The Chinese have long been able to make not only inexpensive, but also quite reliable motorcycles, such as the Racer 250 Enduro. This off-road bike, already shod with toothy tires from the factory, seems to hint with its entire appearance that it is not afraid of snow, mud, or other difficulties. Angular, brutal and ascetic, the Racer Enduro RC250XZR, however, is able to cope with almost any challenge that its owner can throw at it. Of course it is budget amateur bike, and it is unsuitable for motocross and ski jumping, but it can give a lot of adrenaline. Moreover, in the case of the Racer 250 Enduro, the Chinese even deviated from their credo of “saving on everything” and built a really good motorcycle that combines an affordable price and reliability.
Technical characteristics of Racer 250 Enduro
Compared to other Chinese off-road bikes, the Racer Enduro 250 stands out in the best way. Through the efforts of masters from the Middle Kingdom, it embodied everything that a motorcycle of this class needs - a high-torque engine, modest weight, good brakes and energy-intensive suspensions. At the same time, its design is extremely simple: a steel frame, a 4-valve 250 cc liquid-cooled engine , an Italian Dellorto , a 6-speed transmission , fully adjustable suspension... However, first things first.
The Racer 250 Enduro got a very, very good engine - 27.2 hp. and 23 Nm of torque at 9000 and 7000 rpm, respectively. It doesn’t have as much low end as we would like, but already from 3000 rpm the motorcycle rides more than confidently. In addition, thanks to 6-speed gearbox, its dynamics are impressive both on asphalt and on dirt. How many inexpensive Chinese bikes with 6 gearboxes do you know? Same thing. The only thing that raises questions is the lack of protection for the cooling radiator from dirt flying from under the front wheel. But the brakes are not bad , with 2-piston calipers and discs on both wheels. And the Racer Enduro RC250XZR suspensions are downright good! Nothing extraordinary, an inverted telescopic fork at the front and a classic monoshock at the rear, but there are adjustments for both preload and rebound.
There isn't much plastic on the bike, but what there is is quite durable. The quality of the paintwork can be called average, but the plastic itself is really good, quite thick and flexible, clearly designed for the fact that the bike will fall over time. The gas tank volume of the Racer 250 Enduro is 7 liters , which, with a declared average consumption of 3.2 liters, provides a range of more than 200 km . True, off-road the engine's appetite can rapidly increase - it all depends on operating conditions. But the Racer 250 Enduro weighs only 115 kg , lighter than the vast majority of other Chinese off-road “checks”, and this is a serious advantage.
There are plenty of reviews on the Internet from beginners who don’t particularly understand how a motorcycle should work and how to maintain it. I tried to write a review as objectively as possible, using all my experience of riding motorcycles and knowledge of its structure. I have been riding various motorcycles for more than 10 years and have driven more than 50,000 km. I have also been repairing and servicing motorcycles for quite a long time. The post turned out to be long so that the reader could weigh for himself everything FOR and CONS of China. I also want to note that ALMOST all of China is at approximately the same level in terms of quality and the same mistakes are often allowed in different models, so if you are considering buying any new Chinese motorcycle, then I think this post will not be a waste of time for you. I’ll start from the very beginning, namely with the reason for which it was purchased. On June 14, I left Chelyabinsk on a Honda AX-1 motorcycle towards Gorny Altai and on June 20, while riding around Altai, I heard a knocking sound from the engine. The knocking intensified and I had to go to Biysk and send the motorcycle home to Chelyabinsk through a transport company. I returned home at the height of the motorcycle season, I couldn’t find the motorcycle, the model was very rare and all spare parts were only on order, so I decided to buy some kind of inexpensive motorcycle for the summer so that later sell it with minimal loss of value. At first I looked at the YBR 125, but when I saw its price on the secondary market, which is equal to the cost of new Chinese motorcycles with a more powerful engine and better suspension, I immediately realized that the YBR was not for me. I also looked at used Chinese ones, they were all sold quite expensively and in near-deplorable condition, with mileages of up to 10,000 km. This terrible state of the Chinese aftermarket is mainly due to two factors: 1. They are bought by beginners (and often very young) who do not know how to properly maintain the equipment, and do not particularly know how to drive, which leads to frequent falls and broken plastic. 2. This is the build quality, it often happens that the Chinese factory air filter is not sealed and all the dust flies into the CPG, which quickly kills it, also during assembly they may forget to apply lubricant to the bearings, etc. Not finding anything interesting on the secondary market, I started looking at new Chinese motorcycles. I like to ride not only on the highway, but I also like to ride on forest roads (I don’t climb into shit), so the choice fell on the Racer Ranger 200. The new motorcycle was sold for 95,500 rubles. The motorcycle in real life turned out to be larger than it seemed in the photographs (given my height of 185 cm, this is definitely a plus), as I came closer I noticed that there were already a couple of saffron milk caps on the NEW motorcycle. There were two identical motorcycles in the store, both with rust. They were produced back in 2014 and were not stored in the best conditions, which is why rust appeared, plus the quality of the Chinese paint job. When the seller started the motorcycle, what was added to the impression of the redheads was that the motorcycle was not able to hold idle and it started with difficulty (provided that they started it from time to time, as the seller himself said). The seller and their mechanic who passed by said that this is normal for these motorcycles, they say it will be run-in and will work like a clock, I have enough experience and it was clear to me that it was clearly not a matter of running-in, but not of the correct setting. Of course, it’s not particularly pleasant that the new motorcycle already needs adjustment (And why do they need a motorcycle service at the store???), but this didn’t really bother me because... It's not a problem to set it up yourself. It’s 50 km from the store to my house, and part of the way goes through the busy streets of Chelyabinsk. At the first traffic light I discovered that the motorcycle’s rear brake did not work at all, thanks that at least it had a front brake. Then, stopping at one of the traffic lights for a little while, I released the throttle and the motorcycle stalled, the green light came on, the cars started moving, and I was standing in the very center of a three-lane road and couldn’t start this bucket, I shamefully rolled it to the side of the road, started it there and continued driving . Then I discovered that my headlight was either on or off (poor contact). I was also not pleasantly surprised by the dynamics of the motorcycle, which did not even allow me to stay in the traffic in the city. Already halfway there, the first thing I wanted to do upon arriving home was to put this misunderstanding up for sale and get rid of it, because... It is completely impossible to ride this after a normal motorcycle. Having overcome the city with difficulty, I got to the highway, engaged fifth gear and slowly drove the last kilometers to the house. The next day, I completely disassembled the motorcycle and began to assemble everything myself with even hands and for myself, and not hastily just to start and drive away. During motorcycle reassembly:
-Changed the headlight bulb connector. I bought an H4 connector at an AvtoVAZ store, it fit perfectly and solved the problem of the light turning off spontaneously.
-There is not one waterproof connector on the motorcycle. Therefore, I coated all the connectors with automotive sealants to protect them from moisture.
-I also discovered that there was no lubricant anywhere. The bearings in the progression, steering column and pendulum ran dry. I wonder what the service life of a Chinese motorcycle is without lubrication? Although there are many answers on Avito and as a rule it is up to 10,000 km
-I replaced the oil seal protecting the right rear wheel bearing; instead of a 47*25*8 oil seal, the Chinese installed a 47*27*8 oil seal and there was a gap between the oil seal and the bushing, through which dirt and moisture freely flew into the bearing.
-There was already dust in the filter box. I washed it and put it together with sealant to prevent abrasive from leaking into the CPG.
-Replaced the brake fluid and adjusted the rear brake pedal. There was also no lubricant in the caliper guides. I filled the guides with special grease. In the front brake reservoir, the fluid was poured under the cap itself, it’s good that my brake didn’t jam somewhere along the way.
-I put all the bolts and nuts on a blue thread locker, knowing that the Chinese fasteners like to unscrew themselves from vibrations.
-I adjusted the valve clearance, they were both clamped and it is not surprising that the moped did not move and stalled.
-Adjusted the carburetor.
-Adjusted the free play of the clutch cable
-Replaced the transport oil in the engine with Lukoil Lux semi-synthetic 10w-40
-installed a gas filter
After normal assembly, the motorcycle became much more pleasant and safer to ride. At 700 km the speedometer stopped working. It turned out that the wire from the sensor on the wheel to the dashboard is not solid and has a joint exactly in the place where it is constantly being compressed and unclenched due to the large stroke of the fork. I cut off the damaged section of the wire and moved the junction lower where it would not be constantly broken. I hid the wire itself in a black corrugation for wiring (I also purchased it at a VAZ store). I drive a lot, so the run-in was done quite quickly. After running it in, I noticed that the motorcycle had a very strong dip when opening the gas during acceleration and the revs were too high at a fairly low speed on the highway. In order to remove the gaps, I got rid of the attachment to the filter box. After cutting off the original air intake, I made a splash guard from a plumbing coupling (so that when driving in the rain, water would not get into the air filter). There was no goal to do this beautifully, because the whole collective farm is hiding under the seat and is not visible. In the carburetor, I replaced the original 102 jet with a 107.5 (I bought the jet from a Lada in a VAZ store for 20 rubles), lowered the needle one notch down and adjusted screw quality mixture. The dips disappeared, the motorcycle began to spin up much faster. Now all that was left was to reduce the speed, the stock sprockets were 17/50, and I replaced the driven sprocket with 46 teeth. This made it possible to drive on the highway at speeds above 90 km/h (according to GPS) at speeds just below 7000 rpm. Also, the 17/46 chainring set performed well in light enduro riding. If you set even more “high-speed” stars, the motorcycle begins to “blow away” on the track and the minimum speed in 1st gear becomes too high for enduro.
Next will be a review of the operation of a normally assembled and configured motorcycle.
Headlight It copes with the role of DRL perfectly, but at night on unlit roads there is nothing to do with it. Driving at night on a highway with such lights at a speed above 50-60 km/h is already dangerous. The motorcycle is equipped with an HS1 12V 35/35W lamp, schoolchildren will of course run to change it to a regular H4 55/60 watt, but this should not be done for two reasons: 1. The wiring is not designed for 55 watts and will heat up and eat up some of the power of the lamp and it will still shine about 40-45 watts. The first problem can be easily eliminated by extending normal wires from the battery to the headlight and connecting them through a relay. Problem No. 2 is already more serious: the entire headlight is made entirely of plastic, including the mount for the lamp, and it will simply melt if heat from a full 55/60 watt is applied to it. Also, the headlight does not have an ideal CTG (cut-off line); there is a small parasitic light spot exactly where the eyes of the oncoming driver should be. Also from the factory, the headlight shines into the sky and into the eyes of oncoming traffic. I lowered the STG by reducing the length of the adjusting spring, this significantly reduced the number of cars that blink distantly. The problem with no light and a parasitic spot can be easily solved by installing an H4 LED lens; it costs about 1900 rubles. Dashboard I liked the tidy, although there were some Chinese mistakes here. It looks good and is perfectly readable from any angle, even on a sunny day. When driving at night, the backlight does not interfere. The fuel level indicator begins to drop when about half of the tank remains; you get used to this feature quite quickly and I will not classify it as a disadvantage. I like to reset the daily mileage after each refueling and was surprised to learn that this device does not have a daily mileage. It seems to be there, but it resets itself constantly when you turn the ignition key to 0. There is also a useless clock on the dashboard, which is also constantly reset when you turn the key. And this is a defect not of my copy, but of all Rangers 200. Also, among the disadvantages I would include the speedometer, which overestimates the speed by 9%. I also quickly got used to this because... It’s not difficult when driving on the highway at a speed of about 100 km/h to subtract 10 from the numbers on the instrument panel and find out the real speed; when driving at a speed of about 60, subtract 5 km/h and also get a speed close to reality. The odometer also overestimates the mileage by this 9%. Comfortable seating and suspension The seating position is very comfortable and, paired with a large and soft seat, allows you to drive along the highway without stopping for 3 hours in a row without any problems. The suspension is simply gorgeous, I didn’t expect this from China. She easily swallows small logs in the forest, in the city there are speed bumps and potholes on the roads. Also, when driving together with a passenger, the suspension is enough and does not break through. Riding in a standing position through the forest is also comfortable and the toothy metal footpegs prevent your feet from slipping off them. Engine and brakes The engine is installed 164 fml with a volume of 196 cm3, 5-speed gearbox, 2 valves and one cylinder, power according to the passport is 13 hp. Of course, there is not enough power and I would like something more powerful, but nevertheless it is faster and more powerful than the same YBR 125. The engine is very reliable and has a long service life with normal maintenance. The comfortable speed of a motorcycle on the highway is 90-100 km/h (according to GPS), two people travel the same amount and accelerate a little more sluggishly. It’s rare that a hill or wind can bring the speed below 90 km/h. The maximum speed is 110 km/h, so overtaking cars traveling faster than 90 km/h is quite difficult and not advisable. In the city now I drive even a little faster than the flow. I was pleased with the brakes, both front and rear, they allow you to stop the motorcycle quite quickly. The motor has a balancing shaft, so there is no hellish vibration that interferes with riding the motorcycle for a long time. But nevertheless the vibration is present and at certain speeds during acceleration it is felt quite clearly. Plastic and frame The plastic is of fairly good quality. Although there are some problems here too. The motorcycle never fell, but a crack appeared on the chain guard and the fastening of the plastic side panel to the gas tank broke off (most likely the fastener was broken during assembly in the store), I glued it to the tank with hot glue. It is also worth remembering that the Racer Ranger 200 is a soft enduro and therefore its plastic is not designed for frequent falls. I also didn’t like the attachment of the tool compartment lid. This lid can open on its own and fall off due to vibration, so I dripped glue onto its retainer so that it does not open on its own. The frame is welded and painted disgustingly. I noticed that the ear attaching the pendulum to the frame in the first half normally touches the frame and is welded, but the upper part of the ear does not touch the frame and the 3-4 mm gap is simply filled up with welding, ground with a grinder and painted. Of course, such a seam cannot support the load and the beginning of a crack is already visible there. Before the next season I will disassemble the motorcycle and completely weld the frame properly. I also came across a photo on the Internet where the frame of a Ranger 200 was broken due to a bad seam.
Gas tank and fuel consumption The gas tank according to the book is 14 liters, in fact it fits 12-13 liters (right up to the neck). My consumption ranges from 3.3-4.4 liters per 100 km, depending on the quality of the fuel, driving style, etc. The reserve is enough for about 30 km of travel (I didn’t risk driving more on the reserve). The gas tank is also not without its drawbacks; its cap does not press well enough, which is why if you fill the tank relatively full (3cm to the filler neck), then when driving on a bad road, gasoline begins to leak through the cap and flow down the front of the tank. Very little gasoline is wasted this way, but the dirty gasoline trail on the tank is annoying.
Overall, I liked the bike and am happy with the purchase. Once I assembled it properly, it became comfortable to drive both around the city and on the highway. I even went on a short distance trip of 1100 km. My friend’s post about this trip. Now the motorcycle's mileage according to the tidy is 5,500 km (remember that it overestimates, and the actual mileage is about 5,000 km). During this modest mileage, the motorcycle did not cause any problems and only made me happy. Next season I plan to travel with it from Chelyabinsk to the Altai Mountains. Then, after the trip, I’ll write another review about it and about modifications for long-distance driving.
Is this motorcycle worth buying? Definitely worth it, for this amount you won’t find anything more interesting on sale. You need to remember that most likely the store will sell you not a motorcycle, but only a set of hastily discarded components (no matter how the seller promises that the motorcycle needs to be broken in and it will be ideal). After the purchase, if you understand it yourself, then the first thing we do is roll it into the garage and begin to properly reassemble and configure it. If you don’t understand, then this is also not a reason to refuse the purchase, because you can carefully (so that it does not fall apart along the way) deliver the NEW motorcycle to a NORMAL motorcycle service center where it will be put in order. Even taking into account the costs of the service, the purchase will be profitable.
Pros and cons of Racer 250 Enduro
Advantages
- Price . The Racer Enduro RC250XZR costs comparable to its other direct competitors from China, but at the same time it significantly surpasses them in performance. Well, almost everyone.
- Light weight . Physically, handling the bike is easy, despite the rather high seat height.
- Pendants . Energy-intensive and with a full range of adjustments. The rear shock absorber can be pumped with air to make it work harder - a special expansion tank is provided for this.
- An abundance of tuning on the Racer 250 Enduro. Whatever your heart desires - a piston of increased volume, for example. And all this stuff costs very modest money.
- Dashboard . It is easy to read and provides all the information you need, including fuel level and battery charge indicator.
- Kickstarter available . Even if something happens to the battery, you can always start the motorcycle.
Flaws
- Weak headlight . It is designed in such a way as to minimize the chances of breaking it when dropped, but, frankly speaking, it is of little use.
- Standard Nylon tires . If you have a little money, it is better to replace it with better tires immediately after purchase.
- engine cooling radiator , or rather, its lack of protection. When driving in wet mud, it can quickly become clogged, which in turn can lead to overheating of the engine. At the same time, the radiator is quite reliably protected from mechanical damage.
Chassis and motorcycle mechanics
The passenger and driver's footrests are comfortable and thoughtfully located. The feet do not slip on them and do not interfere with landing and control. The rear elements fold up if necessary and are protected against accidental foot contact with a chain or wheel. A review of the motorcycle showed that when riding softly it is informative and stable. On the bumps. The suspension performed excellently at a test speed of 70 km/h.
There are some complaints about the unit, but given its Chinese origin and price, this is an excellent option. I am very pleased with the performance of the suspension in general and the travel of the fork and shock absorbers in particular. On sand, of course, the bike in question is inferior to its colleagues, but this is not surprising. It is hardly designed for participation in a rally such as Paris - Dakar.
Reviews from Racer 250 Enduro owners
Not a motorcycle, but a real tractor, driving across a plowed field after rain without straining. Especially if you throw out what the Chinese call rubber and put on normal tires, the budget Shinka is already quite normal. Of the jambs, everything is familiar, Chinese assembly, you need to check everything yourself. But there were no breakdowns during the full season, everything was reliable. I change the oil by engine hours, not by mileage, since I torture the engine mercilessly. Arthur, Tver, Racer 250 Enduro '2018.
With the exception of hanging wires and generally flimsy wiring, the bike is normal. I got my Racer slightly used, the previous owner installed new tires, piston 300cc, drove it for a month and sold it. The bike is really fun, drives very cheerfully, on the road I squeezed 130, I didn’t try it again, because at low pressure and toothy tires it’s already starting to shake my ass, although it feels like there’s still some reserve on the handle. Valery, Leningrad region, Racer 250 Enduro '2017.
An excellent moped for the money, minor problems can be corrected on their own and at minimal cost. It drives much better than any Chinese for comparable money, spare parts and tuning are three times cheaper than ancient Japs. I drove it even in winter, it drives confidently in medium-depth snow and doesn’t get stuck. Alexander, Moscow, Racer 250 Enduro '2018.
Flaws
The motorcycle is characterized by shortcomings typical of budget category motorcycles.
When talking about disadvantages, three disadvantages are most often mentioned:
- Dye . A thin layer of paint leads to scuffs after the first motorcycle season. If you drive carelessly, scratches and chips are possible - prerequisites for corrosion, since most of the parts are made of metal.
- Chain . There are no complaints about the transmission as a whole, but the chain needs to be checked often. With active skating, it stretches after just one season.
- Build quality . Like any Chinese bike, it is recommended that immediately after purchase you check the presence of all bolts and tighten all fastenings.
and dignity
Overall, the motorcycle is worth the money they ask for it.
The model has more advantages:
- Price . The cost of a new motorcycle is comparable to the cost of a used Japanese one. What to take - guaranteed, but Chinese, or used, but Japanese, everyone decides for himself.
- Guarantee . It even includes breakdowns that are obviously not covered by warranty.
- Friendliness . Controllability, maneuverability, error correction will be of interest to those who are just discovering motor vehicles.
- Power reserve . Not every bike can boast of reaching 400–500 km on one fill-up .
Similar models
- Stels Enduro 250. A motorcycle proven over the years, inexpensive and therefore very popular. From time to time it is gradually modernized by the manufacturer.
- Kayo T4 250 Enduro. A serious unit with good capabilities, comparable to the Racer Enduro RC250XZR in both price and technical characteristics.
- BM 250 Enduro . An off-road motorcycle from the Russian-Chinese tandem Baltmotors, proven over the years. Particularly interesting is its modification called Dakar.
Features of domestic assembly
In the Russian Federation, Racer Ranger RC200 GY8 motorcycles are assembled using several conveyors. The main elements of the vehicle are completed exclusively with the participation of high-class specialists. Taking into account some shortcomings, it is difficult to argue that motorcycles from China are superior to Japanese modifications. But they are much more affordable in price.
The company presents buyers of this bike with an optimal warranty period. The cross-country models under consideration meet all the required standards and consumer demands. This “racer” has external aggressiveness, dynamics, a well-thought-out design - everything that is required from a real cross-country motorcycle.
Total
There are not just a lot of different 250 cc enduros on the market in Russia and the CIS countries, but a lot, and such a choice makes your eyes wide open. However, the Racer 250 Enduro definitely deserves close attention. With a price of about 170-180 thousand rubles, it is currently head and shoulders above many competitors. Sure, the Racer 250 Enduro will cost you a little more than some of them, but isn't the extra $500 worth a lot more interesting specs?
Specifics
There are various ways to transform a motorcycle. First of all, you should replace the chain, or buy a spare one, check and tighten all the nuts, bolts and other fasteners. It is recommended to run-in equipment at a speed no higher than 40 km/h. You also need to study the instruction manual and take note of what oil and gasoline to use.
In general, the equipment performed well in its original assembly both on country and city roads. The combination of price and quality for this unit has been selected as correctly as possible, and the design is at the highest level. The motorcycle is unpretentious in operation and maintenance, ideal for trips out of town, hunting, fishing, and has a sufficient supply of fuel.
Video Review
Specifications
| Maximum engine power: | 28.0 (9000 rpm) HP |
| Torque: | 23 Nm (7000 rpm) Nm |
| Working volume: | 250 cm3 |
| Motor type (cylinder arrangement, number of strokes): | 4-valve with balancing shaft |
| Number of cylinders: | 1 |
| Number of valves: | |
| Intake type (Injector / Carburetor): | |
| Bore and stroke: | |
| Starting system (Electric starter, kick starter): | |
| Maximum speed in km/h: | 115 km/h |
| Cooling system: | Liquid cooling |
| Transmission (gearbox): | 6-speed |
| Clutch (Dry / Wet): | |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension (front/rear travel): | |
| Brakes (Front/Rear): | |
| Wheels / Tires / Rubber: | |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Dimensions (Length / Width): | |
| Seat height: | |
| Ground clearance: | |
| Curb weight: | |
| Weight: | 115 kg |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 7 l. |
| Battery capacity: | |
| Year of release: | |
| Country of Origin: |
Modifications "Racer Ranger"
The motorcycle in question has several modifications. They are all made to look like a sports bike, differing in some technical characteristics and design. Below are their brief characteristics.
- Racer Enduro. This is a classic version of a pit bike, with an engine capacity of 150 cubic centimeters. It is characterized by good performance for its data and high cross-country ability. The vehicle is designed for driving on a dirt road; it does not behave particularly confidently on asphalt.
- Racer Skyway. This modification is equipped with a four-stroke engine with one cylinder and a volume of 200 cc. cm. The sports motorcycle has a modern design, behaves confidently on city and country roads, and has a 10-liter fuel tank. The unit is easy to maintain and has a harmonious combination of weight, speed and power. Perfect for beginner motorcyclists.
