How's your Japanese? Or, Okshon and getting a Keihin CR

**xwhatsit** · 14th June 2007, 18:00

New Zealand's a little country, and most of the people doing interesting things with my bike seem to be overseas. A good chunk of them seem to speak another language.

I was reading this site: http://machinimal.com/m_cb/cb.htm , and somewhere in it it shows this pic of a CB250RS with a Keihin CR attached, and then a pic of one in a shop somewhere. I kept that in mind.

Browsing Okshon, which is an English front-end to Yahoo Auctions Japan, and amongst the <10,000km CB250RSs for $NZ1200, I spied this: http://www.okshon.com/v.cgi?YYurl=ht...ion/c148461633

It seems to be a Keihin CR carb (very bloody good carb, from all I've read), jetted and set up for a CB250RS. Who would've thought? The old CB would really crack along with one of those. ¥18,000, plus Okshon's commission (it works out to just under $US200). Now I can't really afford $US200, but I would be willing to save up for it if it is a good idea. So I want to ask about this...

My Japanese is shithouse. There was a girl once, but she pissed off back to Japan and only calls me when she's drunk and lonely. Current girlfriend speaks Cantonese, so no use. Is this really a carb set up and all ready to go for a CB250RS? Google translate gives me the usual gibberish. Brian? You bored and want to help me out?

The other thing is, who has used Okshon and had good results? I'm rather cautious about it for some reason. Shipping charges and most other things seem to be in $US, although there are a number of quotes from satisfied customers in France and all over the place, but that means bollocks-all as we all know.

If this Okshon thing is cool, many of us with old Jappers might be quite pleased, they have an incredible range of stuff in amazing nick for very little money.

**El Dopa** · 14th June 2007, 18:26

Originally Posted by xerxesdaphat

The other thing is, who has used Okshon and had good results? I'm rather cautious about it for some reason. Shipping charges and most other things seem to be in $US, although there are a number of quotes from satisfied customers in France and all over the place, but that means bollocks-all as we all know.

If this Okshon thing is cool, many of us with old Jappers might be quite pleased, they have an incredible range of stuff in amazing nick for very little money.

A guy I know from a yank forum uses it quite regularly, and reckons it's very good. However, the first once or twice that he used it he got stung quite badly with the charges (commission, shipping, etc). So it's a case of buyer beware and do your maths before you order.

Don't know anyone that speaks Japanese, unfortunately. But I reckon it would be a good little sideline for someone in NZ who did have the language skills.

**ambler** · 14th June 2007, 21:04

Never tried Okshon but I do use the regular yahoo auctions every now and then

Check out the first entry of my KB blog for a little something I picked up recently.

Yes El Dopa, I have been thinking the same thing...

He says the carb is unused, not specifically for CB250RS but will fit one. The rest of it is just rabbiting on about how people using cellphones to view his auction will miss out on the photos, so they should use a PC instead, and he will not answer questions from people who dont have 'technical knowledge' (about carburettors presumably).
The NZD is a nasty 92 yen right now...

**Brian d marge** · 15th June 2007, 01:58

yup second that ambler

its going to cost you around 25 000 yen ( about 2000 yen postage to nz ) and those carbs go for around 20 to 25 000 on auction

the problem with ordering from Japan is shipping , Ems is up to 2 kg after that the price goes stupid

If you can locate hard to get stuff , which carry a primium price then fine ,, but other stuff ,,Hmmm

I nearly bought a bsa M20 a while back for 100 000 yen

but at 92 to the yen, you pay the same price I do !!!!!

Stephen

ps that auction was from a dealer with a good bid history , 1 bad for a 250 cc part

**xwhatsit** · 15th June 2007, 02:06

Ah, cheers guys.

Yeah there was another auction up earlier, from a different seller, different set of photos -- also advertising a Keihin CR33 with CB250RS/Z written on the box. Was rather hoping it was already set up for a CB250RS, so I don't have to arse about with jets and needles.

Appreciate the translation, ambler. I know a teensy bit of Traditional Chinese, but Japanese is well beyond me. Cool blog. Number two option for approaching OE

Seller sounds like an officious prick

**xwhatsit** · 28th January 2008, 01:49

Woohoo, found one second-hand on Okshon for cheap. Considering it.

I know the CB250RS race-bikes in Japan seem to default to these Keihin CR Special 33mm jobs, but how about for normal street use? They don't have an accelerator pump (fine, I'll just have to be smooth), and 33mm is probably on the large side for a 250cc single, right? It should howl up top, though. Might be able to take advantage of the slightly better-specced camshaft I've got in the old girl.

**steveb64** · 29th January 2008, 00:40

I've used Ok!Shon successfully. Bought a swingarm for the Ducati - won the auction on the 5th Dec, it arrived here on the 22nd Dec. Cost me 7000 yen 'admin fee' plus US$140 shipping, plus an extra US$12 for internal shipping in Japan.
All up, I got an aftermarket braced alloy swingarm for about NZ$750 - $800.

The $140 was for the fastest shipping method - it was fast all right! It arrived before the Ok!Shon system had even logged it as being dispatched - in fact, my shipping page shows it as having been dispatched from Japan on the 22nd! The slowest part of the whole process was getting the goods from the vendor to the Ok!Shon warehouse, but after that, things moved quickly.

The thing to consider about carbs is that the older (and/or cheaper) they are, the more likely there is to be either something wrong with them, or that they've been heavily rejetted to work with some exotic tuned engine...
On the other hand, there's a good chance you'll get something for a good price, that just bolts on and works.

You can also contact Ok!Shon, and possibly ask them to contact the Japanese bidder (give them the auction reference number and vendor name) with your question. ....and you could take a chance, and ask in english... there's a chance you'll get a reply.

**xwhatsit** · 29th January 2008, 01:13

Haha yeah old thread, before I bit the bullet and ordered that speedo (that eventually led you to your fancy Duc bits

).

I revived it to discuss the carb, instead of starting a new thread about it.

The carb is off a CB250RS race-bike. Likely mods would include lumpy cams, high-compression piston etc. The Keihin CR Special (from the information I've garnered via Google) is such a tunable carb, beautifully adjustable and perfectly set up for racing (quick access to jets, needle position etc). Best of all it uses standard Keihin hex-head main jets and slow-speed jets. I'm not afraid of getting stuck in and rejetting it if it's a touch rich (if lumpy cams and high-comp piston have been used) -- the main thing I'm worried about if it'll completely kill the low-end, especially with no accelerator pump.

**gijoe1313** · 29th January 2008, 04:41

Any bits that would turn a little ol'hornet into a Gundam or mecha transformation kit?

Sheesh ... 2am or summit to post? You need your growing sleep lad!

**HenryDorsetCase** · 29th January 2008, 09:55

Originally Posted by xerxesdaphat

Haha yeah old thread, before I bit the bullet and ordered that speedo (that eventually led you to your fancy Duc bits

).

I revived it to discuss the carb, instead of starting a new thread about it.

The carb is off a CB250RS race-bike. Likely mods would include lumpy cams, high-compression piston etc. The Keihin CR Special (from the information I've garnered via Google) is such a tunable carb, beautifully adjustable and perfectly set up for racing (quick access to jets, needle position etc). Best of all it uses standard Keihin hex-head main jets and slow-speed jets. I'm not afraid of getting stuck in and rejetting it if it's a touch rich (if lumpy cams and high-comp piston have been used) -- the main thing I'm worried about if it'll completely kill the low-end, especially with no accelerator pump.

yes, the CB250RS is famous for its low end torque..........

**xwhatsit** · 29th January 2008, 11:12

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

yes, the CB250RS is famous for its low end torque..........

Lmao -- with this carb, silly twin exhausts, and 9-10,000rpm redline nobody will believe it's a single

**F5 Dave** · 29th January 2008, 16:36

ooh, was wondering who it was mentioning Okshon on here. Hope not a common problem but some people are having issues.

http://www.yamaha-rd.com/forum/viewt...er=asc&start=0

**steveb64** · 29th January 2008, 17:05

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

ooh, was wondering who it was mentioning Okshon on here. Hope not a common problem but some people are having issues.

http://www.yamaha-rd.com/forum/viewt...er=asc&start=0

OOoer that sounds nasty... Though I wonder if his problems stemmed from buying multiple items, from multiple(?) vendors, so that when one couldn't supply, it stuffed the whole process up?

Hope so, it's a useful service to have... ...and I still may need to get some more stuff through them...

**geoffm** · 29th January 2008, 21:07

Well, I think you should get the carb, put it on th ebike, make sure the starter works and bring it out to my place for a day of dyno tuning. I have some Kiehen jets, but probably not that size.
A CR Special should make the 250 scream. I wonder what it would cost for getting some cams ground?
Geoff

**xwhatsit** · 29th January 2008, 21:13

Originally Posted by geoffm

make sure the starter works

Hasn't got that fancy bollocks -- you have to do it the old fashioned way with a leather-clad foot. Does that matter? Never thought about that

Heheh I've often dreamed about building the ultimate CB250RS motor. Fella on here saying you can bore them out to 320cc or so; raise compression ratio, lumpy cam, tuned exhaust. Bottom ends are considered strong but not that strong perhaps

Perhaps I should consider fixing the oil leaks first.

About those difficulties with Ok!Shon, this is a very old thread I started long before I actually used their services. I found them to be very good -- and I continue to hear good things about them. Like every report about bad service on the internet, I take these things with a grain of salt (hell, I don't think there's a shop in Auckland I can send my bike too if KB group consensus is correct

). Shit happens with any large set-up, just hopefully not often and not to oneself.

Just bought an SR500 headlight, looks identical to the Bandit 400 one I have on my bike (that got squished when Mr BMW X5 backed over my bike), only $US23. Winnar.