Sweet little starter adv bike for someone

**CRM** · 22nd January 2010, 11:11

Hi everyone - if anyone is looking for a lightweight, low height, ultra-reliable massively fun cheap adventure bike look no further.

I bought this XL250 Degree about 5 years ago for getting back into riding after a 20 year break. I did some commuting, trail rides and trips up north on it then passed it on to me son to learn on and get his licence. He's now looking at getting a road bike as I've sold my XR6

and not doing offroading adventures any more

.

It's a '95 model - only done about 14000km, registered and warranted, fairly new bars and bark busters. It's got a few knocks as you would expect but totally reliable. The only thing that ever went wrong was the cut-in switch for the fan on the radiator failed so we replaced with manual switch you flick on when the going gets tough.

Not on TM yet - thought I'd offer it to you guys first. A great entry level adv bike with surprising performance. Looking at $2500 for her.

Pictures below are mostly on the mid-north adv ride in Nov 08. PM if interested.

**Amz** · 22nd January 2010, 22:02

Nice bike. I've got one too. Do you know where I could get an air filter for one?

**CRM** · 23rd January 2010, 19:00

Yeah they are a cool bike. I haven't replaced the filter on mine - when I've taken it for service they've always said it's fine. Check the Honda dealers though they should be able to source them.

**CRM** · 25th February 2010, 08:47

I've got the XL250 on Trade Me now - $2750 ONO. This is a great reliable bike. Went for a ride on her yesterday to get a WOF and remembered how much I enjoy it

. I've had 4 bikes since and the only one I've enjoyed as much is the XR600 - but I actually did more off-roading on the XL250.

See listing on trademe here

**young1** · 25th February 2010, 09:59

What is the seat height?

How tall are you vs what is it like reaching the ground?

**CRM** · 25th February 2010, 12:12

Originally Posted by young1

What is the seat height?

How tall are you vs what is it like reaching the ground?

Seat height is about 80cm at rest (no rider). I am about 180cm, with 76cm inseam, so sitting on it is an easy flat foot both sides. I went from this to a DRZ400 which was wayyyy taller

. Then to a Gasgas Pampera which was maybe a little taller but narrower so felt similar height.

**young1** · 25th February 2010, 19:37

Unfort Leanne is about 5ft 2 (no idea on what that is in metrics sorry), although I might try and measure her inseam later.... lol

**CRM** · 25th February 2010, 20:33

Originally Posted by young1

Unfort Leanne is about 5ft 2 (no idea on what that is in metrics sorry), although I might try and measure her inseam later.... lol

Yeah tricky enough measuring your own inseam let alone someone elses...

Seriously though I don't think you would get anything more suitable than one of these. It's very user friendly but can whip along at a mean pace with great confidence and keep up with the bigger bikes up to the speed limit - and off road will leave the bigger wannabe adv bikes behind when it starts to get tight.

**merv** · 25th February 2010, 20:42

Yep the thing to understand here is that a 800mm seat height is low for a dirt bike so the Degree is a very good bike for a shorty and the larger bikes you were talking about on the other thread young1 would be far more of a handful than this bike. My Bro had the NX250 which had a similar engine to the Degree, nice watercooled 250 with a good turn of speed, but the NX had a slightly taller seat height than the Degree at 820mm. Honda sold the Degree in Australia and I could never understand why they didn't sell them new here.

If you believe this http://www.motorcycle.com/specs/bmw/...gs/detail.html as a comparison the seat height of the BMW GS800 is 878.8mm which in my view is too tall for a woman of 5' 2".

A Suzuki DR650 has a standard seat height of around 880mm (same as the BMW then) and using the lowered position is 840mm which is still tallish for a 5' 2" person.

**mazz1972** · 26th February 2010, 01:15

Originally Posted by young1

Unfort Leanne is about 5ft 2 (no idea on what that is in metrics sorry), although I might try and measure her inseam later.... lol

It would be perfect for her. I'm 5ft 4 and my learner bike was a Kawasaki Super Sherpa - the seat height 830mm and my feet were pretty much flat on the ground.

The Sherpa weighs in at about 112kg so nice & light to handle, and because so low, no tipping over issues. I can't imagine the XL would be much heavier?

**CRM** · 26th February 2010, 09:11

Originally Posted by mazz1972

It would be perfect for her. I'm 5ft 4 and my learner bike was a Kawasaki Super Sherpa - the seat height 830mm and my feet were pretty much flat on the ground.

The Sherpa weighs in at about 112kg so nice & light to handle, and because so low, no tipping over issues. I can't imagine the XL would be much heavier?

According to the specs I found when I bought the bike (was on the internet somewhere but can't remember which sites) it's dry weight is 119kg. It's 6 speed, 4 valve, water cooled, as Merv says same motor as NX250 Mini-Dominator but tuned for more mid-range at the expense of a little top end, 1360 wheelbase, seat height actually 790, 9.3 litre fuel capacity (which seems to run forever).

**young1** · 26th February 2010, 10:12

Thanks again for all the comments CRM, mazz and merv (the 650 she sat on on the Naki ride last year was lowered and also had the seat cut down) I do appreciate them!