Recommendations for touring bike (YS250 vs GW250 vs JH600 vs X5)

**Tramper** · 01-11-2015, 07:04 AM

Quick update: I decided to go with the YS/YBR, as I expect to come across some bad roads. I found a nice, small Yamaha store in a motorcycle market with a very helpful and friendly owner. He told me he could sell me a brand new one for 22,000 rmb. I didn't buy it yet, because some alarm bells were ringing. I've been in China for quite a while and in all this time I've never seen a shopowner willing to sell an expensive product 1,800 rmb UNDER the official price (yamaha websites state 23,800 to 24,800) without even haggling. This sounds like an amazing deal, right? I'm just wondering if the bike will be of the same quality as the higher priced ones in the other stores and taobao or if they removed/replaced some parts with cheaper stuff. What do you think?

**ZMC888** · 01-11-2015, 09:04 AM

You are right to be concerned, the bike could be old, stolen or a bunch of assembled parts without a VIN plate. It could be a safe deal on the other hand, hard to know, but be very cautious. Pay a small deposit only (as low as 500) and the rest when it's all legally registered.

**culcune** · 01-12-2015, 02:49 AM

I know China is not the west, but is there a Chinese Yamaha national dealers' office to check in with to see if this dealer is on the up and up or is even an official dealer? Or to check the VIN with? Just throwing it out there as someone living in the 'west' but wondered if there is something similar in China.

**zhu** · 01-15-2015, 05:38 AM

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=13712431207

Gdw make a bag specially for the ybr . The bag is cut on an angle at the base so it clears the pipe. Lots of tyres for the Yamaha at the moto market north of the city just outside the 3rd ring.

**humanbeing** · 01-15-2015, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by zhu

Gdw make ....

Official shop : http://gaodawei.taobao.com/
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=3754538858

**Tramper** · 01-23-2015, 02:46 PM

Thanks for the advice, ya'll. I just got home from my first trip with the new YS250. Still breaking it in, but the first impression is great. No complaints. Only issue is trying to fit hand guards on the handlebars, as the bar isn't straight enough. Also ordered the GDW bags　：）

**1288711** · 02-23-2015, 01:32 PM

Hello,
Can i ask, is it possible to post a few pictures of the bike?
And also, how much did you end up paying in the end? I was also looking at these 2 bikes, so i'm very happy to have read this post.

Can someone explain to me why the air cooled engine is more reliable as compared to the water cooled? (other than less parts, so less chance of going wrong.. & lighter)
I did a ride last year on my air cooled suzuki 125 and a friend on a qianjiang 150 and both bikes were running very hot in the end.
I just assumed the water cooled would take away this problem a little bit.

**prince666** · 02-23-2015, 03:32 PM

Can someone explain to me why the air cooled engine is more reliable as compared to the water cooled?

Who told you this !! Surely must be better with a water cooled engine !
My Yamaha YBR 125 went bang because it got to hot on a long/hard ride

**ZMC888** · 02-23-2015, 10:00 PM

Air cooled bikes are more simple and lighter weight, if they are well made they are not usually a problem, but some Chinese bikes can get hot due to poor machining and in rare circumstances can heat seize but usually only lose a bit of power. I've done hundreds of thousands of kilometres on Chinese and Japanese air cooled bikes and never had a problem other than China bikes losing some power riding real hard and hot in the hills.

So then you might think water cooled bikes are better, but then they will make the bike weigh up to 10-20kg heavier, and if they are made poorly you could have loads of problems with the thermostat, water-leaks, fan bearing and other mechanical or electrical complications maybe it's more complication than you need.

Look at the popularity even now of 70s CB550, CB750 even a C90 step-thru air cooled Hondas, great engines, why all the extra weight and complication of a water-cooled machine?

Then again if water-cooled bikes are made well you can keep your bike cool even in hot weather and gain top performance, max hp, torque all the time when you want it. Longer time between oil changes, longer engine life cooler running engines.

in short, there is no one answer.....just buy the best quality bike you can afford!

**Tramper** · 03-14-2015, 01:23 PM

Update:

So far, I've driven nearly 3000km on my YS250 and it's a magnificent bike. Only had to repair the bike once, but that was my fault and not the bike's (burned the clutch on a steep icy climb). The YS shines on the road, but it doesn't like dirt as the suspension is not great, but if you ride slowly you'll be able to cross any obstacle without problems. I installed a cheap windscreen, handguards and a luggage rack. Overall I spent around 24000rmb inc. GDW's saddlebags and tank bag. If you're looking for a long distance killer under 30,000 rmb, this is possibly the best choice in China. I measured 28km/L the other day and riding 100km/h is not shaky and noisy at all, unlike some other 250cc's. Also the simplicity suits me as a maintenance noob

The pictures are from a short trip I did last month with VroomVroom. (Chengdu - Xichang - Lugu - PZH - Chengdu).
IMG_3982.jpg

IMG_3994.jpg

IMG_4107.jpg

IMG_4099.jpg

IMG_4108.jpg