Regal Raptor DD250G-2 (2008-09)

A few of us here are seriously considering buying Regal Raptors. All of us are considering buying the CB250N style, not the cruisers. We have a friend who bought a cruiser style bike previously and the bike lasted very well with excellent finish quality, which has made us seriously consider these bikes.

http://www.regal-raptor.com/eng/uplo...2473032186.jpg

The local dealer seems keen to ride and sell these bikes, and has his own DD250G-2 (shown above). I was lucky enough to be able to have a ride. I'd just done 300kms on my own 150cc machine before riding this bike, so I was able to make decent comparisons.

Review

The problem with Chinese bikes is not really how they ride when new, but how they survive, so any single ride review should just be taken as a quick guide, but obvious long term defects cannot be highlighted without long term use.

First impressions sitting on the bike was that it is comfortable, with the tank cut-away and height giving a nice feel which seems this will aid handling especially initial turn in. Peg position and bars were very marginally more racy than a regular 125 cc bike, very much like the original CB250 positions, but bike, would really suit slightly shorter riders 175cm than me 183 CM (6ft) but I didn't feel cramped. Bike weighs rated 165KG although feels pretty light, stats may be wrong and based on wet weight, bike seems happy to turn in to corners.

Bike was very free revving, and RR may have been able to avoid some restrictive practices that are put on Chinese bikes. Bike accelerates exactly the same as my CBF150, that is until 6000RPM where I meet the torque band and all the way up to 9000 red line the bike is noticeably quicker than my bike, and engine seems much smoother than many of the Honda 234cc clone twins on the market. Brakes are also fine and rear disk gives more feedback than a regular drum.

Gears were smooth and did not have any difficulty doing what was asked of them, also did not have any problem going through neutral on the way to 2nd gear, although I would like to try the bike when it's hotter to see if the gears stay so slick.

Pros

The Cheng-Shin tyres are very decent for Chinese tyres, Cheng-Shin are part of the same Taiwanese company who own Maxxis. I run the front tyre from this bike on the rear of my current bike, and I'm very impressed with its performance, possibly the best Chinese made motorcycle tyre that is domestically available.

Engine being a twin provides that extra bit of torque that a single just can't, meaning hills will be less of a chore, also riding the torque band would make a welcome change rather than pushing the bike in the KW band up near the red line on a single all day.

Price is just over 10,000 Yuan on the road, very reasonable.

The areas where they have gone cheap seem obvious, and so hardcore riders will be easily be able to upgrade the bike to their own taste.

Cons

Rear shocks appear to be from an electric bike and mirrors are also junk, but these are easy to swap in China. Weird exhaust system looks like a reason for concern, but they have stuck with it on their newer models so can't be that bad.

Verdict

Great value for money, but I might hold off for the liquid cooled new version which has a single rear shock, end cans, and different rotors, and more tasteful and clearer dials but for a reported 13,000 RMB.

Nice write up, more pictures :deal:

It's cool that you got a chance to ride it and your local dealer actually has some interest and knowledge about the bike. How did the twin exhaust sound?

It does look like a good value, but 3000 more for liquid cooling and mono-lever rear suspension seams like an even better deal :thumbsup:.

How long will it be before the new model is really available for legal China purchase?

Thanks for sharing
ChinaV

The word from the factory is that the new liquid cooled version should have passed it's CCC certification by the end of the summer, August seems likely.

Exhaust sounds pretty sweet and fairly loud for a stock Chinese machine.

I certainly agree that the liquid cooled newer version is the better of the two, and the extra 3000 is worth it for the rear shock and water cooling, plus there certainly will be upgrades not visible to the naked eye. Will be taking a look at the bike again in a few days.

Very happy to hear that this bike reviewed well with you. I sat on a monoshock version in Jiashan and was impressed, but of course I didn't get a chance to actually ride it. :rolleyes1: I'm thinking one of these would easily fit the bill as an upgrade from my Suzuki next September. We were quoted a price of 16500 in Jiashan, and 10000 for the dual shock air cooled version in Jiangsu (Wujiang city).


I'm a little confused over the versions though. The ones we saw had monoshocks and radiators with DD 250 G written on the side:

http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s.../Raptor250.jpg

Jim claims these have 330 CC motors, but I can't find these bikes anywhere on the Lifeng English web site.

http://www.regal-raptor.com/eng/prod...&bid=5&types=5

The picture I showed is the old model of the same bike, so think that is the 2007/2008 bike. The picture you showed with the radiator, end cans and monoshock has the same name, this however would seem to be the 2009/2010 bike, but not registrable until the end of the summer. There is also the SPT350 (which is a 330cc),
it's here:http://www.regal-raptor.com/eng/prod...&bid=5&types=5 This last bike may not be available to register in China, or if it is, may cost 5000 more than the others to register, will be asking at the shop tomorrow.

The one we saw in Jiashan also didn't have the dual front disks shown on the one on the Lifeng web site. You were quoted 13000 for it? Damn, I must be getting the laowai special. Gotta bring along my Chinese friends if I actually buy the thing and hide outside while they bargain for me.

The boss wasn't there when I dropped by, the salesgirl could have been wrong, and often are!

The monoshock bikes are much bigger than the twin shock designs. In Jianshan they were side by side and the size difference is apparent.

I am actually not sure of the displacement. They say 250 cc, but they are water cooled. They are probably 234 cc and I think I was wrong.

The you observations about the engine power are spot on. Nuhuas has a Suzuki GZ150 with an aftermarket pipe, airbox opened up and carb tweaked, so it probably has about the same amount of power as a Honda CBF150. The stock power on the Suzuki is 13 hp, the stock power on the Honda is 14 hp.

When we ride together, my Honda Rebel (the bike the RR's are based on) is faster at all revs, but really leaves the Suzuki in the dust above 85 km/h.

Oddly, I rode a well used RR cruiser (identical to my Rebel) and it was faster than my Rebel, but not by much.

Looking forward to hearing you test the watercooled monoshock version.

It seems like Johnny Pag has the 300cc version in the US

http://www.johnnypag.com/images/moto...port_large.jpg

I have seen it elsewhere on the internet for cheaper than Johnny Pag's price, but I am not sure what the brand name is called. This doesn't help you in China, but they must have some 300cc versions around?

All 250cc Raptors are actually 234cc or 233cc bikes, depending on which stats you read.

Yes, at low revs the bikes accelerate in a similar manner, but from 5500 to 9000 revs the Raptor is really much quicker and more satisfying being a twin. Also the DD250G seems to have been tweaked for more hp above torque, which means that those with the balls to rev the bike up to 9000 will really see what it can do. It will probably be quicker than a rebel, as seating position allows better rider input, less wind resistance and better city car swerve and traffic splitting capability.

We had another ride on the same DD250G on monday, which was manufactured in Sept 08, I would say that that most of the welding is poor, and steel and powder coat does not look so great, and prone to rust, the rubber mounts are already deteriorating, the exhaust pipes under the seat area come too close to the rear tyre under hard compression, some bolts don't look like they will survive long before falling out either and the clutch cable rubs on the tacho. Not great, but for an experienced rider who knows how to keep on top of issues the bike will be great fun, ideal for Chinese roads, enough power and not to heavy. If it had a single cylinder engine, I wouldn't touch it, but it's that twin cylinder thing that sells it. :thumbsup: It's also not that much of a concern, as I like the mechanic who works at the shop, and the bike has a 20,000km or one year warranty, which ever comes first!

Another thing worth mentioning is that according to the local mechanic the shocks can be replaced with a worthy Taiwanese brand for 300 yuan and good mirrors for well under 100, so around 11,000 on the road including all the taxes, insurance and registration.

My plan is to sell my current bike and buy the liquid cooled version in September, pay a bit extra hoping that many of the issues with the 08 bike have been ironed out, and the 09 is better, but I'm willing to take the gamble to have that power plant. One of my friends is planning to buy sept 08 model in the next few weeks.

Keep us informed. I will probably be getting one when I get back to China.

This bike is a design of CSR Motorcycles, Spanish importer of regal raptor.

This is your web page www.csrmoto.com

:thumbsup:

Well, I am back in China.

I bought back my Rebel from the guy i sold it to. He'd fixed all of the major issues and it's running well now. I had the clutch replaced before I sold it, but it's acting up again. Presumably either installed wrong or really crappy parts.

I will be interested to see what happens with these bikes. I have been seeing the twin shock CB250N style bikes on teh streets a lot, but haven't seen any of the monoshock ones.

Did you leave for holiday? Anyway, welcome back to the middle kingdom and don't forget to smell out the YBR250's as well. That would probably be my bike of choice for general use.

CC

I back from holiday too, UK if you are interested CC.

However Regal is 10,000-11,000 RMB on the road. Yamaha YBR250 is 25,500 RMB on the road this year.

Lots of people just don't have the money for the Yamaha. Plus Regal Raptor is a twin....

ZMC, how are things in the Isles? Some of use were asking about you around here. Wondering if you had fallen off the face of the planet or ended up buying one of those AsiaWings and ridingoff into the sunset. :icon10:

CC

CC, the isles were wet 'n windy, but I still had lots of fun on mountain bike downhill runs over there..

Some more on this bike..

I've ordered the DD250G-2 yesterday. So some improvements over the 2008 bike have been noted, twin disk front. New disk rotors all round. Increased clearance between exhaust pipes and rear tire, the addition of clip-on bars and a central ignition.

I'm certainly gambling a bit with this bike, the quality of it isn't that great, so it will need TLC from new. But I do like the brakes and tires. I'll be changing the rear shocks from new, and removing the emissions air cheat stuff.

I was considering this:
http://news.product.pkjg.com/upload_...0913011689.jpg

The liquid cooled version (DD250G). I was lucky enough to ride an early 08 example. It was much bigger, like a CB500 size and very wide. But it was much too heavy for a 250, due to all the liquid cooling stuff, and the front forks always dived on braking, so not worth the extra money over the air cooled version IMO.

Reminds me of a sportier Nighthawk 250... Which are solid all round bikes. Can't wait for the pics!

CC

Regal Raptor DD250G-2 Review at 700 Kms.

Although 700kms isn't enough distance to highlight any long-term problems, it is a vague guide perhaps.

Pros

-Bike seems really light when low on fuel, and handles really well. Large rear tire has a massive grip area for a bike this size and makes the bike glued to the road, and safe even with a sandy or dirty road surface.

-Rear shocks look like shit, but do the job adequately on smooth roads, although on bumpy roads rebound is a bit weird and needs some kind of damping, will be changing these when I can find some the right length (300mm).

-Engine pulls as you would expect from a 250cc twin, and seems happiest on highways.

-Exhaust system better than I thought

-Mirrors less poor than I first thought

Cons

-Odometer/rev counter is junk!

-Engine complains on steep hills especially when it gets hot and loses some power.

Verdict

Early days, but bike seems as though, with a thousand Chinese Yuan shopping spree on the internet (taobao), will make and adequate weekend ride machine if well looked after, with regular oil changes and kept indoors. The 13KW-15KW engine doesn't provide superpower by any means, but it has enough squirt to swiftly say goodbye to slow moving Chinese idiot car drivers when compared to riding a 7-9KW 125-150cc machine, which needs more patience, gear selection and planning. I'd still love to have a 450cc single, but a 250 twin is halfway there, and I'm enjoying myself again, especially on downhill twisty mountain roads, where the gravity and modest power combine to give me the joyful reminiscence of my old 400 or 500cc machines from days gone by. :clap:

Nice summary Z, sounds like you're pretty happy with the machine. Look forward to some ride reports and pics from you :deal: and let us know how those little upgrades work out :naughty:.

Cheers!
ChinaV

Our two Regal Raptor DD250G-2s, on our most recent ride. One an 08 and the other (mine) an 09 (with black engine and red shocks).
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3548/...8dea30d3d7.jpg

We thought the Regal Raptor logos looked a bit dorky, especially for bikes that aren't cruisers, so we have modified the tanks! I thought it might be ironic, and in the tradition of Chinese motorcycle ownership to make mine into a Honda, in this case a CB250, still looking for an 'N' sticker that will match :lol8:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/...2b58bc4d46.jpg

My friend decided to hand build his own air filter and removed the entire rear section of his exhaust (loud). May prove useful mods after he has put bigger jets in his carbs.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/...ef17ce656c.jpg

Looks like you guys are already in mid-farkles. One thing that hard for me to get over on those bikes is the huge empty space below the steering head and in front of the engine. Even though bike may be well built, it make the front section look a little noodlely. With no radiatior up there I can't imagine how it could be shrouded. :confused1:

Any thought on this?

CC

This isn't really an issue for me, certainly. The tank has been designed that way so that an oil or liquid cooler can be fitted, if more air blows past the engine this is a good thing! Bike really needs liquid cooling but forks are unable to perform with that weight, and oil cooler cannot be fitted.

If I lived in the UK I'd get a bank loan and get a Triumph 675 street triple or a Honda 600 Hornet. But hey I'm living in China still figuring out how I can reduce vibrations and improve finishing and get my 234cc Regal Raptor --up-- to the level of this (early 90's?) Honda! :lol8:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/...4e53bda8c1.jpg

Might have trouble doing any more posts as authorities are clamping down on us Chinese motorcycle discussing rebels. :confused1:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Might have trouble doing any more posts as authorities are clamping down on us Chinese motorcycle discussing rebels. :confused1:

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:eekers: :eekers: :eekers:

Really?

Yes V, different connection types have different success rates of using the methods that allow us to view these sites, which for some reason are seen as 'undesirable', but weirdly help Chinese business, or provide useful information.

Some internet users have no problem, some, like me can view, and with hassle post, others can view, but not post, some people can't see anything! :eek2:

Let's see how things go after national day.

Alright guys, I took a more proactive (meaning shelled out some cash) stance and you guys SHOULD have regular access back in 24hrs, if not immediately.

Please check in periodically over the next 24-48 hours and let me know how it goes.

CC

Carl,

None of this is your fault. The authorities are really overzealous, I think any site with the word 'China' on it is being banned unless it is on their 'allowable' list, even my fmcc site is unvisitable. This over zealousness is being revved up until national day, where I hope things will chill. I can't quite understand why they are doing this, or how they intend to make new friends or keep foreigners in their country from going nuts.

It's a shame that so many others are unable to contribute to this site and it is being strangled with so little activity.

Lets hope this improves with your investment (new server location?)

ZMC,

I think the problem may have been fixed already but need folks to chime in to be sure. Problem was the site didn't have a dedicated IP although I thought it did. Could have been shared with a buncha other servers that may have cheezed off some hyper-sensitive bots.

Regardless, if you're checking this via proxy or something, try connecting to the site though a regular connection and let me know:

a) where you're connecting from
b) if it works and how well (speed, errors, etc.)

Thanks!
CC

All is good, thanks! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Wow, I can see the site again! Cool.

Just wanted to add that on the strength of the recommendations here and a bit of research on my own part, a colleague of mine will be picking up one of these bikes on Monday. I'd be getting one too but I lucked into a deal on an imported CB400 a couple of weeks ago. Hoping to be doing some longer rides now that I've got a local friend to head out with.

How reliable are these bikes proving to be?