Test drive Geon Scrambler 250. What's in my name?

The name Geon Scrambler 250 bizarrely coincides with both the proper name and the bike’s belonging to a certain class.

The knocked-down silhouette of the Geon Scrambler 250 attracts attention and gives a sense of integrity to the motorcycle. Designers and engineers endowed it with brutal beauty, where there is nothing superfluous. Everything is simple and reliable.

The space-tube birdcage frame is reminiscent of the Honda CB450s. The choice of such a frame, the advantage of which is excellent rigidity with minimal weight, coupled with an inverted telescopic fork installed at the front, once again reminds us of the “omnivorous” nature of the motorcycle. At the rear there is a regular steel swingarm with a monoshock absorber without progression.

A simple but at the same time reliable design gives the inexpensive Geon Scrambler 250 great potential on the Ukrainian market

The CR6 engine, well known from other Geon models, has taken root well on the Scrambler 250. This is a simple, lightweight and reliable unit with oil cooling, a carburetor power system and a 6-speed gearbox. It should be especially noted that the engineers tried to raise the power unit as high as possible, which increased the ground clearance to a respectable 260 mm - almost like some “adult” enduros.

To stop the motorcycle are hydraulic disc brakes (270 mm in diameter and with a 2-piston caliper at the front and 210 mm with a 1-piston caliper at the rear) on 17-inch spoked wheels. The tires also fit perfectly into the general concept of a brutal motorcycle: massive wide rims with large all-terrain “donuts” will allow you to feel comfortable both on asphalt and on the ground.

The instrument panel looks laconic, but in practice it is very convenient

The highlight of the Geon Scrambler 250 can be considered the all-LED lighting technology, which shines very brightly even during the day. The motorcycle fenders also deserve attention. Made from fashionable brushed aluminum, they give the bike a finished look. The rear does a good job of protecting the shock absorber from dirt flying onto it. This motorcycle also has unusually installed mirrors - at the end. Moreover, they can be either fixed in the upper position or turned down, giving them a resemblance to a Cafe Racer.

Specifications

For an affordable price you will get a full-fledged enduro motorcycle with excellent characteristics. Economy plays an important role here, so fuel consumption was only 4.5 liters/100 km. The engine, with a volume of 249 cubic meters and 1 cylinder, is capable of producing considerable power of 26 horsepower. Consequently, when using the equipment on a normal road, the maximum speed will be 110 km/h. To control the motorcycle off-road, the design is as lightweight as possible; the total weight of the motorcycle is 135 kg.

Control takes place through the well-known 6-speed manual gearbox. The motor is especially interesting to many enduro enthusiasts, because Baltmotors installed a SOHC system, the valves are titanium, and the engine itself received a balance shaft to prevent vibration. Now such a Chinese is used with a liquid cooling system, the characteristics are also offered with two engine starting options - kickstarter or electric starter. With a fuel tank capacity of 8 liters, the instructions recommend using AI-95 gasoline.

Let's hit the road!

Our acquaintance with the pre-production Geon Scrambler 250 took place on the outskirts of one of the city parks. Along with road tests, I wanted to evaluate the behavior of the motorcycle on easy “crossroads”.

Despite the high ground clearance, the seat height and overall seating position will be comfortable for riders of average height. Being 190 cm tall, the motorcycle seemed a bit small to me. It should also be noted that the tank is wide in the lower rear part, which makes it difficult to “hug” the tank with your legs to properly control the motorcycle. You don’t have to reach for the steering wheel; all controls are in their usual places. There is an adjustable steering wheel angle, so adjusting it to any arm length will not be difficult.

If the rear brake foot did not cause any complaints, then difficulties arose with the choice of gears - the combination of a wide enduron footrest with the Slavic size of a motorboat makes shifting up gears not the most convenient. In the field, I had to raise the foot so that a motorized boot could somehow be squeezed under it. On the other hand, the presser foot is easy to replace.

We climb to the “intersection”. The bike “swallows” bumps, gullies and unevenness with a bang. There is plenty of traction, and ups and downs are very easy to overcome. The suspensions work with dignity and resignation. The front fork has excellent smoothness and sufficient travel. The rear suspension seemed stiff, but this is the norm for a new motorcycle: over time, the shock absorber should reach its performance characteristics and provide the necessary smoothness.

This bike is suitable for riding both in the city and on rough roads. And one of the main features of the Geon Scrambler 250 can be called all-LED lighting technology, which shines perfectly even in the daytime

Now it's the asphalt's turn. Everything is great here too. In terms of handling and maneuverability, the lightweight Scrambler can be compared to a bicycle: the dry weight of the motorcycle is only 135 kg. It easily copes with lane changes and other urban driving tasks. The engine is very playful and torquey for its 250cc, and thanks to the exhaust system it also sounds pleasant.

Design Features

The Baltmotors company has always been distinguished by the high quality of assembly of its motorcycles, so the new enduro turned out to be a successful model. Externally, the new product will surprise anyone, because it differs from competitors in terms of power by the presence of a front shield, which is raised quite high. The front suspension looks aggressive and powerful, which only improves the visual effect of the motorcycle. With its low weight and good maneuverability, the motorcycle is excellent for performing tricks.

The overall appearance does not raise any questions among experienced bikers. Everything is stylish, modern and neat. They decided to make the seat comfortable, but completely flat and narrow. There is an inverted fork installed at the front, which performs its functions perfectly when traveling off-road. The frame is diagonal and made of high strength aluminum, withstands heavy loads and dangerous jumps. Already today, a number of tests have been completed, where it was determined that the suspension and frame fully fulfill their duties, and there is no doubt about their reliability. At the rear, the manufacturer decided to install a pendulum suspension with 1 adjustable shock absorber.

The ability to adjust the suspension to the road situation allows you to absorb heavy loads, making it more comfortable to take sharp turns. Often, thanks to good suspension and excellent interaction of the engine with other parts, the Baltsomotrs 250 Dakar has one of the best prices, and the model itself is often used for racing. For city driving or very maneuverable driving, disc brakes will help ensure proper safety.

What's the result?

Geon Scrambler 250 pleased me. You won't be bored with it either on the asphalt or on the ground. Lightweight and maneuverable, it gives a lot of positive emotions. At the same time, the motorcycle is, without the slightest exaggeration, beautiful. With a little imagination and a little cosmetic tuning, you can get a decent custom. By the way, the importer immediately offers an assortment of that same cosmetic tuning. With its fuel-efficient engine, light weight and comfortable riding position, this motorcycle is an excellent choice for transportation in urban environments.

Advantages

As a result, a number of reviews and successful test drives showed that the Dakar 250 enduro motorcycle from Chinese-Russian cooperation has the following advantages:

1. Simple and powerful engine, easy to operate. Excellent performance and power are characterized by the presence of titanium valves.
2. Driving safety is ensured by powerful brakes, an aluminum diagonal frame and a proprietary suspension.
3. Comfortable, true enduro-style riding position.
4. One of the best engines from China, characterized by high build quality and durable parts.
5. Availability of spare parts on the market; universal parts are used in the motorcycle.

As a result, we can safely say that the Chinese motorcycle differs from its competitors in its excellent characteristics and quality created by the Baltmotors brand. For an affordable price, it is possible to buy a truly faithful friend who will cope with any off-road conditions and will be an excellent assistant at important races.

Selecting the Geon model range in the Mototek online store

A specialized online store offers a large selection of Geon brand models with delivery to any city in Ukraine. You can purchase budget options, equipment for professional bikers or motorcycle racers. The range of products includes all-terrain vehicles and ATVs, children's motorcycles. The website describes all models in detail, highlights their advantages, and indicates their cost. Online you can easily get acquainted with each product card, choosing the model you like. Store managers are ready to provide professional assistance to each customer and advise in choosing a product. If you are buying motorcycle equipment for the first time, contact specialists, they will help you choose a motorcycle for a beginner. By purchasing a model based on price or specifications, you will be purchasing the best product.

You can pay for it in any convenient way. Before payment, you can order a test drive service, which will help check the technical condition of the motorcycle. Regional customers receive goods with prepayment. It is acceptable to obtain a loan for the purchase of goods.

Geon equipment will not disappoint the buyer. The combination of high quality and low price will allow you to purchase one of the popular brands of motorcycle equipment.

Test drive GeonDakar 250

While we here, in Ukraine, are experiencing the consequences of the financial crisis and look with longing at our stunted motor market, which cannot straighten its shoulders, the Chinese motor industry is developing at a rapid pace. Yes, the Chinese are still following the path of copying other people’s achievements - just as the Japanese once acted, “licking” their motorcycles from English models. But gradually they learn (including from their own mistakes) and with the release of each new model-modification they become more perfect and more reliable. As it is sung, “I won’t tell you for all of Odessa,” that is, about all motorcycle manufacturers, but I have been watching the evolution of motorcycles from one of the Ukrainian importers for several years now and, I must note, its products are worthy of special attention. Moreover, when “the mountain comes to Mohammed” and the latter does not need to strain himself. Therefore, in a situation where we are vacationing on the South Coast, and a light endurik Geon Dakar 250 is being brought there from Odessa, the weather is “sunny and plus 16”, it is blasphemy to refuse to get acquainted with the new product!

The first thing you think about when you see the updated Dakar is: “Why the hell did the Japanese paint the CRF orange?” And only when you get closer do you realize that this is not a Honda. But the silhouette, the contours of the plastic, the appearance of the frame and suspension are one to one! It became even interesting how this “clone” would drive. A “watery” motor with a considerable (for a “Chinese”) declared power of 22 hp, an upside-down fork with full adjustments, the same “stuffed” monoshock absorber with a progression system (one to one - ProLink!), a lightweight frame... And here - stop! Upon closer examination, it turns out that the frame is not aluminum, but steel and is only painted “to look like aluminum.” How did this affect driving performance? More on this later. For now, let's turn to ergonomics. The motorcycle turned out to be quite tall and not only looks, but also feels like a serious machine. To my question to the representative of the importer of the brand: “But how do the Chinese drive it?” he quite seriously explained that they jump into the saddle while moving, just as we did when we were children on a bicycle. Place your left foot on the step, start the engine, depress the clutch and engage the gear. Then they smoothly release the clutch and, when the motorcycle starts to move, they lean on their left leg and throw their right leg over the saddle. I'm not Chinese, I sat down normally. The landing, however, did not seem entirely successful to me - I would have lowered the footpegs a little under myself and raised the steering wheel, but, in general, nothing. But other ergonomic features of the updated Dakar appeared already in motion. The fact is that the model that we sold earlier had one drawback - with a fairly powerful engine, it had a frail clutch disc package. The importer’s engineers, as they say, “pressed” the Chinese, insisting on solving the problem. It took almost a year, but they made them do it! Moreover, simply adding discs to the package did not work - they did not fit into the crankcase. We must pay tribute to the Chinese engineers: the crankcase cover was redesigned and it became 15 mm wider, and the clutch basket began to accommodate six thicker discs. This is, of course, great, but every coin has a flip side.

And in this case, when the engine became significantly wider, the fastenings of the gearbox feet and brakes remained in their places, which made it difficult to find them with the toe of a size 47 endurope boot! But it will be convenient for those pilots who have pronounced club feet: after all, only in the “toes together and heels apart” position can the above controls be found, and even then only from the “sitting” position. Or the size of the “bast shoes” should be smaller... After “presenting” this inconvenience to the leading engineer, who is precisely the importer of GEON brand motorcycles, it turned out that work to increase the reach of the feet is already underway on the first commercial copies that will be presented at the spring exhibition in Kyiv, buyers will be able to sit without clubfoot. Well done boys! Everyone would check the equipment “in combat” in advance, before the start of its sales, and promptly respond to the shortcomings found. By the way, again, during this test review, another Chinese “school” was caught: when turning the motorcycle 180 degrees on a side stand resting against a stone (those who ride enduro know what maneuver I’m talking about), it... broke, unable to bear the weight of the motorcycle. As it turns out, it was a flimsy steel tube rather than a solid piece of aluminum alloy side stop like the original. This “puncture” was a complete surprise not only for me, but also for the owners of the motorcycle, although even here they did not fail - before the publication of the article, they assured that solid footpegs had already been ordered and would be installed on all commercial motorcycles before they arrived in Ukraine! Was there anything positive on this test, you ask? Yes, of course, there were a lot of positive impressions!

Firstly, I really liked the engine and everything around it (starter, carburetor and gearbox). For example, the throttle handle is made short-stroke and connected to the carburetor not by two (as on the old “Japanese”), but by one cable, as on modern motocross motorcycles. This makes the motor more responsive to movements of the right hand. The engine itself spins up easily, without failures or strain, with good “low-end” and a very juicy “mid-range” with a slight pick-up around 5000 rpm. Gears shift clearly, without any mismatches, clattering or crunching - the main thing is to catch the paw in time. As for the suspensions, the plethora of adjustments (previously a pipe dream for equipment from the Middle Kingdom) that are present on the GEON Dakar250 will allow them to be adjusted both to the weight of the rider and to the nature of the route he will have to ride on, without taking much away. time. I, for the “purity of the experiment,” rode my one hundred and twenty-five kilogram “carcass” at the maximum “loose” settings and, I must note: neither the fork nor the rear shock absorber in this “super comfortable” mode broke through on every bump or stone. So the factory reserve of energy intensity of the suspensions can be considered quite sufficient - riders with a normal enduro weight (up to 90 kg) will be able to even jump from springboards by tightening the compression settings. As for another important system - the brakes, there are no complaints about them - they work quite clearly and efficiently.

Experienced riders will probably note another nuance related to weight distribution. The fact is that the directional stability of a motorcycle on a straight line is noticeably different when riding in a “sitting” position than in a “standing” position. This nuance manifests itself in the fact that when you stand on the pegs, the rear wheel is unloaded, and the motorcycle, even with a slight opening of the throttle, begins to “wiggle” backwards. If you pull the “fifth point” back or sit on the seat, the motorcycle behaves stably even during intense acceleration. I believe that this is due to the steel frame - it is much more massive than the aluminum one in its front part and the center of mass of the pilot-motorcycle ligament shifts greatly forward, overloading the front wheel and unloading the rear wheel (in comparison with its analogue, the Honda CRF250). This can be cured by raising the steering wheel by 2-4 centimeters with special spacers, which will allow the pilot to lean on it less and keep his pelvis further from the steering wheel and closer to the back of the seat. In general, given the brevity of the “dynamic acquaintance” with the model (in winter the weather on the mountain, even in the South Coast region, is extremely unstable), it made a positive impression on me. And given the fact that a new version of the motorcycle is now being prepared for production, with 28 “horses” on the shaft and the possibility of expanding this “herd” to 32 “heads”, and keeping in mind that all the above-described “troubles” will already be eliminated in it, I think it’s safe to say that the era of Japanese small-capacity enduros from the 90s of the last century, previously so popular in our country, is close to sunset. And, no less important, in addition to increasing overall functionality, ride comfort and reliability, some motorcycle models from the Middle Kingdom can get another trump card from under the seat - a nice price!

Text and photo: Valery Chuikov