~2 month review Mega Moto 212 tillotson stage 1

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dirtrider998

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got this from gopowersports for around $1200. UPS DESTROYED the box but it's like 150 lbs stuffed into a single-wall cardboard box no reinforcements. UPS guy said something like I can't check through it and then decide to send it back or not, so I signed for it knowing GPS would replace anything missing. UPS has a pretty bad history with me damaging boxes, I sell on eBay and only use UPS for the heavy/large packages and they messed up quite a few, USPS has always been great though.

Assembly is a bit of a PITA, no bags of screws are labeled to know which step/part them go with but after a while it became pretty easy.
The powder coated black paint frame is very thin, before assembly I painted the frame inside with brush-on oil based Rustoleum because it was too cold outside to spray paint plus spray is much thinner so I figure brush-on will give more protection. When doing a light sanding first just to scuff the original paint for the primer and paint to adhere better, a lot of it came right off like nothing, so I suggest paint the frame so it doesn't rust as easy.

I Sent pics of everything laid out and asked GPS to just check the photos and send what's missing besides the obvious stuff, in case there were bags of screws or small stuff missing they'd know better than me but they still basically only sent me what I noted and was missing other stuff, had to wait for two deliveries of parts. Also the choke lever retainer clip doesn't fit when the aftermarket air filter is installed, it needs a thicker metal gasket and GPS said tillotson doesn't come with that gasket anymore and that I had to purchase it! Should have sent me that free because they were very nice about sending the missing parts plus I ended up with a few extras I can sell on eBay for ~$50 net profit total. For now I'm using my finger to toggle the small black plastic clip choke/unchoke and it can be a hassle esp because I ride with padded gloves.


GPS in email said the governor is already removed for their stage 1 kits but also on their page it says something like 'we do nothing internally to the engine, we just check valve lash etc and make sure it's tuned perfectly'. but I should be able to check this eventually. For now I'm happy with the speed and would leave the gov in there if it is. On flat open road it hits about 37 MPH with a 160lb rider in about 350 feet, pretty fast. I feel if it's just an open straight-away it could hit something like 55-60 but I don't want to go that fast.

I have a coleman BT200x also with stock engine and that one only maxes about 18MPH but with the clutch drive it feels actually like it has more pop off the start than the MM212 with torque converter, the bt200x feels like I could wheelie it but not the mm212 although it's a bigger heavier bike. Once the TQ kicks in though at like 14 MPH though the MM212 sorta takes off.

I ride a lot of woods trails, bumpy trails etc, and I actually feel the coleman handles better being smaller but also just in general but both have nice wide tires and can go over a lot of rough terrane.

I told GPS this too that if they ever re-do their assembly video, there's no need to run the rear brake line under the frame, in woods it can get caught on something, I just routed mine along the upper frame.
Brakes work great, throttle is more sensitive than I prefer especially when riding standing over bumps etc (because it's much less bumpy when standing) it can sometimes give that feel like you give it more gas by accident.

The handlebar clamps are loose and terrible. My coleman never budged and I pick it up by the handle and turn it around a lot but the MM212 I tightened the heck out of them, banging on the allen key with a hammer but it still slips. I asked about possibly drilling and tapping threads in them to add a bolt but some suggested it'll weaken the bars and potentially crack, some guy on youtube did this to his motorcycle and some liked it and other disagreed. I won't do that though. I'm likely just replacing the whole handlebar clamp with a much better motorcycle one that's like $150 but I'll pay whatever as long as it doesn't slip because when standing and riding over bumps I worry they'll slip and cause me to crash. Some put a strip of soda can in there, some put sandpaper, red locktite thread locker also (I really don't trust that for this though, not hard to break that seal). I'm likely getting the upgraded best motorcycle/dirt bike one if it'll retro fit the frame even if I have to drill new holes and then maybe adding sandpaper and then riding it over to the mechanic shop and having him weld the outside in place at the angle I prefer. There's also a mesh aluminum strip product for putting in wood screw holes that are stripped and they regain their grip but once clamped down the soft aluminum will basically become flat like a soda can - sandpaper/the rocks will give a good grip. Even if I get this to clamp down great with the stock clamps, they seem extremely light and weak, sort of that metal that if you crack it open it looks like cement inside. I want nice strong steel ones so I'm replacing the clamps.

foot pegs should be farther back for standing and riding or even just any off road bumpy riding, they're not too forward but not ideal for standing or riding bumpy, I'd consider having new ones welded farther back but even though welds are supposed to be stronger than the actual metal I might not feel comfortable standing on them in bumpy tracks, maybe if there's a type that bolts on too if I drill new holes (and I'd put sealant/weld around there to keep water from getting into the frame tubes).


Other than that, it's a great bike, I like the rack so I can store tools etc. Going to upgrade the headlight with LED that'll run off the single coil it comes stock with. Burns gas quite quicker than the stock ~200cc coleman but can get a good maybe 4-5 hour ride with a tank.

Is quite loud with RLV silencer removed but I like it like that sounds and looks like a mini chopper.
Some people when I ride by them act annoyed but more people wave or thumbs up or smile at me:)


The coleman being smaller, I just feel less likely to get in trouble by a cop if I ride on street, it's more like a novelty or toy or something plus I can argue it only goes 18 and some of these scooters and even electric longboards people ride go faster, and I'm a very safe and attentive rider, I have thousands of miles ridden on street mountain bike in the past ~10 years which helps.

Chain tension stays pretty good, at first of course I had to adjust it after first few rides but then it seemed to really stretch again as if it'd run out of room for adjustment but the next tightening it's stayed good.
 
few more things,

the frame bottom and especially the kickstand bracket are quite close to the ground and so I'm afraid on street turns to turn too tight in case it would catch/slide on the ground and cause the bike to buck crazy. In woods with softer ground it's not much an issues unless turning and hit a root or stump or something.
It's juts not a dirtbike though, it's marketed as an off-road mini bike which it does well but there's not a large clearance from the bottom of frame to the ground, and it's not fast right off the line like a dirt bike but it's a joy to ride because of no shifting. When I upgrade the handlebar clamp to something more slip-proof, I'm still worried riding standing which sucks because I like riding rough trails which requires standing but I don't trust these handlebars and also the footpegs as mentioned should be farther back for better shock absorption and control/balance, I lift my butt off the seat for rough trails but the footpegs being so forward (not as bad as other models though) it's not so bad but not how I'd like to ride, but again, it's not a dirt bike but if I remember correctly even my FA-50 1980's moped was easier to stand and ride rough trails. But that thing has like bicycle tires and not really meant for the woods but it was my first bike and so fun.

Compared to the coleman bt200x, it seems to get branches caught in it much more, and they sort of stay stuck in the frame or something but not a huge problem but for whatever reason it seems to collect sticks and branches, I've ridden though a lot of dense brush etc with it, the wide tires can take you through a lot of dense stuff like a quad, same with the bt200x, and with both I'm very impressed how the tires hold up, I've ridden on 100x worse so far with these bikes compared to a similar pneumatic tractor/lawn mower tires which got a flat just from a thorn but I've ridden over plenty of thorns etc with these bikes and no flats yet.
 

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