Yamaha FZX 250 Zeal Opinions

[SwanTiger]

I'm hoping there are a few current or prior Yamaha FZX 250 Zeal owners who can give me their honest opinion of this bike. They appear to be reasonably powerful with an agreed top end speed of around 150kmp/h from what I've read so far.

I've got several specific questions, but a general overview from someone would be highly apreciated.

Friends needs a decent bike.


Top speed on a flat straight
Top pulling speed
General Maintenance
Common problems
Availability and Cost of Parts
General Feel and Performance


Cheers.

[Ixion]

Is there not a famous Zeal that has been handed down from KBer to KBer ? I believe Mr Hitcher had it - then Mr JRandom, as was, then someone else?

[erik]

Is there not a famous Zeal that has been handed down from KBer to KBer ? I believe Mr Hitcher had it - then Mr JRandom, as was, then someone else?
I think that one went from Hitcher to Blakamin to JRandom to Joni and now belongs to someone else.


My Zeal was the first bike I owned. I kept it for 2 years from about 50,000km to 80,000km. Just sold it at the beginning of this year after I got my full licence.


Top speed on a flat straight

150 if you're really lucky. The quoted top speed is 140 and I think that's a more honest figure.




Top pulling speed

110 ish maybe? I can't remember too well and it's difficult to define.



General Maintenance

the usual stuff.
Has under-bucket shims for the valves so the clearances don't need to be checked as often as on a bike with tappets and screw adjusters (at least the recommended interval was longer than for my Bandit).
Only problem is you need new shims to change the clearances (mechanics will have their own collection. If you're doing the shims youself, maybe a mechanic will swap some of theirs with your old ones for a price, or you can get new well-priced ones from www.precisionshims.com.au )

I don't think you'll find a workshop manual for a Zeal (but the FZR400 one is similar in many respects)



Common problems

Not sure if all Zeals have this problem, but on my one the front fork springs were waay too soft. You could try just replacing the spacers with slightly longer ones to get the laden sag right, that might stop it from bottoming out, but if it doesn't you'd need new springs.

Scrapes the pegs too easily. ;)
Maybe that indicates the rear suspension was too soft as well for a 100kg rider...

Poor economy. About 15km/L around town, down to about 12-13km/L when caning it around the coro loop. cbr600rr's use less gas, ask Zed.




Availability and Cost of Parts

I don't think you'll find many (any?) Zeals in wreckers here, so parts either have to be new or get them from Australia. Victorian Motorcycle Wreckers in Oz are one place worth a try.
I don't know how the parts prices compare to other makes/bikes.




General Feel and Performance

Is very flickable, has really nice responsive steering. Great for the twisties and for maneuvering through traffic.
It's a really fun bike to ride.

[James Deuce]

How many times have we told you people

DON'T MENTION THE ZEAL!

It brings out the zealot within.

[Hitcher]

Mr Hitcher was not part of the "Zeal Daisy Chain". But he did once own a Zeal. Lovely it was.

Much has been written previously about the magnificence of the Mighty Zeal. See what the "search" function exhumes.

[Joni]

Much has been written previously about the magnificence of the Mighty Zeal. See what the "search" function exhumes.Affirmative - Jrandom now known as "fish" did a good report on the Zeal that I eventually bought from him.... good little bike!

[SwanTiger]

Mr Hitcher was not part of the "Zeal Daisy Chain". But he did once own a Zeal. Lovely it was.

Much has been written previously about the magnificence of the Mighty Zeal. See what the "search" function exhumes.

I've done a few searches of the forums and through Google to no avail, in fact 60% of the "worth while" Google results linked back to this website.

[SwanTiger]

Is very flickable, has really nice responsive steering. Great for the twisties and for maneuvering through traffic.
It's a really fun bike to ride.

Thank you for that Erik,

they look like a nice well-made motorcycle but I was suspecious that it might under perform in comparison to other motorcycles in its "category" and "price range".

Based on your response, I'm assuming that the Hyosung GT 250 is a much better motorcycle and goes for around the same price brand new. I've noticed a few on Bikepoint available from Red Baron priced around $5,000 second hand.

The Zeal is definitely a nice looking bike that draws apreciation.

[The_Dover]

The zeal is like a poor man's hornet.

They're a bit small, physically not capacity wise, and a bit buzzy but they seem to be pretty good for a 250 inline four.

[Joni]

Use the KB search function .... anyway here you go :yawn:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=11226

[Motu]

The suspension problems on your bike Erik were more to do with the fact that the bike wasn't designed with riders over 6ft 11in tall in mind - it looked like you were riding a pocket bike!

[erik]

The suspension problems on your bike Erik were more to do with the fact that the bike wasn't designed with riders over 6ft 11in tall in mind - it looked like you were riding a pocket bike!
:laugh: :o
I'm only 6'4". :whistle:
Seriously though, I think even for a small bike the front springs were too soft (dual rate springs, first rate 0.44kg/mm, second rate 0.83kg/mm for anyone that's interested).

[vtec]

WTF? Are you telling me that the zeal is an inline 4, but it only does 140-150 kph?? That would make it the slowest of the inline 4 250's by quite a long way. I'd give it a miss and go for something else. If you wanted something like that, you'd be better off getting an FXR150, way cheaper, more reliable, newer, far better gas mileage, and only a little bit slower. Plus they are pretty damn small, so would make for an awesome lanesplitting machine.

[Ixion]

Zeal was a naked wasn't it?. There's a 20kph top speed difference compared with faired machines. But it'd be as fast maybe faster up to above the legal limit. And naked has advantages.