M1NSK C4 250 - one of the best road bikes in the history of MMVZ

Chinese motorcycles have long and firmly settled in Russia. In fact, they simply have no competitors. Even such legendary manufacturers from the USSR as "Minsk" and ZiD, which are "afloat" and they assemble Chinese models under their own brand.


The Degtyarev plant remained the same large military production. He collects motorcycles as a by-product. As for the Minsk brand, which is now called M1NSK, the legendary plant went bankrupt. The Chinese bikes are assembled by a company that claims to be the successor.

But today we will talk about the brainchild of the “same” Motovelo plant. This motorcycle was one of the first after the company was bought by a private company and it began to develop dynamically, forgetting about the old small-capacity two-stroke engines.



True, this lasted no more than 10 years. Then the plant was confiscated, motorcycles were no longer assembled. And when the screwdriver assembly resumed, many interesting models in the manufacturer's range were already missing.

One of them was the M1NSK C4 250, a bike that is considered the best in the history of MMVZ, both Soviet and modern.

Appearance

Private investors approached the creation of a new motorcycle with soul and scope. Knowing perfectly well that it is unprofitable to establish production from scratch, they ordered a model in China. But it wasn't just a cheap bike. M1NSK C4 250 is really beautiful, and the Chinese selected components and assemblies for it, taking into account the opinions of engineering personnel who still remained at the then Motovelo.

Externally, the M1NSK C4 250 turned out to be provocative. A typical classic, but he has a "muzzle" like a street fighter. Give aggressiveness and lining on the tank. Mirrors and turn signals are clearly not of the classical form. Completing the picture is a narrow two-piece seat, more suited to a sportbike than a road bike.



If we compare the M1NSK C4 250 with motorcycles from other manufacturers, then most of all it looks like a BAJAJ - a cross between the Dominar and Pulsar models. Although they look much more aggressive, they are also more modern.

Appearance turned out to be an amateur - fans of the classics do not recognize excess plastic and a headlight that is not round. But young motorcyclists usually like the design of the Belarusian-Chinese model.



The model has clones from a number of manufacturers:

✅ Alfamoto
✅Loncin
✅ SNS
✅Zipp
✅Hamachi

This is not a complete list, so getting parts is possible, although not always easy.

Feelings behind the wheel

The sporty design of the M1NSK C4 250 has played a role in the change in seating style. It is almost classic, but not as straight as some are used to. But it is convenient to ride - experienced motorcyclists will definitely not feel the tension in their arms and back for the first 200-300 km of the journey.



But the seat let us down - it is narrow and hard. It’s not very comfortable to travel to “long distances”, especially for a passenger.

Vibration is not annoying up to about 100 km / h, then it starts to shake notably. There's nothing to be done - the engine is single-cylinder. On the other hand, driving at a speed of more than a hundred is still inconvenient, and it blows the motorcycle off the track - there is a lack of weight.



Build quality is about on par with Indian Bajajs. By the way, this is typical for all Motovelo OJSC bikes produced between 2010 and 2016, with engines from 250 (real) cm3.

Мотор

A Chinese-made power unit is installed in the M1NSK C4 250 frame. They say that this is a copy of some "ancient" engine from Suzuki, perhaps even licensed. Working volume 250 cm3 and 19 l. With. power.

Strange, but the motor gives sensations similar to IZH Planet. Despite the fact that the Soviet motorcycle is two-stroke and has a 350 cm3 engine, two bikes ride similarly. The M1NSK C4 250 power unit also pulls on the bottoms and reluctantly spins up to high revs.



The engines are 100% Chinese, as are the rest of the parts. When motorcycles began to be assembled, they said that the frames were made in Belarus, but this is not entirely true. They were cooked in Minsk, but the steel is Chinese. But they did it well - even now the owners do not complain about the M1NSK C4 250 frames.

Although the motorcycle has not been produced for six years, finding engine parts is not a big problem - they fit from Suzuki GN 250, if anything, you can even order from China - it will cost 2-3 times cheaper. But plastic, tidy and other "body" elements should be tried to be protected - their search can drag on for several months.

The engine starts confidently - both from the button and from the kickstarter. The sound of the work is surprisingly "juicy" for its small cubic capacity.

How does it go?

For a beginner, the M1NSK C4 250 is the perfect first season bike. A bike will allow you to learn how to drive and gain experience with minimal loss to health and finances. 19 l. With. Enough to confidently stay in city traffic. Moreover, up to 70 km / h, the motorcycle accelerates briskly and is even able to leave behind more cars from a traffic light.



Driving the bike is easy and effortless, the front brake has a large margin for the engine size. Even comparing with the new C4 300 bike, which they started to assemble recently, they work out better.



It is comfortable to ride a road bike slowly, looking around. M1NSK C4 250 can withstand long trips of several thousand kilometers - many owners of such devices can confirm these words.

Pleased with a tank volume of 16,5 liters with an average consumption of 3,5 liters. per 100 kilometers.

The main advantages of the model

The first plus of the M1NSK C4 250 is the availability in the secondary market. The second is a stylish appearance, although it will not “go in” for lovers of the classics.

The brakes are perfectly adjusted - they provide a quick stop, while without the harshness inherent in a number of sports models. Beginners will definitely appreciate it.



The rigidity of the frame is not satisfactory. Even with a driver weighing more than 100 kg and the same passenger, the bike is stable. But this does not cancel the "blowing" off the track after 100 km / h.

The motorcycle is light and maneuverable, traffic jams in cities are not a problem for him - you can safely move between rows, if your worldview allows, of course.

Well, M1NSK nameplates will arouse the interest of others. The owner of such a motorcycle will be periodically approached, asking, is it really the same “Minsk” that now makes such bikes?

Cons

The M1NSK C4 250 also lacks shortcomings, primarily related to the low prevalence of the model and the end of production in 2016. It is unlikely that you will be able to find parts in stock - you will have to order a lot. It’s good that the units are reliable and rarely break down, if maintenance is not neglected.

On rural roads, where there is no asphalt, the M1NSK C4 250 behaves frankly inadequately on the tires recommended by the manufacturer. He strives to fall on his side in corners. The problem is solved by installing a branded tire with a universal tread pattern. It is advisable to choose a wider tire.



They ask for a motorcycle in the secondary market for 100-150 rubles - this is quite expensive and indirectly hints at its reliability and demand. Or is the bike simply already considered a kind of exclusive, although in fact it is a typical “Chinese”, albeit of high quality?

A beginner M1NSK C4 250 will get bored in one season, especially if the rider wants to move further in his development. Power of 19 liters. With. obviously not enough for driving on the highway.

But for those who need an economical, but stylish city bike, for driving to work, for example, the M1NSK C4 250 is suitable. On the other hand, you can pick up something similar in cubic capacity and appearance from Russian assemblers of Chinese equipment - it will definitely be easier to look for spare parts.