What will go wrong with a 1992 CBR250RR in the next two years?

[gammaguy]

you will die of boredom

[racefactory]

So, looking at this bike.

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoser...06319_full.jpg


Any advice from just looking through its description? I will have it inspected, if it's worth it.

Pros:
- low km
- looks ok
- low-ish price

Cons:
- potential carb problems, as per racefactory (how much to have it sorted in a worst case scenario?)
- I've spoken to the owner and he never changed oil in it mind you he only did about 3000kms in the 3 years he owned it. So I would assume that NO maintenance was done to the bike for 3 years. How bad exactly is this? Sludge build up/worn bearings or all good ?


Thanks

Yeap, typical. He never changed the oil, the previous owner never did for his 4000, or the guy before that- but no it doesn't matter... it's LOW KMS!!!! What a crock of shit.

Low kms is not a pro on any accounts unless you count the number of stone chips on the fairings. It masks problems. Condition is the key with these bikes. Low kms on these bikes very often means:
sticking brake calipers possibly causing warped brake rotors= $$$.
rust in places you dont want
possibly ancient tyres= causing potentially massive damage to yourself and bike and others
gummed up carbs= poor economy and flat spots, bugs and dead shit inside waiting to lift off and get sucked causing all kinds of running issues.
all kinds of seals and lines that have never been changed that will perish due to time and little use
fork oil and engine oil thats never been changed due to being passed between owners without much use.

- If the bike has had good regular use it will have have had all inevitable teething problems and headaches sorted. The bike will be likely be sorted and ready to go for a long time yet. Engines are replaced easily and I bet you'll write off the bike or sell it long before you ever wear it out. Chances are it might have an aftermarket shock, fork internals and other goodies too . Used, sorted reliable workhorses are the way to go. Someone who uses it regularly will always need to take care of it rather than a 'low kms' weekend thrash toy with engine oil still from the Hamatsu factory 1990.

'low kms!!!', 'tidy' bikes... been there done that. Fucking headaches usually. Even if it's kept in a museum it will always have problems if it's not used.

But yeah I agree with the other guy... you may as well roll the dice, there are too many variables. Just go look and ride a lot of them... condition is the key. Don't look at kms unless you want to use it as a bargaining tool.

[fatboy323]

Yeap, typical. He never changed the oil, the previous owner never did for his 4000, or the guy before that- but no it doesn't matter... it's LOW KMS!!!! What a crock of shit.

Low kms is not a pro on any accounts unless you count the number of stone chips on the fairings. It masks problems. Condition is the key with these bikes. Low kms on these bikes very often means:
sticking brake calipers possibly causing warped brake rotors= $$$.
rust in places you dont want
possibly ancient tyres= causing potentially massive damage to yourself and bike and others
gummed up carbs= poor economy and flat spots, bugs and dead shit inside waiting to lift off and get sucked causing all kinds of running issues.
all kinds of seals and lines that have never been changed that will perish due to time and little use
fork oil and engine oil thats never been changed due to being passed between owners without much use.

- If the bike has had good regular use it will have have had all inevitable teething problems and headaches sorted. The bike will be likely be sorted and ready to go for a long time yet. Engines are replaced easily and I bet you'll write off the bike or sell it long before you ever wear it out. Chances are it might have an aftermarket shock, fork internals and other goodies too . Used, sorted reliable workhorses are the way to go. Someone who uses it regularly will always need to take care of it rather than a 'low kms' weekend thrash toy with engine oil still from the Hamatsu factory 1990.

'low kms!!!', 'tidy' bikes... been there done that. Fucking headaches usually. Even if it's kept in a museum it will always have problems if it's not used.

But yeah I agree with the other guy... you may as well roll the dice, there are too many variables. Just go look and ride a lot of them... condition is the key. Don't look at kms unless you want to use it as a bargaining tool.

Sweet, thanks for that. Yeah, thinking about it everything you said makes sense

[Brett]

Great little bikes, seen a few binned and live to fight another day. Mechanically strong motors, front forks prone to blowing seals, but then what older bikes aren't. Would have got one, but was a bit bigger than the average CBR rider so got a ZXR250C and found it to be equally good (better handling actually...but that might have just been that specific bike).

Enjoy!

[racefactory]

ZXR suspension is a lot better... loads better. Not because it is fully adjustable but because the dampening is just so much better.

[over5tayer]

i think you should go for that MC22 on trademe. Have you txtd him asking around how much they want for it?

I bought my MC19 with 7,500 k's 1.5 months ago and its awesome . First thing i did was put new tread (Pirelli Sport Demon - rear, Michelin Sport - front) and gave it new oil/filter. Ive already done 4000 k's and it hasnt missed a beat .

get a MC22 or a MC19 they're definitely the best 250's out

[Chancebmx25]

get a two stroke u wont be dismissed.

[racefactory]

i think you should go for that MC22 on trademe. Have you txtd him asking around how much they want for it?

I bought my MC19 with 7,500 k's 1.5 months ago and its awesome . First thing i did was put new tread (Pirelli Sport Demon - rear, Michelin Sport - front) and gave it new oil/filter. Ive already done 4000 k's and it hasnt missed a beat .

get a MC22 or a MC19 they're definitely the best 250's out

After various MC22's and ZXR250s I'd say the ZXR250 is the better. I've never heard of a cam chain snapping on one and the tensioner doesn't have to be inspected very often at all. It will give out some noise before the tensioner develops problems. Apart from this I'd say in every way it's slightly above the MC22... most notably the suspension is actually pretty ok. It's got better low end power and it is on average cheaper than the MC22 because of the whole Honda image.

[fatboy323]

After various MC22's and ZXR250s I'd say the ZXR250 is the better. I've never heard of a cam chain snapping on one and the tensioner doesn't have to be inspected very often at all. It will give out some noise before the tensioner develops problems. Apart from this I'd say in every way it's slightly above the MC22... most notably the suspension is actually pretty ok. It's got better low end power and it is on average cheaper than the MC22 because of the whole Honda image.

What about the 2nd popping out problem, I keep hearing?

i think you should go for that MC22 on trademe. Have you txtd him asking around how much they want for it?

I bought my MC19 with 7,500 k's 1.5 months ago and its awesome . First thing i did was put new tread (Pirelli Sport Demon - rear, Michelin Sport - front) and gave it new oil/filter. Ive already done 4000 k's and it hasnt missed a beat .

get a MC22 or a MC19 they're definitely the best 250's out

I think he wants about 4k for it, but from racefactory's advice (see top of the page) it might not be a very good candidate.

I'm also stocked that you seem to be able to get a complete set of fairings for like $6-700 bucks from e-bay for MC22, is there a catch?

[racefactory]

What about the 2nd popping out problem, I keep hearing?



I think he wants about 4k for it, but from racefactory's advice (see top of the page) it might not be a very good candidate.

I'm also stocked that you seem to be able to get a complete set of fairings for like $6-700 bucks from e-bay for MC22, is there a catch?

Every sports bike will develop worn engagement dogs on the input shaft that cause it to slip out of gear from excessively bad shifts. It is by all means not exclusive to a zxr250... every bike from a gn125 to a zx6r can develop this problem. I've never had a zxr250 with a bad second gear but i've had a mc22 that loved false neutrals... it's luck of the draw.

[racefactory]

I'm also stocked that you seem to be able to get a complete set of fairings for like $6-700 bucks from e-bay for MC22, is there a catch?

I've had the chinese fairings on a bike and they are bloody good. Be prepared to tinker around with mounting points slightly and tail light holes which don't line up perfectly but all in all you can't go wrong with them.

[fatboy323]

Every sports bike will have worn engagement dogs that cause it to slip out of gear from excessively bad shifts. It is by all means not exclusive to a zxr250... every bike from a gn125 to a zx6r can develop this problem. I've never had a zxr250 with a bad second gear but i've had a mc22 that loved false neutrals... it's luck of the draw.

Sweet, might start looking at ZXRs too then. I was under impression that the 2nd popping out was an inherent flaw, if not then I think ZXR looks a bit better than CBR

[racefactory]

Sweet, might start looking at ZXRs too then. I was under impression that the 2nd popping out was an inherent flaw, if not then I think ZXR looks a bit better than CBR

I really haven't heard of an inherent flaw with a zxr250 gearbox but I won't rule it out either. It's who you know and what you've heard.

ZXR250s have all been delights for me. I can't deal with stock MC22 suspension though... but really there is nothing in it, both awesome bikes.

[Brett]

ZXR suspension is a lot better... loads better. Not because it is fully adjustable but because the dampening is just so much better.

Yeah, that is definitely what I noticed and I did ride both the CBR and ZXR a lot. ZXR was faster every time. CBR is still a fantastic machine...bugger all in it at the end of the day between the two.

[Brett]

What about the 2nd popping out problem, I keep hearing?

I had 4 of these bikes (ZXR250C's) and not one ever had this problem and I must have clocked up tens of thousands of kms on each one. FYI I only had 4 of them because I kept buying scratched ones off trademe and fixing them. I bought one at 19,000kms and when I sold it at 50,000kms the only thing I had ever had to have done was tyres. Dunlop GPR 100 = awesome tyre.