Brozz, Hawk, or TT250? (Magician?)

DavidInMaine · 03-22-2021, 04:31 PM

I'm sure there are plenty of threads like this one, so apologies in advance to anyone who reads this and thinks "Oh, man. Not again!"

I'm trying to decide between three (or four) bikes. Main uses will be commuting to work (3 miles each way) and trail riding. I'm a complete noob at trail riding, so I want something easy to ride that I won't have to finance. Interstate speeds are a plus but not necessary as the bike will not see any highway use. (I have a BMW K1200RS for interstate riding.)

Of the three, I like the look of the Brozz Recon best, but I'm a little worried about how much I will have to do to it when it arrives. I'm pretty sure I can put it together, but I'd be lying if I said I was 100% sure.

The TT250 seems like a good option in that regard, as it's pretty much delivered ready to go. But it's significantly more expensive. Is it worth the extra money? I believe both are Zongshen bikes, right? So reliability ought to be close?

The Hawk is attractive because of the low price point, but how much work will I have to put into it? As much as the Brozz? Less? More?

On the outside, I am also considering a Magician. At my height and inseam I think it's the only one that I would not have to modify the seat in order to ride. As a bonus, it's even less expensive than the Hawk, but I've seen a lot of negative things about it, so it's probably going to be a pass unless anyone here can vouch positively for it.

I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on any of them just yet, so I have time to do more research. I figured I'd ask you guys and see what you thought. Are there any other bikes in this price range that I should consider? It has to be street legal because I'll be using it to commute to work.

idle_purr · 03-22-2021, 04:36 PM

FacePalm*** NOT ANOTHER ONE!!!

j/k...

They all require pretty much the same attention at the beginning depending on what you want. Loctite, fresh oil, gearing, etc...

I did a lot of research and chose the Brozz 250 because it was the closest to what I wanted. I am happy with my purchase as the bike is wayyy nicer than I expected, and I mean way the F nicer lol. If I could go back in time though I think I would choose a Bashan Storm 250. It's pretty much the same thing, just some better quality parts, like the handlebars and it comes with handguards.

As far as the magician goes, I have not heard many good reviews on it.

DavidInMaine · 03-22-2021, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idle_purr

FacePalm*** NOT ANOTHER ONE!!!

j/k...

They all require pretty much the same attention at the beginning depending on what you want. Loctite, fresh oil, gearing, etc...

I did a lot of research and chose the Brozz 250 because it was the closest to what I wanted. I am happy with my purchase as the bike is wayyy nicer than I expected, and I mean way the F nicer lol. If I could go back in time though I think I would choose a Bashan Storm 250. It's pretty much the same thing, just some better quality parts, like the handlebars and it comes with handguards.

As far as the magician goes, I have not heard many good reviews on it.

I hadn't heard of the Storm. I just checked it out. Found one for around $1300, but that price didn't include shipping, so I'll have to get a quote on that. Great. Now I have another bike to add to the list...

Bill Hilly · 03-22-2021, 05:54 PM

The Magician, and the standard carbureted Hawk , can possibly be harder to register in some states. I like my Brozz, but would have opted to save $400 on the carbureted Hawk. The TaoTao TBR7 was one I had my eye on as well. A bike that I couldn't register would have been no use to me, so I spent the extra money on the Brozz, not only because I felt more sure of being able to register it, but the fact that Peace Sports , and particularly Jeff are hard, if not impossible to beat in terms of customer service .

Megadan · 03-22-2021, 06:52 PM

The TT250 and Brozz are both very good bikes in terms of build quality. The extra money on the TT250 comes down to paying a bit more for the adjustable forks, 300W stator, and a few other tiny upgrades here and there. The rest of what you pay for comes down to the best vendor support in the chinese bike industry as well as a proper warranty. The bike also comes assembled and inspected by people that actually put in a little effort. It is worth the extra money imho. That said, you get most of the same quality with a brozz, just a little lower spec, and the smaller 17 and 19 inch wheels, which for road duty are a bit better.

The Hawk is a good solid bike, but it requires more initial attention, and you have to be the quality control person and perform a proper pdi on it.

03-22-2021, 04:31 PM	#1
DavidInMaine Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 24	Brozz, Hawk, or TT250? (Magician?) I'm sure there are plenty of threads like this one, so apologies in advance to anyone who reads this and thinks "Oh, man. Not again!" I'm trying to decide between three (or four) bikes. Main uses will be commuting to work (3 miles each way) and trail riding. I'm a complete noob at trail riding, so I want something easy to ride that I won't have to finance. Interstate speeds are a plus but not necessary as the bike will not see any highway use. (I have a BMW K1200RS for interstate riding.) Of the three, I like the look of the Brozz Recon best, but I'm a little worried about how much I will have to do to it when it arrives. I'm pretty sure I can put it together, but I'd be lying if I said I was 100% sure. The TT250 seems like a good option in that regard, as it's pretty much delivered ready to go. But it's significantly more expensive. Is it worth the extra money? I believe both are Zongshen bikes, right? So reliability ought to be close? The Hawk is attractive because of the low price point, but how much work will I have to put into it? As much as the Brozz? Less? More? On the outside, I am also considering a Magician. At my height and inseam I think it's the only one that I would not have to modify the seat in order to ride. As a bonus, it's even less expensive than the Hawk, but I've seen a lot of negative things about it, so it's probably going to be a pass unless anyone here can vouch positively for it. I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on any of them just yet, so I have time to do more research. I figured I'd ask you guys and see what you thought. Are there any other bikes in this price range that I should consider? It has to be street legal because I'll be using it to commute to work.
	0

03-22-2021, 04:36 PM	#2
idle_purr Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: NY Posts: 218	FacePalm* NOT ANOTHER ONE!!! j/k... They all require pretty much the same attention at the beginning depending on what you want. Loctite, fresh oil, gearing, etc... I did a lot of research and chose the Brozz 250 because it was the closest to what I wanted. I am happy with my purchase as the bike is wayyy nicer than I expected, and I mean way the F nicer lol. If I could go back in time though I think I would choose a Bashan Storm 250. It's pretty much the same thing, just some better quality parts, like the handlebars and it comes with handguards. As far as the magician goes, I have not heard many good reviews on it. __________________ NO HILL TOO STEEP NO MUD TOO DEEP The Brozz \| The Hawk Upgrades, Accessories, Etc... Assembly Checklist: Brozz 250 \| Hawk 250 ~idle_purr**
	1

03-22-2021, 06:52 PM	#5
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 8,042	The TT250 and Brozz are both very good bikes in terms of build quality. The extra money on the TT250 comes down to paying a bit more for the adjustable forks, 300W stator, and a few other tiny upgrades here and there. The rest of what you pay for comes down to the best vendor support in the chinese bike industry as well as a proper warranty. The bike also comes assembled and inspected by people that actually put in a little effort. It is worth the extra money imho. That said, you get most of the same quality with a brozz, just a little lower spec, and the smaller 17 and 19 inch wheels, which for road duty are a bit better. The Hawk is a good solid bike, but it requires more initial attention, and you have to be the quality control person and perform a proper pdi on it. __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124
	1

03-22-2021, 05:54 PM	#4
Bill Hilly Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 948	The Magician, and the standard carbureted Hawk , can possibly be harder to register in some states. I like my Brozz, but would have opted to save $400 on the carbureted Hawk. The TaoTao TBR7 was one I had my eye on as well. A bike that I couldn't register would have been no use to me, so I spent the extra money on the Brozz, not only because I felt more sure of being able to register it, but the fact that Peace Sports , and particularly Jeff are hard, if not impossible to beat in terms of customer service .
	2