5/9/05 - Mountain Lion and JC150 Test Day:  Millston

We loaded up the Mountain Lion 400 4x4, the Mountain Lion 250 and the JC150Y and headed north to Millston this weekend to see how they would handle the rough, sandy terrain of Northern Wisconsin. Millston is a great place to test a motor's strength and endurance.  It throws a variety of terrain at you.  Uphills.  Deep sand.  Long, fast, choppy straights.  Logs.  Rocks. 

The Mountain Lion 400 4x4 never missed a beat all day.  Deep sand was no match for the new Mountain Lion.  It pulled every gear - even 5th - in the deep Millston sand.  The suspension soaked up the fast, choppy straights without bottoming and beating up the rider.  Despite the heavy workload of the deep sand and the long, fast straights, the motor showed no signs of fatigue.  And so far we haven't found anything the 400 can't do.  We couldn't find deep mud, but we did venture off the trail a little to climb some logs.  Everything we wanted the 4x4 to do, it did with ease.

The Mountain Lion 250 surprised us a little by keeping pace with the 400 4x4 all day.  The less aggressive tires of the 250 made it a little easier to ride in the deep sand than the 4x4.  The tires didn't dig so much and helped the 250 stay on top of the sand and hold a straight line.  The suspension soaked up the rough straights without abusing the rider.  Although it couldn't match the 400's top speed, it wasn't too far behind. If the 400 climbed a log, the 250 followed.  If the 400 climbed a hill, the 250 followed.  And with the 250 being a little smaller, it was easier to maneuver in some situations, a definite advantage for people who don't need 4WD and loads of horsepower. 

The JC150Y had to work real hard to keep up with the Mountain Lions, especially with a rider that's a little too big for the bike.  Deep sand is a big challenge for a 150cc dirt bike.  Keeping your speed up is crucial in sand, and the JC150 did a stellar job for a 150cc dirt bike.  Occasionally, the deeper sand would slow it down a little and you'd have to downshift to fourth, but most times the JC stayed on top and kept pace with Mountain Lions.  In fact, it was right behind the 400 4x4 on the long, fast straights and held its line really well railing corners in 5th gear tapped.  The tires never washed out. The suspension held the line and soaked up everything, bottoming only when hitting nasty bumps at top speed. Even at top speed on choppy terrain, the JC150 was incredibly stable.  No headshake.  No harsh bottoming. No scary moments.  Despite being ridden really hard all day, the JC showed no signs of fatigue. With its smooth powerband and plush suspension, it's a great beginner bike for people looking to get some experience on a bike that's easy to ride yet powerful enough to keep up with the big boys.  It's a confidence builder.

Overall, it was a great day.  We had a lot of fun and worked the units really hard. Despite the punishment we dished out, all three units showed no signs of failure.  Check back for more 4x4 test reports, pictures and video.