Advice on buying a trail bike

**Motu** · 7th January 2006, 13:48

Originally Posted by MSTRS

I'll have you know they are trendy PURPLE!

I rest my case....

**T.W.R** · 7th January 2006, 13:48

the old XR 250 has been around for donkey's years in one form or another, it's a trailie that apart from the likes of a KDX sets a standard for an allround useable balanced playbike.
don't worry about stature, 90+% of the time you should be on your feet anyhow, height isn't an issue.

**Motu** · 7th January 2006, 14:49

The XR250 set the standard for ENDURO bikes for years,there was nothing that had a more total package for years,they are no mere trailbike,no matter what you may think of them in this day and age.A 1992 XR250 will turn quicker than you can think,go as fast as your eyes can see....they are more than just capable!

**XTC** · 7th January 2006, 14:52

Originally Posted by Motu

The XR250 set the standard for ENDURO bikes for years,there was nothing that had a more total package for years,they are no mere trailbike,no matter what you may think of them in this day and age.A 1992 XR250 will turn quicker than you can think,go as fast as your eyes can see....they are more than just capable!

And a hell of alot easier/cheaper to maintain than my YZ250F was.

**cowpoos** · 7th January 2006, 14:59

Originally Posted by XTC

And a hell of alot easier/cheaper to maintain than my YZ250F was.

yeah but your yz250f would probally start on the 1-4 kick rather than 33 kick and a jump start and four days rest with a raw shin later

**MSTRS:Me** · 7th January 2006, 15:43

Originally Posted by cowpoos

yeah but your yz250f would probally start on the 1-4 kick rather than 33 kick and a jump start and four days rest with a raw shin later

Mine aint hard to start. Guess the No.8 technology down on the farm just aint up to it these days?

**NordieBoy** · 7th January 2006, 20:07

Originally Posted by MSTRS

Mine aint hard to start. Guess the No.8 technology down on the farm just aint up to it these days?

Mine starts nicely as well.

**merv** · 7th January 2006, 21:03

I owned only Honda trail bikes from the end of 1973 until 1998.

The best XR200R ever built in my opinion was the XR200RD of 1983-84. It had the lighter frame, decent gearbox ratios, unrestricted engine, 18 inch rear wheel, cable operated rear brake and full travel suspension. Later versions went through various changes with a different frame, rod rear brake (prone to locking up on the rough stuff), 17 inch rear wheel and the last ones were not road legal and had shorter suspension. Helped the seat height but they bottomed out too easily. Only buy a 200 if you aren't too big and heavy. Replacement for these is the CRF230 which looks good, electric start, disc front brake, but they still have the blasted rod operated drum rear brake.

XR250's I reckon got better with age, unlike the 200 which was lowered in specs as the years wore on (I guess to suit a less hardcore market as they were no longer the enduro weapon of choice - laugh not my friends I got a lot of enduro medals on my XR200RD). The 91 XR250R was a significant improvement over previous versions and so was the 1996, the form which lasted basically until the end of the sales run in NZ. The 250 has longer travel suspension than the 200, disc brakes both ends, dry sump engine but it is heavier (so suits heavier riders which could be a plus).

They all have great wide ratio gearboxes (almost as good as the early 200's) so can haul arse on the highway at 120km/hr and still climb 40 degree inclines when they need to. First gear on an XR250 with a 13T 48T sprocket combination is 31.694:1 while 6th gear is 9.317. Now get my drift here the ratio between 1st and 6th is 3.402. Compare this to the DR250R I had and the ratio between 1st and 6th was 2.925 which is quite a lot closer. If I geared that bike down I could still never get it low geared enough for hard out trail riding and even then it made the gears so close it was pain blipping through the gears all the time and the motor was so buzzy it made me cry how badly it could hold traction no matter how soft the back tyre was.

The other bad news about the DR250R and the DRZ250 doesn't look like its been improved, was the low spec flat slide carb it was fitted with. It was so full of stiction it was a bastard to ride road or trail, always jerking between throttle off, throttle on, coupled with really bad driveline lash you don't get on the Hondas. My WR has a flat slide carb but it comes complete with wee rollers to overcome the stiction problem and is smooth as (but then it cost about $12,000 so you'd expect it to be good).

So I'm saying you can't go wrong buying an XR (as long as it is in good nick) and don't buy a DR250R or DRZ250.

Now if you've got $9,000 go buy the new XR250L, you get almost the same specs as the old XR250R but with the beauty of electric start.

**Motu** · 7th January 2006, 21:22

Ditto the XR200 Merv,the early ones before the 4 valve were the best of the lot,and my one with Wiseco piston and cam,my own big bore and Supertrapp,and an XR250 front end could get the better of XR250s and water cooled KDXs on fast firebreaks,and is the best hill climber I've ever ridden.But it sucked in tight bush....although I suspect that could be rider related.The hot up gear killed the bottom end,but the throttle only had two positions,WOT and shut.The 200 was MUCH more fun than the 250.

**XTC** · 7th January 2006, 22:01

I had an XR200RE (4 valve) and that was a grunter for a 200. Didn't have any problems with it but then the oil got changed regular and it was off road only. The twin carb 4 valve XR's were road legal and they didn't like being redlined down the motorway for long periods and would crack the heads etc. Also they held less oil than earlier models and needed more frequent maintenance and back then most XR owners hadn't even heard of the term regular maintenance. Earlier XR's would almost go forever without an oil change...... Loved that 23" front wheel I had on my XR250A.... Not.

**Youngjim** · 7th January 2006, 22:22

Got to agree that the XR250 is a great, easy to ride bike, and mine would start first time every time unless I dropped it and then it was a bitch to start.
I had a CR250 before the XR and that was a handfull, all or nothing, but once I got the XR it was a pleasure to ride and made trail riding much more enjoyable and in my opinion you can't go wrong with one.

**MSTRS:Me** · 8th January 2006, 09:15

The endorsements say it all, really. A real man's bike, that behaves.

**warewolf** · 9th January 2006, 23:10

Originally Posted by merv

The other bad news about the DR250R and the DRZ250 doesn't look like its been improved, was the low spec flat slide carb it was fitted with. It was so full of stiction it was a bastard to ride road or trail, always jerking between throttle off, throttle on, coupled with really bad driveline lash you don't get on the Hondas.

Can this stiction be confused with jetting? How can you tell the difference?

Just wondering if there is a fix for my DR-Z!

It's vicious off-on throttle transition has always bugged me.

PS IIRC was there a carb update in the late 90s maybe?

**cowpoos** · 9th January 2006, 23:58

Originally Posted by warewolf

Can this stiction be confused with jetting? How can you tell the difference?

Just wondering if there is a fix for my DR-Z!

It's vicious off-on throttle transition has always bugged me.

PS IIRC was there a carb update in the late 90s maybe?

yep same problem with my drz-250? [yours a 250?] the throttle sticking on and the not shutting off propally...mechanic change the whole throttle and cables to the carb with those of a yamaha [wr250? 400? 450? not sure]...sweet ever since...and that was after pulling the carb apart a few times to check shit and clearences springs etc....blah blah blah...