GOMOTO Specifications

I include the GOMOTO specifications here as they are in the accompanying manual. These include the specs from the 150cc, 200cc and 250cc bikes. Some can certainly be regarded as conservative e.g. max .speed equal or larger than 80 km/h. The GOMOTO XACT 200 cc can certainly go much faster, I have not opened the throttle full yet, but battled to keep it below 80km/h on the open road. Hill climbing ability for the 200cc also exceeds 18 deg by far. Three different sized bikes all weigh 120 kg each ?

Mode	150cc/200cc/250cc	Mode	150cc	200cc	250cc
Overall length	2060mm	Cylinder bore and stroke	62.0 x 49.5mm	63.5 x 62.2	69 x 62.2
Overall width	730mm	Compression ratio	9.0 : 1	9.0 : 1	9.0 : 1
Overall height	1180mm	Output, max	8.0kW  at 9000r/min	10.0kW  at 7500r/min	13.0kW  at 7500r/min
Wheelbase	1380mm	Torque,max	10.0N. m  7500r/m	14.0N. m  6500r/m	18.6N. m  6000r/m
Dry Weight	120 kg	Idling speed	1500r/m	1500r/m	1400r/m
Max. load	150kg (Including driver)	Displacement of cylinder	145ml	196.9ml	232.5ml
Front wheel	3.00 - 18	Spark plug	D8TC
Rear Wheel	110/90 - 16	Spark plug gap	06-0.7mm
Speed Max	> = 80 km/h	Cap of air Valve Intake valve	0.05mm
Braking distance	<= 7m (30km/h)	Cap of air Valve Exhaused valve	0.08mm
Climbability	>=18 deg

I found this additional and occasionally conflicting data for the GOMOTO XACT 200 cc from http://www.jonway.co.za/tech.php?id=25

Type	4-Stroke Balance Shaft Air-cooled
Fuel Consumption	2.8liters/100km at 70km/h
Max Power	12Kw
Max Torque	13.8N.m
Cruising Speed	70-85km/h
Max Speed	110km/h
Clutch Type	Manual
Transmission	5-Speed 1 N 2 3 4 5
Starting System	Electric/Kick
Brakes	Front- disc/ Rear- Disc
Tyre Size	Front-2.75-21 Rear-4.1-18
L x W x H	2110x830x1170mm
Seat Height	860mm
Wheelbase	1350mm
Dry Weight	114kg
Tank Capacity	10 liters
Max Rider Weight	150kg
Legal Requirements	A-18yrs learners license
Application	Town commuting /Highway permitted at Cruising Speed Smooth Gravel and Tar roads
Warrantee	2 Year / 10 000km limited SAM warrantee
Run-in Service	300km/1 month
Service Intervals	2000km/6 months

Riding the GOMOTO

Up until recently I used an old 1981 two stroke Suzuki 185 cc scrambler for field explorations. I had lots of fun and exciting experiences with the latter - especially not ever knowing whether it was going to start or not. Alas time has run out for the old guy - being too unpredictable. I'll keep it however for driving around on the farm, but think 4-stroke is the way to go.


I started the GOMOTO XACT 200 cc. at the dealer with the button and what joy - vroom immediately . Alright, so I did stall it twice when trying to pull away, but it was cold and I had to get used to the slightly different feel of the accelerator and clutch. Then off I went.

The choke has two settings. You choke  it full when starting , as soon as it purrs, you put it on half setting for 500 m or so and then you release it completely.The choke is quite deep underneath the gas tank and it is not so easy to find while driving. Will just have to get used to that.

The dealer was right, the little machine handled like a dream, so steady and responsive. It was difficult to judge the power compared to my old Suzuki - I think they are about equal - except for the Suzuki having the tendency to lose power with too much acceleration, probably due to carburetor flooding.

The lever positions of the 5-speed gearbox are the same as those of my old Suzuki, First gear is down and then follow neutral and the other gear positions as you move the lever upwards.

Town driving was great ! No need to continually ref at the robots to keep the engine alive - certainly a great improvement on on some of the old 2 strokes. It pulls away with lots of gusto leaving the traffic behind . I mentioned the steadiness, but really have to emphasize this. There are no vibrations (on my bike at least) whatsoever. Something that urges you to go faster. I have not tried it over 80 km/h, but certainly up to 80 km/h there are no problems.

As you push the indicator button there is a peeping noise alerting traffic and pedestrians.Also for reminding you to turn the switch off again after the turn. Both indicator lights  flash when you put on the brakes.

After some town driving it was time to test it out on the very stony hillsides on the outskirts of town.


I had chosen a bad spot to go into the veld - a narrow track with some uncomfortable twists and humps. I had to drive slowly with erratic acceleration and stalled it twice again - no fault of the bike. I just had to get used to it - the controls of the GOMOTO are slightly more responsive I think.  I few tracks and dongas and then I went up the stony road on to the Grootkop Nature Reserve.  I had to negotiate my way passed some big stones on the way  to avoid crashing. It handled well despite the slippery  path littered with lose stones.  I had not been on the Suzuki or any other bike for that matter for over a year and it was not so easy to compare from memory, but do think the GOMOTO is a bit heavier.

On top of Grootkop with a view of Oudtshoorn below.


After enjoying the view on top of the hill I spend some time on field explorations.  I have been on this hillside many times years before, but my interest was limited then to certain kinds of plants which did not include bulbs. I now have a keen interest in bulbous plants as well and all old areas become a new haven for discoveries once again.

I had to do many stops to examine little pockets of pebbly areas and every time I climbed back onto the bike it would restart immediately when I pushed the starter.


It  was quite a cool middle autumn day and since wearing only a thin track suit I decided to head back to the farm half an hour before sunset.

After I hit the open road I put on some speed and was comfortably cruising at 80 km an hour. I noted that the bike easily rides about 70 km/h  in fourth gear before I need to change over to fifth. I often forget to change from fourth to fifth on the open road. Perhaps it is even better to stay in fourth at a speed of 70 -75 km/h.

The bike is as steady as a car on the open road at 80 km/h - almost scary so as I prefer never to feel too comfortable on a bike - what if a hare or a buck suddenly decides to cross the road in front of me ?
All the time I had to force myself to slow down to 70 km/h to be able to handle emergencies better, but every part of me wanted to go faster.  It rides like a dream and so far I am exceedingly happy with my purchase.


It handles uphills well, but it is off course a 200cc 4-stroke engine so not too much can be expected.Uphills force me to change rather quickly back from fifth to fourth. Not that this is annoying in anyway as the bike rides just fine in fourth.

As the sun set I got entertained by series of alternative layers of cold air and hot air blazing through my tracksuit. These seemingly do not have any connection to the surrounding  topography except whenever you dip down to cross a bridge over a river - then it is bloody cold. I shall need to invest in a windproof suit.

I arrived at the farm just before it was pitch-dark, and put the bike in the shed. I had a few days ahead to deal with commitments on the farm, but was already planning a trip to the Calitzdorp area to collect seed and  take some photographs.

Purchasing the GOMOTO

After having seen the bike at a shop in George the GOMOTO XACT 200 cc seemed like the ideal motorcycle for town driving and field explorations. Not too large and difficult to handle on small stony field roads, but with enough power to do some steep climbs onto hill tops.

I went to Jay-Jay Bikes, the GOMOTO agents in Oudtshoorn (Tel: 044 272 0610), and spend some time looking at the two GOMOTOS they had in stock as well as some rather sporty looking Big Boy bikes. It was actually a difficult choice, but since the GOMOTO had a slightly lower rear mudguard, well designed for a top case, as well as  the price - "On Special"  for R 11,500,  I decided to settle for the GOMOTO XACT 200 cc.


The dealer needed a day to get the licensing and servicing done, I had the top case put on, anti-leak gel, and off course a helmet since my old one is totally worn out on the inside.


I went to fetch the bike when it was ready and the dealer told me with much excitement that he just took it for a test drive and found it exceptionally easy to handle in town.Something I was later to experience myself.

Together with the accessories and licensing the total came to R 13,300.00. This is notably cheaper than the  Big Boy bike of similar size.

I have been trying to get reviews for this motorcycle, but data is scanty, although the bit that exist is positive. People I spoke to also seem to confirm that the new range of GOMOTO's are good bikes.

The first service is after only 300 km  and it needs to be serviced every 2000 km after that. If you do not comply with the service record you lose the warranty. Every service at this dealer costs R 400.

The warranty is as set out in the SAM (South African Motorcycles) booklet that you receive with the purchase. The engine has a 24 month guarantee and other parts ranging from 6 months to one month - also depending on whether the bike gets used on-road or off-road.

A booklet of Operational Instructions reads well but was obviously not written by somebody in fair command of the English language - a common occurrence when purchasing products from some eastern countries.

I had a choice between an orange or a blue bike. I chose the orange one so it would be more visible to other traffic.

It is too early to tell if this motorcycle will live up to my expectations but I do like the looks of it, the narrow seat sits well and all the controls except for the choke are within easy reach.