikes trailer hitch. Such an arrangement might beef up the hitch a little....but one would still have to be very careful, as there is not much holding that bearing carrier/rear axle to the swingarm, and I could just see all kinds of havoc breaking loose if one were to put too much stress on that carrier/axle and skew it. (Like the chain popping off from being out of alignment, and never being able to align it properly again....)

[KentuckyDonkey]

UPDATE: Even though I sold my V4SW (wanted something with better fenders and a good hitch), I did ride it for a good month (and I mean every day!- not just once in a while)- and now after having just purchased two other Vbike models, I think I'll give my final sentiments on the V4SW:

The V4SW seems to be of OUTSTANDING quality. While having it, I never wanted for a Jap bike! (Whereas my current two models make me wonder).

The quality and performance of the V4SW is AMAZING! It is very fast and reliable- in the month I had it, in daily farm use, hauling 215 lb. me around, there was not one issue, nor was there one reservation I had about having purchased it.

IMHO, this is THE highest quality Chinese bike out there, and you will be hard-pressed to find another that can match it.

I heartily recommend this bike! For $1300 it is amazing! It does not fall apart and if you're worried about what your friends and neighbors think (I am not!), all of mine were thoroughly impressed withj it and envious- a few are going to be ordering their own!