Johnny Pag?

[iamcanjim]

Interesting someone should bring up a Honda CB250 Nighthawk, as that's what this bike basically is.

The Nighthawk used a 238 cc twin, air cooled, with drums on front and rear. And it's cheap and poorly built.

Lifeng (the assembler of these bikes) basically took the engine, somehow made it watercooled, bored it to about 280 cc and put them in a standard frame.

The engine was never made to make a lot of power, about 18 hp in the 250 size, less than a Lifan 200cc. Water cooled and bored out, would guess about 21 hp (not much). The reason is a low compression ratio 8.5:1.

That said, the bike will last well, is cool looking, cheap and at least has disks front and rear.

[ZMC888]

We live in China we bought almost the same bike, badged Regal Raptor. Ours are air-cooled 234cc bikes the same as the original bike, which was the CB250N or the nighthawk, and same engine as the CMX250 rebel. The engine was designed in the 1960s probably by Mr Honda himself!

I would say the bike is generally OK, but not good enough to be worth more than $2000 including shipping and taxes on the road. If I lived in the USA, and actually had some choices, I'd probably buy a 2nd hand Kawasaki Ninja 250 or Honda VTR 250 to be honest.

It isn't a terrible bike, but it's way behind a Jap bike, but you get a little modern and retro feel.


Our bikes, left is 09 and right is 08 version. The Regal Raptor logos were dumb looking so we did a respray on the tanks.


Late 70's or early 80's, anyhow, some time from around star wars was made, the 'good old' even by then :roll: engine was found in the CB250N.


This was kind of the disk version of the nighthawk, but clearly the nighthawk name and drum brakes all round weren't used in all markets.

[ZMC888]

Not sure why you think this engine isn't very powerful. It seems to be as powerful or more so than any commonly manufactured Chinese 250cc engine 18-21hp is range pretty normal. Obviously, Japanese manufacturers have massively more powerful 250cc engines.

[Oengus]

I noticed the FX-3 is on the Roketa site as a MC-90? I have to wonder what engine is 300cc? Roketa has it as 250cc and you would be lucky to be able to get one or any info on one from them or any of their dealers. That’s not a common displacement 300cc that is what all the PAG models have.

The products Pag sells are sold in other markets as Regal Raptor and part of the parent company Lifeng Group.

http://www.regal-raptor.com

The FX-3 looks to be the Raptor NAC-25 and has 21.39 hp@ 8250 rpm and is a water cooled 234cc engine.
Then the new bike they have is the SPT350 with a 320cc engine 23hp @8500 rpm also a twin cylinder and water cooled.

They also have a DD125G-2C model but no specs on it, it has the same type lines, all these do and I would think they would sell in the US.

I would want the FX-3 under $3K out the door.

The 125cc is rated at 12.69 hp at 9500 rpm on the SPT12 bike they sell. Its a two cylinder and also water cooled.

They have a variety of models, I think PAG’s focus on the choppers is not wise, I think that other markets including me have no interest in those, I only see the FX-3 in Johnny Pag line.

When I look at the Regal Raptor line….I like the SPT models and the NAC Models as well as the DD models.

I would buy the SPT12 if I could get it for under $2500.00, that seems insane doesn’t it.

It does suck to be in the US...but we are not paying as much as it takes to get the bikes....over 3K really can get you a nice used bike, hell under 2k can.

[Oengus]

Not for sale in USA, that tells you something doesn't it. Not enough of a market or margin.

Thats the Honda VTR 250 it specs are 32hp and has a six speed. I do not think the Chinese can make that kind of bike.

It actually would kind of scare me to have people ridding that bike of only 350lbs and that much power on the highway!

[Reveeen]

The FX-3, at the most eastern point I can find a price on-line (just outside of Quebec city) is $3600.

$3600 won't buy you much @ a Yamaha dealer.

But used, it is a whole different story. I hate to say it but with $3600 "in hand", you could buy a ratted out Sportster, clean it up, spend a few bucks on it, and have no difficulty turning it for $5000+.

I *wonder* what a used FX-3 is worth?

It actually would kind of scare me to have people ridding that bike of only 350lbs and that much power on the highway!

These are rather "fun" (155hp and a tad over 350 lbs, does 373 lbs qualify?)
http://www.ducati.com/bikes/streetfi...r/tech_spec.do

We drove these all the time:
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_rd_350_1986.php
(63hp 374lbs wet)

And 100hp could easily be achieved by just adding chambers:
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...awasaki_h2.htm
(I've owned 4 of these, bought EVERY one smashed, if you could hang onto one of these I figure you could hang onto ANYTHING)

And my favorite..... $3200 "out the door"
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...layer%2073.htm

There is some fairly serious talk of a NRV 588 street replica, I'd be guessing at $20,000-$25,000 (I'd be willing to eat peanut butter sandwiches for the rest of my life)
http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mod...ton_nrv588.htm

European road racers claim 1lb of bike weight= 10lbs of rider weight (if you can reduce a bike's overall weight by 1lb it is equivalent to 10lbs off of the rider)

[Oengus]

Honda does not sell the VTR250 bike in the USA, there is no demand, if they did it would have a MSRP of what? The Rebel has a MSRP of $3,999.00 and the FX-3 PAG is $3,399.00.

The Honda is a good bike, well made and you can be sure that you can resell it, it’s a Honda. I would not take off $600.00 and go for a Chinese knock off. But the style of the Rebel does not appeal to me and it sit to low for me.

Maybe the Rebel is made in China? I just do not think that they are and the cost difference to manufacture these bikes is much larger than that reflected in the price difference.

Figure out how to sell the FX-3 for with a MSRP of $2,500.00 and out the door with a one year warranty for $3,000.00 and then I would take the leap. Then raise that price to $2,800.00 then to $3,000.00 year after year. If the bike holds up and develops a following then the prices rising will help ensure resale, then have a 500cc version to move them into…

The FX-3 sticks out in the PAG line, its not a chopper and it is a very cool starter bike. It is overpriced and with nothing in the line to aspire to or for if you out grow it. I would think about an FX-5 and maybe even a FX-6.…

I think they are greedy and a bit delusional with the prices.

[Oengus]

Thanks for the link thats a very cool site...

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/index.htm

[Reveeen]

I think they are greedy and a bit delusional with the prices.

I would guess it all depends on the level of after sales service offered. On the surface it does seem "greedy and delusional", but if the after sales support (whose cost is spread between far, far, fewer units than, say, Honda) is "up to snuff", then it's not totally "out of line".

[Pinkster]

Hmm.. Most dealers are clearing out the 2009's right now for really good deals..

You can get out the door with one for $3700 at most places in Canada. (I know a few in Ontario if you're interested)

I personally got my FX3 from an ex dealer for $2800 out the door with a 1 year warranty. =P