Thought's/Opinions on KR150's PLEASE!

[Str8 Jacket]

Been having a look around for a new bike to replace the one I wrote off. Have had a look at a few, but today saw a KR150 2001 in a shop and actually really like the look of it. The salesman has said they will take $2000 cash for it, which seems like a good deal. The bike has done 20,000 k's and will come with a three month rego and warrant . . . The bike itself is in good condition and IMO is a nice looking bike. The only thing is I don't know anything about them and wondered if you guy's could maybe tell me if this is a good deal or not, or should I stay away from it?

[Sniper]

Have a look through http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/search.php?searchid=539772 there are some good threads there

[Hailwood]

friend of mine had one that he used to race.I raced RG150..that KR was damned quick but had a problem with the pipe catching on hard right hand corners..apart from that it was quick...they are good bikes that like to be ridden

[Str8 Jacket]

friend of mine had one that he used to race.I raced RG150..that KR was damned quick but had a problem with the pipe catching on hard right hand corners..apart from that it was quick...they are good bikes that like to be ridden

Yea I really like the look of it. Just waiting to hear back from the insurance company then im gonna take it for a test ride, if that goes well ten I think she'll be my next victim . . . :wait:

[Stroker Girl]

Hey Str8 Jacket, I had a 95 KR150 as my first bike, owned it for about 1.5 years. Here's a list of my perceived good & bad points:

Good
* Very light (can easily be picked up)
* Nimble, great for hooning around tight twisties and nipping at the big bikes heels! Good for around town too.
* Teaches you a lot about being in the right gear and revs.
* Pretty economical on gas (when I had it I think it use to fill up on $9)
* Looks and goes pretty good for a 150cc
* Sounds greeaaat (Niinng, ning ning)
* Castrol smelling smoke trails...

Bad

* Very light (can be a bit flighty in the wind as I found out on the Hauraki plains riding to Paeroa!) Probably not the best bike for touring on.
* Need to buy the oil for the petrol mix and keep it topped up regularly.
* Servicing, i.e rings, oil I think needs to be every 4000?kms (check with the experts on this site). I had mine serviced when I got it and had the reed valves changed.
* Don't seem to be any manuals for them.
* Can bog down a bit if you don't keep the revs up, i.e you need to plan your overtaking moves well.
* Need to wait a few minutes in the morning for it to warm up.

All said in done, I reckon they are a great little bike and heaps of fun. I still miss mine. Racy Rider on this site races KR150's. He would be a good person to PM about them.

I sold mine for $1500, and I think it had 15,000kms on it, so your one doesnt seem to be that bad a deal. Might pay to get someone in the 2stroke no to check it out first as some can have dodgy engines. Hope it works out for you.

[James Deuce]

20,000kms for a two stroke is time for new pistons, rings, and a de-coke. Ask if it's been done. If not and you can do it yourself, take $300 off. IF you pay a workshop, take a $1000 off the price.

You HAVE to , and I mean HAVE to use a good quality 2 stroke oil if you want it to last, so the price per litre of petrol will be more expensive than what you pay at the pumps by about 5c per litre. I'm assuming KR150s have 2 stroke oil injection and a resevoir, and aren't premix.

2 strokes are great fun, but they need to be looked after and treated right. They need to be thrashed, and constant throttle for long periods of time can promote seizure, but I have to say in 40,000kms of riding an RG250 (parallel twin) and an RG400 (square 4) I never had a problem, though I was anal about servicing, tuning, and maintenance. Bit more expensive to look after than a four stroke - if you are as anal as I was.

[Ixion]

Go for it. Two smokers is good * wants another two smoker *

Ringa dinga dinga - nothing like it.

just one thing -

COVER THE CLUTCH COVER THE CLUTCH COVER THE CLUTCH

Seriously, you've had enough experience now with the GN. A two smoker will give you a whole new look at motorcycling (ie the hooning one!)

Oh - did I mention - COVER THE CLUTCH

[LB]

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I think Ixion is suggesting that you cover the clutch (yeah, I may be wrong, it was very subtle....!!)

What he's meaning is that two-strokes can have a predisposition to seizing the engine. If you ride with your fingers over the clutch, you are ready to pull it in the minute the engine starts to nip up, thus avoiding possibly falling off.

Ixion: is my theory correct?
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[clint640]

Yup, KR's are good, also a lot cheaper to service than an RG150.

I have a mechanic mate who raced one with some success & knows them inside out, I can ask him if you have any specific tech questions.

Cheers
Clint

[Str8 Jacket]

I sold mine for $1500, and I think it had 15,000kms on it, so your one doesnt seem to be that bad a deal. Might pay to get someone in the 2stroke no to check it out first as some can have dodgy engines. Hope it works out for you.

Thanks heaps for the info Stroker Girl. My mate is going to pick his bike up from the shop today so he is gonna have a look over it today and maybe take it for a ride.


20,000kms for a two stroke is time for new pistons, rings, and a de-coke. Ask if it's been done. If not and you can do it yourself, take $300 off. IF you pay a workshop, take a $1000 off the price.

Thanks for that Jim, to be honest I wouldn't have thought about any of this stuff - duh! And forgive me but what exactly is a "de-coke" Im kinda thinking its about cleaning out the muffler or port inlets or both? How is this done, obviously they cant undo the muffler etc? (I maybe wrong)


Oh - did I mention - COVER THE CLUTCH

Sweet, should have that covered. Covering the clutch is like second nature to me, thankyou Andrew Templeton (roadsafe)

Kewl, well im gonna (hopefully) take it for a test ride today or tomorrow. I really liked the look and feel of this bike and if all goes well on the test ride I think I may actually buy it! The only thing im a wee bit paranoid of is dropping/crashing/binning the bike while test riding it, especially since it would be my first ride since the crash. can anyone tell me what happens if anything like this happens?

[James Deuce]

Thanks for that Jim, to be honest I wouldn't have thought about any of this stuff - duh! And forgive me but what exactly is a "de-coke" Im kinda thinking its about cleaning out the muffler or port inlets or both? How is this done, obviously they cant undo the muffler etc? (I maybe wrong)



Two strokes are really efficient when they are "on song" or in the "powerband". Most riding is done in a less efficient rev band, so carbon and unburnt fuel and oil can build up in the exhaust and though this is less likely the crankcases. Needs a clean out to keep gases flowing properly. WMCC used to pop the expansion chambers off and gently heat them with an oxy-acetalene rig, and an ice cream container's worth of crud would ooze out one end. both RGs were much crisper after that was done.

[Ixion]

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I think Ixion is suggesting that you cover the clutch (yeah, I may be wrong, it was very subtle....!!)

What he's meaning is that two-strokes can have a predisposition to seizing the engine. If you ride with your fingers over the clutch, you are ready to pull it in the minute the engine starts to nip up, thus avoiding possibly falling off.

Ixion: is my theory correct?
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Yes. Two smokers is good, but having the engine lock up solid just as you open up to pull out of a fast corner is ... interesting. Having a hand lurking over the clutch saves that vital second or so. BTW, in my experience, unlike 4 strokes, mostly a two stroke won't give ANY warning that it's about to lock up. Having said that, bear in mind that it is still jolly rare, and lots of people ride two smokers for years without any problems.

Also, may sound obvious, but remember that twos strokes deliberately burn oil as well as petrol. So the oil level in the little tank WILL go down, and can do so surpirsing fast. Good idea to make every petrol stop a gas AND oil stop.

[Potzman]

Yeah brought a 2003 kr150 couple of months ago as a first bike, been lots of fun and only now after trying a few of the performance 250's ( gsxr, fzr) I have found they are so much more difficult to ride slowely round town.
Have done a couple of trips on the open roads down to taurange on the 150 and found it to be a bit uncomfortable and lacking in power for higher speed.

All in all the 150 is a great package to learn on and for around town but for doing more open road riding a bigger 250 or four stroke might be more comfortable.