Russian bikers who planned to change their motorcycle in 2023 are clearly having a hard time in the face of a sharp reduction in the range. Just a few months ago, official dealers had Harley-Davidsons, BMW, Suzuki and Kawasaki available, and those bike models that were not imported in Russia could be ordered abroad. Now one can only dream of such expanse. The choice was reduced, in fact, to Russian and Chinese brands.
The sanctions imposed on Russia have led to an almost complete cessation of the export of bikes to our country, for example:
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Motorcycles from the USA with an engine of more than 50 cubic meters are not delivered to Russia, and this, for a moment, is the entire line of Harley-Davidson;
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European-made bikes with a price tag above 5,000 euros (about 270,000 – 280,000 rubles) also “pass” by Russia. This means that Russian bikers will officially not be able to purchase our most popular European motorcycles from BMW;
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Actually, the Japanese are not far behind, imposing a ban on the export of motor vehicles if its price exceeds 600,000 yen or 235,000 – 255,000 rubles. We rarely buy even a second-hand Japanese motorcycle for such an amount, not to mention a new one. So Japan is also out.
It is clear that not every biker will like the option of considering Chinese motorcycles and switching to them from the usual “Americans” and “Europeans”. But the Chinese in the current conditions have at least 3 tangible pluses:
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Officiality and legality, i.e. Chinese bikes are sold by official dealers, and you can also find spare parts for them without any problems. With sanctioned imported motorcycles, there will be absolutely problems with warranty service, as well as with outrageous prices for repairs and spare parts.
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The price tag for products, since the “Chinese” is much cheaper than the “Americans” or “Japanese”.
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Acceptable quality, since the Chinese motorcycle manufacturers have more or less learned how to make long-lived equipment, and not the slag that their first samples were.
Choppers from China
Further in our review, we will only talk about Chinese choppers that were copied from foreign samples. Models made by the Chinese completely, from A to Z, are much inferior to them in reliability and durability.
Lifan LF 250 Cruiser – balance between price and quality
The first thing to say about this bike is that it was copied from the Yamaha Virago XV 250. And, fortunately, it was copied by the Lifan company, which has already gained experience in the production of cars and motorcycles, so the Virago replica keeps a decent level of quality.
In appearance, Lifan is outdated and resembles old biker motorcycles of the 80-90s. 20th century. However, for fans of retro – this is what you need:
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A teardrop-shaped gas tank, like from the movie “Easy Rider”;
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Classic ” V ” shaped engine layout ;
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Old headlight design;
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Extended front fork;
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Design in black.
Feel the adrenaline from driving at breakneck speed on Lifan will not work. It has a weak engine and a lot of weight for a cruiser – 180 kg. So squeeze out of the LF 250 will only get 110 km. at one o’clock. In fact, this is even good, because Lifan is not equipped with reliable hydraulic brakes: it has disc brakes in front, and a drum in the back, which you can’t seriously count on.
So, if you value breakdown resistance, fuel economy, easy maintenance and a low price tag in a motorcycle, then a Lifan cruiser worth about 150,000 rubles. will be the best choice for you.
If the soul asks for speed
In this case, you need a more powerful engine. Not 250 cubic meters, like the Lifan LF 250 Cruiser , but at least 400 cubic centimeters, like the Stels 400 Cruiser , a Chinese reincarnation released in the late 80s. 20th century Japanese bike Yamaha Virago XV 400.
Stealth benefits include:
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The ability to squeeze 140 km on it. at one o’clock;
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Acceleration up to 100 km. per hour in 6 seconds;
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Cardan transmission, which requires less maintenance and is more reliable than chain transmission;
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It fits most of the parts from the 400th Virago;
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Biker design under the 80s;
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Good reliability, major breakdowns are rare;
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Excellent maneuverability and cornering stability.
If we talk about the minuses, then they are also enough:
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Weak braking system (on the front wheel – disc brakes, on the rear – drum brakes) for a 400 cc engine, which they decided to leave with Virago;
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The presence of a serious risk of ruining the pistons at high speeds, since the bike is not equipped with an automatic speed limiter, although fans of fast and loud riding will certainly be pleased;
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Due to its short wheelbase and narrow wheels, it has poor straight-line stability.
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The rider’s position, which differs from the typical choppers, i.e. legs are closer to the “under you” position.
The price tag for the unit fluctuates around 135,000 – 170,000 rubles.
Tales for distant wanderings
This section is intended for nomadic bikers who prefer long, hours-long trips along country roads to city riding. The Chinese manufacturer CFMOTO has one interesting model that may be of interest to motorcyclists – CFMOTO 800 MT Touiring .
When developing the bike, the main attention was paid to creating comfort for the “nomad”. To do this, the bike was equipped with quickshifters to quickly shift gears without a clutch, hand protection from stones and wind protection, energy-intensive suspension and systems for heated seats and steering wheel.
The engineers who developed the motorcycle were able to achieve a balance between engine power and the capabilities of the braking system. The engine at maximum speed produces 195 km. per hour, but its power is balanced by reliable hydraulic brakes.
And just a few words about the cool design. The motorcycle from the side resembles a hawk that saw a careless victim and prepared for a swift throw.
So, CFMOTO 800 MT Touring is a good combination of functionality, power and beauty in one bike for 1,345,000 rubles.