Characteristics of Baltmotors S1 – the best option for a beginner

Not all inexpensive motorcycles of Chinese origin are as similar to each other as their creators, and the Baltmotors Street 125 DD is a great example of this. This is an exception to the usual rule “Chinese = poor quality”, which was noticeably ahead of its time. There are plenty of extremely simplified bikes produced in China on sale even now, but the Baltmotors Street 125DD, taken off the assembly line a long time ago, is head and shoulders above them all. Nowadays it is rarely seen on the roads, since a limited number of copies were produced, but judging by the reviews of the owners, it is a really worthy device.

Design

While most motorcycle manufacturers from China continue to persistently copy famous Japanese motorcycles, trying to give their crafts at least an external resemblance to the products of famous brands, the Baltmotors company took a different path. The Street 125 DD model looks fresh, attractive and original. And there is no pretentiousness, even the gilded fork stays and the general aggressiveness of the silhouette do not give the bike the appearance of a parody of an “adult” streetfighter. The BM Street 125 DD is both flashy enough to attract attention on the road and modest enough not to pretend to be something it is not.

Flaws

The engine crankcase is one of the weak points of the motorcycle. The problem is solved by installing protection from the same YBR 125.

• Motorcycle for one . Apart from the short saddle, the seating of two negates the whole dynamic.
• The switch is a miscalculation of the developers; it does not always cope with the voltage appearing in the bike’s network.
• Accessories . Compatibility with the details of the designer's prototype was deliberately abandoned. But if you need anything, it’s better to contact the factory right away. Local stores usually don't have them.

and dignity

• Big tank . With low consumption, the bike allows you to cover more than 400 km on one fill-up.
• Good handling.
• Maneuverability.
• The narrow base and small width will allow you to maneuver well in traffic jams.
• Clearance that allows you to jump onto the curb without fear of damaging the plastic.
• Friendliness , forgiveness of mistakes.
• Light weight that even biker girls can handle.

The red line running through all the reviews is that the assembly is Russian, but the parts are from China. Whether this is a plus or a minus is up to the user to decide.

Specifications

Strictly speaking, this model was designed in China, and was only assembled in Russia. Taking as a basis some of the developments of their Japanese colleagues, Chinese engineers put them together, resulting in a viable hybrid that can not only compete equally with analogues in its price category, but also surpass them in most parameters.

Engine

The Chinese did not reinvent the wheel, but simply copied a simple 2-valve 1-cylinder air-cooled engine installed on Japanese motorcycles in the late 80s of the 20th century. Its characteristics are modest, only 11.5 hp. , and to get them all, the motor will have to be mercilessly turned to the 9500 rpm mark. But the extremely primitive engine is extremely reliable, and no one has heard of problems with it. Fuel is supplied through a carburetor, which is easily regulated and, if necessary, cleaned. The maximum speed that Baltmotors Street can develop is 125 – 100 km/h .

Transmission

The 5-speed gearbox is also a Japanese heritage, and also comes from the last century. The gear ratios are short, so in the city you have to constantly shift, actively working both the clutch and the gas handle to maintain dynamics. You can shift to fifth gear as early as 60 km/h, so you will most likely use it mainly. There are no complaints about the operation of the checkpoint.

Chassis and brakes

One of the main advantages of the BM Street 125 is its chassis. The designers managed to fit an inverted fork and as many as 3 brake discs into the budget bike! At the rear, of course, there is a regular swingarm with a monoshock absorber, but, nevertheless, how often do you come across such a set on motorcycles in this price category? 2 discs with 2-piston calipers installed at the front, and one disc with a 1-piston caliper , and this is enough to easily stop the bike even at maximum speed.

Electronics

Since there are no auxiliary systems in this model, the complexity of the electronics is comparable to the Voskhod or Ural collecting dust in grandfather’s garage. A compact 12-volt battery, a generator, a switch, fuses, a bundle of wires - that's all, there's nothing else here. After purchase, it is advisable to check the condition of the electrical wiring, paying special attention to the insulation - there are problems with it on older motorcycles.

Weight and dimensions

Due to its simple design and massive steel frame, the bike weighs a lot; the curb weight exceeds 140 kg . It does not seem heavy, but it is worth considering that the weight, significant by the standards of the class of small-capacity road cars, has a negative effect on the acceleration dynamics and braking distance. The dimensions of the motorcycle are quite “adult”, but the triangle of the saddle, handlebars (more precisely, clip-ons) and footpegs are grouped in such a way that it will be a bit cramped for a tall motorcyclist on Baltmotors Street 125. Ergonomics leave much to be desired.

Controllability

Despite its decent weight, the bike handles easily and predictably. It obeys the steering wheel perfectly, and with a slight tilt of the body the pilot can give it the desired trajectory of movement. This advantage makes it very well suited for learning to ride, and as a “learning desk” it can perform no worse than the popular YBR-125.

Fuel consumption

On average, Baltmotors Street 125 consumes about 3 liters per 100 km . Quite a lot for a 125 cc small-capacity engine, but such high consumption is due to the old-fashioned engine, a simple carburetor and the considerable weight of the bike. But it easily digests any gasoline you might like to pour into it.

St. Petersburg - Crimea - St. Petersburg 6000 km on Baltmotors Street 250

Below is a story about how I traveled to Crimea on a Chinese chekushka. There will be few photos, a lot of text. The “diary” itself was written daily so that friends and family could imagine where I was and what I was doing, but upon arrival I decided to publish it.

Truckers who have logged tens of thousands of kilometers are most likely unlikely to read to the end, considering it just a weekend stroll, but for those who are just about to embark on this path, I think it will be useful) In any case, during the trip, I was googling similar stories, everything limited to a couple of paragraphs, without any constructive) Ps In Crimea itself, I did not pursue the goal of taking a liking to the sights, because... over the previous couple of years I have walked and traveled the path from Kerch to Olenevka more than once. Prologue. Well, tomorrow the tests of the street 250, and me, will begin, on a real long-range) 20,000 km of run and 3 (two this season, one last) trips to the north of Karelia, 2000 km each, are already behind us and inspire optimism, but in plans, after all, about 6000 km, and where... the question remains open, before Rostov-on-Don there is still time to think, cross to the Crimea, or, having passed the coast of the Azov Sea, move along the Black Sea to Sochi and return along the Caspian coast through Astrakhan. But this is no longer so important, the direction has been set, the time frame has been determined, everything else will be rest, it is not the place that is important, but the process itself) Because the motorcycle is purely urban, if not “recreational”, I took with me a new chain (this time I decided not to change the sprockets, and it’s not convenient on the road), a pack of tools just in case, of course a pump and repair kit, a spark plug, a floor liters of Motul and cold welding. Well, that's all. Despite the small size of the motorcycle, both a tent and a sleeping bag with a rug fit in, Komino's panniers fit well and accommodated all the clothes (and I didn't even have to unfold the panniers and half was enough). That's it, let summer start early)

Day 1. St. Petersburg - Veliky Novgorod - Tver.

The first day turned out to be very nauseating, I left after lunch. A headwind was blowing all day, the panniers were sailing, the cruising speed was 100-110, after stopping in Veliky Novgorod for lunch, a long, barely moving column of trucks began. The route is basically 1 lane in each direction and periodic places for overtaking; the average speed has dropped to 80-90 km/h. In this mode I drove to the Volga and stopped for the night in Tver, the daily mileage was a little more than 600 km. A motorcycle bar, a hostel, and tomorrow to Moscow) Ps There was no budget for the trip at all, so everything is at a minimum.

Day 2. Tver-Msk-Voronezh.

The day started with cloudy, cool weather. The evening excursion to the bars made itself felt, so breakfast was replaced by a cup of coffee and we were on our way. I slowly finished it until Moscow time. MSK greeted me with drizzle. The path ran through the Moscow Ring Road. The Moscow Ring Road moves sluggishly ~80. Local motorcyclists move there to the left, on the side of the road, and often even slower than the flow. The meaning of this maneuver remained unclear to me personally, yes, the cork is gone. You can go around the exit, but IMHO it is unsafe. On the way out of Moscow, I filled the tank full, got on the M4 highway, there was still 500 km ahead... And then the rain covered me. The rain suit and shoe covers worked great, only my hands got wet (and stained from the leather gloves), the temperature dropped to 11C. And then the motorcycle began to stall... At the end of last season, this already happened a couple of times, if you drive for a long time in heavy rain, the motorcycle first starts to kick (stalls for a split second), and after some time the traction drops completely and the speed drops to 80 or more doesn't dial. This issue is resolved by stopping the engine and turning it off for a minute, 10-15 km and everything repeats. After 3-4 stops I found a temporary panacea; if you drive 90 km/h, then everything goes away less noticeably. I haven’t figured out how to solve this problem. It could be a loss of spark, or water gets on the spark plug connector (everything seems to be solid) or on the switch, or maybe the air filter, it’s not clear. I also discovered a slight play in the driven star, the bolts on which it is held are stretched, the problem is not with them. This fact is of course a little confusing, to look for a workshop now, so that you don’t have time to look, you may have to stay in Rostov-on-Don (today, according to the forecast, there will be only 2 hours of rain, but in Rostov it will be for a couple of days. The M4 highway is of course practically ideal, the motorcycle would more powerful, stand at 170 km/h and fly this section in 3-4 hours. We strained at the payment points, for this section I paid around 500 rubles, in short, every 100 km for 80 -120 rubles. At night it would be cheaper by 1.5 times. I practically flew the remaining 300 km to Voronezh on dry asphalt, 120-130 km/h, although continuous long ascents and descents almost played a cruel joke on me. According to my calculations, a tank of gasoline from Moscow time to Voronezh was enough to spare, but before leaving the M4 I decided to refuel so as not to have to stop in the morning. I put the gun in the tank, pulled the trigger, the gas kept flowing and flowing... 20 liters fit in) 20 liters per 500 km is a bit greasy, of course. I entered Voronezh at 10 pm and... I lost my left mirror. The standard mirrors aren't really that good, the right one came unglued that summer, but this is happening now. The reflective surface itself just peels off and that’s it) Then the hostel, shower and sleep, and in the morning we go looking for a mirror and 560 km to Rostov-on-Don

Day 3. Voronezh - Kamensk-Shakhtinsk - Rostov-on-Don.

Based on the weather forecast, I got up at lunchtime and went to look for new mirrors, there was no way to look, I had to overpay and take a set for 2000, fortunately they are good, and cannot be compared with the standard ones. The weather during the day was gorgeous, the road had 2 lanes. 600 km flew by in a moment, 120 cruising, views of endless meadows and fields, cows, long descents and ascents... beauty. The M4 passes through the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsk, in which there is one remarkable place, a “bike hotel”, the atmosphere is certainly chic, but they don’t have enough hostels, there was no desire to pay 3000 rubles just for the opportunity to sleep, but you can sit in a cafe, the prices are quite reasonable, at least by St. Petersburg standards. Just before Rostov there was a downpour, because... There was nowhere to rush, so I decided to wait it out, because... It was not reasonable to pitch a tent in a damp forest, and even in the dark, so we had to check into a hostel in Rostov-on-Don. because The weather for the next few days is rainy, tomorrow we will have to decide whether to stay in Rostov and look for a service to check the backlash of the driven star, or immediately make our way to Crimea. And the sea is here, just 50 km away..)

Day 4. Rostov-on-Don - Anapa.

Because The hostel in Rostov was disgusting, with a couple of men snoring in unison, I left it extremely early, with the first rays of the sun... “theoretical” of course, because... the whole sky was overcast. It’s less than 500 km to Anapa, it wouldn’t seem like much, but it’s not 500 km along the M4, there’s freedom of choice, a detour, through Krasnodar, or directly, through Timashevsk and Slavyansk-on-Kuban, but the “choice” just let us down. The first half of the journey went like clockwork, until it started to rain, I had to put on overalls and cover all the panniers with rain covers. There is a peculiarity with the navigator, if you put a raincoat on the bag on the tank, access to the phone is lost, you just have to trust the voice assistant, but it’s not very talkative, especially if you don’t need to turn off the main one, but there is one peculiarity in it, if under drops of water appeared like a raincoat, the phone begins to live its own life, sends mail, scrolls through photos, sometimes even looks for something on YouTube... and meanwhile you are driving in a completely different direction, so the 500 km stretched by almost a third) While I was refueling, I met two Belarusians in turn , both are going to Sochi, but have no idea about each other) after discussing the cost of gasoline “here” and the reasonability of going 80-90, in order to save money, they parted ways. The first instantly turned into a dot on the horizon, and the second remained somewhere far behind, in the rearview mirror of Anapa. Anapa, and with it the real Russian south, begins abruptly, like the smoothly green Rostov meadows turned into black soil and here you are already sharply descending down to sea level, kilometer-long winding slopes, one-story houses and here it is, southern flavor in all its glory. The whole city is one continuous pedestrian crossing; few people in the city drive more than 40 km/h. They violate the rules of priority, do not monitor the rows, do not pay attention to the marking lines (even if it is a double solid one) - yes, but the speed, the speed does not exceed) Anapa also pleased with the prices, here, unlike other cities, except in the summer no one comes, so the hotels are simply empty. We managed to find a 2-room suite, with 3 beds and a sofa, 2 toilets, a kitchen and a terrace, for only 360 rubles. 360 RUBLES, now hostels are more expensive) The city looks empty, with only a couple of grannies as tourists. The locals are gloomy, everyone here has their own “tourist business” and now it’s clearly not going yet. Having checked into the hotel, for the first time I removed all the bags from the motorcycle in order to change the chain, and as it turned out, it was not in vain. There has been a swamp in the left case for several days now, and since its contents are of a technical nature, I might not have looked at it, and there the rust had already begun to eat the hexagons. Having driven around Anapa for 10 km, I found a working MTS salon, only in the 3 years since Crimea became part of Russia, nothing has changed, if you want Internet in Crimea, pay 500 rubles, so I download maps of the peninsula offline and head to the port in the morning Caucasus. Oh yes, the sea... I saw the sea. I haven’t checked the water temperature on myself yet; on the empty coast, everything is clear.

Day 5. Anapa-Crimea.

The morning in Anapa turned out to be gorgeous, clear blue sky, rare cirrus clouds and +23C. I frankly didn’t want to check out of the hotel, although it was not so much the weather that played a role here, but rather the scattering of my things around the room, which is understandable, 3 nights in hostels, with several square meters of personal space and a bedside table, and here... The left wardrobe trunk is scattered on one bed , right to the other, the entire sofa in small things from pockets, outfit throughout the hallway and, blowing in the wind, a raincoat on the terrace as a flag) From Anapa to the port of Kavkaz is less than 100 km, so an hour later I was already standing in front of the sign “To the ferry” and looked with disbelief at the black thunderclouds hanging over the Kerch Strait, the rain began to fall. It was necessary to act decisively, because... Anapa openly “invited” us to stay another day, and there weren’t many such days left before the end of the vacation. A ferry ticket this year costs 150 rubles and 500 for transporting a motorcycle. The check of documents at the traffic police post is random, mostly trucks and cars are pulled out of the queue randomly, mostly with Ukrainian license plates. Well, why not check the motorcyclist’s insurance, although it seemed to me that they even looked at the documents, were more interested in my raincoat, they said “it looks too much like their shape (color)”, when asked “does it leak?” I decided to lie, why should people hurt their souls for nothing))) the inspection of things is also very superficial, except that they asked to put the helmet on the inspection tape and open the trunks. The ferry itself was almost full and was preparing to depart, but fortunately they let motorcycles in without a queue and there was no need to wait for the next one. 15 minutes of travel and here it is Crimea. Of course, there was no route, so the first thing that came to mind was the huge chebureks in Feodosia for 45 rubles apiece) Feodosia, like Anapa, is located on the shores of the Black Sea, but it feels completely different here... especially with a cheburek for 45 rubles) Having completed “minimum plan” went towards Sudak, through Koktebel, along the serpentine road. Sudak itself, other than as a fortress, does not attract anything, but the “New World” village, located a little to the west, is another matter. I’m not sure if there are now excursions to a champagne factory; being behind the wheel, there was no point in inquiring, but I couldn’t resist spending the night on the territory of the state botanical reserve. Moon, stars, tent, sea...

Day 6. Crimea. New World - Zelenogorye - Partenit.

I woke up, as usually happens when spending the night in a tent, a couple of hours after sunrise. The weather is great, it's time to finally swim in the sea)

Not to say that there are many vacationers on the beach, after all, there are at least a few weeks before the official opening of the season, but those who have already come are serious and such little things as the water temperature do not seem to bother them, they are at the resort, which means a tan and water treatments are required) in fact, the sea is not that cold, in our area the reservoirs are usually colder even in July, and if you take into account the absence of baklava sellers and “supervisors of sunbeds”, then it’s just a “velvet season”)

Lying on the beach all day is, in fact, a waste of time, and specifically in my case, it also causes sunburn, so in the afternoon I was already driving along mountain serpentines to the west, towards Yalta, until my attention was attracted by a small sign on a tree: “ mountain lake, waterfalls, 9 km there ->”. Without hesitation, I changed the asphalt road to a dirt road and headed “9 km there—>”. Soon the road ended in the small village of Zelenogorye. I didn’t see any signs to the lake or waterfalls, so I used GPS to choose the direction and ran into a small stream running through the entire village. It was not possible to ride straight along it for a long time; the urban orientation of my motorcycle was taking its toll, so I had to hurry and continue to go deeper into the mountains on my own two feet). It turns out that the waterfall itself is ~3 km along a rough road, and the path is more interesting than the waterfall itself: the stream either smoothly meanders between crevices along a bizarre gentle bed polished in stone, then turns into “staircase cascades”, and in places where there is a jam, baths are formed greenish-blue hue, with cool and fresh water. Also on the way, another surprise awaited me, in the form of horses walking freely in the valley, peacefully nibbling grass. The entire visit to the waterfall took about 3 hours, so I never made it to Yalta. Winding through the mountains, stopping periodically, I watched with interest either the goats deftly galloping through the mountains and grabbing leaves from the trees, or the sheep lying insolently along the middle of the road, and in the end I completely forgot about time. Sunset found me in the Partenit area, I unsuccessfully went down to the sea several times, but I never found a place to stay for the night, the entire coast was densely built up with sanatoriums and villas. We had to climb the mountains again; Google Maps showed a small lake, just a few kilometers from the E105 highway. That's where I headed. There is no road to it as such, only a trail from a caterpillar tractor through the meadows, but that’s why this lake is attractive: tourists have never been here, and locals only occasionally go here for fishing. The water in the lake is still the same greenish-blue hue, except that it is warmer and partially covered with reeds and reeds. Southern forests consist almost entirely of deciduous plants, which means there isn’t a lot of firewood here, so the fire only burned for a couple of hours, but that was enough to heat up the stew and fry the sausages. I fell asleep to the deafening croaking of frogs: it seemed that I was an uninvited guest at their “celebration of life”).

Day 7. Crimea. Partenit-Yalta-Cape Sarych.

I woke up to the same croaking frogs. The weather is even warmer than reported on the radio, up to +30C. I went to Yalta for breakfast. The Yalta embankment is like a layer cake: rows of cheburechka and kebab shops give way to expensive, stylish restaurants, and after 30 meters the stalls with magnets and flip-flops begin again. Vacationers are arranged according to the same principle, so that they don’t have far to walk, some for beer, and some for smoothies). A couple of hours on the beach was enough to completely burn out) Due to the lack of Internet and the ability to Google any places that had not yet been visited in previous years in Crimea, I headed to Foros, and at the same time to the famous Sevastopol clubhouse of the Night Wolves. The club house is made in a post-apocalyptic style: an abandoned, unfinished five-story building, instead of a fence there are barricades made of barrels, tanks, and airplanes. In the parking lot, in front of the massive forged gates, there are a dozen pieces of military equipment parked, which you can climb into if you wish) I did not enter the territory of the club house, because... It gets dark early in Crimea, and the campsite has not yet been determined. Returning back towards Foros, I noticed the sign “Cape Sarych”, and the thought instantly flashed through my head that I had repeatedly seen this name on forums when I was googling camping sites last year. A couple of kilometers from the road, I came across a closed barrier, the sign read “Cape Sarych. Camping paradise. +7xxxxxxxxxx.” An important advantage of traveling on a motorcycle is its size: motorcycles do not stand in traffic jams, queues at customs, and some kind of barrier is not a hindrance at all) There are quite a lot of people in the camping area: about 30 tents along the main road and about the same number scattered along the coast. There is no beach, in the usual sense, here; the entire coast consists of huge boulders overgrown with various algae. In short, a paradise for divers who gather in large numbers at night. I was not limited in choosing a place: I chose the largest clearing, set up my small tent right in the middle, and then went to look for a store. The shops here are all of the same type: a small gastronomic display case, shelves with canned goods, a couple of refrigerators with drinks and a display case with local wines, occupying 2/3 of the entire retail space. However, the proposed “menu” concept was quite satisfactory) By nightfall, the sounds of music and conversations in the campsite died down, and their place was taken only by the sound of the sea... no croaking frogs... beauty).

Day 8. Crimea. Cape Sarych-Swallow's Nest-Yalta.

When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I realized was that there was no usual stuffiness in the tent, although I was pitching under the treetops, I did not expect such an effect. Coming out of the tent, the picture came together completely. During the night, a cloud came from the sea and covered the entire sky tightly, so that the sun had no chance to break through. The idea of ​​swimming along the rocks with goggles disappeared by itself. There was no point in continuing further to the west of the skirts, so I decided to return to Yalta. It was not interesting to follow the same route, so I turned off the road and continued on my way closer to the coast, through Alupka, Swallow’s Nest and Livadia. Despite the bad weather, there are many tourists on the cable car, in the Vorontsov Palace and the Swallow's Nest, local guides carry out the plan and drive them here in whole buses) After lunch in Gaspra, we lazily continued our journey to the east. After lunch, I checked into a hostel in Yalta, where I spent half a day planning a further route and comparing it with the current weather forecast. Towards evening I went out to the embankment, sat on the terrace with a hookah and a glass of wine and once again ran through my memory all the events of the past week. It’s only been 7 days, but I don’t even remember how I struggled to get up at 9 am and go to work. Half of the vacation has already passed, which means in another 7 days the alarm will ring again at 9 and life will return to normal, but for now... Yalta, restaurant, sea...)

Day 9. Crimea. Yalta-Feodosia.

Waking up in the morning and seeing the same picture, a cloudy, not hot day, plans for a further trip to Kazantip melted away, but as it turned out, it was not in vain. Since yesterday I noticed a poster with information about the Kovcheg animal shelter in Yalta. This interested me. Judging by the information on the website, the shelter needs money, food, medicine and, most importantly, volunteers willing to walk the dogs (and, by the way, there are at least 200 of them there). The shelter itself is located near Yalta, in the mountains. I imagined the “Ark” as a couple of enclosures and 1-2 dogs on a leash for a walk... but... when I arrived, I realized that I was mistaken. “The Ark” cannot be confused with anything, since 200 dogs create such a sound background that it seems they can be heard from the Yalta embankment. You are walking not with just one dog, but with a whole enclosure at once, which is at least 5 dogs and they all move freely around you without any leashes. One enclosure, second, third... half a day passed) Of course, I didn’t want to leave the shelter, but there was still 200 km of serpentine road ahead, and it gets dark early in Crimea. As I was taxiing back onto the highway, I noticed an approaching column of motorcycles. They weren't driving fast, so there was no problem getting in the back. So we drove to Alushta, stopped there and met each other. The guys, as it turned out, are slowly moving home to Krasnoyarsk, and are going to spend the night in Feodosia. We decided to go together) Cloudy weather remained somewhere in Yalta, so it was a pleasure to go. Periodically, we turned from the serpentine onto grassy hills, with a view of the entire coastline, or into entire fields densely dotted with poppies. By sunset we entered Feodosia, settled in, set the table, marinated the meat and went to the neighbors for chacha. The day was a success)

Day 10. Crimea. Feodosia.

Siberians are harsh people... sea, meat, chacha. Oh yes, they found a Hedgehog, such a hefty one... I think he will now avoid this path.

Day 11. Feodosia - Yeisk - Rostov.

We woke up, as agreed in the evening, at 7 am, talked little, drank coffee, looked abstract... There were 3 girls in our company, so we left only at 9, an hour later we passed Kerch, customs, boarded the ferry and crossed by 11 to the port of Kavkaz. The roads in the Krasnodar region are good, but... The guys' motorcycles are much more powerful than mine (liter drag, fresh transalp and Africa), I began to lag behind. We agreed to meet in the village of Starominskaya, have a meal and say goodbye to the girl on the transalp, turning towards Yeisk. Then the journey continued with five of us, on 3 motorcycles, I periodically lagged behind, but the large tank and low consumption leveled this out. Near Rostov, a downpour overtook us, and when we turned into the nearest gas station, we found 5 more goose breeders there, humbly waiting out the bad weather) Having assessed the prospects of driving in the pouring rain to Kamensk-Shakhtinsk, we stayed overnight right on the highway, in a motel) The prices are not humane, the quality and service are lame, but this is understandable, they don’t purposely go to motels, they only stay here out of desperation.

Day 12. Rostov-Kamensk-Shakhtinsk-Voronezh.

Right after Rostov, the guys had to turn off to Volgograd, so I went to Kamensk-Shakhtinsk for breakfast alone. Next is the already familiar route to Voronezh, but... 200 km before the city the dashboard suddenly goes out, the turn signals barely light up, there is no headlight. I pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the engine and that’s it, the motorcycle doesn’t respond to the key at all, the dash doesn’t light up, the starter doesn’t turn Option 2, either there’s a problem with the wiring and the battery wasn’t charging from the generator, or there’s a fuse. I took a spare fuse out of my bag, threw the panniers with things and the seat off the motorcycle, pulled out a bundle of wiring, but the fuse was visually intact... Figuring that it was not an option to do anything without a tester, I went to Voronezh to look for an electrician. Fortunately, starting a motorcycle “from the pusher” is not so difficult; it’s more problematic to drive without turn signals, and without stopping, respectively... In Voronezh, I somehow agreed with an electrician, half an hour before closing, to ring the wiring. We took off the seat and tank, everything seemed fine, connected a charged battery and nothing changed! So it's not the wiring. I put my hand in my pocket, take out the same fuse that I wanted to change on the highway, insert it and “Lo and behold,” everything works... Because. This type of fuses is hard to find, and you still have to pay for half an hour of work for an electrician, he asked me to change the fuse connector for a car one, so that if something happened, I could buy it at any gas station) Spend the night in the same hostel as on the way to Crimea, It wasn’t interesting, and there was plenty of time to choose another one, so after looking at several options, I stayed at the Karavan hostel, it’s not expensive, it has its own parking, and breakfast is included, which is what I needed)

Day 13. Voronezh-Msk-Tver.

The morning pleased me with a free breakfast, an omelette and sausage were still somewhat predictable, but I didn’t expect a salad of fresh vegetables and a dessert of apples in cream at the hostel.) Having picked up the motorcycle from the parking lot, I headed out of the city, the weather was cloudy, It's drizzling, but we have to go. For the first 100 km I caught up with a huge cloud, ran into heavy rain, waited it out at a gas station and started all over again. Realizing the absurdity of this tactic, I decided to break through the downpour, and after about 40 minutes, first a small opening appeared, and then the sun. The temperature instantly rose to 26C and driving became much more pleasant, the main thing is not to stop, because... the clouds, like me, were moving towards Moscow.) The section of the M4 highway from Voronezh to Moscow cost about 500 rubles and flew by in 5 hours, and then things started to get rough. In St. Petersburg, I never took rush hour seriously, yes, it’s in the center, but the road is always spacious and traffic jams go through without any problems, but Moscow reminded me that it’s not for nothing that they call it “not rubber”... It’s cramped, hot, and the navigator sat down, there is nowhere to stay, because... Even cars crawl along the side of the road. But there are also positive aspects) Over the past couple of years I have met Motobat 10 times, mostly in St. Petersburg, but they greeted me for the first time in Moscow, and quite unexpectedly, I barely had time to greet me in return). After 1.5 hours I saw the desired sign “St. Petersburg”, but did not have time to change lanes to the exit, because at that moment we were driving very quickly in a spontaneous column along the “motor lane”, so I had to make my way between the rows until the next exit, although at that moment I still had no idea that it would be paid (400 rubles for a small section), but at that moment it was it didn’t matter anymore, the main thing was to leave Moscow) After toshnilov on the Moscow Ring Road, the highway clogged with trucks to Tver no longer seemed so terrible, fortunately it wasn’t a long drive. Well, then according to the standard, hostel, dinner, bar.)

Day 14. Tver - St. Petersburg.

During my vacation, I developed the habit of getting up early, so I hardly forced myself to stay in until 9, packed, and for the first time in several weeks, voiced the task “Get directions home” to the navigator. The weather is gorgeous, warm, driving and driving in such conditions, but the realization that with every kilometer I am getting closer not only to home, but also to the end of this journey, more and more often forced me to stop, then drink tea from a samovar, somewhere near Novgorod, or just sit on the bank of another river. I entered St. Petersburg at about 4 p.m., refueled to a full tank, recorded the odometer readings, unloaded and left the motorcycle in the garage. And for the rest of the evening I caught myself thinking that I still didn’t realize that in the morning I no longer needed to go anywhere...

Statistics: Duration: 14 days Mileage: 6100 km Gasoline: 235 liters. Budget: 28,420 rubles. Epilogue. As was said at the beginning, for seasoned truckers such an ordinary trip to Crimea will certainly seem trivial and ordinary, but for me it became a turning point in my motorcycle career and perhaps this report will influence those who are still planning to go on a long-distance trip. The idea of ​​going to Crimea on a motorcycle arose several years ago, but was postponed due to social pressure. I, like many, thought that long-distance travel simply requires a pick-up line or a goose, a budget, planning and a bunch of other nuances, but as it turned out, you just need to sit down and go. Yes, the Chinese checker is not designed for this and may not withstand such loads, so what now, don’t drive further than 100 km from the garage? Almost everyone who knew that I had gone south believed that the motorcycle would return to St. Petersburg as a transport vehicle, but I had no doubts about it, it covered 20,000 km over the last season and off-season, only asking for service once, and then, as it turned out, to replace a fuse, so the prospect of driving 500-700 km a day for a week did not frighten me at all, there is civilization all around, everything can be solved. So if you are still tormented by doubts, just tell yourself, “If that guy went to Chinese, then what’s stopping me!” Good luck on the road!)

Motorcycle price

Those rare versions of used Baltmotors Street 125 DD that come across for sale cost as much as the sellers want, no more and no less. This is a rare model, therefore, when setting the price, no one focuses on competitors due to their lack. In any case, there is no point 40 thousand rubles

Competitors (comparison)

The main and only competitor for the bike was the Japanese Yamaxa YBR125, in whose image and likeness it was made.

But there are still differences between them.

• The Japanese has a straight fork, the S1 has an inverted fork.
• There is 1 mono shock absorber at the rear, versus a pair for the Russian version.
• 2 valves per cylinder, versus 4.
• Injector (on latest versions for Europe) versus carburetor .
• There are also a few minor cosmetic differences - windshield angle, front fender length, taillight design, and more.

In addition, we should not forget that with all Russian solutions - the parts come from China - therefore, motorcycles from the Middle Kingdom can also be included in the line of comparisons. But if you do this, the article will grow to astronomical proportions.

Repair and tuning

The structurally simple Baltmotors Street 125 DD is easy to repair and maintain . For obvious reasons, there is no specialized tuning for it, but there are plenty of universal Chinese-made options.

Repair

Any beginner can understand the design of the bike; it is very simple and at the same time logical from a design point of view. Even without a manual, you can assemble and disassemble it right in the garage, if only you had the tools, straight arms and desire. Maintenance is even less difficult.

Spare parts

This is a headache for all owners of Baltmotors Street 125. Even when the bike was released, dealers had almost no spare parts in stock, and sometimes it took several months to wait for them to order. Now, years after the model was discontinued, many components are completely impossible to find on sale, so you have to look for them “by hand.”

Tuning

Usually, owners of the Street 125DD are limited to minor cosmetic changes - grips, footpegs, stickers and similar little things. This is partly due to the reluctance to invest money in a cheap motorcycle that will be sold in a season or two, and partly due to the lack of need to tune it. He's pretty good anyway.

Advantages and disadvantages

Most motorcycles made in China (or assembled from Chinese components) have the same set of strengths and weaknesses, but Baltmotors Street 125 is an exception. When it was still produced and sold, it was undoubtedly worth the money, offering buyers an excellent combination of technical characteristics at a reasonable price. It's even a pity that it was discontinued.

Advantages

• Affordable price . On the secondary market you can find options at prices ranging from 30-40 thousand rubles.
• Consumables are suitable for different Chinese motorcycles, however, you need to select them yourself.
• Efficiency and a large gas tank – together this provides a very large range without refueling.
• Ease of operation . Any beginner, even short and not very physically strong, can handle the BM Street 125 DD without any problems.
• A nice design that immediately makes the bike stand out from the faceless crowd of Chinese small-capacity bikes.
• Nice pendants . How often do you see upside-down forks on inexpensive motorcycles from China?
• Effective brakes that are enough for the eyes.

Flaws

• The Baltmotors Street 125DD has been out of production for a long time, so finding spare parts for it is problematic.
• The acceleration dynamics are not enough for confident overtaking.
• The mass is high by the standards of the class , not much inferior to the mass of some “four hundred”.

Total

Despite the fact that the Baltmotors Street 200 DD is no longer produced, it is worth considering if you are choosing your first motorcycle and don’t have a lot of money to buy. On the secondary market, used copies are quite cheap, cheaper than the vast majority of other Chinese bikes of similar capacity. At the same time, the Baltmotors Street 200 DD surpasses most of them in almost all respects. Even if it is just a budget small-capacity motorcycle , it is still worth the money. And there are no serious problems with finding spare parts for it even now, thanks to their dealer network.

Owner reviews

I rode this one in the 2012-2013 seasons, I already bought it a little used, and it was a blast for the price! The brakes grab tightly, you can easily over-brake, you have to keep it in mind. It drives normally, but not exactly briskly; the heavy weight still takes its toll. Although it doesn’t seem heavy, it’s easy to roll around the garage or move in place. There were no breakdowns during the entire period of operation and until the moment of sale, and the new owner does not know what was there. Igor, Kaliningrad.

The best motorcycle in its class, the ebrik was not even close, it had neither brakes nor suspension. At the same time, it costs, like most other Chinese, that is, inexpensive. I traveled for several years with pleasure; there was no point in increasing the capacity, since all the trips were around the city. As a result, the moto was stolen by opening the garage, and by that time Street 250 was already on sale, so I bought it. By and large, it’s the same thing, only the engine is twice as large, so it drives, of course, more interesting. But the 125 was generally the best option for the money when it was produced. Sergey, Pskov.

There are no complaints about the motorcycle, but the build quality has accumulated a wagon and a trolley to boot. I picked up a new motorcycle in 2012 from a dealership, and in my garage the same day I went to check everything, since we know these Chinese, and for good reason. The drain plug on the engine is not tightened, the wires are hanging anyhow, there is no insulation. They also saved on the spark plug; it died after 200 km. The standard tires were also oak. In general, you can buy, but you need to check everything meticulously. Anton, Bologoe.

FAQ

• How interchangeable are parts between 125cc and 200cc models? The interchangeability is partial, since, in addition to the engine, there are plenty of other differences.
• Are spare parts from the Chinese suitable for the Baltmotors Street 125 DD? Yes, you can find suitable parts, but you have to select them in practice; there are no compatibility tables.
• Is it worth looking at this motorcycle with a height of about 190 and a weight of about 100 kg? It is possible, but it will most likely be cramped and not very comfortable.

Conclusion

BM 125DD is a very good motorcycle for its time and for its price . It was not produced for long, soon giving way to a 200 cc model, but it can still be found for sale on the secondary market. Considering the very affordable price and overall good quality, this bike can be a good choice for a beginner motorcyclist on a budget. Of course, Chinese roots, general obsolescence of the design and age make themselves felt, but if the motorcycle was in good hands, most likely there will be no problems with it. What else do you need if you are choosing your first two-wheeled friend?

Specifications