The LAST thing I want is a modern classic. I want the real thing. I want the sound and feel of a REAL motorcycle, not something smooth and quiet. I once owned a 1966 Triumph Bonneville, and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately I sold it, and cannot afford another one. I currently have a 2002 H-D Sportster 1200, a 2007 Royal Enfield iron barrel Bullet 500, a 2016 Honda Rebel 250 (whose engine dates back to the mid '70s) and a 1979 Vespa P200E. I have never owned a computer bike and never will. All my bikes have been carbureted. I'm 65, and have some orthopedic issues. I'm already having issues getting on the 32" high seat of the Royal Enfield, and will need to get rid of it soon. The Sportster has a 25" seat, and I am still able to ride that. But the time will come when it becomes too heavy for me. That will leave me with the Rebel 250 and the Vespa. I should be able to ride both those for as long as I can ride on 2 wheels. I actually considered the Janus Halcyon 250, even with its ridiculous price, but the seat was too high, and the wheels and engine were not available in unpainted aluminum. I will never own a bike with a black engine and wheels. I like bright shiny bikes. For a fraction of the price, the Rebel 250 is much nicer looking, at least to me, and is 100% made in Japan. Its engine is a twin, and can handle highway speeds at full throttle all day long. It has bright shiny paint, and loads of bright aluminum and chrome. I have done some customizing on it to make it look even better to me, and installed a set of forward controls to make it more comfortable. The only thing I don't like about it (and that also applies to the Janus) is the tube type tires. A flat tire on a bike with tube type tires means a tow truck, and if you are any distance from home, that can get seriously expensive. The Rebel 250 will go 200 miles on a full tank. You can buy larger Chinese tanks that fit the Rebel 250 that are a whole gallon bigger, but they have always had problems with leaks, and could leave you with no gas. I wouldn't trust one. The Janus 250 makes 14hp, the Honda Rebel 250 makes 18.5hp, and being a twin, has a higher redline. It does not have a kickstarter, but in my condition, I doubt I could kickstart it anyway. I carry a portable jumpstarter pack. It will run with a dead battery once started. Not all bikes will.
Tidying up the wiring, more ergonomic bars and making the WideLine seat standard is something they could do easily. The fuel tank does need a redesign to round the corners at the seat end and get it to hold another gallon of fuel.
Though I am impressed that someone attempted to recreate a 100 year old vibe, what immediately shatters the illusion is the presence of front and back disk brakes, which were unknown on motorcycles of this vintage. Drum brakes, especially drum brakes with modern materials, are more than adequate for a bike of this performance level and intended usage. Obviously these boutique bikes were never intended to be sports oriented or even daily riders, so why not go all the way and use drums? Disks could be offered as an option for those (LOL) canyon racers. With drums, I might consider a Janus as a second (Ok, maybe third) bike.
I honestly don't even notice the disks... nor do I have a preference- all I care about is that they work. it's intended to be a blend of old and new as the name Janus implies- as opposed to some sort of replica. They do intend them for everyday use with is why I'm putting one through the wringer to see how viable they really are. The original Janus bikes did have drums, but they went with disks on the 250+cc bikes as the speeds increased.
@@UncleVoodoo Don't get me wrong. My first reaction upon seeing the Janus was "That is really cool...". The leading link front suspension of yore, swept back bars, the long tank, old school sprung seat, full width fenders. The carburetor, the simple instrumentation, the headlight shape, all great! And I'm certain that this bike is a cinch to maintain. I was disappointed to see disks vs drums. But having said that, it's an interesting design and unique ride. The quibbles that you had in the video can all easily be resolved. I saw the guys who started Janus chat with Jay Leno and I'm cheering them on!
The old part is it's a hardtail, that's not saying it doesn't have suspension, there are springs under the seat, but no dampers and the unsprung weight of the rest of the bike is going to make the bike ride harsh, if your frequent riding areas are rough pavement and gravel/dirt trails. The sweet spot is the engine; as I own a Lifan GY DS with their 200 cc OHV CG Honda clone. It's reliable and good for it's power. I'd like to see a wider spread of ratios and 5th being more of an overdrive. but that's nitpicking.
I admire your ability to try out so many different motorcycles. The Himalayan, the Monkey, the Super Cub, the Continental GT, etc. and now the Janus. I’ve gone from a Honda CB350, to a Yamaha TW200, to a Kawasaki KLR650, to a Honda CRF300 Rally to a Triumph Scrambler1200xe. It’s impossible to try out too many motorcycles. They each have their own personality. My Kawasaki KLR650 is still my favorite, after 80,000+ miles, and she still performs perfectly. I highly recommend that you try one out. Ryan Fortnight did an episode on the KLR, proving that it was impossible to kill it.
I had a gen 1 KLR650 back in the 90s, I liked it well enough and it's actually the only Kawasaki Ive owned. I don't really want another just because I have a want / don't want feature list I look for when looking at bikes and the KLR has a few of the "don't want" items I seek to avoid.
A great video Uncle Voodoo. At first sight I thought that was a cute little retro bike, and I thought I want one. But now I’m not so sure. The small uncomfortable fuel tank is a real show stopper for me. I wonder what Sasquatch thinks.
Like the thumbnail says- these aren't for everyone, I'm just putting out the info that most videos on these bikes fail to mention. Hopefully the new wider seat takes care of the tank issue as it's as wide as the tank and mates up better- that seat should be the standard seat imho. It doesn't take long to find a seating position to negate it as I don't even notice it now after one week (just had to mention it though as it's an unexpected surprise).
I knew I'd need extra fuel capability and the photos of the bag had me wondering wether 2 large bottles would fit, I made the guys at Janus try to fit 2 fuel bottles in it before I would purchase it. Later when I told Devin what my intention was.... he told me that when he designed the bag- he made it big enough to hold 2 bottles of wine and never considered fuel bottles in it. We have different priorities!
@@TwoWheelsBackroadsjust a little update on the bag- I mentioned that they should make a mount for the left side of the bike so you could mount one of these on each side and double the spare fuel capacity (bringing the total onboard fuel up to 3 gallons)… they said it was a great idea and they’d get on it. We’ll see how soon, or if at all, they actually do it.
@@UncleVoodoo Nice. My wife used to have a carbureted Rebel 250 and if I remember correctly she used to get about 65 mpg with it. Assuming yours is better (her bike was pretty old and not in the greatest shape) you should be able to go 200 miles on what you can carry. That's very reasonable. Was thinking about adding a bag like yours for my Grom, which can go about 150 miles on a tank.
It's a funky character bike. Still want one just to look at. Got two Victory's a Triumph 1700 Night Storm, a Moto Guzzi California 1400 and a 2020 Triumph Speed Twin 1200. Still, the Janus bikes jhave my attention for putzing around town on a nostalgia ride. Have a hard time believing that little 250 would do 100.
There is a motorcycle company in Wales called Wardill motorcycles that make old school motorcycles. They are flat tankers with girder forks all hand made. Wardill motorcycles were first established in 1927 so have a bit of history behind them. A quick video to watch is ‘starting a Wardill5’. It would be interesting to hear your take on them.
It's an interesting bike, but there just isn't much information about them beyond promo material. So it's hard to do anything but speculate- The "heritage" seems legit. The ergonomics look a bit iffy as it was designed to mimic the guy's great grandfather's race prototype, so rider comfort probably wasn't much of a concern. It should be faster than the Janus stock for stock as it's using a Suzuki derived OHC 250 vs the OHV 230 engine Janus uses. I think Mutt motorcycles use the same engine. No kickstart. The Smiths speedometer is a nice touch. The starting price is a bit high at over 12,5000GBP, that's 2X the cost of the Janus. The cost can be justifiable though based on the hand made small scale manufacturing but the question will be - are there enough buyers for it at that price? There is a bit of a market for that type of bike over there as I get asked if Janus sells to the UK and Europe quite a bit, so I'd like to see them succeed.
@ Thank you for a very informative reply. The Wardill does interest me, but the £12,500 price tag is a little more than I would want to pay. Unfortunately sale of internal combustion engined vehicles are banned in the UK from 2030.
Again, this was a great, informative video. I totally get your desire to have an old school bike, I, myself have a 1999 Enfield Bullet Iron Barrel. I wanted the old feel and that bike delivers. In addition, it requires constant tinkering, cleaning and polishing, however this is exactly what I wanted. I live in Eastern Ohio and from viewing your videos, I believe you are located in Western Pen., am I correct? Keep the great vids coming, I really like your relaxed approach to providing content that suits me. Thanks
Thanks. I really wanted this bike to be as back to basics as I could get in a new bike that I can keep and keep running for a long time. The connection you get with old school bikes allow for a certain mastery of the mechanics and the nature of the bike that modern techno loaded bikes just don't offer imho. I'm in the mountains of west/central Va btw.
You'd think a few subtle tweaks could allow for at least another gallon, although having the room to do a valve service without removing the tank is something I wouldn't want to give up.
That feel is mostly the frame and fork set up. Modern stuff is really stiff with CAD with stress analysis. For instance you can make a huge difference in stiffness buy just going up in tube diameter a step.
The rigid frame has you feeling everything that's going on with the bike, there isn't even a cush drive so you feel the drivetrain as well. I think it's an experience most of us have either forgotten or never experienced. While I appreciate it, I'm well aware that it could be unexpected and off putting to some.
Love the look of your bike,perfect colour for the style of it. Don't understand why anyone could complain about the Chinese engine. Even a bad Chinese engine will be better than a good 1930s
It's not the quality of the Chinese engine, it is just that it is not made in the US. Why can't we have a quality built US made bike? Honda's were once made in the US but they pulled out. I do have a US built Honda Valkyrie, HD riders hate it when I point out on the bike it is stamped made in the USA.
@@walkingwolf8072 The Valkyrie was a brilliant ride ! I installed the BigBF quad horns underneath mine and everyone within 2 miles knew I was there, lol.
All these reasons & the price are why I passed. I 1st found Janus before 450 was real & $ was much less, but passed anyway. If they survive, it'll be a pretty good bike....
I'd been watching them for years as well, mainly waiting to see if there were going to be tales of catastrophic failures or anything. Im starting to think the main reason for being able to find so many low mile 2nd hand examples at about 1/2 price is what I mentioned in the video- people assume it's a "modern classic" and it's not. It's not a modern, refined riding experience and the number of people who are after that...are few and far between. The 450 felt more refined, but the 250 is an agricultural yet characterful machine.
Was jabo keeping an eye out behind you riding on the back road ? I saw something cross that old road behind you , looked menacing ! Curious about how the janus does on old roads .
It rides exactly how you'd imagine a beach cruiser bicycle to ride in gravel. The front end is a little light and the handlebar shape prevents stand up technical riding so standing on washboard and cobblestone is only to use your legs as suspension (like a hardtail mtn bike). If you ever wondered what it was like to ride a motorcycle in WW2... this is it!!!
Great video, thanks for posting. I'm waiting for delivery myself. I'm wondering if you would do a "review" of the Stage 4. I'd just like info about it overall. Also, what kind of helmet are you sporting? Appreciate your time Brotha 🤙
I'll be able to get some performance numbers / fuel economy and such once the break in is over, but it'll be tough for me to do a proper "review" as it was freshly installed in the bike when I got it so I won't have any before / after experience as the only time I've spent on a stock Halcyon was a short test ride. My main interest in it wasn't max speed but rather just so I could keep up with traffic on 60mph roads with steep inclines, so far it's doing that just fine. The helmet is a Bell Bullit.
The handlebars are like those on my old Triumph Speedmaster.....above 70 the wind would try and blow your hands of the grips....I thought about changing the 'bars, but ended up selling the bike
I was specifically looking for a thumper, I wanted the most simple engine as possible for this bike. I love my GT but I didn't want another twin for this application.
After making the video I checked on my new seat I have on order, it's supposed to be larger side to side and front to back. Still that's $200 for another seat.
I guess it's nice. But I never understood the desire for having something faux antique. You see it with stoves, cars, furniture, clocks, and I guess motorcycles. To each his own.
Legit complaints and even handed criticism. You didn't complain about the ride of a bike with no rear suspension which leads me to believe it's acceptable. Handlebars are easy enough to replace but the stock bars look the part. Hopefully the wide seat works.
The ride is better than most imagine, it's not what I'd call "plush" but not kidney jarring either. A friend of mine thought buying a rigid was nuts, but I had him take it for ride... and he came back pleasantly surprised.
Well, ok, to each their own. And, as the thumbnail suggests, not for me. The price point makes a new Vespa look like bargain and the functionality is compromised in ways that - to me - make that price point indefensible. You can find pro level 250 bikes at such prices of course, but this one is asking that price with an anti-competitive home country export subsidy practices, mass production, unremarkable, low tech Chinese engine and a “custom” USA frame design from ~1920. But it is super cool to look at, that is for sure, the finish is lovely, and all the best to those that like them. There is value in that. I even like to look at them but I would never buy one of them. If this was a reprise of an R25 or R26, with the historical build quality those had… well now, that would be something beautifully practical for classic small bore living. Those were technologically advanced bikes and with disks and modern shocks, tires, ignition and fueling, they still would be. But the Halcyon is just nothing like that, pretty to look at as it is. In my opinion, etc etc.
The LAST thing I want is a modern classic. I want the real thing. I want the sound and feel of a REAL motorcycle, not something smooth and quiet. I once owned a 1966 Triumph Bonneville, and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately I sold it, and cannot afford another one. I currently have a 2002 H-D Sportster 1200, a 2007 Royal Enfield iron barrel Bullet 500, a 2016 Honda Rebel 250 (whose engine dates back to the mid '70s) and a 1979 Vespa P200E. I have never owned a computer bike and never will. All my bikes have been carbureted. I'm 65, and have some orthopedic issues. I'm already having issues getting on the 32" high seat of the Royal Enfield, and will need to get rid of it soon. The Sportster has a 25" seat, and I am still able to ride that. But the time will come when it becomes too heavy for me. That will leave me with the Rebel 250 and the Vespa. I should be able to ride both those for as long as I can ride on 2 wheels.
I actually considered the Janus Halcyon 250, even with its ridiculous price, but the seat was too high, and the wheels and engine were not available in unpainted aluminum. I will never own a bike with a black engine and wheels. I like bright shiny bikes. For a fraction of the price, the Rebel 250 is much nicer looking, at least to me, and is 100% made in Japan. Its engine is a twin, and can handle highway speeds at full throttle all day long. It has bright shiny paint, and loads of bright aluminum and chrome. I have done some customizing on it to make it look even better to me, and installed a set of forward controls to make it more comfortable. The only thing I don't like about it (and that also applies to the Janus) is the tube type tires. A flat tire on a bike with tube type tires means a tow truck, and if you are any distance from home, that can get seriously expensive. The Rebel 250 will go 200 miles on a full tank. You can buy larger Chinese tanks that fit the Rebel 250 that are a whole gallon bigger, but they have always had problems with leaks, and could leave you with no gas. I wouldn't trust one.
The Janus 250 makes 14hp, the Honda Rebel 250 makes 18.5hp, and being a twin, has a higher redline. It does not have a kickstarter, but in my condition, I doubt I could kickstart it anyway. I carry a portable jumpstarter pack. It will run with a dead battery once started. Not all bikes will.
Good review. I hope Janus adopts each and every one of your changes. Thank you.
Tidying up the wiring, more ergonomic bars and making the WideLine seat standard is something they could do easily. The fuel tank does need a redesign to round the corners at the seat end and get it to hold another gallon of fuel.
I concur on the tidying up the wiring. That’s one of the only gripes I have as well
It's like a work of art you can ride. I had 250 # 682 and 450 #163. They're both gone now, but I'll be buying another 450 next spring.
Though I am impressed that someone attempted to recreate a 100 year old vibe, what immediately shatters the illusion is the presence of front and back disk brakes, which were unknown on motorcycles of this vintage. Drum brakes, especially drum brakes with modern materials, are more than adequate for a bike of this performance level and intended usage.
Obviously these boutique bikes were never intended to be sports oriented or even daily riders, so why not go all the way and use drums? Disks could be offered as an option for those (LOL) canyon racers.
With drums, I might consider a Janus as a second (Ok, maybe third) bike.
I honestly don't even notice the disks... nor do I have a preference- all I care about is that they work. it's intended to be a blend of old and new as the name Janus implies- as opposed to some sort of replica.
They do intend them for everyday use with is why I'm putting one through the wringer to see how viable they really are.
The original Janus bikes did have drums, but they went with disks on the 250+cc bikes as the speeds increased.
@@UncleVoodoo Don't get me wrong. My first reaction upon seeing the Janus was "That is really cool...". The leading link front suspension of yore, swept back bars, the long tank, old school sprung seat, full width fenders. The carburetor, the simple instrumentation, the headlight shape, all great! And I'm certain that this bike is a cinch to maintain. I was disappointed to see disks vs drums. But having said that, it's an interesting design and unique ride. The quibbles that you had in the video can all easily be resolved. I saw the guys who started Janus chat with Jay Leno and I'm cheering them on!
Great bike, even big foot likes it!
I'll have to figure out a way to keep the Sasquatch's from joy riding on it while I'm camping!
The Loch Ness Monster would love it too.
But the Janus brand isn't available here.
The old part is it's a hardtail, that's not saying it doesn't have suspension, there are springs under the seat, but no dampers and the unsprung weight of the rest of the bike is going to make the bike ride harsh, if your frequent riding areas are rough pavement and gravel/dirt trails.
The sweet spot is the engine; as I own a Lifan GY DS with their 200 cc OHV CG Honda clone. It's reliable and good for it's power. I'd like to see a wider spread of ratios and 5th being more of an overdrive. but that's nitpicking.
Thank you, I love your reviews, you answered all my concerns.
I admire your ability to try out so many different motorcycles.
The Himalayan, the Monkey, the Super Cub, the Continental GT, etc.
and now the Janus.
I’ve gone from a Honda CB350, to a Yamaha TW200, to a Kawasaki KLR650, to a Honda CRF300 Rally to a Triumph Scrambler1200xe.
It’s impossible to try out too many motorcycles. They each have their own personality.
My Kawasaki KLR650 is still my favorite, after 80,000+ miles, and she still performs perfectly. I highly recommend that you try one out.
Ryan Fortnight did an episode on the KLR, proving that it was impossible to kill it.
I had a gen 1 KLR650 back in the 90s, I liked it well enough and it's actually the only Kawasaki Ive owned. I don't really want another just because I have a want / don't want feature list I look for when looking at bikes and the KLR has a few of the "don't want" items I seek to avoid.
A great video Uncle Voodoo. At first sight I thought that was a cute little retro bike, and I thought I want one. But now I’m not so sure. The small uncomfortable fuel tank is a real show stopper for me.
I wonder what Sasquatch thinks.
Like the thumbnail says- these aren't for everyone, I'm just putting out the info that most videos on these bikes fail to mention.
Hopefully the new wider seat takes care of the tank issue as it's as wide as the tank and mates up better- that seat should be the standard seat imho.
It doesn't take long to find a seating position to negate it as I don't even notice it now after one week (just had to mention it though as it's an unexpected surprise).
The bag for the extra fuel is brilliant.
I knew I'd need extra fuel capability and the photos of the bag had me wondering wether 2 large bottles would fit, I made the guys at Janus try to fit 2 fuel bottles in it before I would purchase it.
Later when I told Devin what my intention was.... he told me that when he designed the bag- he made it big enough to hold 2 bottles of wine and never considered fuel bottles in it. We have different priorities!
@ To be honest, when I saw the bag I thought “that’ll hold 2 bottles of wine easy.”
@@TwoWheelsBackroadsjust a little update on the bag- I mentioned that they should make a mount for the left side of the bike so you could mount one of these on each side and double the spare fuel capacity (bringing the total onboard fuel up to 3 gallons)… they said it was a great idea and they’d get on it. We’ll see how soon, or if at all, they actually do it.
@@UncleVoodoo Nice. My wife used to have a carbureted Rebel 250 and if I remember correctly she used to get about 65 mpg with it. Assuming yours is better (her bike was pretty old and not in the greatest shape) you should be able to go 200 miles on what you can carry. That's very reasonable. Was thinking about adding a bag like yours for my Grom, which can go about 150 miles on a tank.
Love this channel, genuinely interesting and original content, keep up the good work sir
Thanks!!
Never mind the motorcycle, just look at the old man fit for the catwalk. Your sister is very talented!
I rock the dad bod like a pro!!!
Thank you 😊
saw the first bits of opening riding footage with going to california playing in the background and knew I was gonna like this. love from michigan!
glad you enjoyed it!
It's a funky character bike. Still want one just to look at. Got two Victory's a Triumph 1700 Night Storm, a Moto Guzzi California 1400 and a 2020 Triumph Speed Twin 1200. Still, the Janus bikes jhave my attention for putzing around town on a nostalgia ride. Have a hard time believing that little 250 would do 100.
it won't do 100, the speedometer goes to 100 but the bike won't.
There is a motorcycle company in Wales called Wardill motorcycles that make old school motorcycles. They are flat tankers with girder forks all hand made. Wardill motorcycles were first established in 1927 so have a bit of history behind them. A quick video to watch is ‘starting a Wardill5’. It would be interesting to hear your take on them.
It's an interesting bike, but there just isn't much information about them beyond promo material. So it's hard to do anything but speculate-
The "heritage" seems legit.
The ergonomics look a bit iffy as it was designed to mimic the guy's great grandfather's race prototype, so rider comfort probably wasn't much of a concern.
It should be faster than the Janus stock for stock as it's using a Suzuki derived OHC 250 vs the OHV 230 engine Janus uses. I think Mutt motorcycles use the same engine. No kickstart.
The Smiths speedometer is a nice touch.
The starting price is a bit high at over 12,5000GBP, that's 2X the cost of the Janus. The cost can be justifiable though based on the hand made small scale manufacturing but the question will be - are there enough buyers for it at that price?
There is a bit of a market for that type of bike over there as I get asked if Janus sells to the UK and Europe quite a bit, so I'd like to see them succeed.
@ Thank you for a very informative reply. The Wardill does interest me, but the £12,500 price tag is a little more than I would want to pay. Unfortunately sale of internal combustion engined vehicles are banned in the UK from 2030.
Again, this was a great, informative video. I totally get your desire to have an old school bike, I, myself have a 1999 Enfield Bullet Iron Barrel. I wanted the old feel and that bike delivers. In addition, it requires constant tinkering, cleaning and polishing, however this is exactly what I wanted. I live in Eastern Ohio and from viewing your videos, I believe you are located in Western Pen., am I correct? Keep the great vids coming, I really like your relaxed approach to providing content that suits me. Thanks
Thanks. I really wanted this bike to be as back to basics as I could get in a new bike that I can keep and keep running for a long time. The connection you get with old school bikes allow for a certain mastery of the mechanics and the nature of the bike that modern techno loaded bikes just don't offer imho.
I'm in the mountains of west/central Va btw.
They do need a optional tank, an early pre war HD style would look right.
You'd think a few subtle tweaks could allow for at least another gallon, although having the room to do a valve service without removing the tank is something I wouldn't want to give up.
That feel is mostly the frame and fork set up. Modern stuff is really stiff with CAD with stress analysis. For instance you can make a huge difference in stiffness buy just going up in tube diameter a step.
The rigid frame has you feeling everything that's going on with the bike, there isn't even a cush drive so you feel the drivetrain as well. I think it's an experience most of us have either forgotten or never experienced. While I appreciate it, I'm well aware that it could be unexpected and off putting to some.
Love the look of your bike,perfect colour for the style of it.
Don't understand why anyone could complain about the Chinese engine.
Even a bad Chinese engine will be better than a good 1930s
The color wasn't my first choice, but it has grown on me.
It's not the quality of the Chinese engine, it is just that it is not made in the US. Why can't we have a quality built US made bike? Honda's were once made in the US but they pulled out. I do have a US built Honda Valkyrie, HD riders hate it when I point out on the bike it is stamped made in the USA.
@@walkingwolf8072 The Valkyrie was a brilliant ride ! I installed the BigBF quad horns underneath mine and everyone within 2 miles knew I was there, lol.
That's a beautiful looking bike 😎✌️😍
Good review, well done!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Ps I had a recall on my 2019 himalayan 2 years ago for the same thing, the calipers but the new ones were goldish so I thought pretty cool too
All these reasons & the price are why I passed. I 1st found Janus before 450 was real & $ was much less, but passed anyway. If they survive, it'll be a pretty good bike....
I'd been watching them for years as well, mainly waiting to see if there were going to be tales of catastrophic failures or anything.
Im starting to think the main reason for being able to find so many low mile 2nd hand examples at about 1/2 price is what I mentioned in the video- people assume it's a "modern classic" and it's not. It's not a modern, refined riding experience and the number of people who are after that...are few and far between.
The 450 felt more refined, but the 250 is an agricultural yet characterful machine.
Was jabo keeping an eye out behind you riding on the back road ? I saw something cross that old road behind you , looked menacing ! Curious about how the janus does on old roads .
It rides exactly how you'd imagine a beach cruiser bicycle to ride in gravel. The front end is a little light and the handlebar shape prevents stand up technical riding so standing on washboard and cobblestone is only to use your legs as suspension (like a hardtail mtn bike).
If you ever wondered what it was like to ride a motorcycle in WW2... this is it!!!
@UncleVoodoo thanks for the info . I'll stay with my 450 Himalayan , I'm loving it !
Great video, thanks for posting. I'm waiting for delivery myself. I'm wondering if you would do a "review" of the Stage 4. I'd just like info about it overall. Also, what kind of helmet are you sporting?
Appreciate your time Brotha 🤙
I'll be able to get some performance numbers / fuel economy and such once the break in is over, but it'll be tough for me to do a proper "review" as it was freshly installed in the bike when I got it so I won't have any before / after experience as the only time I've spent on a stock Halcyon was a short test ride.
My main interest in it wasn't max speed but rather just so I could keep up with traffic on 60mph roads with steep inclines, so far it's doing that just fine.
The helmet is a Bell Bullit.
Very well done video! New Subscriber.
Thanks!
The handlebars are like those on my old Triumph Speedmaster.....above 70 the wind would try and blow your hands of the grips....I thought about changing the 'bars, but ended up selling the bike
I'll probably take it to Gearhead Junction in the spring and try out multiple bars to find something that fits me better.
Quite a bike.
Nice shirt Little Brother! 😂
I think it's missing an "a" after the "with"?
Well, it gives your viewers something else to look for!!!
I've enjoyed the videos. The fuel bag looks great.
Do you still have the SuperCub for work?
No, the car ended up to be more viable once I was able to take advantage of the tax breaks that motorcycles don't get.
Holding out for a twin. 450/500? There has to be a Honda CM or VT knock off out there.
I was specifically looking for a thumper, I wanted the most simple engine as possible for this bike. I love my GT but I didn't want another twin for this application.
Waiting for video on Himalayan 450
Shame they can't make the seat adjustable , like a office chair simple . Looks like a ton of room to move it forward or backwards
After making the video I checked on my new seat I have on order, it's supposed to be larger side to side and front to back. Still that's $200 for another seat.
I guess it's nice. But I never understood the desire for having something faux antique. You see it with stoves, cars, furniture, clocks, and I guess motorcycles. To each his own.
maybe people want something new that's made the way they used to be.
Legit complaints and even handed criticism. You didn't complain about the ride of a bike with no rear suspension which leads me to believe it's acceptable. Handlebars are easy enough to replace but the stock bars look the part. Hopefully the wide seat works.
The ride is better than most imagine, it's not what I'd call "plush" but not kidney jarring either. A friend of mine thought buying a rigid was nuts, but I had him take it for ride... and he came back pleasantly surprised.
@@UncleVoodoo Glad to hear that about the ride quality. Cheers!
J don,t build bikes they build dreams
Well, ok, to each their own. And, as the thumbnail suggests, not for me. The price point makes a new Vespa look like bargain and the functionality is compromised in ways that - to me - make that price point indefensible. You can find pro level 250 bikes at such prices of course, but this one is asking that price with an anti-competitive home country export subsidy practices, mass production, unremarkable, low tech Chinese engine and a “custom” USA frame design from ~1920. But it is super cool to look at, that is for sure, the finish is lovely, and all the best to those that like them. There is value in that. I even like to look at them but I would never buy one of them. If this was a reprise of an R25 or R26, with the historical build quality those had… well now, that would be something beautifully practical for classic small bore living. Those were technologically advanced bikes and with disks and modern shocks, tires, ignition and fueling, they still would be. But the Halcyon is just nothing like that, pretty to look at as it is. In my opinion, etc etc.
😅feel sorry for you and anyone who buys one
@@johnfolds3438 why…?
for $9-10k. no thanks
Totally agree, that's why I bought this one used for 1/2 price.
@@UncleVoodoo Yes, I could do that for 1/2 price. because retail is 1 RE Himalayan