2018 Hawk 250-Initial Review

FunkyChina · 09-14-2018, 06:52 PM

Hello everyone!

I'm new to Chinese motorcycles. The Hawk 250 is my first. Historically, I've owned and ridden a Honda-most recently a 1998 Honda Superhawk. About a year ago, we move to an acreage off of about 1.5 miles of gravel. Riding a road bike on gravel was not an option so I sold the Superhawk.

I'd been looking at dual sports for quite some time. But dropping four grand for a used bike wasn't very palatable. Then, I stumbled across the Hawk.

A brand new, 250cc dual sport for less than fourteen hundred bucks? This got my attention. So, I researched the bike and found this forum. Without knowing the registration landscape in my state, I was a little concerned about taking the plunge. But, I thought, if I couldn't register it, I could still ride it around the acreage and teach my kids how to ride. So, I took the plunge.

Two weeks ago, I placed my order with txpowersports out of Texas. I hadn't yet read the strings about reputable wholesalers, but my transaction was completed with out a hitch. The bike arrived in about a week after I ordered it. All parts were accounted for and assembly was a snap. I used loctite on all the hardware I had to install. I changed the oil and I filled the battery with the solution provided. Then put in a little gas and turned the key. I was astounded by the fact the green "N" lit up. Could this actually work? I held my breath and hit the start button.

It actually tried to fire up! My excitement increased and I put the choke on 1/2 and tried it again. Same response. OK, I thought, this puppy's going to start. I tried it again and gave it a little gas. Boom! It started. Then died. I tried it again and held the throttle steady. It stayed running! No smoking, no hesitation, just a smooth purr of the engine. I left it running for a few minutes. Shut it off and fired it up again. No problems. So, I took it for a spin.

25 miles later (I don't think the speedometer is accurate), I pulled back into the garage and shut off the engine, thrilled by the fact that I was back on a bike, on gravel, for less than $1400.

Today was my second ride. I put on another 40 miles and was pleased as punch. Smooth-running, no vibration and I'm still alive-and so is the bike. So, is it worth $1400? Every single penny. Do you have to do some work on it to get it highway-worthy? Without a doubt. Out of the box, however, this bike provides a clean and fun experience on a budget. Will it last 10 years? I doubt it. But, maybe I'll be surprised. Who knows. Either way, if I can commute a couple of times back and forth to work with this little beast, I'll be a happy camper.

I give this bike two thumbs up. If you're considering the Hawk, take the plunge. You'll be impressed.

09-14-2018, 06:52 PM	#1
FunkyChina Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Iowa Posts: 34	2018 Hawk 250-Initial Review Hello everyone! I'm new to Chinese motorcycles. The Hawk 250 is my first. Historically, I've owned and ridden a Honda-most recently a 1998 Honda Superhawk. About a year ago, we move to an acreage off of about 1.5 miles of gravel. Riding a road bike on gravel was not an option so I sold the Superhawk. I'd been looking at dual sports for quite some time. But dropping four grand for a used bike wasn't very palatable. Then, I stumbled across the Hawk. A brand new, 250cc dual sport for less than fourteen hundred bucks? This got my attention. So, I researched the bike and found this forum. Without knowing the registration landscape in my state, I was a little concerned about taking the plunge. But, I thought, if I couldn't register it, I could still ride it around the acreage and teach my kids how to ride. So, I took the plunge. Two weeks ago, I placed my order with txpowersports out of Texas. I hadn't yet read the strings about reputable wholesalers, but my transaction was completed with out a hitch. The bike arrived in about a week after I ordered it. All parts were accounted for and assembly was a snap. I used loctite on all the hardware I had to install. I changed the oil and I filled the battery with the solution provided. Then put in a little gas and turned the key. I was astounded by the fact the green "N" lit up. Could this actually work? I held my breath and hit the start button. It actually tried to fire up! My excitement increased and I put the choke on 1/2 and tried it again. Same response. OK, I thought, this puppy's going to start. I tried it again and gave it a little gas. Boom! It started. Then died. I tried it again and held the throttle steady. It stayed running! No smoking, no hesitation, just a smooth purr of the engine. I left it running for a few minutes. Shut it off and fired it up again. No problems. So, I took it for a spin. 25 miles later (I don't think the speedometer is accurate), I pulled back into the garage and shut off the engine, thrilled by the fact that I was back on a bike, on gravel, for less than $1400. Today was my second ride. I put on another 40 miles and was pleased as punch. Smooth-running, no vibration and I'm still alive-and so is the bike. So, is it worth $1400? Every single penny. Do you have to do some work on it to get it highway-worthy? Without a doubt. Out of the box, however, this bike provides a clean and fun experience on a budget. Will it last 10 years? I doubt it. But, maybe I'll be surprised. Who knows. Either way, if I can commute a couple of times back and forth to work with this little beast, I'll be a happy camper. I give this bike two thumbs up. If you're considering the Hawk, take the plunge. You'll be impressed.
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