Skyteam 250 V-Raptor 250

Panic-Pete · 10-23-2015, 08:20 AM

V-Raptor 250 model year 2011

In January 2012 I bought a Skyteam V-Raptor 250. I wanted to know if the little Chinese Motorcycle could stand a year´s everyday use.

It turned out that it could !

At 10000 Km I sold the Bike because my focus shifted to a Honda CMX 450 Rebel. (….which turned out to be a great Motorcycle… but that’s another story.)

I did a lot of Motorhiking with the Skyteam . Weekend Camping trips and after-work explorations of “back-back”- roads
Riding the V-Raptor relived the tensions of everyday life in an extraordinary way. I really looked forward to the small “fugues”.

There were some shortcomings which dulled the good experience .

The main cable-harness had a few tight twists and turns, not in accordance with a long-life layout and some connectors were in close contact to the tank-bottom as well as the throttle-cables.
In conjunction with inferior rubber-seats of the tank, hard resonance noises developed. This was accompanied by the left plastic side-cover. It also was a perfect resonance-body when having contact to the frame.

The sidestand-switch was not waterproof. So after cleaning the Bike or while riding in hard rain the engine stalled sometimes, until the switch was dried and soaked with WD40.

The drivechain(despite correct slack and lubrication) and wheel-bearings had to be replaced prematurely, due to inferior quality, at 5000 Km.

The diode connecting the ground of the solenoid-switch, when starting the engine (only necessary while starting when Gears and Clutch engaged…) failed and had to be bridged.

The lacquer-finish of the exhaust was beyond any quality and the coating came off within a few days. I fixed that with appropriate high-temperature coating.

…...and it was because all of this (and the lookout of buying the CMX 450 at a reasonable price.) that I sold the Motorcycle…..

….and it was because of…the absolutely reliable engine, the fine torque characteristic, the excellent seating position, the smooth road-holding (because of the bigfoot tires) , the overall ease of handling and not at the last, the toy-like design…..that I missed the Bike, just after a few days……..

...to be continued.

Weldangrind · 10-23-2015, 11:08 AM

I'm looking forward to more of this story.

thedoc62 · 10-27-2015, 07:50 AM

I agree completely with your notes and it has been helpful to know about the sidestand switch problem, my mechanic put the blame of remaining stuck under heavy rain on spark plug wiring and changed it (might as well be the case) but as soon as I pass by his shop i'll get the switch protected against humidity
I got my preowned Raptor as a temporary bike originally cause I was sick and tired of waiting for insurance refund for my beloved DRZ 400 SM
I was fed up of car driving in downtown traffic so sadly had to wreck it to pass insurance on the Raptor (that is even cheaper in terms of gas/insurance/owner tax costs); after riding it from last July I am willing to keep it in any case, even if i'll be able to fulfill my wild unresolved desire (a raging supermotard, even lighter and more powerful that the DRZ, in the 250-690 engine range)

SpudRider · 10-27-2015, 03:12 PM

I'm subscribed.

Thanks for posting the nice review, and the beautiful photos. I like the V-Raptor.

10-23-2015, 08:20 AM	#1
Panic-Pete Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Frankenbrunn, northern Bavaria, Germany Posts: 43	Skyteam 250 V-Raptor 250 V-Raptor 250 model year 2011 In January 2012 I bought a Skyteam V-Raptor 250. I wanted to know if the little Chinese Motorcycle could stand a year´s everyday use. It turned out that it could ! At 10000 Km I sold the Bike because my focus shifted to a Honda CMX 450 Rebel. (….which turned out to be a great Motorcycle… but that’s another story.) I did a lot of Motorhiking with the Skyteam . Weekend Camping trips and after-work explorations of “back-back”- roads Riding the V-Raptor relived the tensions of everyday life in an extraordinary way. I really looked forward to the small “fugues”. There were some shortcomings which dulled the good experience . The main cable-harness had a few tight twists and turns, not in accordance with a long-life layout and some connectors were in close contact to the tank-bottom as well as the throttle-cables. In conjunction with inferior rubber-seats of the tank, hard resonance noises developed. This was accompanied by the left plastic side-cover. It also was a perfect resonance-body when having contact to the frame. The sidestand-switch was not waterproof. So after cleaning the Bike or while riding in hard rain the engine stalled sometimes, until the switch was dried and soaked with WD40. The drivechain(despite correct slack and lubrication) and wheel-bearings had to be replaced prematurely, due to inferior quality, at 5000 Km. The diode connecting the ground of the solenoid-switch, when starting the engine (only necessary while starting when Gears and Clutch engaged…) failed and had to be bridged. The lacquer-finish of the exhaust was beyond any quality and the coating came off within a few days. I fixed that with appropriate high-temperature coating. …...and it was because all of this (and the lookout of buying the CMX 450 at a reasonable price.) that I sold the Motorcycle….. ….and it was because of…the absolutely reliable engine, the fine torque characteristic, the excellent seating position, the smooth road-holding (because of the bigfoot tires) , the overall ease of handling and not at the last, the toy-like design…..that I missed the Bike, just after a few days…….. ...to be continued. __________________ Je suis Paris, je suis Europe ! Liberte Egalite Fraternite !
	0

10-23-2015, 11:08 AM	#2
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	I'm looking forward to more of this story. __________________ 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
	0

10-27-2015, 03:12 PM	#4
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	I'm subscribed. Thanks for posting the nice review, and the beautiful photos. I like the V-Raptor. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

10-27-2015, 07:50 AM	#3
thedoc62 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Naples, Italy Posts: 41	I agree completely with your notes and it has been helpful to know about the sidestand switch problem, my mechanic put the blame of remaining stuck under heavy rain on spark plug wiring and changed it (might as well be the case) but as soon as I pass by his shop i'll get the switch protected against humidity I got my preowned Raptor as a temporary bike originally cause I was sick and tired of waiting for insurance refund for my beloved DRZ 400 SM I was fed up of car driving in downtown traffic so sadly had to wreck it to pass insurance on the Raptor (that is even cheaper in terms of gas/insurance/owner tax costs); after riding it from last July I am willing to keep it in any case, even if i'll be able to fulfill my wild unresolved desire (a raging supermotard, even lighter and more powerful that the DRZ, in the 250-690 engine range)
	0