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Thread: Yamaha FZX250 Zeal

  1. #1
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    Yamaha FZX250 Zeal

    Well, I've been meaning to review my baby for a while now. It's a Friday afternoon and I'm not too busy, so I might as well pop back in here and write it up before I get too out-of-touch. What with the full licence and all, I'll be flogging it later this year, so consider this an appetiser. Or a warning. You decide.

    It's a '92 model Japanese import. I got it with 42000km on the clock, and I've put another 8000 on in the last five months or so.

    My first bike was a Suzuki FXR150. I was going to stay with it until full licence time; the whole ZXR250/CBR250RRRRRRR thing just didn't do it for me, and I'm *really* not into two smokes. However, a couple of members on this here fine forum either currently ride or used to ride Zeals, and hearing of the bike whetted my appetite. I looked up a few photos, and I have to admit, of all the two fiddies I've seen, looks-wise, it's perfect. Gorgeous. Svelte, yet chunky. Sleek, yet compact. I loved it. And it had a reasonably decent reputation, mechanically and performance-wise.

    So, anyway, when I heard that our esteemed moderator Blakamin's Zeal was up for sale in Wellington, via one intermediate owner, I just had to pop down to Colemans for a serious test ride on their demo. The Colemans bike was as good to ride as it was to look at, so I spent a couple of days negotiating (read 'picking up the phone and begging the seller not to let anyone else get it before I put the cash through') and then picked Blakamin's old bike up. (Sorry, Colemans...)

    It is red.

    And silver.

    With black rubber bits where there should be black rubber bits, and dirty bits where I can't reach with a toothbrush.

    The four-into-two stainless exhaust (twin pipes on the right-hand side) is chromed. It wasn't when I bought it, but I found a reasonably nice not-dropped-all-that-much full chromed set at Victorian Motorcycle Wreckers and got it shipped over.

    What's it like to ride?

    To 140kph, it'll stay with any of the more popular, racier four-stroke 250s, no problem. It redlines at 15, but stops making power around 12.5krpm, so it doesn't have their legs. No matter. Going any faster than that just imperils one's licence. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

    The engine is smooth as butter. It really does feel... refined. No other way to put it. It has a lovely, smooth, flat torque curve. No discernable powerband. No intrusive vibration at any revs. Polite, but punchy. In top gear, 110kph cruising speed is just under 8000rpm.

    In the words of vifferman, after following me on his VFR800 from Coatesville to Riverhead along SH28, "That Zeal's got quite a bit of poke, hasn't it?"

    It does, however, have a shortcoming, namely the suspension. Which, as far as I can tell, is constructed from ghee. The bike would be a lot faster with progressive fork springs and aftermarket rear shocks (the stock twin shocks, while pleasantly retro-looking, don't quite cut the mustard through fast bumpy corners). I find myself with embarrassing centimeter-wide chicken strips on the Pirelli Sport Demons, simply because I fear to crank it over all the way lest one of the random undulations of those rear shocks bounce the back tyre straight off its edge. The upside of this is, of course, that it encourages a smooth and reserved riding style. It's entirely possible to go fast on a Zeal, but it can't be done with quite the gay (and I use that word intentionally) abandon that one would use on a GSXR.

    To balance this shortcoming, it brings to the table a stunning ability to go a long way in a relatively short time. On Easter weekend, I did 1800km in just over 48 hours, with no ill effects, no drama and no discomfort. During SH1 from Auckland to Wellington, the 'Takas, Pie Cock and environs, general bimbling about and the run back up, the bike didn't miss a beat. It fits my slightly lumpy 175cm frame *perfectly*. It really does have the best ergonomics of any bike I've ever sat on. The totally neutral, upright riding position, the sufficiency of power to cruise happily on the open road at [ahem] slightly above the limit, and the smooth exhaust note combine to provide about the best 250cc touring experience one could hope for.

    Of course, my normal riding involves 300km or so per week of commuting across Auckland. It handles that job with aplomb, too. Having installed Oxford heated grips, I can recommend those as well for cool-weather and late-night riding, although that's a subject for another review sometime...

    Anyway. It's a bike with a strange name, but it's the perfect two fiddy for me. Not for everyone, perhaps, but I know I love it. I'll try not to chuck it down the road over the next few months, and hopefully this one will have a long and happy life over the following several years as it serves the needs of future learner and restricted-licence riders.

    A quick Google found some perspectives on the Zeal from the UK grey-import market:

    http://www.bikelife.com/natania/dubi/250cc.htm

    http://www.umgweb.com/member1/yfzr2.htm#zeal
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    kiwibiker is full of love, an disrespect.
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  2. #2
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    Yay! The Mighty Zeal! The bestest 250 on the road by far.
    "Standing on your mother's corpse you told me that you'd wait forever." [Bryan Adams: Summer of 69]

  3. #3
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    21st January 2004 - 13:00
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    Good write-up JR!

    Any clues (for us) on what wheels you want next? :unsure:

  4. #4
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    28th July 2004 - 12:00
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    Erik from here has one. On one ride we swapped bikes. Man!!! that's an easy bike to ride fast..........

    He is the better rider of us two and I usually am about 100 meters behind him on rides, but when we swapped bikes I could easily keep up with him and take 65 corners at 110 without any worries. Whereas in my R I need to do it wide awake.

    Awesome bike!!!!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zed
    Good write-up JR!

    Any clues on what wheels you want next? :unsure:
    I'm sure he has plenty of clues, just like all of us. It's just the bloody price that keeps us wondering

  6. #6
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    29th October 2003 - 21:14
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    Nice review
    Don't worry about the chicken strips. I've got them too. I reckon you'd have to grind away half of your footpegs before you got to the edge of the tyre! Grinding footpegs is something I've become wary of ever since binning at low speed going around a roundabout when one of the footpegs touched down and made the rear lose grip.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by justsomeguy
    I'm sure he has plenty of clues...
    I meant giving *us* clues dude.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zed
    I meant giving *us* clues dude.
    oops

  9. #9
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    23rd February 2005 - 20:53
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    Thumbs up

    Nice review man!!!! this makes me love my bike more!
    The zeal is really stylish and very sticky on ladies too!!! Girls find me looking smart and sexy with it, compared to my ex-wifey CBR400RR...which they find it hard to ride with me because they're a bit scared of being left behind.

    For me its not just the speed that makes me want the Mighty Zeal, its the feeling of freedom to modify the looks as well as to get into the plugs easily which maintenance is a easier to.

    I just love being naked! hehehe!

    BTW, My brother and I were thinking of modifying the rear shocks into monoshock... I wonder what shock would fit the zeal...

    I still need to get enough cash, so imagination and ideas are pouring out even before I sleep after being with my beloved Zeal...

    I have just a problem with my zeal, It have no side mirrors on it, I have inspected the Brake lever assembly and found out that there aint a hole to place a side mirror...I guess its not the original part anymore...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    10th May 2005 - 11:13
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    FZX 250 Zeal
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    Could you do me a huuuge favour.
    I have a zeal aswell, but mine has a problem, it gets to near 90 kph and just dies like its running out of fuel.
    It has an FZR CDI in it, which im replacing for that reason and i hope it fixes it, however the CDIs have two sockets on them, and my bike only has one wire. Does yours have an empty socket aswell or is something going in both of yours?

    The CDI is located just infront of the battery on the left of the bike.

    If that doesnt sort it im not sure why its doing it.

    Thanks.
    Jason

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by doctorprox
    Could you do me a huuuge favour.
    I have a zeal aswell, but mine has a problem, it gets to near 90 kph and just dies like its running out of fuel.
    It has an FZR CDI in it, which im replacing for that reason and i hope it fixes it, however the CDIs have two sockets on them, and my bike only has one wire. Does yours have an empty socket aswell or is something going in both of yours?

    The CDI is located just infront of the battery on the left of the bike.

    If that doesnt sort it im not sure why its doing it.

    Thanks.
    Jason
    Weird. One day I'd like to learn a bit more about how CDI's work.
    It looks like my bike only has the one plug. Take a look in the pics to confirm I'm looking at the right thing.

    Hope this helps.

    Erik
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  12. #12
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    Brings a tear to the eye, that does.... (didnt see this thread before)

    but as much as I loved the Zeal (and remember the bits a toothbrush wont reach), commuting 500ks every week on the Duc ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Blakamin
    but as much as I loved the Zeal (and remember the bits a toothbrush wont reach)
    Toothbrush huh?....

    Gotta agree Mike... Its a pretty nice bike!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    10th May 2005 - 11:13
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    FZX 250 Zeal
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    Quote Originally Posted by erik
    Weird. One day I'd like to learn a bit more about how CDI's work.
    It looks like my bike only has the one plug. Take a look in the pics to confirm I'm looking at the right thing.

    Hope this helps.

    Erik
    Thanks a lot mate, its taken me ages to confirm that. At least i know im not missing something now
    The problem continues, i hope the new cdi fixes it. It seems someone has had mine in bits because it is cracked and has glue all over it.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    23rd February 2005 - 20:53
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    Quote Originally Posted by doctorprox
    Thanks a lot mate, its taken me ages to confirm that. At least i know im not missing something now
    The problem continues, i hope the new cdi fixes it. It seems someone has had mine in bits because it is cracked and has glue all over it.
    Any update on your bike sir?
    I've been watching over this forum because i really really want to learn more about my mighty zeal!

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