SNB - first impressions

Having quite a few SOBs in my time I decided to try something different for
my spare bike to be used as a local runabout - a "Shite New Bike" (hereafter
referred to as my SNB). Some of you may remember that I posted a while ago
about looking for a replacement for my CG125 under the heading "Suggestions
for lightweight runabout?". After a fair bit of looking around on ebay,
reading reviews etc I decided to take none of the excellent advice on offer.
Instead I won one of these on an Ebay auction. The one I got is black.
http://www.europainternational.co.uk/on road/X-Dirt 200 std web.html

Basically it is a 200cc road-legal bike with a Honda-clone type engine.
There are loads about - often sold as GY200, 200GY stc. I paid the princely
sum of £530 including VAT, delivery to my door, registration (including
number plate) and tax. So far I have done about 80 miles on it and first
impressions are surprisingly good. It starts, goes pretty well, stops quite
well and looks quite good. Seat is reasonably comfortable. Finish is not
brilliant but for that money I wasn't expecting it to be perfect. It
handles quite well although the nylon knobblies fitted do not inspire me
with confidence in its abilities in the wet.

My reasons for buying the SNB were as follows:
- full-size bike for my 6ft and 15 stone build
- lightweight and easy to drag around
- will do 70mph (just)
- if it lasts three years it will have cost me just over £175 per year -
anything more will be bonus
- no MOTs for 3 years
- good reviews on the net
- economical to run
- spares readily available
- if bits fall off they are dirt cheap to replace
- it is almost certainly the best I could have done for under £600

I will post from time to time to give updates on my SNB experience. So far
I am well pleased. I suspect that Chinese bikes will become more and more
commonplace over the next few years. More than half as good and only
quarter of the price of Japanese equivalents could be a good formula for
market success.

 

Very tempting.

How did you get one so cheap? - I've just searched ebay and they're all
£745 BIN.

 

"Revolving mode: Chain driving"

Hmm... Chinglish.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a
I demand nothing of you except that you amuse me.

Folding@Home Team UKRM
http://vspx27.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=teampage&teamnum=47957

 

Interesting choice. £530 for a 200cc dirt bike, new, is ridiculous, even
if (as the spec sheet says) its top speed is only 60. If the speedo says
70, it's lying, btw.

17 litre tank will be useful, too.

My only worry would be after sales. Bits may be cheap, but that's no
help if you can't get them. And as for servicing - who'll do it? Can you
get the details for valve clearances, oil capacity, etc?

And the warranty is utter shite - three months, parts only. I hope for
your sake that the build quality matches thy looks.

 

SNIP!

It was an auction rather than a BIN. They come up from time to time in
auctions - I had to lurk for a week or two before I got one under £600.

 

Cheers.

I'll keep a lookout for them.

Keep us posted on how it goes..... especially if you actually take it
off road. I'm sort of thinking that I'd like to do some (gentle)
off-roading as well as having the option of using it as a commuter hack.

 

For that sort of dosh, it would make sense, yes.

 

I've been thinking about it for a while now - as you would, living where
I do.

Looking at Biketrader / eBay I've not seen anything that looks even
remotely worth buying for £500. I definitely wouldn't want a 125cc
stroker and don't want some ropey 20 year old 500cc 4-stroke. So this
looks like the ideal option, if I can grab one for that kind of money.

 

Spec sheet say >60 (with the ">" indicating "more than") and it is an exact
copy of the spec for the 125. They will both do over 60 and the 200 will do
70. There numerous reports on the web of 70mph or more for bikes with the
right sprockets fitted, which I think this one has. I have had 65 out of it
already and I haven't had it flat out for long enough to reach maximum.
Apparently some variants are delivered with massive rear sprockets which are
fine for off-road but max out at 45mph!

Full spares available and easy to order eg http://www.china-parts.co.uk/
Workshop manuals can be obtained too. However, it came with a basic
"Motorcycle Operation Instruction" booklet which has info such as valve
clearances etc. I will be happy to do my own maintenance - it is very
straighforward mechanically. Mined ewe, a complete, new engine can be had
for less than £200 so replacement rather than repair would probably the
easiest option if major problems develop.

SOGA means that warranty is irrelevant really. If it fails due to
manufacturing defect the vendors can't escape their obligations. Anyhow, I
got 12 months warranty with mine. The one I bid on was blue but it turned
out to have a problem - so they gave me a black one (which I much preferred
anyway) and a free extension to the warranty.

 

SteveH said...

I've seen a couple of X-Dirts/X-Streams, one of my customers bought one
for his wife to bugger about on. It arrived from the seller with damaged
plastics on one side, and the supplying company took 4 attempts to
supply a replacement in the correct side and colour. The reason the
plastic was damaged is because it is as brittle as ****, not ideal on a
trail bike. It does 60mph, not 70. No other bike shares the same
sprocket dimensions and fitting stud pattern, so changing gearing or
getting a set of sprockets when the originals are fucked will be a
nightmare. The exhaust is the same as a model that Barrus used to
supply, but I can't remember which one. Looking over it with him he
reckons you could keep it on the road by swopping bits from DR125s,
CG125s and a number of other older Jap bikes.

At 530 quid it's a cheap bike and it shows, but if you know what to do
when it goes wrong and are capable of adapting bits from run of the mill
bikes to keep it on the road, then they aren't that bad.

 

I rather like their Camouflage Quad
http://www.europainternational.co.uk/quads/warrior web.html

Wonder how much that is.

 

SteveH said...

Agree about the brittle plastics (it is an SNB after all) - I would say take
them off if planning much trail work, they are only for decoration anyway.
If they do break they are pretty cheap to replace, e.g. tank covers are
about £25 a side

Do you mean the 125 or the 200? The 125 will only do 62-65 mph. The 200s
with the right sprockets are capable of 70mph.

Its a GY200 innit (same sprockets as GY125) - front sprockets are £7.00 (15
or 17 tooth) and rear are £18 or £20 depending on how many teeth (44, 46 or
49). http://www.china-parts.co.uk/acatalog/Sprockets.html AFAIK rear
sprockets for the following will also fit SL100 69-72, XL100/S 74-80,
CB125S , CR125M 74, MT125 74-76, SL125 71-73, XL125 74-85, TL125 76, SL175
70-72, XL185/S 79-83, XR185 79, CM 185T 78-79, CM200T 80-82.

GY125/200 Front pipe £27, rear can £50

There are now major importers of GY125/200 type bikes who carry a full range
of spares. I really did do my homework before getting involved.

 

Anyone interested in the GY200 type bikes may find these discussions
interesting
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279910
http://forums.atvconnection.com/messageview.cfm/catid/53/threadid/422484/STARTPAGE=1

 

http://motorbikes.uk.freeads.net/2005-109276.htm

 

Scrote wrote:

Appologies, finger trouble, pressed wrong button while fiddling.