Regal Raptor DD250G-2N (2011)

[Lucky Luke]

Hi all,

I am new here, and happy to have found this forum as this thread appeared very educative!

After some 16,000 clicks on my Haojiang HJ 125-5, absolutely trouble free although sometimes pushing it hard, or idling for hours in Saigon's traffic jams, riding under heavy rain, I was feeling like buying a Regal Raptor DD150G-2. This bikes looked good, with its big OHC twin, big tyres, and the double exhausts under the seat. Bigger would have been even more attractive, but we are limited at 170cc in Vietnam. There are some bigger bikes around, but they are mostly illegal. Also, you are very lucky, in China, to buy bikes at such low price: the DD 150G-2, air cooled, single front disc, carburator, is almost 3,000 US Dollars here!!!

Anyway: aside from these concerns, I must confess that I now feel a bit cooled down!!!

Al in all, DS, you have had to suffer the following (IIRC):
- difficult or impossible to select gears, specially neutral, at the beginning,
- engine over-heating (fan not functioning)
- multiple leaks of cooling fluid
- inefficient rear brake (?)
- engine sputtering
- extremely difficult to start under certain conditions (10 minutes....)
- battery died after a few weeks
- Electrics dead after your FIRST heavy rain (!!!)
- Ignition (or EFI?) let you completely down in the middle of nowhere (charming!)
- Top speed seriously disappointing in duo (being overtaken by a 125 EBR ....Wow)!
- etc.....etc..!

That this bike may be a pleasure to ride, I am happy for you, but I am now seriously re-considering changing my soooo reliable Hoajiang (in comparison: all I did in 2 1/2 years and >16,000 km. was to change the fork's bearings!) for a bike of this brand!!!

Nevertheless, you appear still enthusiastic about this bike. What can you say that would make me share this enthusiasm?

Thank you for the honest report.

Luke

[braillce]

Hey.

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure if u're mistaken, or not, the bike reviewed here is the 250 cc.

I went to the Shanghai RR shop recently, and they do make smaller displacement now.

Is it 125 or 150 cc, is it single or twin cyl, I can't recall...

Looks about the same though, just a bit smaller.

Those haven't been reviewed yet as they've been recently introduced (at the Shanghai shop at least).

I hope some1 here can get u more info about it, that's all I know.

[Lucky Luke]

Bonjour Braillce

Yes, I understand this report is about the 250cc, but when considering quality and workmanship, it is the makers who counts.
I have also read the other "experience" by ZMC888, and these two reports just write this bike off my books.

A pity, though! It really looks and sounds great, is the only twin in that capacity unless one goes for monster cost like the Veradero, and seems to be a pleasure to ride....as long as it does ride! I understand that this maker is on top of the "el cheapo" list in China, but the 3,000 US$ (=20,000 Yuan) for the 150cc model does not make it cheap at all, here in Vietnam!

Will keep an eye open, though, on this forum particularly, in case something really nice reveals itself. For the moment, I will not replace my Chinese single cylinder push-rod 125 bike by a Chinese single cylinder push-rod 150, be it made under Yanmaha or Honda name (the Honda "Master" imported here has proven quite un-reliable too!!!)

Thanks for sharing the info, bros.

[dewsnap]

Hey Luke. Welcome.

Yeah, i did have a lot of problems with the bike in the beginning, but now after 5000km's it's running much better and i'd have no problems recommending this bike to anyone. For me, all the positives vastly outweigh all the little issues i had in the beginning. Now i don't have any problems selecting gears, no leaks, the engine doesn't splutter anymore, and overall the performance is great. Have a look at Maceiq posts, he has just recently bought this bike and he hasn't had any of the issues that i had with my DD250G-2N. As a budget, 250cc, entry machine, it's perfect. It's stylish, has plenty of pep, and with it being a twin you do get that 'big bike' feel. You can have crazy fun with it being so light, throwing it around and leaving pretty much any car from the lights. The bike flies upto 100kmph, and is comfortable upto 120kmph, after that it's a little labored but i did get 135kmph out of it last weekend on a long stretch. I'm not sure how accurate my speedo is though. I was once overtaken by a YBR125 two people up but in defence i'm 70kg and my friend must be 90kg, we were flat out at 100kmph when we were taken ascending a steep bridge. No real shame in that.

Here in China however i only paid 14,200 rmb for the bike which is about 2300 US dollars, i certainly wouldn't pay 3000 US dollars for this bike let alone the 150cc model. If you want something reliable and top quality the obvious choice woud be a Japanese model. Have a look at SoberPete's review of his YBR 250. Not a single issue 4000km's in.

Good luck finding your next upgrade mate, keep us informed, i'll be interested to know what you decide.

[braillce]

I would also recommend u the RR brand, as I'm quite happy with mine too.
I don't have any pb anymore though I had all the same as Dewsnap till around 1000km, except those linked to the cooling system as I don't have any on my 2010 version.

Thing is:

The RR 150cc is 20K in Viet Nam, so I don't think I still can recommend it.

Also, the 250 feels heavy to me: 20hp for 165kg is NOT such a good stat, I still can "throw it around" as dewsnap says, but maneuvering did turn a couple times into shameful situations, I'm 65kg.

Makes me wonder how heavy is the 150cc u're lurking at...

Check this out, asu don't want to end up missing ur Haojiang.

Also check the price for a Japanese made 125cc, as if the $ difference is low, then there's little point in getting a RR.

A japanese made 125 cc will be slightly more powerful than the RR 150cc (even if single cyl), lighter and more comfy, and sure will take the heavy rains punishment better than the RR, also will probably handle better on wet ground.

That's a lot to consider.

[Lucky Luke]

Hi Bros,

I hope you guys won't mind a bit of a thread drift: I got my new bike....but it's not a 150cc. RR, although bearing "some" resemblances. I think (sorry guys!), that it's a good lot better!

Here is the baby:

P1040829-s.jpgP1040823-s.jpg

....but you know what: I don't know what it is!!!

It is distributed in Vietnam under the "brand" name "Rebel USA". Of course, this baby has never seen an ounce of US soil, but I am (O, Master Carl, please forgive us, humble humans, for our ignorance, etc...) not even sure that it is a Chinese bike! Maybe....Indian??!!?!
Maybe you guys will be able to help?

OK, I know: this is a Chinese bike forum, and I might be severely transgressing the rules there, but (again: O, Master Carl, etc...etc...) it's got an engines you guys know pretty well: a Honda Rebel clone, although in it's diminutive version: it's a 125! Well: a 125 with some muscle though: this straight, OHC twin, carb, delivers some 8.5kw. @ 8,000 revs, which is pretty decent, a torque of 10Nm @ 5/ 6,000 revs, and revs up easily up to 9,000. With it's long transmission ratio, it is given for a surprising.....138 kmh! Will have been with a Vietnamese driver laying flat on the tank, I guess, but the thing is really responsive, surely due to it's light weight of 132kg.

P1040825-s.jpg

Since it's new, I cannot yet give you the results when carrying my 80kg belly (laying "flat" on the tank would be....difficult!), and the little I have been in duo immediately shows that weight is not what this little 125 loves!!! Maybe, one day, with some genuine Rebel parts (plus some tuning), I shall turn it into a ...250! (don't repeat it, OK?: police's listening!)

The engine, as I said, is a Honda Rebel clone, screaming like hell through this short exhaust nicely located below the frame. Talking about this box frame, it is very rigid and both road holding - and breaking! - are faaar superior to my "old" Hoajiang.

So, that's it bros: got a new bike, that maybe Chinese (???)....but that immediately shows some of the annoyances you had all described on your RR: difficulty to find neutral (and engine cannot start unless it IS in neutral!), this helped by a very imprecise transmission rod from the foot shifter to the gearbox lever. Also very unpleasant vibrations of the tank at 4 to 5,000 revs. Going to have some little work to do here and there! Electrics look very good, well protected, so I hope it will cope well with the heavy rain we are experimenting here. If it does not: I will have the pleasure to go back to the shop and complain to the secretary:

Thanh-Hang.jpg

[Lucky Luke]

Check this out, asu don't want to end up missing ur Haojiang.

Sure! But the new baby I just introduced seems to have a quite different...character!
This Hoajiang, though , has certainly served me well (I still have it). Over 2 1/2 years, it's been really trouble free: changed the forks bearing in the frame, that's about all! Well: had to change the battery some six months ago: normal.
Been well maintained, though: first oil change @ 500 km (to remove the eventual "metal dust"), then, as soon as it was correctly run in at about 1,500km. went for 100% synthetic oil. Chain was soon changed (I like to feel safe with my chain) for a Japan made top quality one with o-rings, spark plug is a NGK Irridium, original incandescent headlight buld changed for H4, as well as the ridiculous police-like blue lights that are now replaced by a couple of long range halogens. Tyre pressure, chain tension, oil level, that was all!

Also check the price for a Japanese made 125cc, as if the $ difference is low, then there's little point in getting a RR.

Genuine Japanese bikes are monstrously out of price here, with a 200% import tax vs. 100% "only" for a Chinese import! A genuine 20 years old, 100,000km Rebel sells easily for 3,000 US$. Same price for a CB 125 of the same age! Some second hand big bikes from the "big four" are imported from ...Cambodia (!), in the 7 to 10,000 US$ range or more, but unless one is a policemen or member of a sport club covering sport events, we are not allowed more than 170cc. So, converting a 125 into a 250, like I consider doing one day with my new baby, is commonly done as long as it does not show. At least, one keeps being covered by the insurance, who will never check if the bike has been "upgraded" even in case of sever injury to third parts.

Better drive carefully anyway here: traffic is hectic!!!

[euphonius]

...I will have the pleasure to go back to the shop and complain to the secretary:

Luke, I'm speechless.

Does it really matter what brand that bike is? With after-sales support like that, I'd ride 'er anywhere!

[braillce]

[...]Genuine Japanese bikes are monstrously out of price here, with a 200% import tax vs. 100% "only" for a Chinese import! A genuine 20 years old, 100,000km Rebel sells easily for 3,000 US$. Same price for a CB 125 of the same age! Some second hand big bikes from the "big four" are imported from ...Cambodia (!), in the 7 to 10,000 US$ range or more, [...]

It's crazy how they surtax those japanese bikes...

Here they ain't welcome either actually, u just can't have one legally.

Maybe with some relations...

Good choice anyways, ur new bike looks solid, I like the inverted fork and the frame all especially. It'd be mine I'd remove the 2 fairings with "Notus" on it to reveal more of the frame, and cause I'm more into naked secretaries, no I mean naked bikes...

Better drive carefully anyway here: traffic is hectic!!!

I've seen it, and I've never seen worse, though I've never been to India...

Spent 2 weeks in SGN & I didn't even dare renting a bike.

U'll have the upper hand on most Saigon roads users with this, congrats, ride safe & bonne route.

[Lucky Luke]

[IMG]
With after-sales support like that, I'd ride 'er anywhere!

Got it wrong, mate: this was before sales