A Little Perspective

[2LZ]

I did a little research.....but I’m sure this is no secret. I’m just usually late to the party.

I knew that at $1895.00, we were getting a smokin’ deal on the new TT250….and outside of CA, the Hawk and the Bashan Storm were also an unreal deal, especially for the quality of bike received, at around $1400+/- (ballparked), depending on who you got it from, on what day of the week.

I always balked at the new SSR's 250 at my local guy here in Sac, though I knew they were a top-tier China Bike. The SSR brand (same bike as Q, rebadged, 250 now, fat rims and tires) can be found for $2795 online in places. (mail order plus $295+/- shipping) or for $2995, assembled, at my local guy here in Sac...which turns out to be a dang fair price because there’s no 295.00 shipping. I’ve always really liked the SSR/Q Link for multiple reasons. One, there’s a ton of quality aluminum work. This includes a big beefy swingarm with quality aluminum welds plus aluminum rims, all standard equipment. The switch gear has always been top notch, the suspension was always good stuff and the weld work was always excellent. That and the Suzuki-type engine kind of set them apart from all the Hondoid’s in the past.

My gripe was that "The new SSR's are getting dangerously close the same price as a newer Japanese brand." Boy...was I wrong! I just looked up the Big 4 for the first time in a while:

All comparable, brand new, dual sports that are still available:

Suzuki - DR200SE. Still has a rear drum brake and regular forks - $4199.95*
Honda - CRF 250L - $4995.95* (super quality unit)
Kawasaki - They don't even offer a smaller displacement dual sport. Just the KLR 650. If they do, I didn't see it on the website.
Yamaha XT250R. $5190.95*! (super quality unit)

*Factory list price. Not sure if CA is more expensive or not.

Look, I totally understand that you can’t truly compare some of the Japanese, state-of-the-art stuff, (the Suzuki DR200 seems woefully behind the times compared to the rest) but with how I ride now….and how far along the CB’s have come in quality in the last decade, cost justifying the Japanese alternative at almost twice the price of a top tier SSR or other CB is really getting difficult. In short, a guy not living in CA can buy THREE Hawks for the price of one DR200.

Seems not only did we getting smoking deals on the Hawks, Storms and the TT’s, but the new SSR's for $2795 and the regular price TT250 at $2495 still seems like a killer deal, especially here in CA, compared to the Big 4 alternative, that is if you’re not going to be doing triple jumps anytime soon. You add to that especially now, with CB parts and information being so readily available everywhere online now....plus vendors like CSC who are offering service and information like never before.

I knew the CB's were going up in price as they improved....but I had no idea how expensive the Japanese alternatives had become!

Makes me feel better about being a China Rider all the time…..