Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1078866
VOL. 56 ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 5, 2019 P87 First things first: These bikes are small. If you're under 5'8", you should fit on them pretty well, like Josh Herrin does. If not, you're going to find them cramped. A degree of decent flexibility certainly helps. Once you get over the diminutive stature of the Ohvale (remember, adults ride these bikes as much as kids), the GP-0 190 is nothing short of a track weapon. The 25 horsepower on tap feels at least twice that when you're so close to the ground, and often the 190 would wheelie out of the second gear corner onto the back straight with my 190 lb frame on board! There's an excellent spread of power on tap, although the gearing we had for Apex was way off so I didn't get to really explore the final quarter of the rev range down the back straight. This engine absolutely hammers for some- thing so small, but the most impressive part of the Ohvale is how it teaches the rider to take corners. My biggest issue in cornering (always has been) is turning in too early. It comes from braking too early and not carrying enough roll speed through the turn, trusting the tire to turn later than I would normally be capable of. With a 53 percent front weight bias, the Ohvale punishes such behavior. If you turn too early, you will go off onto the inside of the track. This is no exaggeration. I did it. You need to turn and apex late, which makes next the straight longer and gives you better drive. Turn too early on a big bike, and you'll run way wide and ruin your drive. Do it on the Ohvale and you'll literally run off the track. There's a huge amount of chassis stiffness to aid this, and the Ohvale reminds me of the factory Aprilia RSW250 of Alex Debon's I rode a decade ago in how lightning fast it takes corners. The brakes are incredibly powerful, and you don't need more than one finger to haul up from pretty serious speed. There's also ample feel at the lever, so young riders will start to learn the intricacies of brake feel while leaned over without even realizing it. The Ohvale GP-0 190 is certainly not cheap, but it's the kind of motorcycle that will serve a junior rider well for a long time and is positively light years ahead of something like the CRF150 pit bike that's currently raced around the country in mini bike races. The build quality is excellent, and the ride is like nothing I've ever experienced before. It's such a little rocket. niors (and seniors) have been craving for a generation. "I had been following Oh- vale's progress in the mini- racing scene in Europe for quite some time," says Cretu. "I knew they didn't have any USA presence and just was intrigued by the brand. In May of 2018, I had to go to Europe for a race, so I contacted them to see if I could get a meeting with them, see the factory, and just learn more about their product and vision. We really hit it off and I secured the deal to bring the bikes to the USA." Within four months of that meeting, Cretu had 11 bikes in the U.S. with six sold days af- ter making the announcement that Rise Moto would bring Ohvales here. Since then, over 70 bikes have found new homes, and the list just keeps getting larger for customers wanting their own Ohvale. "The response has been overwhelming," says Cretu who is busy ensuring his parts inventory can keep up with (Above) Four-piston monoblocs on a bike that weighs 145 pounds. That's pretty trick. (Left) Full adjustment at the shock, but you can upgrade to an Ohlins if you so desire.