To continue our GPX dirt bike review series out at Radersburg, Montana, we had the opportunity to ride the small but mighty GPX FSE 190R. While we have referred to the power of many of the other GPX bikes as “tame”, this little 190R is anything but that. This is a fast, fun pit bike for someone with the need for speed. This will be the fastest pitter at the races for an adult, or truthfully a really fun, fast and reliable bike for a kid of the appropriate size.
The FSE 190R is offered in 3 different wheel sizes: 12″/14″, 14″/17″ and a fat tire combo. We rode the 14″/17″ combo for our test day and loved pretty much everything about it. This 190cc 4-valve 4 stroke motor packs a lot of punch into a little package. The bike is a 5 speed manual and it barks like a modern 450. Seriously, this bike sounds mean. The suspension is adjustable, brakes are strong, and overall componentry is top-notch. While some seem to be skeptical of Chinese dirt bikes, this bike oozes a level of quality that might surprise you. It isn’t the cheapest pit bike on the market, and rightfully so – it’s too good to be cheap.
We really only experienced one issue with the bike during our action packed day of testing, and that was the kick starter accidentally getting pushed backwards and engaging while riding. It becomes obvious when that happens, as you can hear the starter motor whirring about next to your foot. The kick starter is just in a less-than-ideal location and is easily hit by accident. The bike does have electric start as well, so truthfully we would recommend just removing the kick starter all together. Problem solved. With a 1 gallon fuel tank you’re not going to get too far from the truck anyway, so getting stranded in the middle of nowhere without a kick starter is a concern you probably don’t need to worry too much about.
The clutch is smooth and the bike is torquey. It is incredible easy to clutch the front wheel up on this bike in pretty much any gear; its power to weight ratio is truly impressive. We’ve strived to keep these GPX reviews open and honest, and we’re honest when we say this 190 might be our favorite GPX yet. If you have an open slot in your shop, this might just be the bike to fill it.
Oh – did we mention that we’re raffling off one of the fat tire versions of this bike? We’re hosting a customer appreciation day on June 11th. Full details can be found here!
