XPRO Storm DLX 250

[Harry Dawg]

Hello y'all.

New member, and new rider here.

Just purchased this bike from Powersports Max during their Black Friday sale. Shipped to my house it came out to $1,490 or something in that range (unassembled).

Didn't have any issues with shipping.. I ordered on a Friday and it arrived the next Thursday.

Assembly was pretty straight forward. I'm experienced with. A wrench, but a novice would have no problems setting it up. Maybe you will need a C-Clamp to compress the caliper, but everything else can be done with a Metric Wrench Set and a Torx set.

Based on all of the reviews of the Zongshen motor and general performance of the bike I had high expectations for a pain free start up.

Unfortunately I discovered the gas tank was cracked when I filled it up for the first time. X-Pro had me file a warranty claim, and is sending me a new one for free. I plastic welded the original tank just so I could start it up.

It's a cold here, and it didn't want to idle the first time I started it. Had to give it throttle for a few minutes before it would stay running.

The idle mixture was way lean, and after adjusting the carb it idles way better. In fact, they left a little sharpie mark indicating where it needed to be. (1/4 turn in). Nice touch lol.

Guessing this was due to EPA standards or something.

Put the first 2 miles on it today, so I figured I'd share my experience.

1) The clutch was initially weird. The friction zone was basically all the way in. In fact, the bike was moving forward at full clutch in 1st gear on level ground. There was no "cut power" zone.
This seemed to go away as I put 2 miles on it and it was fine.

2) I was surprised at the gearing. In 4th gear I had a good amount of engine brake at 35 MPH. Probably not going to be a great grocery getter, but seems like it will be perfect for my main use case which is forest service roads.

Need to put some more seat time in. Hoping to get out and ride Sunday.

My long term plan for this bike is to do some camping off it, or bring it in the truck bed to National Forest and just off road it / hop around to fishing holes. The fuel capacity is going to be a limiting factor, with a range around 70 miles. I'm already looking at a fuel bladder, and my buddy has some Nelson Riggs soft saddle bags he's gonna give me.

I'm hoping I don't have to wrench on this thing too much anytime soon. That why I bought a new (albeit cheap) dual sport.


Alright, well that's about it for now! Looking forward to chatting with y'all and sharing my experiences here.

[Dusman]

Good review. I have the 150cc version and love it. It’s the perfect little micro-dual sport for me. The 180’ish lbs is perfect, as I wanted a lightweight, street legal dual sport to do mostly trail riding on. I have 600 miles on it now with zero issues.

[Harry Dawg]

Thanks Dusman.

The 150 version is what originally turned me onto this brand / model.

Like you I found the ultra light features attractive, especially as a new rider.

I opted for the 250 because of the 5th gear, and slightly larger displacement.

It's easy enough to handle, and will be good on the tight trails here in the Appalachian Mountains. Low speed maneuverability is good, which is going to be a good portion of my riding.

Still having some trouble with the gear box. Clutch is back to "no friction zone" phenomenon. Probably just needs a minor cable adjustment. Neutral is also rather hard to find. Thinking this may be a result of the clutch never fully disengaging.

Or, maybe I am just a novice rider and need to practice the 1 Down 4 up gear box.

I also changed the oil on it today. I have heard mixed reviews about the shipping oil, but what was in it looked like normal oil.

Either way, it's got fresh 10-40 Full Synthetic in it now. 180 miles to next oil change, as recommended by manufacturer.

[Mumen Rider]

Take all the adjustment out at the lever, then adjust it at the clutch pivot until you have 4-6mm of play before engagement there, finally adjust at the lever while turning lock to lock to make sure you still have 2mm of free play before pulling on the lever.

[Harry Dawg]

Thanks for the reply Mumen Rider.

My buddy came by today on his KLR and we went for a little cruise.

I let him ride it at one point, and he adjusted the clutch lever to where it would at least disengage.

I need to reset everything as detailed above, but it already rides 10X better.

It will come to a stop in 1st with the clutch all the way in, and isn't wanting to pull away from me.

I can also shift into neutral now, so that's a huge improvement in rideability.

He also showed me how to use the Kickstarter. I thought I was being weak and couldn't kick it over, but I was actually just ramming the Kickstarter into the foot peg, which wasn't giving me a full stroke.

After pulling the foot peg in, it started easy as can be lol.

Gotta learn some how! I've been enjoying the experience so far. It's a nice change of pace from the 4x4 stuff I usually do ( mainly Jeeps)

On a side note, I work for a company that manufacturers / sells Powersports accessories. Some of the those products are tie downs, and we needed a prop vehicle for a video tutorial we were shooting.

The Storm got to be in the spotlight for the production, which I thought was cool. They made me cover up the X-pro logo (as Amazon will flag any branded content that isn't owned by us)... Otherwise, I would have happily advertised for them.

Overall, having lots of fun with this little bike. Even my Kawasaki buddy that couldn't fathom the thought of a Chinese dual sport being any kind of decent liked it. Mainly due to how light it is compared to his KLR650, but he said it rides good.

He did rag it out a little, hitting 50 MPH which I told him not to do because I am still breaking it in.

I bet him $40 that it wouldn't have a catastrophic failure within the first 10K miles, so I think was trying to sabotage me.

I've got some full metal tang bark busters coming for it, which I got for $25 bucks.

I am sure other riders of this model understand the appeal for a budget beater, so that is kind of the theme I am going for.

More to come soon.

[It's Chinesium]

Congratulations on your purchase! I look forward to hearing how it works out for you. A gentleman has a YouTube video regarding the 250 and previously the 150, of which I look forward to seeing what he does with his as well.

I'm strongly considering the bike, having experienced using their 125cc pit bike models with the 17/14 wheels.

If I take the leap, I plan to test out the 19/16 setup it comes with, but do you think there is capacity to move up to 21/18 without new forks or a new swingarm when at full lock?

Thank you

[Dusman]

It would be possible (I have the DLX150), but the rear wheel would be the problem as it already is prone to rub the rear fender even at 16 inches diameter. That includes tightening the preload sufficiently to attempt to mitigate the softness of the rear shock causing frequent bottoming out on more aggressive terrain.

[Harry Dawg]

Thanks It's Chinesium. Funny username by the way.

I believe you are referring to @Mike Festiva on YouTube. His videos were one of the main reasons I purchased this model. He did a great job of explaining assembly, features and giving an honest review.

I will say, my inital experience was not quite as smooth as his. However, now that I've gotten the kinks worked out (Gas Tank and Clutch Lever), it seems like a pretty decent unit.

Clutch linkage / lever was adjusted as described my Mumen Rider, and now it shifts great. Doesn't hang gears, neutral is easy to find.

Also got the new gas tank from Powersports Max, which I haven't installed yet. I'll swap the tanks before I do any serious riding just for good measure, but the plastic weld seems to be holding up fine.

Since my last post, I also richened the air / fuel mixture at the carb a little, which greatly improved cold starts. The choke lever is finicky though, and doesn't seat all the way in the housing, which will sometimes cause it not to run when warmed up due to incorrect position / binding (until I wiggle it back into the sweet spot). I might try and shim it up or something, but for now I am just jerry rigging it into position.

I also installed some bark busters to protect the levers when I inevitably drop it. Enduro riding has been of great interest to me recently, so I expect this bike to get used. $20 on Amazon was cheap insurance.

Install was fairly straight forward- cut the grips and install the universal mounting hardware. The throttle tube did need to be shaved down a little bit, but nothing a cut off wheel couldn't fix in 1-2 min.

Regarding the wheel size - As mentioned by Dusman the rear tire will be the limiting factor. You may have also seen in Mike's YT videos that the rear has a tendency to bottom out as well. I think a better option may be to get the X-Pro Titan 250. As far as I can tell, it's essentially the same bike with bigger wheels and a different headlight. Both use the Zongshen 223, so I am assuming all the guts are the same.

That's about it for now. I just got my Motorcycle permit, and am getting insurance / tags when the offices open back up from the Holidays. I rode it around my backyard and hit some ruts and roots, and noticed a bit of "chain slap" ? Not very well versed on motorcycle noises / terms, but sounds like I may need to tighten it up a bit. I'll investigate that this weekend.

On a side note, does anyone know how the photo uploader tool works here? I tried to attach some pictures, but keep getting a 404 error code. Thanks for any info.

[ProDigit]

They use the same engine as the Vader 150.
It's easy to transplant a cg250 in the storm 150.

If you want better fuel mileage, and better street performance, I would recommend dropping 3 tooth on the rear sprocket, and swapping out the OEM 14 or 15t front sprocket to a 19t.

The 150 should also need a bigger main jet, and smaller pilot.
I'm at sea level, and my bike came with a 40 pilot and a 95 main.
Over here, once you mod intake and exhaust, it runs much better with a 38 pilot and 115 main.

[It's Chinesium]

Thank you all for your responses to my comment.

That is a bummer a 21/18 conversion is not realistic, however, it at least appears to come set up with a wider wheel set than other 19/16 bikes.

I have looked over every powersportsmax bike many times over the last year and a half, waiting for a medium sized frame with at least 200cc. I'll be doing tight, slow technical trails often, plus lots of rocks, so I really appreciate the light weight and short wheelbase. The titan and Templar (and paladin) all look fantastic, except they are too heavy and big for my intended application and my height/weight.

I am currently using an X Pro x9/x19 model pit bike, with numerous modifications to make it more adult and aggressive trail friendly, but it's maxed out at 17/14 and the 125cc fails me on some long, steep, aggressive climbs. It has been a great time, but looking to upgrade.

If I get this, I'll likely wait until Mike and a few others, like yourself, do some experimenting. Will most likely order a carb that doesn't have a similar choke setup to avoid that, as I saw similar on an Apollo 250. It is very dangerous having the engine randomly cut out on you from it being bumped or wiggled the wrong way while trail riding, plus from my experience, x pro seems to make the carbs hard to work on sometimes, such as a full teardown for cleaning. All of mine came with rivets instead of bolts, lol. Rear suspension likely the other priority upgrade.

I am glad to hear you have yours running, and got your replacement parts with no issues. I did not have any problems with my warranty parts as well, and usually they arrive quickly.

I look forward to following your experience!

[Dusman]

x pro seems to make the carbs hard to work on sometimes, such as a full teardown for cleaning. All of mine came with rivets instead of bolts, lol.

This is definitely true. I did get my DLX150 PZ27 carb apart without destroying it, but it was a pain in the rear. I also sourced some pilot jets on Amazon that work perfectly and gets rid of the 2 piece OEM pilot jet.

[Harry Dawg]

That's a familiar story.

I was originally going to purchase a DLX 150, but the fact that the 250 was virtually the same weight and had a 5th gear was a major selling point. And at only a couple hundred bucks more, it was easy to justify.

I looked at the Titan and Templar, but I am only 5' 6" and 140, so the larger frame and wheel size would have been a little large for my comfort.
The Paladin is also very nice... I love the headlight and fuel injection, but it was a little out of my price range and also more bike than I really need.

Side note, I saw a video titled "Enduro Madness", where they ride Honda 300L's and I was very impressed with the performance. I am wondering how the Paladin stacks up to one of these. They seem very nimble for the size of the bike, but I guess it also depends on the rider.

That being said, Enduro riding has been of recent interest to me. It makes me glad I went with the Storm 250, as it's low enough to be comfortable on technical trails where I can maneuver the bike easier, and catch myself if it starts to tip.

Does anyone know about parts interchange between X-Pro models, or at least the Storm? I would like to get the skid plate off the 150, and possibly the oil cooler.
I wouldn't mind getting a headlight assembly from a Titan 250 either.

As for now, I am trying to get insurance on the bike, but my agent is dragging their feet. Saying "We can't locate the VIN, the underwriter needs a picture of VIN plate" etc.

Gotta get the insurance so I can get the plates... Hoping to get this tomorrow so I can go ride Wednesday!

[Dusman]

Does anyone know about parts interchange between X-Pro models, or at least the Storm? I would like to get the skid plate off the 150, and possibly the oil cooler.
I wouldn't mind getting a headlight assembly from a Titan 250 either.

I’m not sure about the Titan 250 headlight, but I know for a fact the skid plate from the Storm 150 will definitely *not* fit the DLX250. The two frames between the 150 and the 250 are completely different geometries. The 150 is like a pitbike design; the 250 like a classic downtube, twin-spar design. I would look at something like the TT250 skid plate as a possible option to fit on the DLX250. NOTE: I cannot confirm that the TT250 skid plate will fit, but that twin spar downtube geometry on the DLX250 is the same as on the TT250. Here’s the link in case you want to take a look at it: https://cscmotorcycles.com/skid-plate-aluminum-with-hardware-fits-tt250/

[Thumper]

I did this on my 6 speed Templars. Short plates to extend the upper mounting position...It doubles as a way to make more room for all of the wiring, and easier access to the ignition key. The headlight height adjustment still allows fine tuning.

32474

[Harry Dawg]

Update on the bike.

Insurance took forever to get a policy written for me. They finally got back to me a week later and it came out to $180 a year. Sounds good. I get the insurance card printed and head to the tag office.

So the bureaucrats at the Tax Commissioners Office in Georgia refused to register the bike, for the following reasons.

1) MSO must have "Manufactured For Highway Use" printed on it.
2) Vehicle must have NHTSA label affixed by manufacturer
3) The manufacturer must update their parameters on VIN decoder (website omitted)

To add to the mass of complexity, the VIN number and MSO shows ZUMA as the manufacturer, meaning I will need to contact a Chinese company and have them update their parameters with the U.S. NHTSA, if they will even entertain it. The tag office doesn't even recognize that X-Pro has anything to do with this motorcycle.

At this point I am feeling pretty discouraged and slightly ticked off.

It seems as though ZUMA / X-Pro did not do their due diligence before offering this motorcycle for sale in the U.S. market.

Fool me once, can't get fooled again.

We will see IF (and that's a big if) any of the associated parties can get their stuff figured out so I can get this thing registered.

Otherwise, I am stuck with a dirt bike that can only be ridden at ORV parks.

[Dusman]

Ugh….I had heard that Georgia was horrible for some Chinese bike registrations.

[Thumper]

Update on the bike.
...
...
...
It seems as though ZUMA / X-Pro did not do their due diligence before offering this motorcycle for sale in the U.S. market.
...


I am sorry your state is blocking your efforts to register and plate. Some states are well known on this website to be problematic. Massachussetts, New Jersey come to mind, but there are others. CA is only concerned with EPA issues, and recognize the distributors and allow many Chinese bikes on the road.

XPro does acknowledge this, and we do have a section dedicated to this issue:
https://www.chinariders.net/forumdisplay.php?f=116

Here is one of the threads started regarding GA:
https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=29684&highlight=Georgia

This is what is stated on the Paladin page on the XPro website:
"There are some good chance for this dirt bike to be registered for on road use in many states, please check with your local DMV for details, we do not make any gurantee on this."

The Storm DLX 250 page on the XPro website clearly states "Off road use only."

Again, I am sorry to hear about your problems with your motor vehicle folks, but it is not exactly fair to blame XPro. They sell lots of pit bikes too. The assumption is that not all states will let you ride these bikes on the road. Insurance is actually pretty easy to get if you just choose liability only. Mine costs less than $40 per year. Try Geico.

[Mumen Rider]

Otherwise, I am stuck with a dirt bike that can only be ridden at ORV parks.


You can register it in Montana or South Dakota under a business. Dirt Legal and 1dollarmontana both offer that service if you don't want to do the paper work yourself. You don't pay sales tax in Montana and the plate is permanent. I've seen two stroke Yamaha Raptors on the street here in Florida with Montana tags.

[It's Chinesium]

That's an absolute shame you are having issues with registering/licensing it. I have had good experiences working with the merchant regarding the paperwork in the past (powersportsmax). Best of luck.

OP, great job on your YouTube video, by the way. Thank you for providing additional content regarding the DLX 250. I look forward to your next (subscribed)!

[slithica]

Don't call insurance companies, do it online only. You would be better off getting it titled in another state.

[Thumper]

Don't call insurance companies, do it online only. You would be better off getting it titled in another state.

You can try, but unfortunately, the VIN won't be recognized in an online session. Most of these bikes are not on the list of approved models so the online method fails to match a known bike. You have to call and speak to a human.

[slithica]

Geico and progressive both don't care that the vin doesn't match the white list.



Geico let me insure it, it just asked me online like 3 times to verify it. I clicked, yup that's it and it allowed it.


Progressive allowed it but gave me a call just to ask if I was sure that was correct. I said yes and it was fine.



I can't speak for the others but I doubt it's much different.

[Thumper]

I insured with Geico. When you enter the VIN online, it is not recognized. This was the case for Bashan Storm, three Templar X and my new Palladin. If this happens to you... I called and read the information to a Geico rep online and successfully added them (different dates over three years). I was able to cancel online when I sold the Bashan Storm, and two Templars.

I don't know how it accepted what is basically an invalid VIN online. Were you asked to call???

On the positive side, my one year premium was $34 for the Bashan Storm, $36 for the Templars and Palladin. Financial responsibility only (liability). Insanely low for a 250cc/300cc bike. That's $3 per month!


Geico and progressive both don't care that the vin doesn't match the white list.



Geico let me insure it, it just asked me online like 3 times to verify it. I clicked, yup that's it and it allowed it.


Progressive allowed it but gave me a call just to ask if I was sure that was correct. I said yes and it was fine.



I can't speak for the others but I doubt it's much different.

[Harry Dawg]

Thanks for all of the comments y'all.

After sitting on it for a week, I agree that I should have read the fine print more closely. I just saw so many people have no issues registering these that I assumed this was some sort of legal jargon to get around EPA standards.

My point of contention with X-Pro / Zuma is that they didn't register with the NHTSA. Being that they sell sports bikes (like the 250 Roadster) for use on highways, I figured they would have thought to tick this box before bringing a product to market.

This isn't specific to the Storm 250, as the exact error code returned by the DMV software was "Error Text 7: Manufacturer is not registered with NHTSA for sale or importation in the U.S. for use on U.S. roads. Please contact the manufacturer directly for more information."

Of course the tax assessor told me the only thing I needed was MSO, proof of insurance and a bill of sale. After they ran the VIN I find all of this out, which I had no way to know before purchasing the vehicle.

As far as the other items, I could probably get around these if the VIN would clear the DMV / NHTSA blocker.

PSM would not print me an alternate MSO with the "Manufactured For Highway Use" text. Whatever, they are the dealer / importer and aren't the manufacturer, so I wouldn't expect them to.

I did read shooterman's post, but it sounds like he did not have the issue with the DMV Error 7. I am assuming this was because his MCO had "Chonhqing Haosen Ltd." as the manufacturer v.s. Zuma on mine. His was also a Hawk 250 and not an X-Pro, and he is in a neighboring county, so that also could have something to do with it.

To that last point - GA seems to allow one to register a vehicle in a county they don't live in. So, I am thinking about trying my luck at the more rural Fannin county DMV and registering it to my grandma's address.

The Montana LLC pathway didn't seem cost effective, and I don't want the added tax complications.

Anyways, enough of the tax talk.

I took the bike out on it's maiden voyage last weekend!

My other buddy has a WR250, and we loaded the bikes on the trailer and took them to a near by "forested area". I know you technically need a tag to ride on roads in forested areas, so of course we went to private property. That being said, if I were to ride the bike on forest area roads, I have insurance and all of the DMV paper work, so I may have been willing to roll the dice on the $50 ticket for no tag.

I actually much preferred the Storm to the WR250. The Yamaha shifter was sloppy, and I could barely catch a gear without lifting the shifter 6" (granted it's a well used bike).
The display was not nearly as nice (no gear indicator). It was also much taller, so I didn't feel as comfortable on it.

The advantages of the WR250; the seat was much more comfortable, and the fuel injection gave it much better cold start manners.

We put down about 40 miles, and the bike ran very well. Some slight backfiring and trouble idling at first start, but once it warmed up it was fine. (28 Degrees outside)

We did some single track and light enduro riding, and it preformed like a little donkey. I was very proud of it. Where ever I pointed it, it would go. That was all fun and games, splashing through mud holes and riding some rock gardens, but eventually we needed to ride some hard pack to get to a lookout.

I came around the blue side of the mountain and hit a 100' patch of ice. The bike slid out from under me and I laid it down, skidding to a halt at the end of the ice sheet.
Unfortunately the gear shifter sheared off, and my new bark buster cracked.
Thankfully I had my new Byker riding gear on, and I barely felt a thing.

After weighing my options, I decided it was unsafe to try and ride and my buddy went to get the truck and trailer. So there I was, stuck on the top of a mountain for 2 hours in the freezing wind. I built a campfire and used the bike and a log as a wind jam. Curled up and ate some peanuts and a Coors Light my buddy left me.

He got back right around sun down, and we loaded up the bikes and headed home.

Lessons learned... Always carry spare parts! I had the tools, but no replacement parts.

In hindsight, I probably could have got it started in 3rd gear and rode back to the trailer, but I didn't want to chance it and wasn't thinking clearly.

So this weekends projects are;
1. Fixing the shifter lever
2. Plastic welding the bark buster and re-adjusting the clutch lever.
3. Putting the new gas tank on
4. Adjusting valve lash (try and improve start up manners and just good to be thorough)
5. Adjust chain tension (developed quite a bit of slack on the first ride, and was clunking on acceleration)

I will be making a YT video on this, so special shoutout to @It's Chinesium for your support and viewership! I always find it interesting to connect with forum members on other social media channels by happenstance.

At some point I want to get some saddle bags for it, as well as a tank bag. Just to have some part and tool storage, and have somewhere to put my paper work.

I am looking at the Keimoto brand on Amazon. Thinking this will be a "budget build" of sorts where I try and do everything as cheap as possible using Amazon parts.

Also, can anyone tell me how to post pictures? I know it's possible as I see other users posting stuff.

Anyways. That's it for now. Hope everyone has a good week, and will get to go riding this weekend!

[Dusman]

Hi Harry Dawg,

Attached is a few photos of my blacked out Storm 150 DLX.
Mods: aftermarket folding shift lever, 16t front sprocket; Mikuni VM26FL, UNI pod filter, wider intake ID to match the Mikuni’s ID, RK 428HD chain, license plate LEDs, handguards, added a gel pad to the seat pan, and truck bed liner paintjob. I love this little thing. Given the modularity of this little guy and how light and maneauverable he is, I just can’t justify purchasing really any version of a Japanese dual sport since they just don’t make micro dual sports like this at this weight.
Future mods planned: Tusk impact rims, ZS212 engine, & maybe a DNM rear shock. Then I’ll be done.

[Harry Dawg]

I think I finally figured out how to post a photo!

Used an online image re-sizer (Adobe) to conform to MB limitation on this site.

Sounds like you have done some work to your storm Dusman! Nice looking bike.

I don't think I will go crazy with this one, as I want to see what kind of longevity and performance I get out of one of these in factory form.

However, I am very interested in your seat modification. The factory seat has about as much cushion as a 2x4, so if you can share more info on the gel pad that would be great.

[Dusman]

Nice photo of the DLX250 around the ole’ campfire! For the seat cushion mod, I just carefully removed the seat cover, put the gel over the seat and marked it with a sharpie, then cut it with a box cutter, removed the protective plastic from the adhesive side of the gel, then carefully refitted the seat cushion cover back on and re-stapled it back in place with a staple gun using T10 staples. It’s worked great! Here’s a link to the gel I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F43Y3R4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[It's Chinesium]

I enjoy my KEMIMOTO handlebar bag. Fits a phone, keys, knife. GAWAF is similar but a little bigger. Installed both, both work well for my rough trail riding. I do not trust phone mounts for my riding, so it goes in here.

I personally got thick yoga matt, and marine fabric that was antifungal/antibacterial and stapled it. There are a few videos out showing how to do what
DUSMAN has described above. Many ways to achieve your goal. I made mine way wider and taller, which was night and day. I am no longer doing full squats to go from sit and stand, lol.

I ordered a bolt kit that was compatible with my model, so I have critical replacement bolts with me at all times.

I made a small tool kit as well, that I take on the trail, but also use to repair the bike, so I know I always have all the tools I need with me. Extra shift lever is one of my spare parts, ;) hahaha. Big zip ties! Highly recommend!!! A few other odds and ends.

Regarding the YouTube thing, I didn't notice you were the same person for a few. Took a bit for the username realization to dawn on me. Good luck with the content! Glad you seemed to have been enjoying the rip on the bike until the incident.

[Harry Dawg]

Good news on the registration.

I tried my luck at another tag office, and they got me in and out with no grief!

Although the same NHTSA error message popped up, they did some sort of manual over ride and got me a plate. Their only question was "What color is the bike, and how many cylinders does it have."

Not to keep beating a dead horse, but all that is required to fix this for other customers is for X-Pro to submit (2) single page forms to the NHTSA data base, which they flat our refused to do. I looked and there are home builders that are registering their vehicles with the NHTSA, so surely a brand the size of X-Pro would entertain this. It would literally take 5 minutes, but I guess not and it's not really my problem anymore.

Anyways, $153 later and I am ready to hit the road! Just in time too, as the weather is going to be in the 60's all week.

On the topic of road riding, I took it for a spin on the main road and it's a little squirrely at speeds over 40/50. I did notice that the front wheel was not perfectly rounded upon initial assembly, and there is a possibility I offset the rear wheel during chain tensioning.

I am going to order a spoke wrench and chain alignment gauge tool and preform inspection and maintenance, and then I'll re-evaluate road performance.

One thing to note, I almost think it would be worth it to get a model with counterbalanced engine, as this thing feels like I am riding a chainsaw lol. Definitely a lot of vibration... I'm not really hard up about it, as I knew this model was a bit unrefined going into the purchase.

I also got the new Rutu shifter lever installed after the ice spill. I actually prefer the factory shifter, as it sits a little closer to the foot peg. You kind of have to reach for the new shifter. I am only a size 8 though, so someone with a larger foot would probably have no issues.

On a different topic, I was riding the bike around the yard yesterday and hit a patch of wet leaves, leading to the bike coming out from under me and the brake lever cutting the s*** out of my ankle. I am lucky I didn't break my ankle, as the bike came down on top of my leg as I was trying to hop off it. I was wearing sneakers like a dumb a**, so lessons learned there.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good set of riding boots that won't break the bank? My buddy said to go with a double hinged model, but at $400 they are a little out of my budget.

I am more concerned with impact protection and ankle support than off-bike walking comfortability, so I am leaning towards an MX boot over an adventure boot.

On the topic of accessories, I got my Kemimoto handle bar bag installed. Fits a few tools and my paperwork perfectly. Definitely a good addition.

I am also interested in their saddle bags, but I don't know if they will fit given the lack of side support and the exposed exhaust on the Storm- https://www.amazon.com/kemimoto-Motorcycle-Saddlebags-Dual-Sport-Motorcycles/dp/B0925PKLRQ

Ok. That's it for now. Going to do my maintenance this week so I can hit the trails Friday-Sunday : )

[Harry Dawg]

I've been riding the bike to work every day since I got the tag, and have put about 130 miles on it. I need to do some maintenance, especially check valve lash. That's on the agenda for tomorrow.

It actually has better road manners than I originally thought. It doesn't start to get squirrelly until 50+. It will cruise at 40-45 pretty comfortably.

The speedometer is about 3 miles an hour off, but no big deal. Coming from Jeeps, I'm used to that lol.

The factory tires are pretty soft, and are already showing signs of wear. Not complaining though, as they aren't designed for road use. I'll probably get a set of the Shinko 244's when these wear out. These look to be a good hybrid all terrain and road tire.

The chain keeps loosening up. Not sure if it's stretching, or if the tensioner is moving. I'll adjust it again tomorrow, but is it normal for chains to be adjusted every 100 miles? Maybe I need to look into a better chain, as I heard the factory one isn't great.

The clutch lever seems to need constant adjustment as well. I think the adjuster jam nut is being subjected to a lot of vibration, so I'll just have to be mindful of that.

Lastly, I had to ride home 30 miles tonight in the dark, and the headlight is HORRIBLE. I have flashlights that are brighter than this. Even with the "brights" on, visibility is like 15 - 20'.

I will be adding a light bar / pod light or something, as it's a safety hazard for night riding IMO. Maybe I'm just expecting too much from a single LED headlight, but I feel like most motorcycle lights are way brighter.

[Mumen Rider]

I would balance the front wheel, I do it on all my dirt bikes to avoid the head shake at higher speeds.



The 244's are great but useless in sand and mud, a nice cheap 50/50 tire. I have a set on my Templar X 250.





New chains stretch a bunch until they're worn in, it's common to have to readjust tension within the first couple hundred miles.





As for the clutch lever, the adjustment nuts down on the engine case side are probably loose too.





The headlight does suck, every single halogen type housing that X-Pro uses is the same I think. You can switch the front fender over to use the LED type or swap in an LED bulb but even then it's not great.

[NoBs]

They use the same engine as the Vader 150.
It's easy to transplant a cg250 in the storm 150.

If you want better fuel mileage, and better street performance, I would recommend dropping 3 tooth on the rear sprocket, and swapping out the OEM 14 or 15t front sprocket to a 19t.

The 150 should also need a bigger main jet, and smaller pilot.
I'm at sea level, and my bike came with a 40 pilot and a 95 main.
Over here, once you mod intake and exhaust, it runs much better with a 38 pilot and 115 main.


Did I see that correctly ? A 14T to a 19 T on the front ? And 3 teeth less on the rear ? On all the bikes I've ever owned that seems to be the biggest gearing change ever. I have a hard time believing they make front sprockets 4 to 5 teeth larger than stock and they fit in the housing along with the bike having enough power to pull it.. I'm probably missing something in your suggestions..

[ProDigit]

Did I see that correctly ? A 14T to a 19 T on the front ? And 3 teeth less on the rear ? On all the bikes I've ever owned that seems to be the biggest gearing change ever. I have a hard time believing they make front sprockets 4 to 5 teeth larger than stock and they fit in the housing along with the bike having enough power to pull it.. I'm probably missing something in your suggestions..

Yeah, that's the suggested sprocket change for a cg250 in a Vader 150 frame.
If this bike has a pushrod engine , then this gearing is perfect for street

If it has an OHC engine, this wouldn't work.

Even the 150 was extremely under geared. Topped out at 55mph at 8.25k rpm, when the engine could easily do that at 6k rpm.

[Harry Dawg]

Did some maintenance on the Storm yesterday.

As seems to be the case with all China bikes, the valve clearance was non-existent.

Got the lash set to .004 MM and it runs like a whole different machine. No more hard starting. I don't even have to choke it. It just fires right up.

It also sounds way healthier, and feels much more snappy.

Probably because the valves are actually closing now and all of that compression isn't getting blown back out the intake / exhaust.

I do like that the Zongshen 223 has 2 access ports to adjust valves, unlike the Hawk where the whole valve cover has to come off. Seems like it poses an unnecessary risk for oil leaks, given the integrated gasket.

I did have to remove the gas tank and plastics, but it wasn't a bad job.

Picked up a nail in the rear tire last week, so I had to put a tube in it. That was a PITA, but I think I could do it faster next time around. Working around the bead lock was the biggest learning, and once I got that down it wasn't too bad.

The bike was propped up on a paint bucket while I was working on it, and unfortunately it fell off when I removed the wheel, leading to a broken clutch lever.

I've got another one coming today, so now it's just waiting for the Amazon man.

Also flipped the bark busters around, as I had them installed upside down. I wish I would have addressed that sooner, as I wouldn't be having to do a clutch lever if I had.

[Harry Dawg]

One more thing. The chain tensioner on this bike is absolutely maddening.

I don't know why this one isn't like all the rest of the bikes I've seen, but it 100% blows.

In order to get the jam nut tight, you have to bottom it out against the swing arm which results in an over tightened chain.

If you put it where the chain is happy, the axle spindle eventually walks forward.

To make matters worse, its just a bolt that goes into a hole in the swing arm which results in a ton of slop. It might look tight, but a lap around the yard and the bolt shifts and looses all it's tension resulting in a loose chain.

I literally have to adjust the chain every 5 miles. Hoping I can find the sweet spot soon, or upgrade to the normal style found on every other bike ever made.

[Notjoemechanic]

I had a heck if a time registering my xpro titan 250 here in alabama. They weren't going to because it didn't have some kind of Dot sticker. On the data plate is shows Zhejiang Coolchnet as the manufacturer and the MSO said something different. Don't get me started on insurance. Had to get a special policy wrote up. I even paid sales tax twice for some reason. Anyway don't give up just be really overly nice and understanding to the folks at the dmv and it doesn't hurt to bribe with cupcakes. Maybe they just felt sorry for me.

[Notjoemechanic]

Can you register it in a different state then transfer the title?

[Notjoemechanic]

Disregard my comments didn't see there were three pages of replies. Looks like I'm late to the party.

[Notjoemechanic]

I bought my son the 150cc version. Great little bike. I had to tighten the hell outa that axle bolt to keep it from moving. The problem I had was the square tensioner bracket would clock out of position, push against the adjuster bolt and push the axle out of adjustment. It helps to wedge something in the gap between the bracket and swingarm to keep that peice from twisting while you tighten the crap out of the axle.

[Harry Dawg]

No worries @notjoemechanic - I am always happy to rant about government over reach lol.

If I want to purchase a vehicle from China, what business is it of the government? I am sure there is a case to be made about emissions, which would be the only one I would entertain - but more than likely it's all about $.

I have the same issue with the Chicken Tax, which it seems the only purpose of is to protect the big name automakers from getting undercut by an arguably better machine.

After visiting MX and driving my GF's brothers JAC pickup, I wanted to import one. 25K USD brand new, with all the bells and whistles. Manual Trans 4 Cylinder (30 MPG), A/C, Leather Interior and Factory Bed Rack.

However, after the 25% Chicken Tax on light trucks, Ad Velorem, Registration Fees etc it would have been close to 40K!!!

Anyways, thanks for the tip on the chain tensioner.

That makes a lot of sense, as I have noticed my tensioner bracket moving as well. I'll try this and let you know how it goes.

[ProDigit]

Did some maintenance on the Storm yesterday.

As seems to be the case with all China bikes, the valve clearance was non-existent.

Got the lash set to .004 MM and it runs like a whole different machine. No more hard starting. I don't even have to choke it. It just fires right up.

It also sounds way healthier, and feels much more snappy.

Probably because the valves are actually closing now and all of that compression isn't getting blown back out the intake / exhaust.

I do like that the Zongshen 223 has 2 access ports to adjust valves, unlike the Hawk where the whole valve cover has to come off. Seems like it poses an unnecessary risk for oil leaks, given the integrated gasket.

I did have to remove the gas tank and plastics, but it wasn't a bad job.

Picked up a nail in the rear tire last week, so I had to put a tube in it. That was a PITA, but I think I could do it faster next time around. Working around the bead lock was the biggest learning, and once I got that down it wasn't too bad.

The bike was propped up on a paint bucket while I was working on it, and unfortunately it fell off when I removed the wheel, leading to a broken clutch lever.

I've got another one coming today, so now it's just waiting for the Amazon man.

Also flipped the bark busters around, as I had them installed upside down. I wish I would have addressed that sooner, as I wouldn't be having to do a clutch lever if I had.
I feel the exhaust port is the only one giving direct access to the valves.
If you want to do intake and exhaust, it's really faster to just take the whole cover off (3-4 bolts), and don't touch the plastics. They're the first one to break.
I got myself a $5-10 mini wrench set (metric, blue bag) on AliExpress that works wonders on then valves.

You don't need to loosen the valves to 0.04". The valves are tight from the factory because they loosen up during the first 2-3k miles.
If you did adjust them, chances are you'll have to tighten them again in the next 500 miles.

[Thumper]

I think you mean 0.004", not mm. That's 0.1mm
Intake should be at or below that (0.002"-0.004"), exhaust can be 0.005" since it can heat up more and you don't want to risk it leaking.

Here is a post for a similar engine, and those specs should work for this 223cc ZS. Some people do run looser on the exhaust, though I prefer trimming it to 0.005" after break-in.
https://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34945

Did some maintenance on the Storm yesterday.

As seems to be the case with all China bikes, the valve clearance was non-existent.

Got the lash set to .004 MM and it runs like a whole different machine. No more hard starting. I don't even have to choke it. It just fires right up.

It also sounds way healthier, and feels much more snappy.

Probably because the valves are actually closing now and all of that compression isn't getting blown back out the intake / exhaust.

I do like that the Zongshen 223 has 2 access ports to adjust valves, unlike the Hawk where the whole valve cover has to come off. Seems like it poses an unnecessary risk for oil leaks, given the integrated gasket.

I did have to remove the gas tank and plastics, but it wasn't a bad job.

Picked up a nail in the rear tire last week, so I had to put a tube in it. That was a PITA, but I think I could do it faster next time around. Working around the bead lock was the biggest learning, and once I got that down it wasn't too bad.

The bike was propped up on a paint bucket while I was working on it, and unfortunately it fell off when I removed the wheel, leading to a broken clutch lever.

I've got another one coming today, so now it's just waiting for the Amazon man.

Also flipped the bark busters around, as I had them installed upside down. I wish I would have addressed that sooner, as I wouldn't be having to do a clutch lever if I had.

[It's Chinesium]

A comment regarding the chain tension.

There are several things to consider here in my experience.
-the cheap chains stretch a lot
-when you set the tension, when you roll the tire a little, there are tight and loose spots on the chain. I usually set, roll, and re check to find a good balance of those two spots.
-order of operation: set bolt to distance desired. Tighten axle nuts. Re-set the bolts AGAIN with the axle nuts tightened so they are firm. THEN set the nut that is snug to the frame. While doing so, you must have torque/tension opposite on the bolt, so when tightening the nut to the swingarm, it does not loosen or back out the bolt (2 wrenches needed at same time).

You will be tightening often while chain stretches as well, unless moving to an o or x ring chain, possibly.

I hate the chain tension setup too. I would be curious to see what you would swap too.

I am no expert, but with my 125, my valves tend to adjust a good bit, so over time, I would have to re adjust them to spec. May have been the vibrations on the poor thing, ymmv. I do it every other oil change.

I re check valve spec here and there when I notice changes.

[It's Chinesium]

Has anyone found an air box that will fit the DLX 250?
Any confirmed fit for a skid plate? Not sure if tt250 or klx140 skid plate is the way to go lol.

[rnkustomz]

Is anyone positive on what valve lash should be set to on the dlx 250 motor per factory specs? I've been trying to find a legit owners manual and coming up dry. First china bike so very new to this side of the fence.

[It's Chinesium]

Is anyone positive on what valve lash should be set to on the dlx 250 motor per factory specs? I've been trying to find a legit owners manual and coming up dry. First china bike so very new to this side of the fence.

Right.. and the metal tag on the bike itself regarding valve clearance is concerning, or I misunderstood it.

[It's Chinesium]

I'm going to make a 3/8 thick plastic skid plate until I can find a commercially made fit.

Bike has not arrived yet, but want to order supplies. Can anyone provide 2 measurements for me please?

Bottom of the frame width for 1 measurement, and length of bar including bend from the bottom front bolt to the foot pegs for the 2nd measurement, as shown in the images.

Thank you! I will report my creation when done of course.

Images are not populating for some reason. Maybe it will let me share the link.

https://ibb.co/hxC5jjs6
https://ibb.co/0y56HCD8
https://ibb.co/W4Fy8zxb

http://ibb.co/hxC5jjs6
https://ibb.co/0y56HCD8
https://ibb.co/W4Fy8zxb

[buzz]

8 inches x 12 inches

[Harry Dawg]

Took the Storm on a 200 mile touring / trail riding adventure this weekend.

We stayed off the interstate due to the speed limitations of the 250, but some roads were still 55 MPH speed limit. I would say 65 miles an hour is absolute top speed. It was screaming it's guts out, and was not very comfortable to ride at that speed. It much prefers 45-50.

I felt like the valve train was making more noise by the time we finished the trip than when we started, but I could be imagining that. It's about time for service again (currently at 800 miles) so I will re-check the valve lash, change the oil, do a chain adjustment & cleaning and probably a spark plug.

I would imagine the spark plug fouls faster at prolonged higher RPM, but I could be wrong.
It stayed at about 6-8K RPM most of the weekend and didn't explode, so I was pretty happy with this.

The fuel capacity was also a limitation, and I found myself stopping for gas very often. I was probably averaging about 50 miles a gallon. It seems to drink gas when road riding at higher RPM v.s. city riding.

I will definitely be purchasing a fuel bladder or MSR bottle before my next trip to prevent running out of gas in the back woods.

Of course the seat was a huge PITA (literally), but I knew that was coming after 6+ hours of saddle time. Still haven't gotten around to the gel pad insert, but it's on the list. I took the trails pretty slow, as my a** hurt by the time we got there and I didn't want to make it any worse lol.

I also added some Kemimoto 24L saddle bags, which fit the bike very well and clear the exhaust fine. I am working on a custom luggage rack so I can add a storage case on top of the rear fender as well. Will update when this is finished.

We did camp out, and I was able to fit all of my gear in the saddle bags + a large 30L military surplus ruck sack / back pack. I need to get some better bike specific gear, especially as it relates to blankets / sleeping implements. It was rather cold, and my snuggie and 1 blanket left a little to be desired. Sleeping in an uninsulated Eno probably didn't help either, but it makes the most sense for compact sleep system.
I think I could find a warmer and more compact system though, so I will let y'all know what I decide on.

The bike performed great on the trails, and was a pleasure to carve down the forest service roads. The slappy chain was annoying, but seems to be working as intended and isn't getting any looser. The Yuanxing 110/90 had no problems keeping traction, even after rain the night before.

All in all, it was a great trip! Here is a link to the YT video recap if anyone cares to watch - https://youtu.be/6zLGxE51uBM

More to come soon!