“He’s as simple as a shoe and gets his money back in full.” Review from M1NSK X250 owner

Minsk Leader 125 has not gained noticeable popularity among buyers. This happened, most likely, due to the shortsightedness of the people responsible for monitoring the market and planning a trading strategy. Representing a slightly modified Minsk MMVZ-3.1131, Leader 125 already seemed quite outdated at the time of release. Meanwhile, a flood of used Japanese motorcycles poured into the country, and the Chinese were already eagerly rubbing their hands, preparing to flood Russian motorcycle showrooms with cheap equipment... So the outcome, alas, was predetermined from the very beginning. The technical characteristics of the Minsk Leader 125 were already frankly weak when these motorcycles went on sale, and the “greetings from the USSR” design could only appeal to retrogrades. However, all this does not make the bike bad - it was just late, and when it came to the market, it was surprised to find that it was unable to compete with the new competitors. As a result, the model, which was not in demand, was quickly discontinued.

Technical characteristics of Minsk Leader 125

Taking the MMVZ-3.1131 model as a basis, Belarusian designers changed practically nothing about it. They added plastic cladding to the sidewalls, lifted the muffler up, and for some reason tilted the rear shock absorbers... Considering that the motorcycle went on sale in 1999, all these cosmetic changes were like a poultice for a dead man. It is hopelessly outdated, and in general it is surprising that it lasted on the assembly line for five whole years. However, for people who are nostalgic for Soviet motorcycles, the Minsk 125 Leader can be recommended for purchase even now - with proper care it is quite reliable, it’s just not so easy to find a “live” copy.

In terms of design, it represents the cutting edge of 40 years of design. A conventional frame made of ferrous metal , a 2-stroke air-cooled engine (9 hp) , capable of accelerating a motorcycle to 90 km/h (according to the passport, in reality the bike is quite capable of reaching speeds of up to 110 km/h), carburetor, chain, drum brakes. A typical representative of the Soviet era, who for some reason did not go into the past along with it, but continued to live with completely incomprehensible goals.

Yes, we must admit that Minsk 125 Leader has its own advantages even without discounting its age and archaism. It is very simple, any beginner can understand its design, and repairs do not require any special skills. As a training bike, it has a right to life even now, especially taking into account the fact that a motorcycle in “running” condition can be bought for thousands of people for five rubles. It weighs only 113 kg and is surprisingly easy to control, so it is perfect for training novice motorcyclists, contributing to the development of not only driving skills, but also repair.

“He’s as simple as a shoe and gets his money back in full.” Review from M1NSK X250 owner

Three years ago, we studied the M1NSK X250 inside and out: we conducted a life test and even gave the motorcycle to seasoned endurists to be torn to pieces. For a complete set, the only thing missing was the impressions of the owner of such a “minchik”.

And here he is! Sergey bought a 2022 motorcycle in May and uses it almost every day, regularly going for rides through forests and fields. How Belarusian technology proved itself over 4,000 kilometers - in the owner’s story:

– When I was thinking about buying my first motorcycle, I wanted something hassle-free. The first thing that came to mind was the M1NSK, especially since everyone knows it, it’s not a very expensive and marketable motorcycle. For spare parts everything costs pennies.

So initially I went to test my license with the goal of buying myself an M1NSK. I ride a bike cross-country a lot, and it was interesting to try the same thing, only instead of pedaling, I was propelled by a motor. Therefore, I immediately set my sights on the X250.

Up close, motorcycles from recent years of production can be distinguished by this sticker - the font has become different, more chopped

I bought the motorcycle at the beginning of the season, then the X250s were available in any color. The only thing is that Motovelo only offered installments for 6 months, and I needed a little more. That’s why I bought the X250 from an online store and they delivered it straight to my garage. They offered to deliver it either in a box or already assembled. It is logical that it would not be possible to start the option in a box and test it, so I arranged for it to be delivered assembled.

Everyone says that after purchasing an M1NSK you need to arm yourself with keys and hand over everything you see. I can only confirm this. But then nothing unscrews along the way. But after 80 kilometers, a problem emerged: the engine would stall if the tank was full. It turned out that the fuel supply hose from the tank to the tap was bent. I found out on the forums that this is a common problem. I simply threw out the faucet and directly connected the tank and carburetor through the filter. The problem immediately disappeared.

At about 1,500 kilometers, the rear pendulum creaked. The grease has simply run out, everything is on the bushings, not on the bearings. Eliminating this problem is not difficult: remove the wheel, take out the pendulum, fill it with grease, insert the axle - half an hour of work.

One day, after reading a lot of forums, I unscrewed the spark plug. It turned out that it was completely white, without any plaque at all - which means the mixture was rather poor. I decided to raise the needle in the carburetor by one notch. I removed the tank without disconnecting the fuel level sensor and raised the needle. But after that the sensor doesn’t work - I couldn’t figure it out and didn’t go any further.

I change the oil quite often. I immediately changed it according to the regulations, 900 grams, but now I fill in a little more, 1000-1100. At first I used motorcycle Elf 10W40, but then I read the forums and rode with other owners of such motorcycles - they said that the technology is simple, the engine “digests” automotive semi-synthetic 10W40. Comma has been pouring for about 1000 kilometers, and the last time it was Lukoil - no problems.

The engine here is single-cylinder. Immediately it vibrated strongly, it was difficult to catch the “neutral” position. But with mileage these nuances disappeared. After 1000 kilometers the engine began to run somehow softer or something.

The power is quite enough for the city; I don’t even want to expect more from it. On the highway I would like some traction reserve. A comfortable speed outside the city according to the speedometer is 90 km/h, and according to GPS readings it is 85 km/h. On a country road where there are no cars, this speed is enough. But I went to Vileika, and the flow supported me on the highway. It didn't feel like there was any power reserve.

It is clear that this is an enduro, and on the track it lacks wind protection. But I don’t drive at high speeds, so it’s bearable.

My fuel consumption in the city is about 4 liters per 100 km, sometimes a little more. At the same time, I am not shy about twisting the throttle.

With my height, there are no questions about landing; I stand on the ground with my leg almost straightened. The motorcycle is not heavy, I dropped it more than once and picked it up without any problems.

During the endurance test, we complained about the flimsy plastic handle protection. The plant listened to the comments - now the protection is reinforced with a metal insert. According to Sergei, it can easily withstand falls, and in extreme cases it can be easily bent back to its original form

I rode it into forests and fields more than once. He earns his money there in full and gives pleasure. The X250 makes it clear what you need from a motorcycle: go completely enduro or go into something road. It's a great way to go mushroom hunting or fishing. Once we got together with the owners of “Minsk”, “Chinese” and something more serious at a training ground in the Angarskaya area - everything went well.

But those handles on the back are downright dangerous, I speak from my own experience. Once I was going on a ride to one of the lakes in the Minsk region, I was thrown on a hummock - my fifth point hit this handle. Not only did the pants and underwear tear, but there was also a trace left. I think we need to do as experienced endurists do: attach a strobe and pieces of seat belts between the handles so that you can drag the motorcycle by this place and not get injured while riding.

When off-road, you mostly drive while standing, and the kickstarter foot is located right next to your shin—you always rest against it. Everyone takes it off, I took it off too. The motorcycle always starts with a button, so there is no special need for a claw.

The tires here are stock, Chinese. They say she's tough. Perhaps it does not have a “holder” when compared with expensive models, but it is enough for this motorcycle.

I didn’t count the maintenance costs - they were pennies. A liter of branded oil – 11 rubles. I'll be replacing the chain and sprockets soon. An average chain costs around 60 rubles, a rear sprocket costs 30, a front sprocket costs 20. Spend 110 rubles and you can easily drive 6,000 kilometers.

Since May, I have ridden 4,000 kilometers on it without any problems. For beginners, the X250 can be highly recommended. It is clear that this is a Chinese device with our assembly - maybe from time to time it will be necessary to tighten a bolt or tighten something somewhere. The price/quality ratio suits me. Of course, I compare it with more expensive motorcycles and notice the nuances. It’s like with bicycles: you ride a lot and you understand where to improve.

But the X250 is as simple as a slipper and brings a lot of positive emotions, I like it. You don’t even need to ride into the forests, you can just go to work every day in the summer in good weather. This is a great toy for the money.

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Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

• Unpretentiousness . The motorcycle is capable of running on any gasoline, and, most likely, it will even run on AI-76 without any problems, if you suddenly manage to get it somewhere.
• Economical . Spare parts can be found in any village, and they are cheap. And gasoline consumption does not exceed 3-4 liters per hundred kilometers, which is quite good for an ancient two-stroke engine.
• Maintainability . You can repair Minsk 125 Leader on your own, even in a garage, even in an open field, if only you had the tools at hand.

Flaws

• Low reliability . When buying this bike, it is better to prepare in advance for possible breakdowns that you will have to fix yourself. But this is caused more by the age of all surviving specimens than by design flaws.
• Small resource . A two-stroke engine, even with normal maintenance, is inferior in this parameter to a four-stroke engine.
• It is necessary to add oil to the gas tank when refueling . And this, you see, is not very convenient.

“You’ll quickly get bored with a small-capacity machine,” “take the 600 right away,” “in a month you’ll want something more powerful”... Phrases that are familiar to everyone, but should be ignored.
Why? Yes, because then you will not buy the motorcycle that you need, but the one that your advisor likes. Listen to your needs - and you will be happy) For those who are interested in how I made my choice, please see below. It so happened that my first motorcycle was a Minsk C4 250, although I planned to buy an X200. Why? Yes, because at that time it fit into the budget and was more powerful than the 125 and 200 cc Chinese ones. And the purchase of the enduro fell through then because the seller managed to lose the transit number. However, the C4 proved to be an extremely worthy device, which I successfully drove for 4 years, after which I began to think about buying something more serious.

I considered the following options: Honda transalp 600, BMW F650, Aprilia pegaso, Suzuki freewind, Minsk GOOSE 400. I even rode my brother’s transalp for 2 weeks, but all the fun ended at the very first gas station: consumption was 6 liters per hundred, in this situation It’s better to drive a Matiz, at least it has a roof)) The Goose 400 test drive was a very pleasant surprise. 400 cc, 29 horsepower. However, when you open the gas, it immediately gives you a powerful kick-off almost from idle, while being light and maneuverable. After it, the transalp, which I had a chance to ride on the same day, despite its much higher power, seemed like a dull pennies truck) It was the Goose 400 that was my favorite. But it didn’t work out - the first batch of 50 motorcycles was sold out in a week ((

So why the X250? And God knows what influenced it in the first place) But there were several reasons:

1. Age. A new mot is still a new mot. Even the most well-groomed old Japanese can contain surprises, like pieces of sticks in the carb (a friend had such a case recently). 2. After two weeks of riding the Transalpa, I realized that I have no need for the full potential of this moto. I could only fully implement it on long-distance trips on roads of very different quality, but I don’t go on long-distance trips. But in the city and forests, his weight is still a little overweight. 3. Price. This is where it’s generally difficult to compete with the X250. Even just a new one in the showroom is inexpensive, but it cost me even cheaper new, plus it also benefited greatly from the jump in the dollar exchange rate) Consumption - 3-3.5 liters of 92. Replacement oil - a liter, oil filter - metal mesh, air filter - a flat piece of foam rubber. I calculated: if you go purely to work, a metro pass will cost more. There are tons of spare parts in the store, they cost pennies. 4. Popularity. The model is very common, all diseases and methods of treating them are known. And there aren’t too many of these ailments. The 166FMM motor is generally used on many devices. 5. Chinese. Yes, yes, I would consider this a plus because of the extreme simplicity and availability of spare parts. And the Chinese are still more inclined to copy the simplest, most reliable and time-tested engines. As for reliability. My C4 250 has traveled 31,000 km, and it doesn’t give a damn. The only serious repair was replacing the generator and re-soldering the relay-regulator (I’m a fool here, I had to be patient and charge the battery, and not light a cigarette from the car), the generator cost 20 bucks, and the RR cost 15. And in 4 years on the Chinese I I already understand what can be expected from them. 6. I wanted either an enduro or a tourenduro. On C4 it regularly happened that I found myself driving along a forest path overgrown with roots. Once this happened not only in the city center, but far from being on the outskirts) 7. Liquidity. The previous minchik sold within a day (!), but in 4 years it has lost a little in price. For a first or temporary motorcycle, this property, in my opinion, is very important.

What are your impressions of the X250? So far only positive. Very comfortable fit for my height (180). Comfortable soft seat, including for two. In any case, my wife found it much more comfortable than on C4. Consumption 3-3.5 liters. The city at rush hour is pierced right through: the motorbike itself is narrow, the steering wheel and mirrors are located much higher than the mirrors of passenger cars, bumps fly over at speeds of 70+. The quiet exhaust is just a thrill, you can drive through the forest and listen to the birds)) Finally, I stopped suffering on gravel roads, washboards, roots and other joys of enduronic life. But the sand still causes pain, but this is more likely due to the lack of skills in driving on it. However, enduro is still fun.

Something like this. All the best!

Reviews from owners of Minsk Leader 125

A completely indestructible jalopy, it was purchased back in 2003 second-hand for a couple of thousand rubles, I don’t remember exactly, it’s still alive, it’s used for driving around the area in the country. It breaks all the time, can be repaired with a kick or a blow with a sledgehammer, there are spare parts on the market, they are sold almost by weight. The most expensive part that I have changed so far is the carburetor, I installed some Chinese one, I tinkered with it - it works. If only there were spare parts, I think Minsk would even survive the Third World War)) Sergey, Moscow, Minsk Lider 125 '1999.

My first mot, I still remember sometimes. True, mostly with a feeling of relief that I will never see this fiend of hell again. Ironically, now I’m driving a new 250 cc Minsk, heaven and earth in general, and the old one has long been in the trash heap, where it belongs. Ilya, Saratov, Minsk Leader 125 '2003.

A real Soviet legend in a new wrapper, in fact - an ordinary old Minsk with some other little things like a separate lubrication system, a different exhaust and side plastic. If the arms grow from the right place, the motorcycle is practically eternal. You just need to fill it with normal oil, and not M8B, which a normal person would disdain to lubricate door hinges and service it on time. Modern Chinese are no match for old motorcycles, they are all disposable, but the old Minsk is still in perfect order. Anatoly, Ust-Ilimsk, Minsk 125 Lider '2000.

Buying a motorcycle in Belarus. Questions.

Thank you all for the advice, I even completely understood the entire paper sequence, what is needed and why, where and how it is done. I’ll slightly correct the previous post, based on the following initial data: the motorbike was purchased in Canada, cleared through customs in Belarus, and not registered. The seller must provide: - customs declaration; — Canadian PTS (or the so-called title, in full — Certificate of title for a Vehicle); — a certificate-invoice, which also serves as a DCP, is concluded on the spot. With these pieces of paper we go to the local insurance company and get insurance for moving around Bulbostan. We drive to the border, cross it, immediately take out Russian insurance and go to our city. However, no one bothers you to get Russian insurance, a little before reaching the border - whichever is more convenient. Having arrived home, we do everything as described above - we issue an SBCTS or OTTS at our local customs office, we receive a Russian PTS - and then everything follows the usual pattern. You can do the latter yourself (a day or two and some money), or hire a broker (20-30 thousand, and very quickly).

As for this particular gold, it was left to live (or rather, die) from outbids in Belarus.

Since both my wife and I liked the spendthrift, it was decided to go and visit my dad. On Friday, I left work early, called the sales people, entered the address into the navigator (it took a long time, Minsk did not want to be found in Russia, it turned out that it was hidden in Belarus))) and at 11 pm the whole family started on the Niva. Having read the customs rules, I exchanged the 20-liter canister in the trunk for a ten (you cannot export more than 10 liters of gasoline), counted the packs of cigarettes - to avoid it. My wife, accustomed to an automatic, either stalled at the start, or wildly over-throttled during shifts - in general, sitting in the passenger seat, I was no longer thinking about the upcoming purchase, but about whether the Niva’s clutch would survive at least until the exit from the Moscow Ring Road. But everything returned to normal, and the next couple of hundred kilometers passed without incident. True, sitting as a passenger turned out to be so boring that at the first gas station I kicked my wife out from behind the wheel, especially since I still had to feed the little one. She, of course, slept peacefully to the melodic tunes of VIA “Metallitsa” and “Iron Maiden”, but lunch (or dinner - what is it called at 2 a.m.?) was on schedule. The Minsk route turned out to be surprisingly boring - there were very few populated areas (which cannot be said about the cameras) and very monotonous. True, I was pleased with the presence of 2 lanes along the entire length, a small number of repairs and quite pleasant coverage. At about six in the morning, right on schedule, we stop near the border, buy Belarusian insurance for 15 days (for a car it’s 840 rubles, and you can take it to Ukraine and Kazakhstan. But we didn’t go there). We crossed the border exactly as my colleague from work described to me))) There - “Oops, we’ve passed the border.” Back - “Show your passport, look good, pass.” That is, going there is generally free, only a handful of cameras are carefully watching you, and back there are no inspections or checks, just a small formality. I wasn’t even interested in trophy corn from Belarusian fields)))

Further - an unimaginably boring 250 km to Minsk - neat endless fields interspersed with forest, populated areas only to the side, two deserted lanes in each direction with four-way coverage, many cameras with a threshold of +10 km/h (just in case, I reconfigured the warnings in the navigator, because their fines are heavy). But there are as many as 2 Moscow Ring Roads around Minsk))) Halfway to Minsk we made a small stop for breakfast, and then I realized that I didn’t have local currency - VISA helped me out, paying with a card didn’t cause any problems. True, when trying to count our wooden ones into their bunnies (although they are no longer bunnies or even squirrels), the brain froze and gave an error, so the calculator became the most frequently used function on my push-button phone.

Having reached the address with a difference of 5 minutes (and at the same time being shocked by my own punctuality, given the distance), I circled around a little in search of a “motorcycle showroom”. Yes, this place is called exactly that in many places on the Internet. Not finding it, I asked the locals, made another circle, but still couldn’t find it. OK, I'm calling the seller. Oh, how it turns out that the old abandoned workshop that I drove past twice is a motorcycle dealership. The doors were just closed))) The interior of the “salon” was an earthen floor with a bunch of sad motorcycles, stove heating, a woodpile of firewood at the entrance and a young guy in the role of manager. Before the main part of the Marlezon ballet, the wife touches a liter drag with her ass, because this is what she plans to ride in the future. For some reason the dredge didn’t start, and we move to a black cruiser with an Orthodox boxer engine with 4 cylinders (hello to Shlans!). In the dark workshop, I quickly give up trying to inspect the device and roll it out onto the street. Golda, although old and small compared to her younger relatives, is quite heavy and awkward (but significantly lighter than the 1200, which the Gray Demon kindly provided for a test drive). Okay, let's look at the old lady. Good, infection, although worn in places. A bunch of loose fasteners are discovered - from the fender to the footpegs - it doesn’t seem to be scary, but these are the first alarm bells - the guys promised that they had made a minimum pre-sale. Oh, also, as preparation, the motorcycle lost its left mirror - someone from the staff helped, unnecessarily celebrating Friday. Well, you can feel the guys’ attitude towards technology... The manager, guessing my question, tells why the Honda is a bit dirty - “the buyer recently took it for a test drive, and started the trip with a huge puddle in front of the front of the motorcycle dealership by the garage door.”

Well, the alarm bells in my head were already merging into complex chords, but the oppositionists don’t just give up - was it in vain that I trudged 750 km after a work week? The suspensions work, the brakes are in order, the seals are dry - I get the go-ahead and start the engine. Golda starts with one turn of the starter, without any suction, the engine runs smoothly and quietly, but the exhaust carries a lot of oil. Strong even for a Honda. Strong even for an old Honda. Okay, let's warm it up and see. Our task, among other things, is to check the operation of the cooling system. A couple of cigarettes, but the engine doesn’t want to heat up, at least according to the display meter. The valve covers are hot, but in moderation, the hand tolerates it. OK, let's warm it up while driving. I get permission again and make a small circle, about a kilometer. Well, I was going to do it. In the first, Golda had an even more or less tolerable start, but after switching to the second, it felt as if I was sitting on a huge screwdriver with the force limiter turned on - noise and crackling from the box (or rather, from the part of the engine where it is located), but there was no acceleration, as if between the box and the cardan there is some kind of disconnecting coupling with a heavily sagging spring. True, if you switch not at 1500 rpm, but at 2000-3000 rpm, there will be no such effect. The Tsar Bell joined the bells in my head - the transmission on the motorcycle is faulty, run, you fools! Not only will this britzka not reach Moscow, it will not reach the border of Belarus! Oha, lucky! The Tsar Bell, as befits its eminent brother, had split and was now quietly rattling in one ear. We are oppositionists - we’ll rebuild the Ural engine in the field, and wrap the japa’s cardan with blue electrical tape. And then - Japas don’t break, we don’t know how to ride them))) Somehow returning to the “salon”, I call Demon - he has a similar Golda, maybe he can tell me what. The demon assumes that the cardan damper has died, but that doesn’t stop me either. After a short smoke break and examining what was not examined earlier, I decide to make another drive, this time longer and with access to a larger street.

I drive out onto the street and after 200 meters I stall in the most shameful manner. First the engine starts to triple, then doubles, then singles, after which it stalls completely. Probably ran out of gas, Stirlitz thought. A cockroach without legs doesn’t hear Gold doesn’t run on one cylinder, I thought in turn. Maybe we should have taken the Ural, it’s on one boiler at the very least, but it’s moving? No, I already have one Ural, that’s enough. I roll to the side of the road (let me remind you, one mirror is missing, and I still haven’t been able to adjust the rest), I call the sales person and tell him to bring some gasoline. I say where I have a canister of it in Niva, but praise be to all the opposing gods, he brought his own. Golda sneezes as if she had something caustic in her nose, shoots into the silencer and no longer shows signs of life. The battery also very soon became indignant at the stupidity of the bipeds (well, I don’t want to start!) and stopped turning the starter. The unfortunate manager went to get the cigarette lighter wires. While he was driving, I continued to examine the stubborn Japanese man who was stubbornly trying to make seppuku for himself. Oops... The valve cover is much hotter than the radiator pipe - what kind of nonsense? So, where is our cooling expansion tank? Where it should be - in the gas tank)) I mean - under the casing of the false tank. So, now it becomes clear how these guys celebrated Friday - there is no trace of antifreeze, good, at least they didn’t get to the brakes. Damn, I drove it like this for about 15 minutes... And before me, all those who inspected the bike since April. Chewed mole, the engine can already be overheated ten times! The alarm bells started ringing, I had already abandoned the idea of ​​leaving on this motorcycle, but I wanted to at least take the old man to the garage under my own power.

The manager arrived, they put the wires on, but no matter what. I remembered the joke about Russian men and a Japanese chainsaw. I didn’t put any support on the rail, and I didn’t burn the starter either. I decided to check everything on the spot, to see if there was an opposition fighter, and an opposition player, although it was Japanese, too. All that's left is one small thing - a tool. And for the third time he threw the net; the manager went to the garage. First of all, candles, because I thought it was raining, but no, the candles are quite clean, white (kuichen) and dry, like a virgin’s vagina on their wedding night. Along the way, I checked the spark - there is, and it’s not bad. This means that there is something to set on fire, we are looking for where the things that need to be set on fire went. We dismiss the thought of four carbs breaking at once and check the fuel pump, here it is mechanical. I remove the output hose, turn the starter, using my fingers to direct the stream away from the engine. Holy shit, what the hell is pouring onto my hand??? It's anything but gasoline. The liquid spreading over the crankcase is more like water with a small admixture of oil and a slight aroma of gasoline. And this crap is now in the power system? This is Canadian gasoline,” the manager sighs sadly. From amazement, I can’t even voice the question with obscenities, and the manager continues - We drain what is in the tanks of incoming motorcycles and use it. This one didn’t turn out very well (!!!), but that’s okay, we’ll just put some fresh on it and it’ll go like new! Yeah, we don’t recognize flushing the power system from shit. No, what the hell, May beetles have such adventures... It’s scary to think what would have happened if they had used my help and filled my gas - you could bet on what would happen first, the engine would knock due to overheating, or the cardan damper would finally fall apart, and it would happen this is before leaving Borovlyany or after. And the motorcycle would have already been bought...

It all predictably ended with the arrival of a second guy from the same garage with a trailer, onto which they loaded unfortunate Golda and took her to the garage. Well, we drove back home, to Russia, and most of all we felt hurt and hurt not for ourselves, not for the time and money spent, but for the old, rare and drop-dead beautiful motorcycle that fell into the hands of idiots who will most likely finish off it to the end. I’m not giving any names, perhaps someone was much luckier than me, and he took his moto from these guys before they laid their crooked paws on it, but if anyone asks me for this “motorcycle showroom”, I will dissuade you. —————————————————— Everything you need is simple. Everything complicated is not necessary.

Similar models

• Minsk MMVZ-3.1131 (Minsk 125). It was he who served as the basis for the development of the new model, and the differences between them are minimal.
• Sunrise 3M. Especially the latest motorcycles in the series. You can find them on the secondary market for very modest money, but most copies are in poor condition.
• Owl . Having replaced the aforementioned Voskhod on the assembly line, this bike has deservedly gained popular love.

Total

If the Minsk 125 Leader had gone on sale earlier, it probably would have achieved greater success, repeating the popularity of the MMVZ-3.1131 model, from which it was practically no different anyway. But times have changed, and the manufacturing company did not have time to react to these changes in time, and offered the public a motorcycle that was too archaic and did not meet the increased demands of customers. This is how the story of the old bikes of the Minsk brand ended, which was later revived and now produces good budget bikes together with the Chinese.

Disadvantages of Minsk

The first drawback that many motorcyclists point out is the noisy operation of the engine, as well as the vibrations that arise during its operation. Vibrations can occur at a speed of 80-90 km/h, since the bike is light, it becomes unsafe to ride it. First of all, you need to check the fasteners, they tend to unwind. If the motor mounting nuts are tightened, then the reasons may be hidden inside the power unit. Often, on motorcycles with high mileage, problems begin with the gearbox. Often these problems are expressed by the overshoot of a specific speed.

Another problem area is kickstarter. The lever for starting the engine becomes loose with your foot at the point of attachment to the starting shaft. Numerous problems with the carburetor are also known. The shut-off valve needle wears out, rubber seals become unusable, all this leads to gasoline leakage. The Indian-made PAKKO carburetor has the greatest reliability and long service life. Over time, vibrations cause the exhaust pipe mounting nut to come loose, which also leads to a number of troubles. Control drive cables need to be replaced regularly. Usually, natural wear and tear leads to the need to replace them, but cases of sudden cable cord breakage are far from uncommon.

Operation of Minsk-125 involves preparing a fuel mixture of gasoline with the addition of motor oil. This leads to some inconveniences: you need to carry it with you, because not everywhere you can get the necessary lubricant. When running on fuel with oil, the engine becomes quieter, knocking and slight vibrations disappear. But here it is necessary to carefully approach the issue of choosing a lubricant. Its main indicator is viscosity. It should not be too thick, otherwise additional resistance will arise and there will be more negative aspects from adding such oil to the fuel. Also, the oil should not be too thin.

Video Review

Specifications