Hawk DLX - Durability

Wild Dog · 07-23-2021, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sek8271

Right but some of the places that something like UTBDR goes can barely even be called "roads". More like jeep trails, or an obvious path through the rocks.

6"+ rock shelves, up and down. Very rough and rocky terrain. You WILL drop the bike in to rocks.

That's hard on any bike, I think it's reasonable to question if the suspension and chassis of a low cost machine can hold up to that kind of abuse (and it really is abuse, not use!)

Is this the kind of context you're commenting in?

If you hit any crankcase against a rock you can get unlike and crack it. Be it a BMW adventure 1200 or the cheapest motorcycle you can imagine, that's not about how it is build, but something that will happens.
I have seen quite a few cracked open YZ450F due accidents with rocks and is not because the engine is cheap or low cost.

About the chassis it can take the abuse and much more. The suspension will work as long you don't jump with it like it's a MX...

So you may want to tell me.
"If they are so durable, why they are not used more for off-road more often?".

Because if you ride with other people that have motorcycle with more punch it will be boring for you and they will ride a tad slower and wait for you.
Not fun for them, not fun for you.

Example:

Stock "Hawkesque 250" on a mountain range trails, as you can see the other riders who are friends of him, have to wait for him quite often. Which like is not fun for them and you fell bad because you know they are waiting for you.
That Motorcycle has over 90.000 km on mountain range trails, gravel, sand, snow. It's crappy but it works. Now is waiting for a new piston and valves.

The rock case you mention with an unlucky outcome for the chinese motorcyle. Had to use "JB Weld" on the case and limp back home.

He made a few case covers after that, but even if you have the best engine in the world and you got unlucky it would be the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by franque

I'm a mechanic myself, and I gave you my opinion. It really depends on how he wants to ride the bike, but I would expect the wheels to explode in short order if not ridden gently on the UTBDR.

I know they may seem a bit soft, but once laced with good spokes they are quite tough, of course that won't fix the crappy chrome job.

But the key is the lacing, even the best rim would break if the lacing is crappy.