Considering buying Hawk or TT 250

Fords_Fabrications · 07-23-2019, 09:27 AM

Hello,
I am new here.
My name is Kevin, I have almost zero motorcycle experience. I want to buy a hawk or TT 250 and begin riding dual sport, starting with the many gravel roads I have access to in Loudoun County VA.
I have ridden mountain bikes for basically my whole life, so I expect many of the skills will somewhat translate over.
I have ridden a motorcycle enough to know how to shift and such. But literally not a whole lot more than that.

I run a custom fabrication company, mostly working in metal. Most of my money goes into my home or my business, which is one reason why I like the idea of these Chinese bikes, cheap! From the sound of it I’ll be working on it to keep it working well, and modifying them seems to be part of the fun for a lot of you guys. I dunno, they seem right up my alley.

So I wanted to say hi, and that I’m excited to learn from you guys, and get one of these machines. I’m wondering, should I wait longer and save up the extra money for the TT 250 or should I grab a hawk as soon as I’ve got the cash saved up?

I’m a bigger guy, like 215, 5’11, and I’m curious how the two bikes compare for suspension performance for 200lbs dudes? I’m losing weight but geared up and very fit I would likely be 200+ anyway.

I also am curious, how much of a difference does the counterbalanced motor make?

Tl

R- new to motorcycles, want to ride dual sport, should I get TT 250 or hawk 250?

**JerryHawk250** · 07-23-2019, 09:49 AM

Welcome Aboard!

Both are good bikes and are very similar. In fact a good bit of the parts are interchangeable. The Hawk will come in a create that will need to be assembled and is more of the basic customize to my liking type of bike with great support on this site. This is more fun for guys like me that like to tinker and mod.
The TT250 will be the a little more in cost but you have CSC which is a great company that will back up there product with a warranty and will come assembled, tested and ready to run. There are a few others with the larger 21/18 wheels like the Hawk and TT250 that you might be interested in too. There's the BMS CRP 250, Bashan BSA 250 AKA Enforcer. Then there are the bikes with the smaller 19/17 wheel like the Brozz Blue Eagle 250, Bashan Storm, TaoTao TBR7 and Lifan X-Pect which has EFI. All are great bikes.

Megadan · 07-23-2019, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fords_Fabrications

I’m a bigger guy, like 215, 5’11, and I’m curious how the two bikes compare for suspension performance for 200lbs dudes? I’m losing weight but geared up and very fit I would likely be 200+ anyway.

"Bigger" lol

I am about half a foot taller, and half a small asian woman heavier than you. The stock Hawk suspension with a little bit of setup will work for you just fine. The rear shock may or may not work out as well. For sasquatches like myself it is adequate, but bottoms out on bigger bumps, so I opted to change the rear shock for something with a linear spring rate the same as the heaviest rate on the original Hawk dual rate spring and it worked out much better.

The counter balancer does make a difference in terms of the level of vibration. I have never found my Hawk to have too much, but I am also less sensitive to it than others I guess, because other people make it sound like the non-balanced engines are like riding a paint mixer by comparison.

I love my Hawk, but if you have the means to get a TT250 they do come with better overall quality, suspension, charging system, instrumentation, and a good warranty by a good company. Well worth the extra money. Plus they are 50 state legal, so registration is no issue anywhere in the U.S. The Hawk in particular can be a bit more tricky to register depending on where you live.

As Jerry mentioned, there are alternatives to the Hawk that get around some of that stuff, like the BMS CRP 250, which is more or less the same kind of bike as the Hawk, but made by Bashan (or with Bashan parts at least), and is 49 state legal.

wedooit · 07-24-2019, 09:44 AM

Welcome Kevin! The two masters above have spoken! 2LZ here has a CSC, and has done some mods. There are many here that are kind, and have tons of knowledge. I have the BMS250, and another kind fellow here has the Brozz, and he is quite knowledgeable, and has posted some of his mods. Lots of choices of bikes. Keep us posted and post some pix. And again welcome.

Fords_Fabrications · 07-24-2019, 09:46 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome!

It might be several months before I can set aside enough cash to buy a bike, but I plan to spend plenty of time reading the available info and experiences of folks around here in the meantime.
Once i get a bike I’ll share photos, etc for sure.

I look forward to joining the fun!

Deryl · 07-24-2019, 10:32 PM

The way I looked at it and made my choice. TT250's go for $2195 on their website right now. Hawks price depends on the site you get it from and some sites raise and lower their prices pretty regularly. I watched prices for a long time and purchased when it was low. You should be able to get one under $1300 to your door.

Right now prices are higher but your not buying right now so you can wait. Is the tt250 $900ish better than the hawk? For me I did not think so. $900 will go a LONG way on parts/modding on these bikes. I will probably not spend $900 on the life of the bike even if you included cosmetic things and not parts that are the difference in quality between the 2. I also liked that the hawk was the more basic of the two bikes for 2 reasons.

1, non counter balanced engine was a plus for me. Less to go wrong with the motor. I can handle vibes and have more reliability. 2, all the difference in cash to make it mine! Probably not many of us hawk owners on here have the same bike. Some like to do a lot, Dan! (probably should go to rehab for his obcession) and others do very little. I see the hawk as a blank canvas. Plenty of things to do to make it your own masterpiece.

A little more of a gamble on who you order your bike from when you get a hawk. Some bad experiences but I would say mostly positive. Just don't expect it in Japan bike condition when you get it. There will be scratches on the frame, probably on the bars or levers also from shipping or careless factory workers in China. I am sure that will be the same for the tt250 also though except for their dealer part.

Csc is very good and at best the hawk dealers will be average. Either way you will be happy unless you do not want to do maintenance yourself or have unrealistic expectations going in. Lots of us here own the hawk and there is probably a answer to any trouble you will run into owning one.

Many pages of ideas in what to do to yours to make it yours. And plenty of people to answer questions you have. Just my .02. After writing this I guess my opinion appears to be heavily skewed! Whoops, guess that is why I picked the hawk!

**JerryHawk250** · 07-25-2019, 08:17 AM

If it's going to be a while getting the bike then you will have plenty of time for reading and will know exactly what to expect. Even if you don't get the Hawk take some time and read through the Hawk Information and Resource guide as most will apply to any one of these china bikes. http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331

07-23-2019, 09:27 AM	#1
Fords_Fabrications Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 2	Considering buying Hawk or TT 250 Hello, I am new here. My name is Kevin, I have almost zero motorcycle experience. I want to buy a hawk or TT 250 and begin riding dual sport, starting with the many gravel roads I have access to in Loudoun County VA. I have ridden mountain bikes for basically my whole life, so I expect many of the skills will somewhat translate over. I have ridden a motorcycle enough to know how to shift and such. But literally not a whole lot more than that. I run a custom fabrication company, mostly working in metal. Most of my money goes into my home or my business, which is one reason why I like the idea of these Chinese bikes, cheap! From the sound of it I’ll be working on it to keep it working well, and modifying them seems to be part of the fun for a lot of you guys. I dunno, they seem right up my alley. So I wanted to say hi, and that I’m excited to learn from you guys, and get one of these machines. I’m wondering, should I wait longer and save up the extra money for the TT 250 or should I grab a hawk as soon as I’ve got the cash saved up? I’m a bigger guy, like 215, 5’11, and I’m curious how the two bikes compare for suspension performance for 200lbs dudes? I’m losing weight but geared up and very fit I would likely be 200+ anyway. I also am curious, how much of a difference does the counterbalanced motor make? TlR- new to motorcycles, want to ride dual sport, should I get TT 250 or hawk 250?
	0

07-23-2019, 09:49 AM	#2
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,562	Welcome Aboard! Both are good bikes and are very similar. In fact a good bit of the parts are interchangeable. The Hawk will come in a create that will need to be assembled and is more of the basic customize to my liking type of bike with great support on this site. This is more fun for guys like me that like to tinker and mod. The TT250 will be the a little more in cost but you have CSC which is a great company that will back up there product with a warranty and will come assembled, tested and ready to run. There are a few others with the larger 21/18 wheels like the Hawk and TT250 that you might be interested in too. There's the BMS CRP 250, Bashan BSA 250 AKA Enforcer. Then there are the bikes with the smaller 19/17 wheel like the Brozz Blue Eagle 250, Bashan Storm, TaoTao TBR7 and Lifan X-Pect which has EFI. All are great bikes. __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
	1

07-24-2019, 09:44 AM	#4
wedooit Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Posts: 794	Welcome Kevin! The two masters above have spoken! 2LZ here has a CSC, and has done some mods. There are many here that are kind, and have tons of knowledge. I have the BMS250, and another kind fellow here has the Brozz, and he is quite knowledgeable, and has posted some of his mods. Lots of choices of bikes. Keep us posted and post some pix. And again welcome. __________________ A family that works together, plays together, shoots and trains together, and sleds together, stays together. Second amendment! SkiDoo sleds, NOW 2 TTR225, and a BMS250. A couple of quotes (we are not farmers) "I don't get off the farm much" "Am too old school" I call the china bikes "the china syndrome".
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07-24-2019, 10:32 PM	#6
Deryl Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 68	The way I looked at it and made my choice. TT250's go for $2195 on their website right now. Hawks price depends on the site you get it from and some sites raise and lower their prices pretty regularly. I watched prices for a long time and purchased when it was low. You should be able to get one under $1300 to your door. Right now prices are higher but your not buying right now so you can wait. Is the tt250 $900ish better than the hawk? For me I did not think so. $900 will go a LONG way on parts/modding on these bikes. I will probably not spend $900 on the life of the bike even if you included cosmetic things and not parts that are the difference in quality between the 2. I also liked that the hawk was the more basic of the two bikes for 2 reasons. 1, non counter balanced engine was a plus for me. Less to go wrong with the motor. I can handle vibes and have more reliability. 2, all the difference in cash to make it mine! Probably not many of us hawk owners on here have the same bike. Some like to do a lot, Dan! (probably should go to rehab for his obcession) and others do very little. I see the hawk as a blank canvas. Plenty of things to do to make it your own masterpiece. A little more of a gamble on who you order your bike from when you get a hawk. Some bad experiences but I would say mostly positive. Just don't expect it in Japan bike condition when you get it. There will be scratches on the frame, probably on the bars or levers also from shipping or careless factory workers in China. I am sure that will be the same for the tt250 also though except for their dealer part. Csc is very good and at best the hawk dealers will be average. Either way you will be happy unless you do not want to do maintenance yourself or have unrealistic expectations going in. Lots of us here own the hawk and there is probably a answer to any trouble you will run into owning one. Many pages of ideas in what to do to yours to make it yours. And plenty of people to answer questions you have. Just my .02. After writing this I guess my opinion appears to be heavily skewed! Whoops, guess that is why I picked the hawk! Last edited by Deryl; 07-25-2019 at 08:28 AM.
	1

07-25-2019, 08:17 AM	#7
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,562	If it's going to be a while getting the bike then you will have plenty of time for reading and will know exactly what to expect. Even if you don't get the Hawk take some time and read through the Hawk Information and Resource guide as most will apply to any one of these china bikes. http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
	0

07-24-2019, 09:46 PM	#5
Fords_Fabrications Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 2	Thanks for the warm welcome! It might be several months before I can set aside enough cash to buy a bike, but I plan to spend plenty of time reading the available info and experiences of folks around here in the meantime. Once i get a bike I’ll share photos, etc for sure. I look forward to joining the fun!
	0