Buy honda vt250?

[Sketchy_Racer]

My mate had a VT250FG when i Had my FXR in stock form.

They weigh soooo much more

Handle like CRAP compared to the FXRs

Use more fuel

0 - 100 is slower

If your gonna get a new bike, get a new one not a crap one IMO

[jeremysprite]

not funny rattles or pops, as auction says. Idea is, if it goes bang, I fix it and learn(the hard way) motovehicle maintenance 101. would parts be backwards compatible from current vt250's?

[Sketchy_Racer]

No the new VTR250s are different,

And I believe the VT250 spadas are different again. Don't trust me on that one

[Bonez]

No the new VTR250s are different,

And I believe the VT250 spadas are different again. Don't trust me on that one

The model on trademe had camchain issues. It originally had enclosed front disk brakes and a fairing looking (probablyy the F2 variant) at the instrument consol. Front end isn't original and has been replaced -note the front and rear comstars are of a differrent type.

[Smokin]

That bike looks the same as my old one, your right too, that front end is compleatly wrong.

[jeremysprite]

Bonez how is dealing with repairs etc, availability of spares like for an older bike?

[Bonez]

Bonez how is dealing with repairs etc, availability of spares like for an older bike?

Well considering all of mine are over 20 years old not many probs really. Seems a few bit and bobs turn up on Trademe. Econohonda here in NZ and David Silver Spares in Pomgolia are good sources as is eBay(not used it yet though). The odd wreckable one turns up at a good price for a few hundy or less. Hell, the rego'd and warrented '78 CX cost me less than some pay for a back tyre. I just take what I need an flick the rest, always someone after spares and the scrap metal merchent or work scrap/fund bin for left over metal. Good to get receipts of from the seller to keep on record, even if it's only on a scrap of paper.

The thing is not to be impatient. Maybe I'm just lucky. Don't know, but there are heaps of perfectly good rides out there totally suitable for NZ riding conditions. The beuty is you don't have a godzillion bucks tied up in the latest and greatest. In saying that, there are some damn good buys new now.

Learn as much as you can about the model you intend to get. Manual as well, preferably the manufacturers one. Haynes and Clymers manuals have wee tips to get around using special tools, wheel axles for pulling alternater rotors for example. Doing as much maintenence yourself, using the bikeshops to do the more complex stuff. Eventually one gets the gumption to a complete engine stip. Some carry it through, others get to the "too hard" stage and chuck it in, leaving the remains sitting in the back of the shed for years-another source a spares .

[Bonez]

That bike looks the same as my old one, your right too, that front end is compleatly wrong.

Should brake a hell of a lot better with that twin disk setup though.

[Mental Trousers]

Shit, didn't think there were any of those things still alive. I had one many, many moons ago. That exact model but in the original black with red and white writing.

Main problem with them is they would eventually chew up a big end from oil starvation. Simple mod to fix it and if that one is still running then it's probably been done.

It was a cool bike. Learnt to ride on it. Good up to about 120kph and after that it vibrated a bit. Make sure it's got the recommended standard size tyres on it cos otherwise they handle like shit.

[Drew]

It's totally up to you weather or not you buy the bike, I have one here that I bought for my lady, and think they are a good bike. It'll even hoist the wheel if you abuse it enough. I can smoke quite a few people down the Wainui hill on it too. Mr 900 SS wasn't too happy after he blitzed past me going up the straight side.( Friggin homo shouldn't have pulled in front of me and showed how tough he was by twisting the throtle.)
If you do decide to buy it I have the fairing and mounting bracket for that model, from a spare bike I picked up for parts, got indicators but I dont think I've got a head light.PM me if you want it.

[nudemetalz]

I don't agree with RG100 saying the FXR is quicker to 100. My wife's one is actually quite fast for what it is and would blow the door's (to use a bad pun) of a FXR-150 !!

Also bear in mind that Honda detuned them when the Spada came out and then further detuned them with the VTR Monster-look-alike model. So, the FE and FG were the quickest (up to 1990).

However, ours does have camchain issues, have to either replace the tensioners or the chains (or both!!). The tensioners are quite expensive, aftermarket ones being about $150 each and chains about $100 ea from memory.
We keep ours oil changed regularily to avoid that common big-end issue and have never had an ounce of trouble with the engine (rattles aside !!).

The other thing that went though was the regulator. Another common Honda problem but Malcolm at Econohonda came to our rescue.

But apart from all that, it's a great bike to ride and as I said before we just did a burn around the South Island last week with the Missus on the open road anywhere between 8 to 12,000rpm continously without any trouble for 1800km.

[Sketchy_Racer]

sounds fair enough.

I think the one i had with me was pretty farked tho... It didnt sound pretty.

[nudemetalz]

When they're starting to need work, the performance drops dramatically off them. Sorry RG-100 didn't mean to sound so much like shoot you down, just thought it was a little strange, thats all.

[Wasp]

just adding to what nudemetalz is sahying bout the cam chains..

i'd rip it apart right away and check/fix em... insanity_rules who bought my vtz found one of the oil lines was blocked and the chains needed replacing but the tensioners were fine...

[phoenixgtr]

An FXR wouldn't beat much to 100. Theres advantages with having a light bike. It makes them very agile. An FXR can be alot more fun than you might think. I thrash mine every week alongside others. Sure, I get left behind when we hit the straights, but thats all good. It's the corners that matter anyway. I even had my first semi wheelie last night. They're reliable as anything too. It'l keep going and going.