Janus Motorcycles First Impressions: Part 2 (Follow Up Video)
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- Опубліковано 1 лис 2020
- This is a follow up video to my original Janus video. In this video i address comments as well as other things i should have mentioned in the original video.
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Made a revisit video 2 years later where i talk about the 250's as well as their new 450cc Halcyon. I highly encourage you to check the new video out as it's a totally different experience compared to both Part 1 & 2's video
I think of Janus this way. If you are curious (like me) about what it would have been like to ride back in the early days of motorcycling, like the early 1920's, a Janus will get you close and it would be a hell of a lot more reliable and cheaper than buying an actual 1920s motorcycle. Either way I don't yet have enough disposable income to justify the pursuit of such an experience.
I have enough money, but buying one of these bikes would not be a wise decision for me. I prefer Harleys and British bikes from the 1950s and 1960s. I have a 2013 Royal Enfield Bullet I got for $5K new, and converted it to a carburetor. It still looks and feels like a 1950s bike, and uses 1950s technology. I bought a like new 2006 carbureted Harley Sportster 1200 with only 5200 miles on it for $4500. I consider both these bikes to be extremely good deals. If I wanted a street 250, I'd probably buy a new Yamaha V-Star 250. I love the look, and they are proven reliable. And the price is $4599.
Although the price for a Janus may seem steep, look at the quality of the individual parts. Dual exhaust, completely stainless steel, handlebars, stainless steel, wheels, all aluminum with stainless steel spokes, complete bike is not painted but powder coated. Brakes, Brembo with braided, stainless Spiegler brake lines. Gas tank, all hand formed solid aluminum, saddle made by Sargeant, one of the premier motorcycle seat manufacturers. The 450 engine is supplied by SWM, an Italian motorcycle company that was started in 1971 by a couple of off road motorcycle enthusiasts and has the engine built in China by Shineray, who manufactures cars, motorcycles, and agricultural equipment and also has a new manufacturing plant in Italy. The engine is a 445 cc updated model of one of the most bulletproof engines Honda ever produced, the XR400. It now has a balancer and an oil cooler, is designed for fuel injection, has a separate dry sump oil tank, and carrys a 4 year unlimited warranty. Bikes are hand built with many custom consumer options and unheard of support from the Janus team. Quality lives on long after the price is forgotten. Like all consumer goods, the Janus is not for everyone and was never conceived with that notion. I started riding at 15 on a 1963 Cushman Highlander. I've had dirt bikes, Harley choppers, touring bikes, dual sport bikes, and cruisers. Now at age 71 I am returning to my roots. I want a lightweight, easy handling bike with distinctive styling, because sometimes talking to strangers about your bike is as much fun as riding your bike. I'm not in a hurry and I'm at an age where the social pressure to belong to one group or another no longer carrys any weight. I love the look of the Janus and I will be test driving one next week. If it meets my expectations I will own one and I will cruise the same back roads of a time gone by at a leisurely pace with thoughts of my old Cushman and of old friends, while enjoying the intoxicating smell of new mown hay and the breeze in my face. I don't think the price of admission will enter my mind. Ride On and Ride What "You" Like.
Well said 😎
I have a Halcyon 250. Yes the break in seems to change the bike a lot. Transmission becomes smooth and neutral easier to find. Yes I would not call their bikes luxury bikes. I would call them "Boutique" bikes. Having owned many many bikes including one that is 80 year old. My Halcyon does very much replicate much of the vintage ride and look of a lightweight vintage bike in a modern build. These bikes are clearly for a certain nice market. Their new 400's are selling very well. I am happy they are growing and doing well.
It's funny. I'm in the market for a first bike and am not afraid of something clunky with a learning curve. Your first video convinced me I'd be happy with a Janus. Then this followup. Thanks for these vids!
Hey, i'm glad the video had helped you in your purchase. There's a market for these bikes, it's incredibly niche but i know there are people who can appreciate them more than others. Take care.
Hey man! I have seen your part1 of Janus motorcycle review and felt it was very balanced and objective. I agreed with pretty all the points you had raised in that video. Thanks for putting it up! Keep up the good work
Thanks for honest review. The majority of the reviews seem to favor this bike.
Before making this video i did watch a few reviews on the bikes. Most were praising them, but at the same time i felt there was a disconnect or dishonesty in the videos. Almost like they were over justifying their purchase of the bike to make it seem better than it truly is. Rose tinted glasses is the perfect way to describe it.
Part of why i was so interested in these Janus bikes.
Those CG250 motors are indeed clunky for the first 500 miles and really don’t wake up and loosen up until after 1000 miles. I speak from experience as
I have a Hawk250 with 10,000 miles on that little CG motor. It just runs and is super reliable.
Great video
Thanks!
I have a Royal Enfield 500 classic. It is a lot of fun and cheap, but has serious limitations, mostly related to it's unbalanced 500 cc single. The 450 Janus is made with far more care and quality and the engine, also a single, is well balanced and smooth. The Janus costs more than twice what my Enfield cost... but the quality seems better and the styling is appealing... is that enough? Not sure... I am considering it.
I consider this a fair and objective review. Thanks
I think Janus is great motorcycle and your evaluation is honest and appreciated. Cheers!
Hey man! So glad you name dropped Royal Enfield in the second part of your review all their bikes namely continental GT 650, Interceptor 650, Meteor 350 and Himalayan are missing a Chinese motor. They’ve invested heavily in developing the engines R&D and stuff from grounds up along with acquiring Harris Performance to get the chassis on point for their twins.
It is a lot of bike that they offer at the price point of under $ 7k on road with a warranty and road side assist.
I live in the Pennine hills of West Yorkshire, these small capacity Janus motorcycles would struggle with our hills. I'm looking forward to Royal Enfield releasing their brand new KX 838 V-twin Bobber in 2022. The KX 838 produces 90 hp and it blends a mixture of old and new, R.E. are proud of their heritage with the KX 838 being based on the 1938 KX 1140.
I personally want one just for to and from work, a 5 min drive. I see as a "cruising thru town" it may fit that point. Personally the style is important to me, may it be pointless or not.
You got your wish! A 450, fuel injected, rear suspended Janus is on it's way. Has Brembos' too.
I hope it does well. 13k+ is far too rich for my blood but im very impressed otherwise.
@@FoxParasyte I cringed at the price too.
Just got a quote on the 450. 14k. Saddlebags the only option over 100$. Really expensive.
it will be interesting to see how these fair in the secondary/used market. that's the true test imho.
Given their semi-custom nature, I doubt we'll ever see many on the used market.
That was a good follow up . I would like to find a used one ....$3500-4200 is doable. They are a cool getting a loaf of bread up the street bike . Summer bike . I could live with outsourced parts that were non Amish if you could build it cheaper . Wish there were more retro companies .
Who should Janus be compared with? Cleveland Cycle Werks. They even use the same engines. The main difference? Amish stuff for the Janus, a bit of Styling, but suprisingly similar overall, minus the price. The Janus bikes go for $2k more. I'd like to see a head to head comparison between the Janus Halcyon vs the Cleveland Cycle Werks Tha Heist. Same motor, similar frames, but cool in different ways.
I’ve been seeing these more frequently around the Michiana area, mostly in Michigan City. I think they’re made in Elkhart? I do like the styling of Janus bikes.
They're based in Goshen Indiana. I've been seeing them a lot more too. I actually had a run in with a janus owner at a gas station near Valpo. He was a nice older guy. I was riding my vmax at the time and he told me how much he loved my bike but wanted something much more manageable for him since he has problems holding up heavier bikes. Something i never really considered at the time but makes total sense.
Once again , a very spot on review.
Thanks for posting this. I enjoy your take on this topic. I believe you are way off comparing a VanVan and Monkey to a Janus motorcycle. The Janus is in a league of its own. There's nothing like it on the market unless you want to find a 1910 to 1930 motorcycle and restore it. The draw IS the looks. That is the main selling point of these motorcycles.
No way they're only making 10 or 20%. Their profit margins are 135% at least.
Hello and thank you for your objective test of the Janus. As someone who has never wanted a motorcycle or entertained the idea of one it is good to get an unbiesed opinion. But that is the thing, Janus is appealing to a market that has been overlooked or neglected. And thus broading the motorcycle community. Harley's have there "club", Crotch rockets have there's also. Dirtbikes have no interest for me, and so-called retro bikes just dont cut it, they look the same and boring. Janus has gotten me to getting my class M license and learn to ride. I honestly dont want any other bike.
Looking back what a year later i can understand that point. At the time i had the mindset of "well retro is retro why does it matter what era it's emulating"
I still however find it utterly confusing as to the pricing structure of the Janus vs many other vintage/retro styled bikes. The motorcycle community like all communities have niche sub groups. Janus fits in with that niche crowd but yet at the same time i do worry that they may fall into that same fate like that other company did (cant think of their name) who made vintage styled bikes but they ended up going under because of various reasons.
Nice review, how does the leading link front end perform? Impressions? Thanks
Totally fine from my rides. Though I wasn't intentionally throwing myself into craters in the road lol.
I had no problems with it. Even with these crap Midwestern roads.
I believe by comparing Janus bikes to “other” bikes by price you missed what group the make’s founders intended. Sure you can get any number of machines having apparently much more for less but, the idea here is that these are big bikes to these guys. Remember, they’re fundamentally moped geeks. They really don’t want their bikes to be big. Their target market is for riders wanting little bikes. Plus (as moped geeks go) simplicity has an attractiveness all its own ergo, carburetors. If all we knew was efi, carburetors would be striking given that no electricity is required to make them work. Need to learn the starting drill ? Believe it or not, it’s no great inconvenience. Can you tell that I grew up with such prosaic tech ? Both my Sportster & Ural have carbs.
Also, think about this. Janus appear to have an excellent chassis, one which could likely stand a larger engine. Zongshen have a very nice liquid cooled 350 single with balancer which may just drop in and, even with a radiator, still fit the part especially if powering a Phoenix while providing a bit more zip.
I believe from my research Janus employ a Lifan’s version of Honda’s CG series. Both Lifan & Zongshen are among China’s largest motorcycle & component manufacturers. Lifan also builds industrial-use v-twins. The point is they both have part & product service support (unlike many use- and-throw-away-when-done Chinese brands).
Regarding your braking criticisms, I will go by what you experienced & hope Janus can specify better friction pads from their supplier. I’m also not keen on their fitment of Duro tires and would recommend Heidenaus instead. They have sizes to suit Janus.
It's entirely possible that i dislike carbs because i have a 88 vmax with 4 carbs. It's an absolute bitch to work on. I have never on any car or motorcycle had any issues with fuel injected systems. Dirty throttle bodies sure but cleaning them takes very little effort.
@@shane864 That isn't even a debate, i 100% agree that single or even double carbs are much better than the quad carbs... in terms of long term reliability.
How's the shifting?
I made a new video on their bikes last year. (this one your looking at is old)
Regardless, the shifting has never been a problem for me. The only.... weird thing, is that when you are in top gear and try to upshift for whatever mistake of a reason. The shifter moves up completely like a regular normal shift.
Never had a bike do that before, it's jarring but not really a negative.
I can tell you a Janus gryfinn with knobbies is way more fun than a monkey or vanvan on the dirt gravel. They are rad and have a carb and a full size human fits on them. I do like the TU250 engine but the Janus engine has the granny low super torquey first gear. It is also way lighter than a vanvan which is confidence inspiring in the trails. You make a lot of fair points in this video but I think you’re missing the point. Janus is not a cheap commuter bike it’s buying a literal modern classic. Not a mass produced royal Enfield with a shit frame and fake carburetors. It’s old school you work on it you design it it’s made in the USA. It’s a unique thing man. It’s not practical. It’s for old guys that have the money and want to buy something that feels mechanical and analog. It’s fun. It has a carb. It’s reliable. It’s supporting an American company.
This is a very very old video, I've since revisited the company and the bikes with a different perspective.
Hey, they are coming out with a halcyon 450 in June. Would you mind taking a look at that when it's out?
I just looked it up, man that price tag is killer $13,500. Its possible but with how busy ive been it probably wouldnt be anytime soon.
@@FoxParasyte dang, I didn't know it'd be that much.
@@UpperCumberlandGamers if anything i hope the brakes have been significantly improved.
@@FoxParasyte I hope this means something, as this is what's stated on their website.
Brembo front and rear calipers and master cylinders, with Spiegler braided stainless lines.
@@UpperCumberlandGamers then obviously they must of acknowledge the faults of the old brake system. That's a major upgrade.
They now offer a 450
they do, but that price tag is wild. i worry that with the economy declining on a steady pace they wont do well…
@@FoxParasyte I can't justify the price, and I'm still worried about the Chinesium engine...
@@unluckyeddy7966 I'm undecided about the engine. I have not done my research on the 450 but the 250 is woefully slow even by 250 standards. I imagine the same goes for the 450 but again idk for sure.
People claim it's reliable..... but without extensive long term testing it really doesn't hold any value. It's like when a new car comes out and someone talks about how reliable it is. Yet they've only had it for maybe 5k miles.
@@FoxParasyte and that's a problem for me, I'd use it as an everyday bike, I don't see the point of having a bike I only ride on the weekends, and thank you for the conversation
I foresee at Part 3 (Follow Up to the Follow Up Video) coming soon...
Nah no interest
I think it's a little to early in a new bike's life to be judging it by how it shifts, especially your case with your Kawasaki 300's early shifting stiffness. I can say without a doubt that with my 3 Chinese engined bikes, that their early miles were a bit "clunky" in their shifting, although I never failed to have them shift properly. Their clutches OTOH were a little stiff and reluctant to fully disengage in the first 100 miles. You are criticizing these bikes on a perceived transitional condition common to a lot of new bikes. Also, carbs... Carbs are fully dependant upon the owner to fettle to operational reliability. The problem with fuel injection is it yes much more expensive to fix she the fuel pump or the MAFS goes out. As long as gravity and Bernoulli's principles stay constant a carb will reliably meter gas and air to the engine, if tuned correctly.
I seen one in my small town I a parking lot and from across the way could tell it was a Clonda shining back at me. I had assumed it was a total china build. Walked closer to get a good look. First thing noticed was the cloned brakes and lights. The sheet metal looked nice , but nothing that couldn't be produced in china. Anyway assumed it was a $1,800 - $2,500 bike. Looked it up as was walking away. About fell down when I seen the $7,000 price tag.
You just don’t get it. Vanvan and Grom are styled after 60’s/70’s bikes. The Janus bikes look like they’re from the 20’s or 30’s. There’s literally nothing like them on the road. $7k is a nice chunk of change, but what does a vintage Vincent cost?
Never mentioned the grom.
Anyway its a comparism regardless of the age, both are considered vintage styling. The point I made is the bikes I compared the Janus to have more going for them outside of sheer looks.
Maybe im crazy but buying something because it looks cool or nostalgic is a pretty terrible reason in the long run.
Its just an opinion regardless.
@@FoxParasyte the honda monkey is a grom with some chrome bits put on for show.
I know it isn't comparable to Janus other than being a hardtail- butI really like Japanese influence bobbers. I like the Janus bikes except for the tank. Wish it were 'Frisco style- but that would take away from the 1930s look. Curious what you think of Japanese style Harley-Davidson bobbers @Foxxy ua-cam.com/video/DTPcysW7XqA/v-deo.html
They charge too much for the quality of them over they use on there by $200 engine on a $10,000 bike
They should have gone to Honda or another Japanese MF for their engine. Engine made in China, I won't have one.
I find it unbelievable that a well known Japanese MF would ever sell their engines to Janus. Even if they did the prices of the bikes would be at least another grand or 2 more.
@@FoxParasyte Unbelievable yes, did they ever ask, doubtful. I don't find them overly priced at all, quality isn't something that's free! That said, sorry, I just won't go Chinese.. I looked at the Suzuki VanVan, under 5K, just not real retro.
@@texasyankee1013 You most likely typed this on a product built in China
Again, fuel injection is absolute GARBAGE. As of right now, the only 250 I can think of that is even remotely comparable to the Janus is the Yamaha V-Star 250. And it is a V-twin. I have never owned one, but i have ridden one. Even at 6' 240, it is stretched out enough for me to ride in relative comfort. And it is made by the manufacturer of the most reliable motorcycles in the world. It is carbureted, but it still has that major drawback of tube type tires that WILL leave you stranded. I did once own a Honda Rebel 250, it has a jewel of an engine that dates back to the '70s, a carbureted air cooled parallel twin using the same basic technology as the 1969 Honda CB750. But it is a LOT more cramped than the V-Star, and not much fun for someone of my size to ride. But other than it's tube type tires, it's engine is utterly bulletproof. It can be run at full throttle for 100,000 miles before it wears out. Sadly they quit making it back in 2016 and replaced it with the biggest and ugliest GARBAGE I've ever seen. The 250 was a beautiful bike, the 300 and 500 "Rebels" are absolutely the ugliest motorcycles I've ever seen from any manufacturer ever. Add EFI, liquid cooling, and ABS to that and you have something that is ready to take to the landfill straight from the dealer.
One of my bikes IS a Royal Enfield. I bought it new. It is a 2013 B5 Bullet 500 single. And yes, it came with EFI. And barely ran. It was almost unrideable. But i knew that when I bought it. I had no intention of leaving the EFI on it. The EFI was a retrofit on a bike designed for a carburetor. I knew before I bought it that I would be trashing the EFI and replacing it with a carburetor. A place in the UK called Hitchcocks sold kits that allowed you to replace the crappy EFI with a 1960s design Amal Concentric Mk 1 carburetor, and that is exactly what I did. The bike immediately ran 10 times better. The rest of the bike was 1950s technology except for the front disc brake, which I am currently working on replacing with a drum. It's a beautiful bike, and I want it mechanically correct. Quality is not the best, but it is super easy to work on. The new 650 twins and the Himalayan are of much better but they mix the worst of both worlds. EFI and ABS, along with tube type tires. And unlike the Bullet, they cannot be converted to a carb.
As for a brand new old car for $30,000, I would absolutely buy it. Hell yes!!!. Have you looked at the prices of restored vintage cars lately? I own 2 vintage cars that run fine, but don't look that great. I restored them mechanically, but not cosmetically. One of them that came with an inline six cylinder engine under the hood and a three on the tree manual transmission now has a (carbureted) V8 under the hood and a four speed with a floor shift. Absolutely nothing modern about them whatsoever, and that is what makes them so much fun to own, drive, and tinker with.
By the way, Janus now has a 450cc bike. But it cost $13,500, has EFI, and still has tube type tires, so obviously I have no interest in it.
Can’t believe everyone crying over 7 grand. A new truck is about 70k and a nice dirtbike is 10k plus. 7000 ain’t shit. Hell.. a shit Coleman mini bike from rural king is about a grand lol.
It's not necessarily the 7k, It's more people questioning it's value vs the many other motorcycles (regardless of style) you can get for that same price. That and questioning it's value due to the company using a Chinese motor and transmission which are 2 key components that people do not like based off numerous comments on social media.
Just buy the $2,000 Enduro with the same engine , strip it , and build your own bike around it , have something totally unique.
You are wrong on so many levels. I am a Janus customer. I currently own seven bikes. Janus is currently building my next bike, a 450. My car cost me a lot more than I could have spent on any other transport appliance. It has zero safety features. It was first produced in 1948. The only real change to my 1987 model was an increase in engine size to 602cc. Air cooled opposed twin. It has similar performance to a Janus 250. I don’t care. In fact I enjoy it more because of its low performance. You are clearly a Yamaha fanboy and that’s fine. But my old Bolt had an unreadable speedometer unless the sun hit it just right. The Van Van is downright ugly and there’s no place on the planet where a V-Max makes sense.
Janus has now sold about 1200 bikes in ten years. That may not sound like much but how many Harley clone makers have survived into this decade? And if you think a Janus is overpriced for a hand built American motorcycle, have a look at what Keanu is selling. An S&S motor bike for $128,000.
You must of not seen my latest video on them. Or payed any attention to my pinned comment before commenting yoursef.
Also
If I was a Yamaha fan boy I would own nothing but Yamaha.
I have 4 bikes atm and only 1 is a Yamaha which I take out far less than my other bikes
Cool bike but I wouldnt buy a Chinese engine