Any Pitster Pro XTR 250 owners?

[Savage]

I see their 250's are a reasonable price. I don't need another bike but for the price I'm thinking about asking the boss if I could try one.

Anyone know anything about them or point me to a link of real world owners?

Thanks!

[Weldangrind]

Not sure I'd buy a Pitster yet, until some of the spare parts concerns have been addressed by 400cc owners.

[Savage]

Isn't that a main concern of all china bikes though?

[MICRider]

Originally Posted by Savage

Isn't that a main concern of all china bikes though?

It is indeed, but Pitster seems to be especially lacking in support. Good on sales, but no parts. Hopefully they turn that around but I'm not holding my breath so far.

[FastDoc]

PLUS parts for Hondoids, Lifanoids, Q's and Zongs are readily available through their manufacturer's websites or at your local Honda, Yamaha, or Suzuki dealer. The same does not apply to the PP 400, and I don't know about the 250.

[SpudRider]

When I visited Pitster Pro in September, they told me they did not stock parts for the LXT 400, but they could order them from Xingyue. I believe Pitster Pro had good intentions regarding this matter, but I fear Xingyue is only interested in selling complete motorcycles, and not in supplying parts for a handful of LXT 400 bikes sold in the United States. :(

During my visit Pitster Pro (PP) told me they did keep an inventory of parts for their pit bikes. However, If PP has not sold many of the 250cc, dual sport bikes, they might not stock parts for it, similar to the situation regarding their LXT 400. :( If you are interested in their 250cc, dual sport bike, I encourage you to ask PP directly if they maintain a parts inventory for it.

Parts for the generic, Chinese, Hondoid bikes are readily available on eBay. QLink has demonstrated they can obtain parts for their motorcycles. Sometimes you must be a little patient to obtain them, but Zongshen America maintains a large inventory of parts stocked in its Miami warehouse. Even if you can order parts directly from China, you must wait until the communists are ready to ship them. Then you must wait for the slow boat to cross the Pacific, the parts to clear customs, et cetera. :(

The generic, Chinese bikes can utilize new, and used Honda parts. The QLink bikes can use Suzuki parts, and the Zongshen 200GY-2 can employ Yamaha parts. In fact, the QLink XP200, and the Zongshen 200GY-2 employ parts from currently produced, 2010 model, Japanese motorcycles. I would encourage you to carefully research the manufacturer, and the parts availability for the Pitster Pro, 250cc, dual sport motorcycle before you buy it. If the Pitster Pro, XTR 250 is manufactured by Xingyue, you might have problems acquiring spare parts for it.

Finally, whenever the price approaches $2,000, I become increasingly reluctant to recommend any Chinese motorcycle. If you are patient, you can find many excellent deals on low-mileage, used, Japanese motorcycles for this price. These Japanese motorcycles retain their value very well, and they are well supported by an extensive, international parts network unrivaled by any Chinese manufacturer. A number of Chinese motorcycles represent an excellent value; however, many do not. :( A prudent consumer should conduct careful research, and exercise due caution before he purchases any Chinese motorcycle.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

It's too bad that PP doesn't stock parts. I can appreciate the cost of carrying inventory, but it is profitable and it buys good will.

I have a rule that I won't buy any Chinese bike or quad if I can't identify the engine. There was a company that sold bikes and quads with the ridiculous name, Motorized Fun Company. They went out of business quickly, and as such the machines sold for much less. I was in the market for a 100 at the time, but I had no idea which engine it was patterned after.

It will be a matter of time before the sleuths around here figure out exactly what parts are needed for the PP 400, but I still wouldn't buy one yet.

[Oengus]

The XTR is not manufactured by Xingyue.

SHUO PU SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO.,LTD

Is the OEM of the XTR250 and they are Pitsterpro as well.

http://www.shuopuscience.com/

[Oengus]

If you take the time and go to the Shou Pu website and look close at the engines you will see they are the same, less the fins on the block.

now it may be possible that suppliers like Bike Bandit advertise that they have part supplies for the Honda NX250 and really do not, but there are also other suppliers and they also show they stock NX250 parts. The bike was sold in the USA from 1988 through 1990. Now others are selling versions of that engine and that is the next engine for the Chinese bikes. So the stock may keep coming based on the demand these present.

Its a modern engine and I think it uses shims, so it may require a mechanic to maintain its valve settings? A Honda mechanic could do that and also see the extent of the copy and overall compatibility.

[Oengus]

One problem is that the NX250 had a six speed and this only a five?

Other versions of the 170MM have a six speed and this one does not? So it is not a bolt for bolt copy, but then again most of the other Chinese variants are not either.

[Weldangrind]

As Doc learned, the Lifan engines are also five speeds, vs. six in XR200R engines.

[Oengus]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

As Doc learned, the Lifan engines are also five speeds, vs. six in XR200R engines.

But do they share a clutch and how often do clutches need to be replaced? It would not matter would it? In the event of a major failure it becomes spare parts. You set up an ebay site an list all the parts.

I am wondering about the valves though the NX250 parts list has valve shims listed. It is a 4-valve DOHC and water cooled, so its not a simple SOHC with two valves that some can adjust themselves.

I would rather have a KLX250 used then one of these. But the $1,800.00 price is tempting, but I personally find the bike ugly. Not the KLX it actually looks sweet in person, it make me wonder if these look better in person? I do not like all the decals and colored parts, personal taste.

There was a dude from Montreal that was on the site he modified his carb on his.

[Weldangrind]

To respond to your question, I bought a Lifan clutch to install in my son's XR200R, and it was quite different. The clutch plates were the same size and thickness, but the Lifan basket has two additional clutches and seven lighter springs vs. five heavy springs in the XR. I presume that the Lifan clutch would have more clamping pressure and a lighter lever effort.

I couldn't use the Lifan basket, so I just used the new plates.

Clutches don't need to be replaced often, as long as you don't punish them.

[Oengus]

That is the thing somebody has to take one apart and compare it....it would be something that would help sales, a cross reference.

Bike Bandit has the schematics of the NX250 online and if a company sells a bike that shares any of its parts then they only need to stock the differences in them.

But that requires real technical knowledge and time, to get that right. But having it would inspire purchases with some confidence.

The thing that keeps many of the bikes from selling is any confidence in them, parts and related documents. I mean if a Clymer shop manual of a previous model would help then begin with that and then what is different edited to make it all fully documented.

Mechanic rely on shop manuals and parts books and indexes, selling without them even existing is heinous.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Oengus

That is the thing somebody has to take one apart and compare it....it would be something that would help sales, a cross reference.

Bike Bandit has the schematics of the NX250 online and if a company sells a bike that shares any of its parts then they only need to stock the differences in them.

But that requires real technical knowledge and time, to get that right. But having it would inspire purchases with some confidence.

The thing that keeps many of the bikes from selling is any confidence in them, parts and related documents. I mean if a Clymer shop manual of a previous model would help then begin with that and then what is different edited to make it all fully documented.

Mechanic rely on shop manuals and parts books and indexes, selling without them even existing is heinous.

You are exactly correct. These are the reasons most people will not buy a Chinese motorcycle. Indeed, I personally won't buy a motorcycle until I am positive I can get parts for it, and I can obtain a service manual for it. These factors are especially important when buying a Chinese motorcycle, since most repair shops refuse to work on Chinese bikes. Qingqi produces a service manual for the XP200/XF200. A service manual was included with the purchase of my Zongshen 200GY-2. I also regularly refer to the Yamaha, TW200 service manual when working on my Zong.

Also, before I buy any motorcycle, I want to know the engine is reliable. Qingqi, Loncin, and Zongshen have all earned good reputations for building reliable engines. Indeed, even many of the Japanese engines have known problems that need to be addressed. For example: the neutral sending unit of the DR650SE, the water pump on the DR-Z400, the "doohicky" on the KLR650, et cetera. I don't want to ride up into the mountains with a suspect engine. 8O I think my good friend Andy, a professional mechanic, is correct; "any motor vehicle with a suspect motor is not a bargain, at any price."

Spud