FS - 1996 XR250 (Road Legal)

[merv]

Now did you really go and buy a DRZ250 when I told you not to?

They are not superior to the XR250 - buzzy engine, narrow ratio gearbox, built like a parts bin special compared to a Honda.

[Zukin]

Now did you really go and buy a DRZ250 when I told you not to?
They are not superior to the XR250 - buzzy engine, narrow ratio gearbox, built like a parts bin special compared to a Honda.

Nope I didnt buy one



I brought 2!!
After all its my bum in the seat, not yours
And I liked it!!

Then again, I went into 4 Honda Dealers stores, I was looking at buying some gloves, what I didnt tell them (or in fact didnt get a chance to talk to anyone at 3 of the dealers) was I was actually going to buy 2 bikes, and 2 of everything else, helmets, boots, jackets etc.

My theory is if they cant give me the time of day when looking for simple a simple purchase, then how the hell are they going to treat me when I spend all my hard earned fortune with them!!

Suzuki Dealers however were the absolute opposite!!
Great service, and a Great bike
We both felt really comfortable....

[merv]

So do you have a Missus doing the big trip with you?

I'm presuming then you bought the bikes at Twin City. That's where my DR came from. Sure great guys (including Craig Guy).

4 Honda dealers, you must have travelled a bit coz you got Ericksen and Dave Whittaker handy - who else?

[Zukin]

No actually I didnt include the 2 local dealers in the figures, there was a guy at Whitakers that was pretty good though

Most of my looking was in Auckland!
I also went to the Fieldays so I could see all the bikes and talk to all the dealers, this is where Honda disappointed me the most.
They thought I was a joke

And yes the Twin City team are all great, and thats the whole team, the one thing I did appreciate with them is they never once slagged off another brands bikes, unlike some of the other dealers of the different brands...

[Zukin]

Whoops!!
And yes the missus is tagging along

[merv]

Being one that always works on my own bikes the kind of things that slacked me off about the Suzuki, other than the engine characteristics, gear ratios and driveline lash were (have any of these things been improved with the later model?):

The drain screw for the carburettor is stuck behind an oil line - you can't get the Allen key in there easily.

Does yours still have greasable swing arm linkages? How do you get your grease gun onto the lower left side nipple that is stuck in behind the frame tube? I had to pull the thing apart to get at it and fit an angled nipple. Hondas aren't built like that and as I've found lately nor are Yamahas.

The flat slide carburettor didn't have rollers on the slide and it was just way too sticky off/on throttle. That tied in with the engine characteristics make it a jerky bike to ride and on gravel meant you can really only ride them about 8/10. I stretched the throttle spring to lighten it, tweaked the slide and eventually fitted a new throttle cable set to smooth it a bit.

So everyone reading this, think about buying his XR. They are a good model. I don't need it, got the 2006 XR250L.