Is The $2,000 Amazon Hawk DLX As Bad Off-Road As You Assume It Would Be? I Find Out! 

This is the video I was waiting for. Good job, nice cheap bike!

We bought a couple of these last spring and put around 1500 miles on them. They've been a blast. Just make sure to go back and tighten and put thread locker on everything. These motors are simple and made to run in developing countries. They may not be fast, but they're work horses.

For some people, this is all the bike you need.

Roman: "I'm going to rev this out" ...Gets to 3k RPM, shifts.

These get much better after break in... power, brakes hugely improved, etc. I've had about every bike under the sun and this is one of my favorites! It's very durable, I don't worry about it when I go somewhere, and if it falls over, I really don't care. Parts are very cheap to replace, and so many parts are easily upgradeable. Heat shield has never warped, welds have never cracked. Buy it, spend $200 dollars on better levers, mirrors, and chain. Mine is a lot of fun running around town and offroad trails. What this is NOT, is a real enduro or dirt bike. It's for messing around with, and still starts on first try, every time. For the money, it's a great deal.

I put 5000 miles on my carb version, only had a few issues that were easily resolved. Definitely had a lot of fun with it. Could hit 65mph with mine.

Numbers don’t matter turns out, I have one of these, first motorcycle, im a grown man, I’ve scared myself on it in second gear several times, not because of blistering speed, but speed is relative to the situation. This dude is shifting super early, my brakes work great, the wheels and tires are nicer than they should be. Bike is heavy, I’m over six foot and over 200 lbs, great farm bike and has great torque and enough room for serious storage on the back. Faster than any utility fourhweeler I’ve ridden when you actually use the full rpm range.

To do a burnout, set the front brake and stand on the ground to unload the rear tire. It will spin

I bet it's more fun than a 125 trail at $4k.

Tries to start a fuel injected bike while twisting the throttle, typically that doesn’t work well. 16:35 Good video, keep it up.

Great vid Roman. After spending $77k on the truck, you need a cheap bike

I got one of these for fun, 2 years later due to gas being so high, now a commuter bike. Its been great no problems!

Very common moto in Nicaragua main transportation for most families and they cost around $1400 here. It's not uncommon to see 2 adults and 3 kids going down road on them.

Did you adjust your brakes prior to riding ?

Hey, roman, the elephant in the room is the elephant on the bike! Hire someone who has graduated past "novice rider" to do your motorcycle testing.

Excellent starter bike. Picked up the fuel injected version and now it's sitting at around 2,000 miles. Very easy to maintain, and parts are easy to find. Had previous experience with dirtbikes and 4 wheelers but wanted to get my license, so this is the little fella I used to take the test 👍

Part of putting together the bike is adjusting many of the issues you are having. Looks like what Japanese bikes where in the 70s. Once you get good oil in it and the engine gets ran for awhile to break in and seal it should feel a little better, 11 horse is never awe inspiring but it is enough to get moving if you are a 160 pound teen. Glad to see you out having fun Roman, that is what matters is to keep living your life as much as you can. Nice camera work Alex. Stay safe and healthy guys.

From what I've seen of this video, It would seem that the fuel injected version is substantially less powerful than the standard carbureted version. I've watched numerous videos where the carbureted versions were easily capable of doing a "burnout" and displayed much better acceleration than this fuel injected version.

Your too big for a 250 to expect much performance from that 2k bike .

I almost wonder if the Carb version would be more advantageous since you could take that extra $200 and plop in a nice Carb and actually tune it.

Hey...um... maybe break it in then test power and speed? That engine is still tight. Brakes do suck but thats what down shifting is for. Can't have champgne on a beer budget, it has it's place.

I got a 2020 Carbed Hawk 250 for $1400 and I absolutely LOVE this bike! Will it win and races? Not in a million years. Can you jump it? Maybe but it may cost you some bones. Otherwise, this thing is fantastic, does great on and off road, and with 1000 miles so far, seems VERY reliable! I LOVE my Hawk 250.

Gear shifting gets better after broken in, it will rev out slightly higher after it brakes in. I love my crappy china bike, does it compare to my KLX no but still fun. That engine is actually pretty good, its all the other bits that fall off or break lol

I’ve got one of these with a bunch of modifications - 17/45 sprockets, different swingarm(Brozz 250), shorter rear shock, oil cooler, Renthals, crf250 footpegs... a couple other things. It’s my first, and it’s all I needed to learn on. Definitely wasn’t disappointed.

Nice review. You pretty much get what you pay for, it has its market. Lots of fun on the cheap, and serious transportation for those on a really tight budget.

Good review and tells me to avoid this piece of China junk.

I believe the power specs are in kw. 11 kw is about 15 hp. I'm usually a fan of fuel injection but I think if I were looking for a very cheap bike like this to play with I'd go with one of the many carbureted versions, like the Brozz. A new replacement carb can be had for about $35, a larger upgraded carb for not much more, and they can be easily re-jetted. But when the EFI on this thing stops working you are probably out of luck.

Even the EFI models look to run lean and restricted. My clapped out carb version of the Hawk will easily clutch up the front wheel in second and has decent brakes for what it is. It looks modern but performs (after a carb/pipe swap/valve adjustment) like a 70s machine. For around $1300 shipped and about $130 in e-bay parts I can't complain. I'm guessing since they are compliant with US emissions the bikes get shipped running lean and restricted to pass. The engines are Honda clones for the most part. Are they fast? No. Yet they are nowhere as bad as this guy wearing my Mothers sunglasses say's they are. Thread locker and a bit of mechanical know how is a must if you want to ride on the cheap. Go check out MotoCheez if you want to know more about these bikes.

I have one. Got it a month ago and learned/learning how to ride. Its a lot of fun and im going to upgrade. I appreciate this balanced and informative video. Thanks!

If you weren't being kind you would call it JUNK. lol

I'd ride it a few miles to the bar and back. I like it. Plus some are saying, on Amazon reviews, to re-tooth it and it will run 75 easy

The tent topper looks like it would come in handy...I like how it folds up ☺.

The "RiderJustice" plugs are awesome in so many ways... and the young kid presenting the info does a fabulous job; he's got a bright future in the media biz. TFL rules!

Hope you changed the oil an checked the vales clearance..

Roman , stop dyeing your hair , you guys buy a cheap bike then complain about it , pot is legal in Colorado , you guys need some

Bleak brown landscape and rehashing some of the previous reviews was nice and all, but what I'm most excited to see is it putting around on a dirt road, going along gently off road with one of the trucks, being used as a city scooter and testing it's durability as the miles rack up! Hell, even an MPG test. This is like the tiniest scrap of content ever lol. I may be chomping at the bit over here :P Anywho, I'm excited to see where this series goes from here!

Seriously what the hell you expect for $2,000 laugh out loud.

It looks like this bike was designed as a city commuter bike for the Chinese market. It's just a simple motorcycle and isn't trying to be anything else.

I own a tbr7 which is a cheaper carbureted version of this. That bike did great. It currently has 10k miles. Actual miles not km. Had rock solid reliability since new. I since got a crf250l which yes is way better in every single way, but is 5 times the cost. And i still keep the tbr7 running as a loaner bike for friends and family up at the cabin

Fuel injection is nice, but there are so many older 250 dual sports you can get fairly cheap on the used market. I really love my 2001 Kawasaki Super Sherpa. I got mine for $350, but ended up replacing tires, tubes, sprockets, chain, fork seals, brake pads, seat cover, mirrors, grips, levers, various odds and ends, and the biggest repair was the one-way starter clutch. I sorta stopped keeping track, but I estimate I have $1100 wrapped up in it including my initial investment. It might look like a 20 year old bike and it has 18,000 miles, but it is a completely solid bike and I still trust it more than a brand new Chinese bike. I give it another 5 years, though, and there will be some genuinely good Chinese made bikes available.

The Raptor is a so DAMN good looking truck

Roman my man nice dirt bike skills! Yah that bike looks pretty sketchy. Maybe good for teaching beginners to ride thats about it lol.

Did you Squeeze the front brake when you were trying to do a "burn out"? My china bike will and its a smaller displacement.

Excellent review. It is perfect for a beginner that needs to learn and not be over powered. Great to see you on a bike giving a dirt bike review. Experienced dirt riders would not want that bike.

You said “there’s no reason to drop a bike” then you show a bike that’s been dropped.

You would have had a much better experience if you did the proper preride prep for a fresh Hawk. The chain looks way tight, valves sound bad and did you change the shipping oil out. Also you need to clean the rotors with thinner first to get the shipping lube off. They'll actually stop.

So glad this bike came to the American market, aswell as the other "china" bikes. Love these things. Very reliable when you apply common sense and basic mechanical and electrical knowledge. My friends dad has one and he's put over 7000 miles on his loaded with gear finding any road he comes across to adventure on. Give this thing the benefit of the doubt they are a blast with friends 😂🤘

This was painful to watch. It seemed lke i was just watching a 50 year old man learn to ride at a dirt covered MSF course.

Sooo its good for a starter?

I think you guys should give it to Alex and see if he can improve it on the cheap. Regearing, better brake pads(adjusted properly), and maybe an exhaust and a better air intake.

This video makes it painfully obvious you are not a motorcycle guy. (Just because you know how to do something does not make you an expert.)

That truck isn't the most expensive truck you can buy 🤣 Ram TRX ... or any new fully loaded diesel truck

Why is it that every hawk that gets a review on youtube is a lemon.. The thousands of us other folks got a far superior bike than has been reviewed. For what the bike is, CARB version included it's fantastic and plenty as well as completely reliable.

Neat I'm in longmont I never knew of this place. I just hit the mountains

I have a 2020 and it runs and rides great it does burnouts and wheels great and im 6’1’’ 235 lbs

Ok, there MUST be adjustment for the brake linkage. I would say a "terrifying" assembler rather than terrifying brakes. A 250lb reviewer??. A continuously negative review with a legal disclaimer at the end that it is fun and worth it. This doesn't feel like an honest and independent review!

Far too critical for the cheapest EFI enduro available to westerners.

Definitely shouldn't compare this bike to a Japanese bike. These bikes are in their own class and are designed to get you from point A to B. I had a couple of Chinese 125cc dual sports and had more fun on them just putting around than I did on my better brand dirtbikes just because I knew I couldn't go fast or jump the biggest obstacles but I always got there in one piece. Sometimes the bike didn't stay in one piece but I was never heartbroken over it. It's par for the course with those. I could ride for days on a gallon of gas. All the unnecessary parts had fallen off and were forgotten about.

I have one of these and im only 140 lbs, it goes fast

11 HP? My Derbi GP1 scooter with a 70cc cylinder made 14.

My friend just got one and I was curious to see a review before I tried his out. For the price it seems like a great deal but those welds really scare me and I’d rather spend the 2k on a used DR-Z400 or something comparable.

Damn Roman you couldn't let the younger guys do this review

If they lied about 250 cc, how do we know they're not lying about 229 cc?

After watching this review I am so glad I got a carburetor version because I weigh 250 and get mine to 65mph on the street after changing the sprockets. I'm also getting around 19hp. Brakes are easily adjustable so complaining about the brakes without adjusting them is silly.

i think it's a good desert bike for the cheap. just a trail bike that could get groceries . not bad for 2k

That smoking bargain is a steaming pile of CRAP!!!

You spent 8 videos trashing a $2,000 Amazon bike.

I think with a few tweaks and adjustments, the 230cc Mighty Hawk could be not just better but safer.

Is there reflective heat shielding on the "heat shield"? It's not uncommon for side covers to be plastic with adhesive heatshielding underneath.

... proud of you Roman. Thought you would've called it junk right away (I would've). A lot of patience shown on this episode.

Those brakes are not adjusted . This bike is perfect for a beginner or as a run to store bike .

I didn't know Gabriel Byrne rides Hawkes.

My 2011 carbureted Suzuki DR200SE goes 70 MPH in 5th gear... 199cc

3-4k would be a older fuel injected bike but it still might require some work. Nothing crazy but I'd say well worth it over a hawk. The ones i seen in person anyway. But i would say it beats those 45mph scooters all day.

For same price, I think a used DR650 would be worlds better. I bought a '16 DR650 with plenty of farkles for 4k and that was overpriced. Lots more deals out there to be had.

Is that $77,000 Craptor worth it...? Did you get what you paid for from it...?

I had a 1982 Yamaha XS 850 that actually was 826 cc's. I wish I still had it. So numbers have been fudged many times.

With just a few mods. This thing will be a beast for the budget rider.

It would be really interesting to see this compared to an old, used, Japanese 250 dual sport that’s around the same price!

Well, firstly it's not a dirt bike. It's a dual sport and the off road capabilities are as a light trail bike. Second, why is the assumption that it would be bad off road? This sounds just like how people talked about Japanese bikes back in the 70s and early 80s.

Plastics can be bought from CSC motorcycle's based out of California. They are for the CSC TT250, but fit the Hawk 250

The complaint with the brakes is what stood out. I watched the videos where the bike was assembled but it looks like nothing was adjusted - especially the brakes. Because you had to assemble the bike, it isn't going to be like buying one off the showroom. Everything needs to be adjusted and tightened. With cheap bikes even more so.

Bring those RPM's up it will burn out or lift the front wheel... I purchased one of these. Carb version... Made a few changes to it and love it ... Did 150 miles back roads last weekend . Installing the 16 tooth gear to go with my 45 rear I have already installed. This bike is a blast to ride and cheap. Brakes work good but will need upgraded ...

Nice to meet Alex and Roman the other day at IMI. These guys will give you honest info on all they test. Been a fan of TFL truck and TFL car. Now a bigger fan of TFL bike!

I’m thinking this might be inexpensive enough for someone (like me) with zero dirt riding experience to learn on, without worrying much about the cost of dropping it.

I bet if you adjusted the valves, bled the brakes, cleaned the rotors, and scuffed up the pads it would be like a whole different bike. My 2017 brozz 250 is basically the same bike and it stops well and does about 70mph top speed. Also it would behoove you guys to get the oil changed. They come with a shipping oil in them and it isnt really meant to be run with it. They can be reliable fun bikes if set up and maintained properly.

I can’t watch all of this. I have a Bashan Brozz, a carbureted version of this bike with a few other features. Mine may be the Cadillac of the many Honda clones like this. Hawk, Bashan, the TT250, and 2-3 other makers are all clones of an older Honda air cooled bike. Mine was shipped to my door for $1950.00 in 2021 and came with inverted front fork, luggage rack, braided brake lines, front and rear disk brakes, factory installed alarm with motion sensor, and even remote electric start. They are light, but not as light as a dirt bike. But they are full size. Many aftermarket parts are available by mail order. And as for replacement parts, easy to get and cheap! New mirror with bracket: $10.00. New clutch lever: $12.00. A whole new engine complete with spark plug is under $500. They are easy to work on, but do come in a crate, and mechanical skills are needed to assemble and tinker on one. Is it fast? Max is 60 mph for most models. Gearing changes are optional. These bikes are all over the world, yet just catching on here in the US. I love mine. Call Jeff at Brozz250.com. Tell him Tracy from Maine sent you.

As long as you keep expectations real low this bike will do for a beginner! I would be worried about long term reliability? Welds breaking, pieces falling off, parts availability, etc..my kids first bike was a Honda CRF70 which was indestructible!

Everything is preconceived notions with this guy. 1) You are at a high elevation with a 230cc bike. It seems lacking in power? No shit, Sherlock. 2) You bought it direct. No dealer prep. If you had cleaned the rotors with hot soapy water, and bled the brakes, they work a lot better. 3) There are a lot of videos that outline these machines, their issues, and how to deal with them. 4) If you expected this bike to compare to a KTM, or some Euro bike, you have no business trying to do an "objective" review.

I have read evaluations of Westerners living in China that describe Chinese bikes as unreliable POS waiting to leave you stranded. Unless this bike has a quality unusual for China that is upgraded for export, beware. I doubt that is the case, spend the extra money for a Japanese bike so your day on the street/trails is not ruined. A $2,000 bike is crap and worth $0 if it falls apart. At least a Japanese bike will have parts available in a marketing chain and will have good residual value should you wish to sell it later.

I just bought a Hawk. So smd

Having fun is the most important 🤘🏻

You didn't even give it the chance to break in.... After I broke mine in it would go 60 complete stock it would also take bumps like the ones you went over like a champ. And since then I've spent an extra 100 to gear it better and now it will go 70. Last week I went trail riding with my friend on the steepest rockiest trail in my area. And the best part is it kept up with a 250 Kawasaki made for dirt the only bad thing that happened was the left front view mirror fell off due to me tightening it too hard.

Suzuki DR200SE = 14hp \ Honda water cooled & injected CRF250L = 24+ hp. Different price though.

you have to give the bike to some good rider to test the bike to it's limits. and you have to change the eingine oil and the brake pads and put some air in the rear tyre.and you have droped it to. you can see a much better youtube channel who has rewed the same bike but good. like ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-E-HzU7wsDpY.html .

great video the bike is a good value for the money wish I could say the same for the Raptor 77k I'll keep my Tundra

These clone bikes have a lot of mods available now since they're getting popular and that Honda is bringing the XR150 to the United States, which is the original bike.

They sure made it look pretty 😍 I love the digital Gauges

That's exactly what I was thinking what you said about used bikes. Just 5 years ago I bought a low miles XR650L for $2500. The same bike today they want $4k.

Honestly Roman it's not made for a experienced rider like yourself. I have the apollo 250 rx dirt bike version of the hawk. I noticed I couldn't break the tire loose until I changed the front sprocket to a 12t. Now my topspeed is 50mph. This bike is perfect for someone who doesn't want to drop and break something expensive. It's also a good bike for a starter because they can't throw themself off the bike by opening the throttle up on dirt turns. Anyways I love how you guys bought one of these hahaha