YCF 150 PIT BIKE

In a world where current dirt bikes are at a premium, even used machines are commanding top dollar. For the rider trying to get into the sport or the enthusiast searching for an affordable riding outlet, the pit bike market has met the need with reasonably priced options. There are hundreds of brands coming out of Asia, so choosing a company with a good history and a strong base is important. Around since 2005, YCF is a pit bike company based out of China with models ranging from 50cc up to 190cc. We got our hands on YCF’s Bigy 150 MX E and put it through its paces.

LOOKS WICKED. HOW DOES IT WORK?
The chassis features a 34-inch seat height with a 17-inch front wheel paired with a 14-inch rear wheel. YCF quotes a 178-pound dry weight, which is a bit hefty, though it feels lighter. Both suspension ends look high end, with a USD fork and Monoshock rear end with adjustable preload and rebound damping. The suspension is a bit on the soft side. We were able to bottom both ends with little effort, and this was with a 130-pound rider aboard. There are compression and rebound adjusters on the fork, and they made a minor difference. The shock features a rebound adjuster that also made small changes, as both ends felt extremely uneasy at speed. The YCF has disc brakes front and rear, and both worked well but were not overly strong. They will lock up with some decent pressure applied. The bike does feature nice wide pegs, a wide rear brake pedal and a folding shifter. The handlebars are extremely tall, which is good for rider mobility on the machine. The bars sit on a nice CNC-machined triple clamp with adjustable bar mounts. Top marks go to the softer seat on the bike and the gripper cover that kept us planted. The tires are a brand we’ve never heard of—ARRO—and though they use an intermediate compound, they were quite slippery in our dry test conditions. Also, with the wheelbase being short, the bike feels a bit twitchy for a large rider looking to push it hard.

 

When you fire up the YCF, it sounds as aggressive as a larger 250F machine. That means it’s loud! The 150cc, air-cooled engine has an ultra-quick-revving nature. It features both electric-start and kickstart options. Once it fires, the YCF features a Keihin carburetor supplying the fuel. With a quick adjustment to the air screw, we dialed in a good setting and the bike ran excellently. The air-cooled engine is a strong point on this bike. The five-speeder shifts smoothly with a good, positive feel. It has lots of power for a 150 and will rev up as quickly as most any race bike. On the bottom, it has a nice, snappy nature with a very long and strong top-end pull. The bike ran hard and pulls well under a load. It was very easy to loft the front wheel and snap the throttle for a seat-bounce-type jump. The clutch was up to the task of handling the power and putting it to the ground. We never experienced any slipping, and it featured a fairly light pull. Another nice feature is the oil window to check the oil level. Air-filter access is easy but requires the removal of three Allen head screws. The gas tank features a three-way petcock with On, Off and Reserve. On the bottom of the bike, there is a metal sump guard to protect the engine.

Overall, we had a gas riding the YCF 150 MX. The bike has the power to hang with most bikes in its class, but the shortcomings were related to the soft suspension. We did need to keep track of some hardware as it loosened, but nothing spooky. The engine stayed tight. There were no leaks, and it started easily and carbureted nicely. In the end, although our testing time was brief, the YCF Bigy 150 MX looks nasty, runs strong and, at $2499, is a worthy machine for the pit bike enthusiast or the rider looking for a good ride at a decent price.
www.ycfusa.com 

Double disc brakes are moderately strong, and the shock has adjustable rebound damping.