Advice needed on buying a smoker!

[NDORFN]

I'm seriously looking at this...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=233303415

I've never had anything to do with 2 strokes and know virtually nothing about them or how they work. I'm an experienced rider and am looking for something with a kick that I can legally ride on a learners (I've been procastinating ok? Shuddup ) and that I'll be able to take my partner pillion when I've got my full. If you have any constructive advice it would be gratefully appreciated! A few questions I have are...

Do they age gracefully like a good 4 stroke or do they go down-hill after the first few years and become a constant headache?

Do they need servicing often and does it generally involve great expense?

Do they have enough torque to take a pillion or are they all zip and no grunt?

Do they have a resevoir for the oil or do I have to haul around a bottle and mix it every time I fill-up?

Is there likely to be anything that would typically need replacing that the dude who's selling it wouldn't tell me about?

Any advice or comments from anyone who owns or has owned an RS250 or similar bike would be awesome.

Cheers

[DELLORTO]

how can you be an expirienced rider if your on your learners??
have you ever been to a track day ect? what bikes have you ridden??

this bike has about 70Hp and someone who in inexpirienced will hurt them self they are actualy based on a 250gp bike,

look at vt250's and hyosung 250's they have enough grunt for a pillion

[CookMySock]

If you want to learn about fast two strokes, I'd suggest you start with an RGV or something a little less pricey than the Aprilia.

Steve

[NDORFN]

how can you be an expirienced rider if your on your learners??
have you ever been to a track day ect? what bikes have you ridden??

this bike has about 70Hp and someone who in inexpirienced will hurt them self they are actualy based on a 250gp bike,

look at vt250's and hyosung 250's they have enough grunt for a pillion

I knew some dick would focus on that. I was asking for a judgement on the bike, not the rider. But to answer your questions... 1: I am not on my learners. I don't have a bike licence and never had. Got pinged once about a year ago, other than that, it's never been a priority (until now, for insurance purposes). 2: Never been to a track day, and don't intend to treat the road like a track so it's irrelevant. 3: I won't bother listing bikes I've ridden, only ones I've owned since they're the ones I actually can claim experience on... 1st was an '88 GPX250 which I slowly gained competancy on until I was eventually thrashing the pants off it. 2nd was an '09 Ninja 250 which I took my riding to the point that I can honestly say I've exhausted all potential to improve my riding on that bike... that's it. 3rd will most likely will be an RS250 on which I can go back to square one, slowly getting used to the bike, and over the next year or so slowly expanding my skills and experience until I am safely riding it like it was made for. Happy with that Dad?

[NDORFN]

If you want to learn about fast two strokes, I'd suggest you start with an RGV or something a little less pricey than the Aprilia.

Steve

5 & 1/2 is pretty good for an RS250 innit? I'm not so much into 2 strokes as I am into beautiful bikes with excellent handling, low devaluation, and potential less limited than a 4 stroke 250. I think I'm gonna think about this some more though.

[Str8 Jacket]

5 & 1/2 is pretty good for an RS250 innit? I'm not so much into 2 strokes as I am into beautiful bikes with excellent handling, low devaluation, and potential less limited than a 4 stroke 250. I think I'm gonna think about this some more though.

Me thinks that you're not ready for a 2 smoker...

[crazefox]

dont do it

[NDORFN]

Anyone got anything positive to add?

[Str8 Jacket]

2 smokers rock!

[NDORFN]

That's better

[CookMySock]

5 & 1/2 is pretty good for an RS250 innit? I'm not so much into 2 strokes as I am into beautiful bikes with excellent handling, low devaluation, and potential less limited than a 4 stroke 250. I think I'm gonna think about this some more though.

There was an RGV250 on TM in bits that went for well under a grand. That was just a few weeks ago. I came thissssss close to buying it - if I was closer to it and had the time to go have a rummage through his boxes of bits I'd probably have it here by now.

I'd suggest you purchased something like this ;

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-232453822.htm

Or else leave a trademe search running for "RGV" and just sit back and watch what comes through, and maybe pick up a bargain.

My mate has a KR150 and that thing is completely mental. Also if you want to do something completely different, come over our way and have a play with a watercooled minimoto on the kart track - that will put a curl in your tail.

edit: dont respond to the trolls. Just report them.

Steve


Steve

[NDORFN]

I saw that one and it's nice but to be honest if I'm going to go 2 stroke I want to go with Aprilia. Perhaps this...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-232277130.htm

[CookMySock]

Perhaps this...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-232277130.htm

I think all you will do is make a cross for yourself to bear.

The RS125 is three times the price of the KR150, and ten times as much to fix. Basically, you won't be able to DO anything with it in fear of breaking it, and that is completely against the whole point of two-smokers.

Do you want to mope around on it and polish it, or do you want to thrash it? If you want to thrash it, then get something cheap, coz ur going to break it.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-229871343.htm

edit: or get a watercooled minimoto and race it. Nasty!

Steve

[Ooky]

Well smokers rock! and as far as road legal ones can't get much better then the Rs250! I sold my 900 after a short ride on a RS like they say smoking is addictive!

few notes will defiantly want to check on service history to check it's had a top end done because it should of had one by those K's
It helps if you are mechanically minded because they do need some TLC should be removing and cleaning the powervalves every 4,000k easy job but alitlle time consuming and they suffer the same problem as with the RGV's and the powervalve center pin does like to come loose if not looked after

apart from that comes down to what you are going to use it for its a great weekend blast bike and awesome on the track (so i've heard getting mine out this summer finally!). Not the best for pillions (just no) commuting takes about 10-15min to walm up before you can ride her (any earlier and she either wont move or go pop) Also they are thirsty little buggers looking at getting about 170k from totaly full to dead empty on a "spirited" road ride and she will eat a liter of 2stroke oil every 800odd k's but luckily its injected so no having to carry around and premix at the servo!

Also when it comes to buying a RS comes down to which model you want also because even though the engine and frame are the same lots of little changes. To name a few the later model has bigger front brakes, the oil and coolant upfront, a 3.5" front tyre over the 3" of the old model, upgraded dash inc lap timer , but the biggest and most noticeable is the upgraded showa suspension including ride height adjustable rear(a freaking godsend)

well hope that helps! smokers you either love em or hate em!

[nodrog:Me]

if its standard it will have an oil tank, run proper oil in it, not cheap shit from supercheap.

rings are supposed to be replaced at 8000k, pistons and rings at 16000k.

oh and they like eating $20 spark plugs.