A “motorcycle blockade” fell upon Russia, i.e. a ban on the supply of new bikes of brands popular in Russia. Restrictions were introduced by the governments of the United States, Japan and the European Union, and motorcycle manufacturers supported their states.
From the analysis of the current situation, one can draw an unambiguous conclusion: until the end of the year, at least, there will be no progress with sanctions. It is likely that one of the two scenarios described below will occur in the foreseeable future:
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If there are no significant changes in the political and economic situation in the world, then we can assume that restrictions against Russia have been introduced for a long time, perhaps more than 10 years.
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If Western countries lose the undeclared economic war against Russia, then the supply of imported bikes will resume after fixing the results of this war, one of the results of which will be the lifting of sanctions.
So we are waiting for the launch in full (it is not yet clear when exactly) the parallel import announced by the Russian government, through which it will be possible to import Western and Japanese motorcycles into Russia, however, without a guarantee and much more expensive. The good news is that bikes are not phones, and foreign motorcycle manufacturers will not be able to remotely turn them into a pile of useless metal, just as phone manufacturers, for example, can turn a smartphone into a “brick” by simply disabling its software on their part or banning software providing work in Russia.
In the meantime, if you urgently need a bike, then I see the most expedient way out of this situation in purchasing Chinese motorcycles.
Tourist bikes
Let’s start with the “nomads”, those who cannot imagine their life without “long-distance”, hundreds of kilometers traveled and kilograms of washed away road dust. The Chinese have prepared a worthy response for Western competitors in the segment of touring motorcycles in the face of CFMOTO 800 MT Touring .
What struck me about it is its amazing design. If you look at the motorcycle from the side, then associations with a hawk, looking for a victim and ready to plunge its claws into it without delay, pop up in your head. The predatory front of the bike is best seen in the evening and at night, when the headlight LEDs turn on.
But the virtues of the CFMOTO 800 MT Touring are not limited to appearance. The engine there is also to match the design. Not every touring bike can do 195 km. at one o’clock. And in order to lower the temperature of such a powerful fiery engine, the designers provided for liquid cooling, because the air one simply cannot cope with such a powerful “heart”.
But the main feature of the CFMOTO 800 MT Touring is not even the engine or design, but the focus on maximum comfort. The owner will find here:
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Huge travel trunks for luggage of 99 liters;
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Protection for the hands;
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Quickshifters for easy gear changes;
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Heated seats and handlebars;
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Reliable protection against headwinds.
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Cool hydraulic brakes;
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Cruise control.
Perhaps the price is 1,345,000 rubles. for such a bike, against the background of its merits, it is quite acceptable.
Choppers
Chinese-made choppers suck, so in this review we will only talk about replicas of high-quality imported bikes.
Master of Speed
An ideal bike with a capacity of 400 cubes and for a price of 135,000 – 170,000 rubles, capable of developing at the limit of 140 km. per hour and accelerate from zero to 100 km. per hour in 6 seconds, I think Stels 400 Cruiser.
Stels 400 Cruiser resting by the river
The motorcycle is an almost complete replica of the Virago XV 400 model from the Yamaha motorcycle plant. Moreover, the Chinese copied it so completely that they forgot to remove the sacramental “ Made in Japan ” on some details. But, in general, if you do not find fault so strictly, then the bike has a lot of advantages.
For example, in addition to excellent acceleration and high maximum speed, the motorcycle has a good resource of components and parts. In other words, his transmission or engine rarely breaks down. I mean large parts like gears or pistons. But minor repairs are often required, and unexpectedly: the bike has a rather weak factory circuit, and the electrics leave much to be desired.
What still pisses me off in places is the inefficient brakes. Well, how could you actually choke the power of the bike with such terrible brakes? If you’re not afraid of the risk of ending up in a hospital bed after riding the Stealth at high speed, then you’re definitely a brave man.
Replica Harley-Davidson
From Chinese copies of Harleys, I will single out Harley Davidson SPORTSTER Light for 200,000 rubles. with an engine of 250 cubic centimeters for its excellent dynamic characteristics, fast acceleration and an incredibly light weight of 142 kg for a chopper. In terms of configuration, it is similar to other Chinese choppers: the same air cooling system, the same brake system (front discs, rear drums), no additional bells and whistles.
For the budget is not ruinous, and the quality came out
The Chinese have a good bike in terms of appearance, reminiscent of the good old biker times of the 80s of the last century, and reliable, although not like a Kalashnikov assault rifle, but about that, and economical so that the owner’s wallet remains tight – Lifan LF 250 cruiser . So, let’s start in order:
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Design for the 80s. from Lifan for the reason that it was copied from the Virago XV 250 from Yamaha, which was released just at the end of the 80s. Then the combination of drop-shaped gas tanks, rivets on the seats, elongated forks, V -shaped engines were still popular .
- <p”>Reliability is also inherited from Viragi. Thanks to the Chinese, who did not change the key nodes, but transferred them to Lifan from Viraga as they are.
- As for economy, everything is simple. Not every motorcycle requires 100 km. only 2.4 liters of AI-92, which, subject to current prices, allows you to save money for other expenses.
And yes, the price of Lifan now fluctuates around 150,000 rubles.