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Motorcycle News, News

Does it make sense for a Hobby Motorcyclist to Buy a Professional Kalex?

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Having tested a range of the most popular motorbike brands on handling, comfort, reliability, value for money, mileage, and overall satisfaction, customer satisfaction research and ratings business Canstar Blue concluded that Yamaha is the ultimate brand. BMW, Harley-Davison, and Honda also finished with strong overall satisfaction ratings. However, there’s a new brand that looks to be catching on with motorcyclists, following its dominance at a professional competitive level: Kalex. So we’re going to explore what makes Kalex Engineering so revered in the world of motorbikes and if it can challenge the likes of Yamaha, BMW, and Harley-Davidson when it comes to its suitability, and also consider what it offers to hobby motorcyclists.

What makes Kalex great?

Kalex Engineering only came into being 11 years ago, headed up by Klaus Hirsekorn and Alex Baumgartel, with the brand’s name, Kalex, being a portmanteau of the two engineers’ first names. The Bavarian-based engineering company specialises in high-performance parts for motorcycles.

Kalex rose to fame in Moto2 circles in 2010 by providing their chassis to Pons Racing. Riders and manufacturers cite the Kalex chassis as being much more forgiving than other brands at the time, such as Suter, as well as being easier to ride and set up. This eventually led to four Kalex chassis riders placing in the top four of the 2013 World Championship, with Kalex claiming the Manufacturers’ Championship.

When Kalex joined Moto2 in 2010, many questions were raised concerning their choice of using aluminium as the frame material instead of the tried-and-trusted steel. In an interview with Speed Week, Baumgartel stated that he sees steel as reacting very sensitively, more so than aluminium, making the increased cost of using aluminium worthwhile to the Kalex engineer. The gamble has certainly paid off, with Kalex Engineering boasting six World Champion riders from 170 tonnes of cut aluminium and five Manufacturers’ World Champions. With 10,688 World Championship points in total, Kalex Engineering has been the Moto2 world champion’s constructor for seven of the last eight years, with Stefan Bradl, Pol Espargaro, Tito Rabat, Johann Zarco (twice), Franco Morbidelli, and Francesco Bagnaia riding to the championship astride a Kalex. In this 2019 season, Alex Marquez is expected to join these ranks because, as of 3rd October, the Kalex rider is at 1/10 with Betway to win the World Championship, clocking wins in France, Italy, Cataluña, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

Is Kalex for the casual rider?

It’s very difficult for any brand, regardless of their success on the professional circuit, to break into the casual motorcyclist market. The simple fact is that a lot of motorbike enthusiasts love the prestige of certain long-standing icons, with Honda and Harley-Davidson regularly tussling for the top sales spot. But of course, having a varied market offers more options for casual riders and makes everything more competitive – which is always good for the consumer.

Other brands have been able to stake a major claim in the market, though, with people preferring a different way to ride and different models. For example, BMW has gained traction thanks to its GS series, with the new R 1250 GS model being one of the very best. While it’s a competitive field that’s filled with legendary brands and manufacturers, there’s a reason why more people are keeping tabs on Kalex. Their success is simply unavoidable, but is Kalex suitable for the casual motorcyclist?

Kalex motorcycle parts are specifically designed to give high performance, with the incredible grade of their products being best suited to professional racing. This means that, unless you’re a budding racer or perhaps are a very skilled casual rider and have access to a race track, you may never be able to fully utilise the potential of a Kalex bike.

This could be seen as a waste unless you’re an avid collector, as Kalex parts and bikes fetch a hefty price. Motorcycle News reported a test bike sale in 2011, early in Kalex’s career, which cost over £70,000. Through the Kalex website, you can get a Kawasaki ZX10RR swingarm for €15,749 and a Kawasaki ZX10RR ASSY triple clamp for €1869. The prices are obviously in the premium range and exceed the desired costs of many hobby motorcyclists.

Kalex Engineering has achieved tremendous feats in professional motorbike racing, but it’s in World Championship competition that the brand will likely remain for the foreseeable future.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

CFMoto 300NK is cheapest 300cc learner

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CFMoto continue to offer some of the cheapest learner bikes in Australia with the 300NK arriving next month at just $4990, ride away.

We could not find a 300cc motorcycle on the market for less. In fact, the Chinese-made motorcycle is about the same price as a couple of 150cc bikes on the market.

And it includes an unlimited kilometre, two-year factory warranty.

It rounds out their NK (naked) road bike range: 150NK ($3490 with free jacket and helmet worth $350); 250NK ($4290) and 650NK ($5990).

Despite the cheap prices, we have found all the CFMoto models we’ve tested to be reliable and great value.CFMoto 300NK learner motorcycle

This latest variant is powered by a new 300cc four-valve DOHC, water-cooled engine with 25kW of power in its lithe 151kg frame.

The EFI engine has a balance shaft and a sixth gear to reduce vibration in the footpegs and hand grips.

Braking is handled by Spanish J Juan brake callipers and a Continental Dual Channel ABS controller.

The frame is narrow making it easy for most riders to get a foot on the ground and the seat is split for rider and pillion.

Modern features include a full-colour TFT instrumentation panel, LED headlight and daytime running lights.CFMoto 300NK learner motorcycle

Like all NK motorcycles, styling has been outsourced to Kiska, the Austrian design house responsible for many KTM models.

The company has close ties with KTM, making their bikes in China for the domestic market.

300NK ABS will be available in Midnight Black only.

300NK features

  • New 300cc single cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, 4-valve, DOHC with balance shaft
  • Electronic fuel injection for increased economy 
  • 6 speed transmission capable of highway speeds
  • New 12.5 L fuel tank design for better rider ergonomics
  • Front and rear Spanish J.Juan disc brakes
  • Bright TFT instrumentation display
  • Switchable ride modes from sport to rain
  • Lightweight – 151kg
  • Aggressive low slung headlight design and LED lights all round
  • Available in Midnight Black

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Norton builds limited Dominator Street

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Norton Motorcycles has followed the success of its Commando Street with a limited “Street” edition of the Dominator with upright bars and a hand-painted tank.

Only 50 bikes will be made costing £21,950.

Australian Norton importer James Mutton of Brisbane Motorcycles says the bikes are only available on order.

James Mutton Brisbane Motorcycles discounting
James with Norton motorcycles

“The factory does not actually make stock as usual when they do a limited-edition bike,” he says.

“They all sell out within a month or so and are then built and imported.”

Dominator StreetNorton Dominator Street

The Dominator Street is expected to start deliveries from next month.

“We will probably end up bringing one or two in if an Australian customer places a deposit soon enough,” James says.

Pricing will be similar to the Dominator Naked at $A52,990 (+ORC) and customers will need to leave a 10% deposit.Norton Dominator Street

“Our market for this bike is obviously very small,” Jame says.

“The very affluent motorcycle collector that has a passion for ultra-rare motorcycles and wishes to secure a bike that will have its own place in motorcycling history fits the profile of someone we would expect to order one of these bikes.”

Norton says they have modified the Dominator chassis to give it a more “sporty” feel.

It comes with an Ohlins rear shock and Ohlins forks in either upside-down or conventional configurations for a classic appearance.Norton Dominator Street

Features include lashings of carbonfibre and polished yokes and engine covers, and drilled clutch cover and chainguard.

The 961cc parallel-twin engine with 58kW and 90Nm now has more of a bark through the two-into-one handmade exhaust system.

Big year

James says he is expecting a big year from the handbuilt British brand.

Some £4m in government funding has now flowed through to the company who have also concluded a £20m deal with Japan.

The deal involves delivering an extra 1000 motorcycles worth £5m to Japanese riders over the next five years.

The extra money will allow Norton Motorcycles to revamp their plant in Castle Donington and hire 200 new workers.

“It’s an amazing place with carpet on the floor and technicians hand assembling the bike at little work benches,” James says.

The big new models coming from Norton soon are the flagship V4 and the affordable Atlas Nomad and Ranger.

Norton Atlas Ranger Nomad wait

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

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Rare ride on Ray’s 1948 Vincent Rapide

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It is a rare delight to ride a classic motorcycle, so there was no hesitation when Ray Schriever offered me a ride on his prized 1948 Vincent Rapide.

Ray, 69, is a retired aviation engineer who marvels at the British bike’s clever engineering, much of it courtesy of Australian engineer Phil Irving.

“We became friends over the years when he was president of the Vincent Owners Club,” Ray says of Phil.

“He was a genius and this Vincent has some remarkable engineering and unique ideas.”

1948 Vincent Rapide
Ray with Phil

Unique Vincent Rapide

They include the two side stands which can be used separately or together to create a front wheel stand.

There is also a rear wheel stand and a hinged rear fender.

Together with the front stands, it allows the removal of both wheels.

1948 Vincent Rapide
Two side stands

The rear wheel can also be spun around so you can have two sets of sprockets for road and race gearing or for the use of a sidecar.

It is also the first bike with hydraulic damping and most of the fasteners are T-bars so there is no need for spanners, even to remove the wheels.

1948 Vincent Rapide
Hydraulic damping

You can even adjust the chain tension with a simple finger-operated control.

1948 Vincent Rapide
Easy chain adjuster

“This is truly an engineer’s bike,” Ray says.

“It was the first completely new post-war motorcycle.

“Steel was hard to come by after the war so there is a lot of aluminium and stainless on the bike. It’s a lot lighter than it looks.” 

Vincent love affair

Ray’s love affair with the British Vincent HRD brand began as a kid with a photo of a Vincent on his bedroom wall.

“I bought my first Vincent, a Meteor, in 1968 as an apprentice, for $50 and paid it off over 10 weeks. I later bought a Rapide, I sold both bikes and bought a Black Shadow which I rode for years, in fact decades,” he says.

He bought the 1948 Vincent Rapide five years ago from Melbourne for $60,000. It’s now worth about $80,000.1948 Vincent Rapide

“The Vincent Rapide and Back Shadow are basically the same bike but the Shadow has different cams and larger carburettors,” Ray explains.

“It was in good condition but it had had a hard life as either a speedway or race bike.”

Ray’s done a bit of work on the bike and after tickling the carbs and getting the kickstarter in the right position it starts second go.

He takes it round the block, then allows me a short ride, warning me that the brakes are not great.

My turn

As I set out for my ride around the block the Vincent Rapide feels incredibly light with a ballsy engine and surprisingly slick gears which are one up, three down and on the right foot lever.

I almost overshoot the first turn when I go for the brakes and there are virtually none as Ray had warned.

Plus there was the fact that I instinctively clicked down on the right foot lever going up a gear instead of activating the rear drum brake!1948 Vincent Rapide

It easily flicks left and steers accurately despite that whole front end bouncing around on its girder suspension.

When I round the corner to pull in, Ray implores me to have another lap and give it a red-hot go as he waves his arms in the air.

The ballsy engine roars and the bike vibrates a little but not as much as I thought. It’s a rare and too-short experience, but one I won’t forget.

“They called it the big little bike,” Ray says as I return.

“It’s capable fo 120mph (193km/h) and I’ve startled a few riders in the past on modern bikes as I flash past them.”

Ray has owned a number of motorcycles in his life and still has a BMW R 1100 RS, but says the Rapide is his favourite.

“I’m a Vincent obsessive. I just like the way it works.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

CFMoto 650MT 2500km update

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Motorcycle industry stalwart Dale Schmidtchen has now been in the saddle of his 2019 CFMoto 650 MT ABS for 2500km, so it’s time for an update.

Dale, who has previously worked for CFMoto, gave his initial impressions in his review last month.

Dale‘s update:

First service came up at a pleasing 1500km, not 1000km or even 800km like many other bikes.

The service was performed by the selling dealer, Sunstate Motorcycles, Nerang, and it was also very pleasing at just $270.

I was lucky enough to throw a leg over a new Suzuki V-Strom 650 while waiting for the service. The V-Strom was fully run in and quite an impressive model in the same genre, but it highlighted the amazing value of the CFMoto at less than 2/3 of the price and with panniers included.

I bought the bike because I needed a machine capable of many types of riding, so it didn’t take long before I got the wheels dirty on some unpaved country back roads.CFMoto 650MT update

While it may climb every mountain and ford every stream, there are two main drawbacks.

First is the road-biased tyre tread. Second is the lack of high-speed damping from the rear shock on corrugated dirt inclines. It tends to skip the corrugations, losing power and traction.

It adds a bit to the challenge, but I am sure a little work in the suspension, tyre pressures and a rubber update should help a great deal.

Loosen upCFMoto 650MT update

My CFMoto has taken most of the first 1500km to loosen up the engine and front suspension.

The fork seals had a noticeable amount of stiction from new, which made modulating the front brakes on dirt roads harder than now the stiction has faded.

On one very fast creek crossing, the exhaust pipe did ground out once, but I doubt most people will ever find this.   

The headlight on low beam is good for everything up to 100km/h.

The LED running lights light up the immediate road well, filling in the usual dark area. However the headlight is really bright and does not alternate between high and low. The low stays on with high beam and does its best to dazzle everything in sight.

The chain and sprocket have shown minimal wear and has not required adjustment to date, which is exceptional.

I cannot comment on wet braking as yet, thanks to the current winter drought, but in the dry the brakes are more than adequate. I recently tested out the ABS on a straight dirt road and there is great feedback before it cuts in.CFMoto 650MT update

Fuel economy has been steady since day one and hasn’t improved much with running in.

On 95 RON fuel, the bike gets a respectable 4.3L/100km (23km/l or 65mpg), theoretically allowing for 400km range.

When the last fuel block has been flashing for some time, it takes about 13.5 litres from a claimed 18 litre tank, so reserve is quite generous.

Overall, I am still enjoying the bike immensely and hope to give you another update at around 8000km.

CFMoto 650 MT ABS tech specsCFMoto 650 MT

Price:

$7490 ride away

Engine:

649.3cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8-valve, parallel-twin four-stroke with 180-degree crankshaft, chain camshaft drive and single gear-driven counter balancer

Bore & Capacity:

83mm x 60mm

Compression Ratio:

11.3:1

Fuel System:

EFI with 2 x 38mm ITT throttle bodies and single injector per cylinder

Power:

41.5kW @ 9500rpm (LAMS restricted)

Torque:

62Nm @ 7000rpm

Gearbox:

6-speed with gear primary drive

Clutch:

Multiplate wet
CFMoto 650 MT

Chassis:

Tubular steel diamond frame employing engine as fully-stressed member

Front Suspension:

USD fork (max travel 140mm)

Rear Suspension:

Extruded steel swingarm with tubular steel bracing, cantilever monoshock (max. travel 145mm)

Front Brake:

2 x 300mm steel discs with twin-piston calipers with Continental ABS system

Rear Brake:

1 x 240mm single disc with single-piston caliper with Continental ABS system

Front Wheel & Tyres:

120/70ZR17, 3.5 x 17 MT alloy

Rear Wheel & Tyres:

160/60ZR17, 4.5 x 17 MT alloy
CFMoto 650 MT

Length x Width x Height:

2150 x 835 x 1332mm

Wheelbase:

1415mm

Seat:

840mm or optional 820mm

Clearance:

170mm

Turning circle:

5.4m

Fuel tank:

18L

Weight:

213kg

Max Payload:

150kg

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Massive discounts on Husqvarna 701 and 401

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Husqvarna Australia is about to offer some massive discounts on the 401 and 701 Svartpilen and Vitpilen motorcycles.

And by “massive” we mean a massive $3000 to $7000, depending on the model!

The official announcement has not yet been made, but we have seen the ride-away prices announced to the dealers recently.

Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 - controversial upgrade massive
Vitpilen 401

Husqvarna massive discounts

Model Old price (+ORC) New on-road price (New Zealand)
Svartpilen 701 $A15,995 $A10,495 $NZ11,500
Vitpilen 701 $A16,995 $A9995 $NZ10,999
Svartpilen 401 $A10,495 $A7495 $NZ8495
Vitpilen 401 $A10,495 $A7495 $NZ8495

Rebate

Riders who have recently bought one for the full price may be able to get a rebate.

While companies are not legally bound to rebate the difference as it a a case of “buyer beware”, offering a rebate would show good faith with their customers.

However, the only time we can recall a motoring company issuing a full refund after heavily discounting a big-ticket item was in 2004 when Holden slashed the price of its off-road Adventra wagon by $4000.

We have rarely seen such a massive discount in the motorcycle industry. And by comparison, this is much higher than the Holden discount.

Yet we would expect the distributor to be understanding about rebates and retaining customer loyalty.

They may offer cash, or free accessories or service to make up the difference. It could come down to your negotiating skills.

The motorcycles

We love the four models with their quirky looks and names.

Vitpilen means white arrow and is the road bike while Svartpilen means black arrow and is a scrambler semi-off-roader.

They are all fun and agile motorcycles with quality components.

For example, the 701 comes with a lot of standard “goodies” such as Bi-Directional Quick Shifter, Brembo Brakes with braided lines, LED lighting and WP Suspension.

Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 massive

However, we always said they would be a hard sell at the prices they were asking, especially for single-cylinder motorcycles.

Click on the following model names to read our full road tests: Vitpilen 701 and Vitpilen 401.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

CFMoto 650 MT ABS initial review

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When motorcycle industry stalwart Dale Schmidtchen needed an attractive, utilitarian motorcycle at a good price, his research led him to the CFMoto 650 MT ABS.

Dale, who has previously worked for CFMoto, says he needed a bike capable of many types of riding.

“I had set a budget of under 10k,” he says.

Bargain bike

CFMoto 650 MT
650 MT

Sunstate Motorcycles at Nerang delivered the bike in an attractive “Athens Blue” for the current deal that includes panniers and engine bars for just $7490 ride away.

“I chose to upgrade to the larger aluminium panniers for a small premium extra,” Dale says.

“I have to admit I rode one of the original prototypes at the factory back in 2011, so I was keen to see how much they had progressed since then.

“In a word, refinement.”CFMoto 650 MT

Dale is a big lad. Tall and hefty, yet he says he feels comfortable on the 650 MT.

“It’s tall in the seat (840mm) and wide with the panniers fitted, but this is typical of most adventure tourers,” he says.

“The ride position feels very much like a Ducati Multistrada.

Dale says the styling is “very KTM”.

That’s understandable as CFMoto styling is done by Austrian design house Kisha who also design for KTM.

Ergos and featuresCFMoto 650 MT

“Ergonomically, everything seems spot on,” Dale says.

“The LCD instrumentation is easy to read and I am pleased to say has a curved glass, so doesn’t suffer from bright sun.

“The mirrors are clear and do not fuzz, even at highway speeds.

The 649.3cc LAMS engine has 41.5kW of power and 64Nm of torque.CFMoto 650 MT

“There is more than adequate torque for acceleration, but I have to say that while it is still tight, at least 3000 revs are required for clean acceleration in the higher gears,” Dale says.

“It ticks over at a bit more than 4200rpm at 100km/h and early indications are that there could be close to 400km range from the 18 litre tank.”

New to CFMoto are the Yuan USD forks, featuring rebound damping, as does the rear shock.CFMoto 650 MT

“Ride is very plush, but I have noticed high-speed compression damping is a little harsh,” Dale says.

“Overall, I have to rate the bike as extremely capable and a genuine surprise in terms of value.”

We will get many opportunities to also ride the bike and we will track Dale’s ownership of the bike to see if it stacks up to his demands.

CFMoto 650 MT ABS tech specsCFMoto 650 MT

Price:

$7490 ride away

Engine:

649.3cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8-valve, parallel-twin four-stroke with 180-degree crankshaft, chain camshaft drive and single gear-driven counter balancer

Bore & Capacity:

83mm x 60mm

Compression Ratio:

11.3:1

Fuel System:

EFI with 2 x 38mm ITT throttle bodies and single injector per cylinder

Power:

41.5kW @ 9500rpm (LAMS restricted)

Torque:

62Nm @ 7000rpm

Gearbox:

6-speed with gear primary drive

Clutch:

Multiplate wet
CFMoto 650 MT

Chassis:

Tubular steel diamond frame employing engine as fully-stressed member

Front Suspension:

USD fork (max travel 140mm)

Rear Suspension:

Extruded steel swingarm with tubular steel bracing, cantilever monoshock (max. travel 145mm)

Front Brake:

2 x 300mm steel discs with twin-piston calipers with Continental ABS system

Rear Brake:

1 x 240mm single disc with single-piston caliper with Continental ABS system

Front Wheel & Tyres:

120/70ZR17, 3.5 x 17 MT alloy

Rear Wheel & Tyres:

160/60ZR17, 4.5 x 17 MT alloy
CFMoto 650 MT

Length x Width x Height:

2150 x 835 x 1332mm

Wheelbase:

1415mm

Seat:

840mm or optional 820mm

Clearance:

170mm

Turning circle:

5.4m

Fuel tank:

18L

Weight:

213kg

Max Payload:

150kg

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

CFMoto expanding engine sizes

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CFMoto could soon be expanding its engine sizes with a 700cc liquid-cooled parallel twin engine and KTM’s first-generation 990cc LC8 engine.

Images from the Chinese company’s patent application have leaked showing the 700cc engine which is expected to replace the current 650cc units.

Expanding capacity

The company has close ties with KTM, making their bikes in China for the domestic market and using the same designing house, Kiska.

CFMoto are not only expanding engine capacities but also expanding production.

They are building a joint factory wth KTM in China, producing more than half a million bikes a year.

From 2021, the factory will make all KTM models powered by the new 799cc parallel-twin for the world market.

Now CFMoto has also bought the rights to use their old LC8 engines in models for the Asian market.

700cc enginecfmoto 700cc patent engine sizes

The leaked 700cc patent images also show the bikes will have a new tubular steel frame, aluminium swingarm, upside-down forks and rising-rate monoshock rear shock mounted on the swingarm rather than a direct-action setup as on the current 650cc line-up.

The 649cc engine delivers 52kW of power, while the 700cc is expected to deliver up to 60kW.cfmoto 700cc patent engine sizes

CFMoto Australia boss Michael Poynton says he doesn’t know “too much at this point in time about the 700cc platform”.

“Like always, there will be some new motorcycles released by CFMoto at EICMA later this year but I am unsure on what these will be,” he says.

The only problem with the new models is that they would no longer be learner-approved like the current range of 650cc and 400cc models.

650cc deals

Meanwhile, CFMoto Australia has some “cracking deals on “excessive inventory” of their current 650cc models ahead of the release of the new 650GT later this year.

Customers can save $500 on the $5990 ride-away price on a new CFMoto 650NK ABS or the $7490 650MT ABS.

The 650MT ABS adventure models also comes with a free set of panniers worth $650.

CFMoto motorcycles come with a two-year, unlimited kilometre factory warranty.

The “CFMoto Double Deal” will run to 30 September 2019.

 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

DAB offers ‘legal’ custom motorcycle

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DAB Motors lets you completely customise your new bike from enduro to motard to scrambler even before taking delivery, with the promise it’s street legal.

Meet the LM-S developed by engineer Simon Dabadie who established his company in the Basque region in 2017.DAB Motors customisable motorcycle

Henry Ford once said of his Model T Ford: “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.”.

Those days are now gone with this new motorcycle.

Customers can change everything except the steel double-cradle frame, eight-litre tank and Husqvarna 500cc DOHC single-cylinder engine.DAB Motors customisable motorcycle

Strangely the exhaust — one of the most popular parts to customise — can’t be changed as it has to meet European emissions regulations.

That means customers can select handlebars, suspension (Kayaba or Ohlins), subframe, seat, wheels, tyres and even the braking system.DAB Motors customisable motorcycle

You can also select the colour scheme which can vary between subframe, bodywork, tank, rims, spokes, etc.

DAB says each customised motorcycle will look different yet they will all roll out of their factory homologated for legal European  road use, so the coppers can’t harass you.

Although we notice there is no headlight! Seems to be a glaring omission.

DAB hand at customisingDAB Motors customisable motorcycle

Maserati and Bentley allow similar personalisation which can lead to some interesting results that show that wealth doesn’t necessarily mean good taste.

For example, the Queen has her seats covered in her family tartan weave while one Italian family chose different coloured leather seats for each seat in their Quattroporte. Yuk!

DAB makes things easy for their customers with a configurator on their website so you can select items and see how they look on the finished motorcycle.

Here’s one we prepared earlier.DAB Motors customisable motorcycle

And here’s another.DAB Motors customisable motorcycle

Pricing

The DAB LM-S is quite expensive starting at around $A27,250.

The configurator will tally up how much your bike will cost as you make your selections.

Customers will have to wait about three months from order before taking delivery.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle News, News

Hartford Classic 250 motorbike review

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The Hartford Classic 250 rides into Australia on a nostalgic wave of small-capacity neo-classic motorcycles appealing to hip young among commuters.

At just $4799 plus on-road costs, it’s a bargain way to enter the market or add a second bike to your garage.

Hartford motorcycles and scooters are made in Taiwan and imported by Joe Fisher of Hartford Australia, based in Ballina.

Joe also imports the Hartford 125cc Sienna ($3399) and 300cc Vita ($6199) scooters. The Sienna comes with a one-year warranty and the Vita with a 24-month warranty.

Hartford Classic 250
Hartford Vita and Sienna scooters (All images by Jeff Gough)

He recently invited me to ride the bike and scooters over Mt Tamborine in south-east Queensland.

Classic 250Hartford Classic 250

First impression of the Classic 250 is that it looks great.

Styling is very retro and quality of parts and build is as good as bargain Japanese bikes.

If you are into customising bikes, there wouldn’t be much to do as the front and rear fenders are chopped already and the rest of the bike’s styling is spot-on.

Perhaps the only modifications I’d make is swapping to Ace bars and bar-end mirrors for a cafe racer look or MX bars and upswept pipe for a scrambler/tracker feel.

Surprisingly the Classic 250 has an easy-to-read digital single instrument dial and all LED lighting. That means headlight, indicators, brake and taillight are all bright LEDs.Hartford Classic 250

The bike also comes with front and rear discs with ABS as required on all 125cc+ motorcycles from November this year.

It is powered by an air-cooled 223cc four-stroke engine with just 13kW of power at a dizzy 9000 revs.

You have to rev it and use the gears to get the most out of the single-cylinder engine, but it will run ahead of most of the city traffic up to a claimed top speed of 111km/h.

However, the transmission is geared way too low and you quickly flick through to the fifth and final gear by 60km/h where it buzzes quite a lot.

Joe says he plans to add a tooth to the front to decrease the ratios and provide a better spread of gears.

That would decrease the buzz and mean fewer gear changes in traffic which would be handy as the cable clutch is quite heavy. However, the transmission feels as slick as most Japanese models with no false neutrals and neutral easy to find.Hartford Classic 250

At just 132kg wringing wet, it’s as light as a feather and a joy to flick around the city streets.

I wasn’t particular happy with the standard Taiwanese Duro HF308 tyres on the 18-inch wheels.

They look like classic Firestone tyres with that zig-zag tread and angular edge. That makes them flop a bit in corners which takes a bit of getting used to. They also are plasticky and grip isn’t great.

Suspension is rudimentary with soft forks that dive under braking and a hard spring with an under-damped shock, yet it all works just fine thanks to the low bike weight.

I didn’t encounter any dramas over the bumps and lumps of Mt T carrying my 80kg frame around, but a heavier rider might struggle.

Over our short ride, we didn’t get a chance to drain a tank, but the claimed economy of 2.5L/100km would provide more than 450km of range from the generous 12-litre tank.

Joe is offering a 24-month and 24,000km warranty. He hopes to have dealers in Ballina, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

Hartford scooters

Hartford Classic 250
Hartford Vita scooter

The scooters also looked like Japanese quality scooters and behaved in a similar manner.

Their prices and features make them a great bargain.

They would make a great second machine as an alternative for commuting, small grocery shopping or a quick ride to your favourite cafe.

Hartford Classic 250Hartford Classic 250

  • Price: $4799 (+ORC)
  • Warranty: 2 years/24,000km
  • Engine: 223cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke
  • Power: 12kW @ 9000rpm
  • Transmission: 5-speed, chain drive
  • Brakes: discs, ABS
  • Wet weight: 132kg
  • Wheels: 350×18; 400×18
  • Fuel tank: 12 litres
  • Economy: 2.5L/100km
  • Length: 2000mm
  • Width: 800mm
  • Height: 1070mm
  • Wheelbase: 1340mm
  • Website: https://hartfordmotorcycles.com.au/

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com