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The had some enduros and dirt bikes sold through United Motors before UM closed shop in the US...I believe they (UM) were the official distributors. Then, they started selling many CT clones via several distributors in subsequent years, such as Pitster Pro, SSR, Skyteam USA, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by trexuk
Just thought I would update. The poor old T Rex hasn't left the garage sine the Dax clone arrived, I can't get enough of riding the Dax. Think I may sell the T Rex shortly and concentrate on the smaller bike.
Maybe Birdmove can buy it!! :thumbsup::lol8:Quote:
Originally Posted by trexuk
Freight from England to Hawaii would be cost prohibitive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by culcune
Now this is valuable information! Why do you like the dax more? Can you compare them for us?
Thanks, Jon
Quote:
Originally Posted by trexuk
I just found a forum for the TRex 125/Skyteam. I believe it's in French(?). I'm not sure, because I used a google translator, and chose French to English. Looks like a good place to explore. There is even a complete owners manual already nin English. The owner took photos of each page and put those on the website, so it's not perfect.
I was wetching a few youtube videos on the TRex, and someone commented that, the tires are made by Skyteam?? MY concern a bout these is getting new tires. There is no way I'm going to find them here, on the big island of Hawaii, and many places that might have them won't ship them here. I think, if I do decide to get a TRex, I will make the seller send me maybe four new tires.
I would use the bike for general running around the area to Hilo and back. But, also, to just take off for fun to explore the many dirt and gravel roads in my area.
I am considering the TRex, the CT70 clone (both by Skyream I believe), the Bashon full sized 200cc dual sport, and the TMEC. Although, I emailed Wade Liu a good month ago to see if he could give me a new quote on shipping a TMEC to my house. I think he forgot or lost my email.
I'd like to read a compare and contrast of the TRex and CT-70 clone by trexuk when he gets a chance. I'll be reading up on this forum I reffered to here also.
This is, I hope, the same TRex we are talking about:
http://powersportsbest.com/moped-sco...ssic-body.html
Replacement tires are a good thing to consider. I am purely speculating here, but I bet the Dax is far more maneuverable than the TRex due to the different tires, is one of the reasons he prefers the Dax, just off the top of my head. Of course, he will have to answer to confirm or deny my theory :riding:
As far as the TMEC--I have a feeling that the freight company that Excalibur uses don't go directly to Hawaii. They probably keep telling Wade "hold on, I'll get that for you..." and don't. I know once the rest of the country started thawing off in April, he was really busy. Besides Wade, you should ask for Alan, too. In fact, I had asked Alan on your behalf, and I never heard back from him.
Has anyone given you a quote for the Bashan? Which Bashan model are you eyeballing?
Yes. I have a quote of $1360 delivered. Freight is $260, which is pretty good. Last time I checked shipping a motorcycle from San Diego through a company called Pasha, it was over $600. That was buying from Powersportsbest.com, the same one selling the TRex I showed above.
The Bashion would be fine for me. I am not going to flog the piss out of a dual sport motorcycle any more. I like them for their verstility. See an interesting dirt road or trail? You have the freedom to check it out, and ride home or to work. Fully half of the motorcycles I've owned have been dual sports, starting with a mid-60's Trail 90. I like that many Chinese built motorcycle engines are still push rod.
And, the CT-70 clones (with the 125cc engines) look like they'd be a lot of fun to ride. There is also the Pitster Pro Mini Rover and similiar bikes. But the CT just looks roomier to me.
The TRex is really an unknown for me. That's why I'm picking the brain of our English friend, trexuk here. I believe I've heard that the tires are prenty spendy on the TRex. Add the high shipping cost, and having to replace them every 3000-4000 miles (I think that's what trexuk said he got on his first tire-I;m going to check into tire mileages at the forum I mentioned above), and the TRex could be an expensive bike to own. The CT has apparently been dropped by Skyteam (which surprises me, as they seem to be pretty popular and there are CT/Dax fans out there in pretty big numbers). The Bashon? Well, again, can't find any reviews. They could close up tomorrow.
The lowest priced bike in this bunch is the CT-70 clone from powersportsbest.com. Here it is:
http://powersportsbest.com/moped-sco...-new-body.html
Delivered to my door is $1099.89. And, right now price is a big factor with me.
I may have to eliminate the TRex from my list. First, reading the French TRex forum via google translater, can get pretty hilarious. Second, they seem to have had problems getting tires for that big balloon tired dual sport bike. I tried searching for 5.5 x 10 tires, and they seem to be a myth. I would have thought maybe some atv's, or even some kind of gas powered equipment might use them. I can find nothing. Whereas, on the Dax/CT-70 clone, they use a 3.50 x 10 tire, and I can find these. Some places won't ship to Hawaii, but even a shop that sells Chinese scooters, would have 3.5 x 10 street tires I;m sure.
That is a great price--if you get the bike in the photo, which I believe is sold by Roketa, it is made by Skyteam. The only other company that sells the replicas is Ice Bear which don't have many reviews, videos, or anything else about them. I have seen the offered for lower cost than the Skyteams, but the price you showed me is lower than the prices I have seen for the Ice Bears.
Where is it mentioned that Skyteam is dropping the Dax? That would be a shame if they are! Hopefully it is only Skyteam USA, while SSR, Roketa, etc. keep distributing them...
It was during a series of emails between me and Skyteam USA. The email stating that they were dropping the CT clone, was from May 21st 2013. And, if you go to their website, you will not see the CT clone there anymore. Here is the website:
http://www.skyteamusa.com/Bikes.html
They show the ACE, although it still is not sold in the USA. They show the TRex, and the PBR model, and that's it. Just those three.
They have parts diagrams only for the PBR and the TRex. Not the Ace, or the CT clone.
Skyteam USA is not the official Skyteam distributor. Wade Liu had confirmed that for me. I believe SSR, Roketa, Pitster, and a couple others will continue importing them.
The TRex from Skyteam, is called the Mondial RV125, in, I believe, Spain. Found a few youtube videos when I did a search there for the Mondial.
Mondial is out of Argentina, they also use Pioneer as a manufacturer as does SSR here in the US.
http://www.mondial-moto.com/index.php
Thanks, MJH. They have a pretty good looking lineup of bikes.
Well, I've been considering picking up a Honda CT-70 Chinese clone bike (among others). Here is the story of a father and son. The father picked up a new Skyteam CT clone for himself. And, they bought a well used BMS 150cc Heritage scooter for the son, for $100!! They changed oil in the BMS and replaced tires etc. They then rode them from California to the Statue of Liberty in New York. They took back road routes and kept the speed down. It's a good read with some videos too:
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=988742
Also, they have a website:
https://sites.google.com/site/gpskev...across-america
The Skyteam lost an axle nut, and they got another at a store. The $100 scooyter had a starter problem, which they did a patch job in route. Both bikes made the 3300 mile trip, and are parked awaiting the guys to do the return trip.
I have to say, that I am impressed with the durability of, especially, the Skyteam. They went over many high mountain passes with these bikes. The son, as I said, made the 3300 mile trip on a well used one hundered dollar scooter!
Hi all, not been on here in a while. Iam trading in the T Rex tomorrow on a Sinnis Apache fir my step son, he needs a new bike to get to college this September. Will be sorry to see it go but in truth I have barely ridden it since buying the Lifan Dax clone, which is doing great BTW.
Well the T Rex went to a new home yesterday, I covered 3300 kms on it without any problems. So much for Chinese bikes being crap, in two years of riding it never let me down once. Myth dispelled I would say, you can't believe everything you read on the net. I think Chinese bikes are victims of their own success, and peoples narrow mindedness.
OK, this answers my question on your other thread. I know you seemed to prefer the DAX over the T-Rex once you picked it up, so you finally sold it! Like Birdmove had mentioned a few times here and on different threads, I wonder about tire replacement for these--cost? ease of finding them? etc.
I missed your link last month, but still found you on advrider! I was quite impressed by this trip. The only thing that really surprised me was seeing the Znen-based scooters apparently don't have back up kick starters. BMS and SSR in the US sell a whole slew of Znen scooters rebadged as their own 'brand' but looking through the line-up, it seems like none have back up kick starters. Tao Tao and many other companies have back up kick starters. I guess, this should enable someone in the US (or anywhere else) to find desperate sellers with Znen-based bikes who don't realize a simple battery change is all that is needed to start the bike since there is no kick-starter.Quote:
Originally Posted by birdmove
Yes. Our SYM HD200 (2008 with about 13,000 miles now) doesn't have a kick starter either. To me, this is much worse than a motorcycle without a kick starter, as you can't bump start a twist and go scooter. SYM really should add a kicker. But, having said that, the HD200 has never let us down. I did recently replace the now 6 year old battery. The weak battery made it be known by an intermittent no start. When pulling the brake lever and pushing the starter button, it would sometimes do nothing. But, the brake lights always worked. Anyway, I dropped a new battery in it, and all is well again. I have a new belt, rollers, and index parts for it. It's still on the original belt.
And, though I think the TRex would be a really fun ride on this island, I am not getting that happy feeling about locating, ordering, and shipping new tires for it here. There seems to be zero tires of that size available, and I can't find any on the web doing searches. Amazon doesn't show any. And, I browsed through a forum in a foreing language, and found that they were complaining of tire availability too. And, since trexuk here had to replace one of his tires at a pretty low mileage.......I think the TRex is out for me.
The CT clone may be a safer bet.
Which brings up....I'd sure like to read a compare and contrast of the TRex vs. the CT clone/Dax from trexuk.
Yes the T Rex tyre question, readily available from the main UK importer but not cheap with tax and postage. I found one or two other places that sold tyres that would fit but they were equally as expensive. I had to bite the bullet and buy one from the main UK dealer, which kind of pissed me off as I have had issues with him, but that's another story. Whereas the Dax clone tyres are readily available on the net and are considerably cheaper.
T Rex versus Dax clone, both good bikes but I have to say I prefer the Dax clone, mine is a Lifan.
For me I think a big part of it was regaining or perhaps reliving my youth. I had a CT70 back in the early 80s. I have an original CT but its being restored, and its a bit of a slow process. Hence the purchase of the Lifan, so I could have some summer fun.
The Lifan, in my opinion, is an easier bike to ride. It feels more sure footed, especially in the rain, and feels more nimble on the road. And for me just has more 'grin' factor. I also kind of like the out of proportion look that an adult has when riding one. As if you were riding a childs bike.
The reliability of the DAX 125cc as proven in the thread, the tire cost and availability, as well as 'trexuk's' review seem to have made the choice for you! Your link to that sub-$900 one would be the natural choice.
I would guess that if you still had battery power, and had some lights on, and the scooter did not start, it might make you panic if you know very little of bike mechanics (including basic stuff). You might think 'major repair'. That is how one would go about getting a $100 deal like in the thread.
trexuk--I bet you would feel more "out of proportion" riding the other little mini that Skyteam makes (not sure if Lifan used to make these?)
Attachment 15771
Yes I probably would feel even more out of proportion. On Saturday while at the dealers with my T Rex I noticed a Skyteam Bubbly that he had sitting outside, its a cute looking bike and I quite like the look of it. My wife was there to pick me up and bring me home in her car and I was told in no uncertain terms not to think about buying another bike :-( He also had a Skyteam Skymax, which is their version of the CT. One major advantage of the Skyteam clone is that it has a 5.5 litre fuel tank, instead of the 2.5 litre that I have. And of course its a 125 and mine is a 110. And with them being such small bikes you can fit more of them in the garage ;-)
Went ahead and ordered one today.
Attachment 15773
http://gokartsusa.com/skyteam-zb50-st125p-1-1.aspx
Awesome!! Love these bikes!! I will dig up some video of a scooter shop out of Moreno Valley in Orange County, California who modify these into little cafe racers. They have videos on youtube where they are riding on the big boulevards going in and out of traffic.Quote:
Originally Posted by barnone
One video, after taking a trip to San Francisco, on the way back down to Southern California pulled one of the bikes off their truck and rode it on I 5. It reached 85 mph which is fast enough let alone on smaller wheels/tires and slightly lowered. Their modified bikes are California legal and registered.
A side note--they sell the CT-70 clones (they get their Skyteams via SSR) and one of their Craiglist ads states that SSR is running out of California compliant bikes, and probably won't have then for a year or so. Whether or not its true, and it doesn't affect the majority of us, but anyone from California considering one should think about buying one or researching it if it is true. Not sure if Pitster Pro's Skyteams are California legal, and Skyteam USA are dropping them to concentrate on Skyteam's Grom/MSX125 lookalike, the PBR 125 (which are or were California legal--depending on if they have run out of California compliant bikes)
At any rate--would love to hear about yours even though I envision it probably is not too different from the CT/DAX clones with the same engine (I believe you have/had one of those, too?)
And what is so difficult for wives not to comprehend this!!??Quote:
Originally Posted by trexuk
Yep, sold my Ural today so I have lots of room in my shop for little bikes. Also ordered one of these monkey sidecar rigs so I will still have a sidecar.:lol8:
http://www.saferwholesale.com/110cc-...%20monkeyp.htm
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