Finally took the XT off road

[Wolf]

Well, the weather here this weekend was awesome.

So much so that yesterday (Saturday) we took the bike down to the local off road track - nothing serious, just an oval track in a paddock with a big pile of dirt in the middle. The track is churned-up mud (fairly firm mud, not liquid) with a few small bumps - not a great challenge by any means.

So, off I go - slowly as I don't know the track and I've never taken the XT off-road before.

First thing I'll say is that Carver was right - the MT90's are utter shit on mud.

The next thing I'll say is that I was utter shit as well. It has been over twenty years since I last mucked about off-road - on my old TS125 with semi-knobbly tyres on packed dry dirt and a bit of gravel - so I found the track too much for me.

The back of the bike was slipping from side to side in the soft earth and I found it difficult going. I cornered like a squid and tried opening it up on the straight in the hopes that a bit of speed might stabilise it but only made it worse.

I managed to keep it upright and came to a halt and then cut back across the field on the dry grass-covered area - which, although it was rutted and overgrown, was firm and easier going than the track.

I think I need a lot more practise off road and some decent knobblies before I try that track again.

To cap it all off, I was heading back to the gate to leave with my three-year-old on the tank so I was taking it slow and the front wheel hit a rut and I dropped the bike. Three-year-old unharmed but a bit freaked out. Bike likewise undamaged.

Deciding that the track was not a good place for strayjuliet to practise riding, we headed out of town to Ngaruawahia to borrow her father's back yard so I finally got to try out the XT225 on the open road.

We spent a bit of time riding around on the dad-in-law's "lawn", flattening out the grass and finding where all the holes and ruts were. Strayjuliet took the bike for a practise ride around the lawn a few times.

I took the boys for a couple of rides around the yard - the three-year-old is a die-hard biker and insisted on having his turn, not put off by the earlier fall - then put Nessie (4 months old) in the kiddy-carry (front pack) and took her for her first ever motorbike ride. She seemed to enjoy it.



It ran well, hit and maintained 100km/h with no problem and still had a bit of movement left in the throttle. It handled well on the open road and took the corners on River Road with no problems.

Coming home we took a winding path through the streets that enabled me to flick it around the sharp corners - it's so nice to have a bike that actually manoeuvres...

... quite a change from the LS400 "Savage".

I've now racked up around 170km on the bike since I got it - most of that commuting quietly to and from work - it was really good to finally have a day with decent weather to go out and ride it just for the sheer fun of it.

Had to go out and about again today so I took the bike and had fun blatting around town, deliberately taking the more interesting streets with the most corners - on the way home I actually went out of my way to get to a tight S-bend so I could have fun flicking the bike from side to side.

[far queue]

Well done keep it up, you'll be out adventuring in the back country in no time.

[Wolf]

Well done keep it up, you'll be out adventuring in the back country in no time.

Providing there's no mud or clay

[Edit] Where's a "chicken shit" smiley when you need one...

[merv]

Yeah great bikes and you will find it more and more fun as you get experienced with it. Here's Mrs merv on her 2006 - they call them XT250's now but they are still the 225. She doesn't do hard out dirt on hers but does dirt roads as you can see in the pic. Anyone recognise where?

[Wolf]

they call them XT250's now but they are still the 225.

When I got it registered the LTSA listed it as an XT250R even though it has a 223cc engine - they've obviously never heard of Yamaha's designation for it and rounded it up to the nearest common engine rating.

I'm certainly enjoying the way it handles on the road and it was great blatting across the uneven but firm terrain (I wasn't game to try taking it up the over-grown pile of dirt in the middle of the paddock, though.)

[inlinefour]

Hey Wolf, if your ever down these ways on my days off I have a good ride through the back roads of Taranaki, ending out in Wangamomina(sp). I started off with some great knobbies on the DRZ and replaced the rear with a more road orientated tyre. I found the bike was more fun with the knobby as it slid nicely on the road and stuck to the muck much better offroad. Once I can afford it I think I'll be replacing the rear with another knobby, despite the fact that it never seams to last very long. Good to hear your having a ball on your TT. I had the TT350f, before someone decided they wanted it more than what I did.

[Lias]

Where's a "chicken shit" smiley when you need one...

We need a derogatory term like "fairweather rider" for you that relates to your off-road usage :-)

[Wolf]

We need a derogatory term like "fairweather rider" for you that relates to your off-road usage :-)

I think the word you're looking for is "wannabe".

Gotta get practised up or I'll be no different from all those lamers in Remers with their 4x4s that haven't even been parked on their elegantly cultured lawns, let alone really taken off-road.

[SDU]

Yay! so you got to play in the dirt.
Sounds like you're loving the flickability off the bike. With some good DOT dirt tyres you'll be able to slide around those corners and on the dirt you'll be away laughing.
Glad it went well for you on the open road.

[SDU]

Yeah great bikes and you will find it more and more fun as you get experienced with it. Here's Mrs merv on her 2006 - they call them XT250's now but they are still the 225. She doesn't do hard out dirt on hers but does dirt roads as you can see in the pic. Anyone recognise where?

Hey nice pic off Mrs Merv, Merv.

Reminds Wolf have you got those pics off your bike yet / have I missed that post?

[Wolf]

Reminds Wolf have you got those pics off your bike yet / have I missed that post?

Nope, I've still been remiss. I'll be uploading them to my web site once I take them.

Tried looking at your Serow pic on the xt225 but the link doesn't work. Pity, because I wanted to see if there were any similarities with my bike that might suggest factory-made variations for the NZ market - there are a fair few differences between my machine and those in the US.

[SDU]

Didn't realise some off the pics were gone, here's an older pic (It still had most off its stickers) of my 1993 Serow225.
It is a Jap import & different to the NZ & US models. It has a rear disc & adjustable shock - dampening & rebound from factory. The usual mods were done: Barkbusters, Protapers, carb mods, cut front fender(since pic).
for your pic.

[Wolf]

Looks good, SDU. Would love a rear disc brake. If I managed to make the requisite modifications, I'd have to get the bike recomplianced, which would add to the cost.

[sels1]

Good stuff Wolf, fun isnt it? There are times I regret selling my old XT400. I am considering (or is that trying to justify the $?) getting another trailbike around that size - something the friends and family can have a go on as well as a toy/runabout for me.

[merv]

As for the name it is Yamaha that's calling them XT250 http://www.yamaha-motor.co.nz/motor/...4&modelcatid=3

Land Transport NZ just registers them as what the importer says. Ours is called XT250V being a later model than the R I guess.