My visit with a local dealer about the Hawk...

Plainsman · 06-28-2016, 12:04 PM

This weekend I took a trip to the city to visit an RPS dealer. The person I spoke with was very friendly and willing to visit at length. I sat on and started a Hawk so I could check the fit and hear how it sounded. I'm 5'9" and could almost sit flat footed.

Everything looked good and sounded good. Dealership was neat and clean with a nice visible mechanics area. Dealer told me they are selling lots of Hawks, 25 this month. He pointed out employees at neighboring businesses that are riding Hawks, and said both him and his mechanic ride one. Said his mechanic commutes 1 hour on the freeway on a stock Hawk. By way of establishing credibility, he told me that he is good friends with the owner of Ricky Power Sports.

He told me all Hawks are the same from every US dealer, doesn't matter how they brand it, Cougar etc. He said other big name online dealers are drop shipping them to customers. That they just call RPS and have them send it to customer. He said at his dealership they fully assemble, tune, and test all bikes before they leave. He said you leave with everything you need to ride straight to DMV for plates.

He said all black are sold out, that RPS has 800 2015s in the warehouse and no black. He said he has 80 2016s on order, they are on the boat now. First 5 black are already sold, and the new model will be $200 more.

Later in the conversation he told me the stock Hawk 250 will go 70mph, and freeway riding is no problem.

So what do you all make of all that?

Plainsman · 06-28-2016, 12:32 PM

I should add that I'm not trying to start a $!&@storm, I'm just trying to understand. I thought top speed on these bikes was pretty well documented. I don't know why anyone would say that unless they really believed it. What would be the point? If they buy the bike they are going to be very unhappy. When I pushed him on the top speed issue he said the only person he ever heard of not getting those speeds, was someone who was having trans problems and couldn't get the bike into 5th gear.

Weldangrind · 06-28-2016, 12:39 PM

My guess is that he's talking indicated, not verified speed. That, or he's quite optimistic. Or both.

kohburn · 06-28-2016, 01:04 PM

I thinking indicated top speed down a hill

Mudflap · 06-28-2016, 01:44 PM

Drafting cars on the freeway makes a significant difference in top speed. Maybe that's how he comes up with 70 mph.

FastDoc · 06-28-2016, 03:54 PM

I learned the hard way on a 200cc Zong even if a bike CAN do 70 it's still no where nearly powerful enough to ride on the freeway.

BlackBike · 06-28-2016, 04:03 PM

It's indicated. No harm no foul, he is just telling what the bike is telling him so it makes for a good sales point. By the way, this place sounds fantastic,

I surprised you didn't take one home no mater the color. You got repair support, a lot better than most of us out here in the wilderness!

Plainsman · 06-28-2016, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackBike

It's indicated. No harm no foul, he is just telling what the bike is telling him so it makes for a good sales point. By the way, this place sounds fantastic,

I surprised you didn't take one home no mater the color. You got repair support, a lot better than most of us out here in the wilderness!

Well that's kind of what I thought. Everything about the visit was great, and the place looked great. It's just that statement about top speed that through it all off for me.

He even showed me a bike (not a Hawk) that was in for repair. It was out of warranty but he said they were covering the repair at no charge. He said he wouldn't charge his customers to fix things that shouldn't have happened, as long as it wasn't due to abuse by the customer. He said he actually has not had many Hawks in for repairs, that they've been pretty reliable.

He also mentioned that he travels a lot and recently has seen Hawks in airport parking areas in other countries and around cities.

BlackBike · 06-28-2016, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plainsman

Well that's kind of what I thought. Everything about the visit was great, and the place looked great. It's just that statement about top speed that through it all off for me.

He even showed me a bike (not a Hawk) that was in for repair. It was out of warranty but he said they were covering the repair at no charge. He said he wouldn't charge his customers to fix things that shouldn't have happened, as long as it wasn't due to abuse by the customer. He said he actually has not had many Hawks in for repairs, that they've been pretty reliable.

He also mentioned that he travels a lot and recently has seen Hawks in airport parking areas in other countries and around cities.

This one is making all the right noises. What is their Web site? Maybe we can drive some business his way.

Weldangrind · 06-29-2016, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackBike

It's indicated. No harm no foul, he is just telling what the bike is telling him so it makes for a good sales point. By the way, this place sounds fantastic,

I surprised you didn't take one home no mater the color. You got repair support, a lot better than most of us out here in the wilderness!

Agreed. I sure don't expect him to consider that the speedometer might be wrong. He sounds like a terrific dealer.

SeerAtlas · 06-29-2016, 03:56 AM

wonder what gearing he's got on his hawks. I personally have a REAL hard time believing 70 on a stock hawk, "indicated " or not.....

zingshoen · 06-29-2016, 10:29 AM

which 250 does 70mph for a longer stretch reliably? sure, a highly geared bike on a flat road without wind etc, but even more powerful 250s feel rickety and vibrate a lot at those speeds or if they have a heavy frame they may feel stable but only get that fast downhill twice a year for 30 seconds.

so i also reckon 70 means "absolute top speed observed from time to time for very brief periods".

wilserchinarider · 06-29-2016, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plainsman

............Said his mechanic commutes 1 hour on the freeway on a stock Hawk.

..............Later in the conversation he told me the stock Hawk 250 will go 70mph, and freeway riding is no problem.

So what do you all make of all that?

From my experience that is completely untrue!

The stock hawk comes with a 15T front sprocket and tops out at around 50 mph.

70 MPH either indicated or actual is huge stretch for this machine in stock form. I have been to Texas, and like New Jersey typical freeway speeds are 70 - 80 plus MPH. I would never consider taking my Hawk on the Freeway, or interstate highway for any length besides perhaps a few miles at off peak hours.

JMHO, these bikes are a long ways short for limited access highway, Freeway, or Interstate riding.

I believe typical top speed for most Hawk owners is about 62 MPH after a sprocket change and re jetting. One must also realize that top speed is after a considerable distance on flat ground with the motor revving like a mosquito on crack.

Great bikes for around town, secondary roads and off road use, not even close to Freeway capable IMO.

Mudflap · 06-29-2016, 12:29 PM

I thought the Hawk 250 would be a little faster than my 200s. They'll do about 62 mph (GPS) on flat ground with no wind while being ridden by a 6'1" 240 lb guy. The extra 30cc must give it more low end torque?

wilserchinarider · 06-29-2016, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudflap

I thought the Hawk 250 would be a little faster than my 200s. They'll do about 62 mph (GPS) on flat ground with no wind while being ridden by a 6'1" 240 lb guy. The extra 30cc must give it more low end torque?

Yea, I would have thought the same. The hawk does seem to have a bit more power, but the hawk is also a larger heavier bike, with beefier heavier tires....so in reality the add. 29cc isn't much of a performance gain by any means IME.

And in stock form, which we are talking about in this thread, my old trusty 2008 lifan gy-5 ran circles around the hawk "as delivered" or stock, to the point I almost had a bit of buyers remorse. Now that I have the Hawk sorted I'm pleased.

To say the Hawk "out of the crate", or in stock form will run 70 mph and is Freeway capable is far from my experience.

06-28-2016, 12:04 PM	#1
Plainsman Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Heartland of America. Posts: 25	My visit with a local dealer about the Hawk... This weekend I took a trip to the city to visit an RPS dealer. The person I spoke with was very friendly and willing to visit at length. I sat on and started a Hawk so I could check the fit and hear how it sounded. I'm 5'9" and could almost sit flat footed. Everything looked good and sounded good. Dealership was neat and clean with a nice visible mechanics area. Dealer told me they are selling lots of Hawks, 25 this month. He pointed out employees at neighboring businesses that are riding Hawks, and said both him and his mechanic ride one. Said his mechanic commutes 1 hour on the freeway on a stock Hawk. By way of establishing credibility, he told me that he is good friends with the owner of Ricky Power Sports. He told me all Hawks are the same from every US dealer, doesn't matter how they brand it, Cougar etc. He said other big name online dealers are drop shipping them to customers. That they just call RPS and have them send it to customer. He said at his dealership they fully assemble, tune, and test all bikes before they leave. He said you leave with everything you need to ride straight to DMV for plates. He said all black are sold out, that RPS has 800 2015s in the warehouse and no black. He said he has 80 2016s on order, they are on the boat now. First 5 black are already sold, and the new model will be $200 more. Later in the conversation he told me the stock Hawk 250 will go 70mph, and freeway riding is no problem. So what do you all make of all that?
	0

06-28-2016, 12:39 PM	#3
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	My guess is that he's talking indicated, not verified speed. That, or he's quite optimistic. Or both. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	2

06-28-2016, 01:04 PM	#4
kohburn Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Coastal NC Posts: 537	I thinking indicated top speed down a hill __________________ -whatever you do, just be awesome. - 2008 Kawasaki Versys - 2016 CSC TT250
	2

06-28-2016, 03:54 PM	#6
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	I learned the hard way on a 200cc Zong even if a bike CAN do 70 it's still no where nearly powerful enough to ride on the freeway. __________________ Happy to serve.
	1

06-28-2016, 04:03 PM	#7
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	It's indicated. No harm no foul, he is just telling what the bike is telling him so it makes for a good sales point. By the way, this place sounds fantastic, I surprised you didn't take one home no mater the color. You got repair support, a lot better than most of us out here in the wilderness! __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
	1

06-28-2016, 12:32 PM	#2
Plainsman Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Heartland of America. Posts: 25	I should add that I'm not trying to start a $!&@storm, I'm just trying to understand. I thought top speed on these bikes was pretty well documented. I don't know why anyone would say that unless they really believed it. What would be the point? If they buy the bike they are going to be very unhappy. When I pushed him on the top speed issue he said the only person he ever heard of not getting those speeds, was someone who was having trans problems and couldn't get the bike into 5th gear.
	0

06-28-2016, 01:44 PM	#5
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,871	Drafting cars on the freeway makes a significant difference in top speed. Maybe that's how he comes up with 70 mph.
	2

06-29-2016, 03:56 AM	#11
SeerAtlas Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 770	wonder what gearing he's got on his hawks. I personally have a REAL hard time believing 70 on a stock hawk, "indicated " or not..... __________________ Seer's First LAW-"FLY THE PLANE!", fail that, and nothing else matters. 12th Law- Consider what marvels you might do if only you had tomorrow to live over again. Third Law-When someone tells you some thing "Can't Be Done", what they're really saying is They can't do it!!14th Law-Just because something "IS", doesn't necessarily mean it SHOULD be.. Eighth Law-The only true personal security is anonymity.Ninth Law-Humans tend to learn very little when speaking.10th Law-Some lives ARE worth taking
	1

06-29-2016, 10:29 AM	#12
zingshoen Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 648	which 250 does 70mph for a longer stretch reliably? sure, a highly geared bike on a flat road without wind etc, but even more powerful 250s feel rickety and vibrate a lot at those speeds or if they have a heavy frame they may feel stable but only get that fast downhill twice a year for 30 seconds. so i also reckon 70 means "absolute top speed observed from time to time for very brief periods". __________________ 1971 Garelli Gulp 50cc with open ports and 16 mm Bing Carbie + 1980 Honda XL 223 ZS + 2007 Zongshen LZX200G + DR400SM
	1

06-29-2016, 12:29 PM	#14
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,871	I thought the Hawk 250 would be a little faster than my 200s. They'll do about 62 mph (GPS) on flat ground with no wind while being ridden by a 6'1" 240 lb guy. The extra 30cc must give it more low end torque?
	0