06-28-2016, 12:04 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Heartland of America.
Posts: 25
|
My visit with a local dealer about the Hawk...
This weekend I took a trip to the city to visit an RPS dealer. The person I spoke with was very friendly and willing to visit at length. I sat on and started a Hawk so I could check the fit and hear how it sounded. I'm 5'9" and could almost sit flat footed.
Everything looked good and sounded good. Dealership was neat and clean with a nice visible mechanics area. Dealer told me they are selling lots of Hawks, 25 this month. He pointed out employees at neighboring businesses that are riding Hawks, and said both him and his mechanic ride one. Said his mechanic commutes 1 hour on the freeway on a stock Hawk. By way of establishing credibility, he told me that he is good friends with the owner of Ricky Power Sports. He told me all Hawks are the same from every US dealer, doesn't matter how they brand it, Cougar etc. He said other big name online dealers are drop shipping them to customers. That they just call RPS and have them send it to customer. He said at his dealership they fully assemble, tune, and test all bikes before they leave. He said you leave with everything you need to ride straight to DMV for plates. He said all black are sold out, that RPS has 800 2015s in the warehouse and no black. He said he has 80 2016s on order, they are on the boat now. First 5 black are already sold, and the new model will be $200 more. Later in the conversation he told me the stock Hawk 250 will go 70mph, and freeway riding is no problem. So what do you all make of all that? |
|
06-28-2016, 12:32 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Heartland of America.
Posts: 25
|
I should add that I'm not trying to start a $!&@storm, I'm just trying to understand. I thought top speed on these bikes was pretty well documented. I don't know why anyone would say that unless they really believed it. What would be the point? If they buy the bike they are going to be very unhappy. When I pushed him on the top speed issue he said the only person he ever heard of not getting those speeds, was someone who was having trans problems and couldn't get the bike into 5th gear.
|
|
06-28-2016, 12:39 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sardis, BC, Canada
Posts: 25,977
|
My guess is that he's talking indicated, not verified speed. That, or he's quite optimistic. Or both.
__________________
Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer |
|
06-28-2016, 04:03 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: George West, Texas
Posts: 4,097
|
It's indicated. No harm no foul, he is just telling what the bike is telling him so it makes for a good sales point. By the way, this place sounds fantastic, I surprised you didn't take one home no mater the color. You got repair support, a lot better than most of us out here in the wilderness!
__________________
***************************************** 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~
|
|
06-28-2016, 05:18 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Heartland of America.
Posts: 25
|
Quote:
He even showed me a bike (not a Hawk) that was in for repair. It was out of warranty but he said they were covering the repair at no charge. He said he wouldn't charge his customers to fix things that shouldn't have happened, as long as it wasn't due to abuse by the customer. He said he actually has not had many Hawks in for repairs, that they've been pretty reliable. He also mentioned that he travels a lot and recently has seen Hawks in airport parking areas in other countries and around cities. |
|
|
06-28-2016, 10:06 PM | #9 | |
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~
|
|
|
06-29-2016, 02:13 AM | #10 | |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sardis, BC, Canada
Posts: 25,977
|
Quote:
Agreed. I sure don't expect him to consider that the speedometer might be wrong. He sounds like a terrific dealer.
__________________
Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer |
|
|
06-29-2016, 03:56 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 770
|
wonder what gearing he's got on his hawks. I personally have a REAL hard time believing 70 on a stock hawk, "indicated " or not.....
__________________
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 |
|
06-29-2016, 10:29 AM | #12 |
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Posts: 648
|
which 250 does 70mph for a longer stretch reliably? sure, a highly geared bike on a flat road without wind etc, but even more powerful 250s feel rickety and vibrate a lot at those speeds or if they have a heavy frame they may feel stable but only get that fast downhill twice a year for 30 seconds.
so i also reckon 70 means "absolute top speed observed from time to time for very brief periods".
__________________
1971 Garelli Gulp 50cc with open ports and 16 mm Bing Carbie + 1980 Honda XL 223 ZS + 2007 Zongshen LZX200G + DR400SM |
|
06-29-2016, 12:02 PM | #13 | |
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 380
|
Quote:
The stock hawk comes with a 15T front sprocket and tops out at around 50 mph. 70 MPH either indicated or actual is huge stretch for this machine in stock form. I have been to Texas, and like New Jersey typical freeway speeds are 70 - 80 plus MPH. I would never consider taking my Hawk on the Freeway, or interstate highway for any length besides perhaps a few miles at off peak hours. JMHO, these bikes are a long ways short for limited access highway, Freeway, or Interstate riding. I believe typical top speed for most Hawk owners is about 62 MPH after a sprocket change and re jetting. One must also realize that top speed is after a considerable distance on flat ground with the motor revving like a mosquito on crack. Great bikes for around town, secondary roads and off road use, not even close to Freeway capable IMO. |
|
|
06-29-2016, 12:29 PM | #14 |
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,914
|
I thought the Hawk 250 would be a little faster than my 200s. They'll do about 62 mph (GPS) on flat ground with no wind while being ridden by a 6'1" 240 lb guy. The extra 30cc must give it more low end torque?
|
|
06-29-2016, 12:36 PM | #15 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sardis, BC, Canada
Posts: 25,977
|
Quote of the week!
__________________
Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer |
|
|
|
|
|