[ChopperCharles]

Technically, it's designed by Italians, in Italy, in cooperation with Italjet. Then built by the Chinese and sold in many countries. In some it's sold as an Italjet. In the US, it's sold as an SSR Buccaneer 250i (standard version) or 250C (Cafe). I got the cafe version!

I've been hankering for a small bike lately. I miss my (stolen) TW200, and this was loitering around the dealership as a left-over 2017, and deeply discounted. I paid $3203 out the door! For a brand new motorcycle!

It's got a Lifan clone of the Virago 250 motor, and this little thing runs great! I'm still in the break-in period, obviously, but I'm having a total blast on it. It's a lot different from the SCR. It's just a hair shorter at 31" seat height, but it has miles more ground clearance and cornering clearance. It does come with similar 80/20 dual sport tires, a headlight guard, a skid plate, and adventure pegs with removable rubber inserts all stock. It's a fun little around-town bike, and I'm having a blast on it.

Also... the stock seat is comfortable for 2 hours in the saddle without getting the squirms.

I'm happy!

Charles.

 

[[email protected]]

Good looking bike, Charles! Keep us updated on the pros and cons. Jevers

 

[eddie]

That's a neat little bike, Charles!
EFI, 18h.p, 283lbs and a 4.5 gallon tank?
You could grow a beard between fill-ups, dude!
I like the details such as the clever built in swingarm spools for a pit stand.

 

[jobirobi]

Wow, that's a beaut. It looks like it could be the SCR's cafe'd Italian cousin.

 

[ChopperCharles]

Actually, the online specs are wrong about the tank size. It's a 3.43 gallon tank. The carbed bikes sold abroad had the 4.5 gallon tank, but the airbox and fuel injection stuff takes up a significant chunk of the under-tank rel-estate, resulting in a smaller tank for fuel-injected markets. Likewise, the specs list the ignition as CDI, when it's ECU now. SSR hasn't been good about updating that stuff. The horsepower and weight seem about right though. It's got more beans than my TW200 ever did. Top speed is supposed to be 83 indicated... so probably 75 when you account for speedometer error.

My plan is to break it in, and then start experimenting with a fuel controller and gutting the catalytic converter, to see if I can make some more power. After the warranty period is over, I'd even consider the 313cc big bore kit. I'm enjoying having a little "vintage" bike that is just completely rideable and doesn't need constant, endless fixing.


Charles.

 

[ChopperCharles]

Yeah, the spools are a nice touch. The bike is full of nice touches. Metal sidecovers, removable numberplates, the really nice adventure pegs, headlight guard, LED signals and taillight, quick-release seat (ignition key opens it), spools, two seat options (I've ordered a flat seat. Stock seat is $101 from the dealer. Try that for a Yamaha!), a reasonably-sized under-seat storage area, wave rotors, 4-piston caliper, braided stainless brake lines, a flyscreen, a stainless exhaust system, skid plate, bar ends and more.

I mean, honestly, the stock exhaust looks and sounds better than any OEM muffer I've seen on a modern bike. The flyscreen, adventure pegs, skid plate, headlight guard, stainless exhaust system, and bar ends all cost money for the SCR950.

That said, there's currently no aftermarket. So there are no luggage racks, saddlebag mounts, crash bars, or anything like that yet.

Charles.

 

[Dread]

Cool, neat bike!

 

[Rokrover]

Sweet, love the red frame. This should complement your SCR nicely and be much easier to flick around corners. Enjoy!

 

[SCRBen]

Me is thinking they looked towards Mandello Del Lario for their inspiration - look at the similarity between the side panels!

Bet it’s good fun though.
Ben

 

[Schu]

Man, that little dude has sparked everyone's attention.
It's one of those bikes that makes you look a little longer than you intended to.

 

[ChopperCharles]

So yeah... I'm at 12k miles on this bike now. I actually found that while it's a cafe style... the ground clearance and suspension travel and stock skid plate and tall handlebars and upright seating position made it really fun on gravel roads. So... I un-did the cafe look. I swapped out the 15" rear and 17" front rims and put on a 17" rear rim and 19" front. Some hand guards, a custom seat (I did all the foam and made the cover), gearing changes, a new exhaust, and this is what I ended up with.

As you can see, I've even done a little touring on it. First pic has Kenda big blocks, second and third are running Conti Escapes.

Charles.

 

[ChopperCharles]

I put 10k miles on this Buccaneer with only minor issues. The LED turn signals liked to vibrate themselves to death at the beginning. All were replaced under warranty. Eventually they redesigned them and now I've been running the same four signals for 7000 miles or so. But I did have one major issue. If you look at the first pic above, look behind the "20" number plate. Then look at the next photo and look at the same area. That aftermarket luggage rack was not a good idea. The passenger section of the frame has no support underneath it, and the frame broke about 3 months out of warranty. The frame was redesigned in 2018 for all markets (Southeast asia, europe, uk, and china) to add those support bars, but SSR only imported the first model year - 2017. Apparently a lot of them because they're still selling those 2017s. That tiny brown tailbag is all I ever had on the luggage rack, and even then it only ever held sunglasses, earplugs and gloves most of the time. The heaviest I ever carried in it was a 6-pack of beer. Well.... even though I was out of warranty SSR replaced my frame completely on their dime. I've got the new style frame with the support bars, and now I can actually carry real weight on the luggage rack. It took several months to wait on the frame, and then on the dealer to have time to do a complete frame-off, but they did it and I didn't have to pay a cent. So I'm greatly impressed with SSR. They earned my repeat business.

Also, i've really been flogging this thing. The rev limiter kicks in at 9000 rpm, and I've geared it down so it does 81mph right before the rev limiter kicks in. And then I've been riding it on the interstate at 70-75mph, very close to max revs, for hours and hours on end. I love this thing. It cost me $3200 brand new and it's just a blast to ride.

Charles.