Touring on a 250?

[uNople]

Hey guys, I own a GSX-R250R (1989).

Last Saturday, my old man, a mate and I went for basically a thousand K ride. From CHCH > Ashvegas > geraldine > fairley > Lake tekapo > twizel > omarama > through the lindis valley, past cromwell, through alexandra and through the pig route past ranfurly, to palmerston, then back up SH1 to chch.

I had no issues at all keeping up, even when we were nailing it from the lindis valley onward as we realised we wouldn't get home before midnight otherwise. I was less sore than the others as well, because my bike's pretty much 100kg lighter than theirs, so I needed to do less work through corners. Surprisingly, I wasn't sore afterwards (should I be?).

so apart from constant fuel stops (10 in total for this trip, counting my top-up in chch when we left) would there be any issues touring on this bike?

[James Deuce]

so apart from constant fuel stops (10 in total for this trip, counting my top-up in chch when we left) would there be any issues touring on this bike?

No dramas at all. I bought one new in 1989 and subsequently toured the North Island more than once in 12 months of trouble free ownership. Get some decent soft luggage and Bob's your uncle.

[uNople]

No dramas at all. I bought one new in 1989 and subsequently toured the North Island more than once in 12 months of trouble free ownership. Get some decent soft luggage and Bob's your uncle.

Awesome. For some reason, the people I told about my trip thought I was mad doing it on a 250. dunno why

[sunhuntin]

Awesome. For some reason, the people I told about my trip thought I was mad doing it on a 250. dunno why

if the bike is mechanically sound, theres no reason why ANY cc bike cant do a long tour. ive taken my 250 from wanganui to invercargill and back, and will be going again later this year. aside from a mechanical failure that cant be repaired roadside [tyre blowout, etc] theres nothing stopping you!

as suggested, get some luggage and a couple of bungy cords/cargo net. will make life easier than a backpack.

[uNople]

if the bike is mechanically sound, theres no reason why ANY cc bike cant do a long tour. ive taken my 250 from wanganui to invercargill and back, and will be going again later this year. aside from a mechanical failure that cant be repaired roadside [tyre blowout, etc] theres nothing stopping you!

as suggested, get some luggage and a couple of bungy cords/cargo net. will make life easier than a backpack.

Yeah, I got a cargo net the other day. It makes it a shitload easier to cart round pillion gear (for some reason helmets don't like being bungie cord tied).

My dad has saddle bags that go over the back which he said I could borrow if I was nice, so I'll probably steal those sometime

[The Lone Rider]

I like using a large hiking/backpackers back pack as it has stomach and chest straps that hold it to you well, and they fit heaps and you can strap things to them. This weekend I had cloths for two people plus toiletries in the backpack, two sleeping bags strapped to the middle back of the backpack, food in the saddlebags, and tent bungied onto the rear rack.

the people I told about my trip thought I was mad doing it on a 250

Thats because some people think you are mad if you don't rev hard and go fast.

[FkNAmerican]

My first bike (technically) was a Ninja 250 (Ex250 to you) and I toured the hell out of that thing!!! Overall I loved it but I did have a few small issues.

problem I had, being in America, was the highways with the relatively high speed limits (70 mph or 120.7 kph). The reality is that most people are going at LEAST 75 mph on those roads and many are doing 80. Thats a bit much for a 250cc engine. I did worry about the need to acclerate to get out of trouble if I needed to at those speeds as the 250 had nothing in it above 80 really.

The second problem I had was just due to my body type. Im a bit tall for the bike which made it a little cramped after several hours riding. Overall, it was still more comfortable over a long distance then my old CBR600RR hehe.

The third problem I had was the relative lack of wind protection from the front screen and fairing. Its a small bike after all. 80 mph wind coming at you can cause some fatigue after several hours! You can crouch down a bit to get out of most of it but you can never really escape it in the ninja 250.

Forth problem was the weight. The bike is so light that it gets easily blown around in heavy crosswinds and at high speeds. Its not the most stable thing in the world and going 80mph in a high crosswind with hugh "18 wheelers" (as we call them here in the States b/c of the # of wheels they have duh) doing 90 all around you is a little disconcerting

Note that these problems all stem from having to do long high speed runs in the bike.....something the 250cc is not actually designed to do well anyway. It doesnt have the power or gearing for it after all. So......in NZ you should be able to avoid most of these issues anyway since you dont have nearly the number of high speed roads as we have in the US.

Now for the good stuff:

My Ninja 250 got an average of 65 miles per gallon when I owned her. That beats the hell out of my car.

The seat on the 250 is very comfortable and supportive.

I had 100% reliability over thousands of miles.

Around town and up in the mountains the bikes agility and light weight made it really fun.

Below 60 mph the power and acceleration wasnt so bad. It can actually feel kinda fast at those speeds hehe.

Now here is the kicker: Because of the light weight, comfort, ease of use, reliability, fuel economy, and low maintainace I rode the hell out of my Ninja 250. To put this in persepctive: I put more miles in one month on my Ninja 250 then some of my friends put on thier Harleys and GSXR's in a year!!!! Why? Because the Gixxers only came out to play on weekends for quick blasts through the twisties and the Harleys only came out on holidays for the one big road trip accross the state. My Ninja 250 did it all. The daily commute, daily blasts through the twisties, and trips up to the moutains or to the beach every weekend.

So I say be happy on that little 250 of yours. Im sure you'll be riding it a hella lot more then your friends ride thier bigger and better bikes. Just my two cents!

[Bonez]

Yeah, I got a cargo net the other day. It makes it a shitload easier to cart round pillion gear (for some reason helmets don't like being bungie cord tied).

My dad has saddle bags that go over the back which he said I could borrow if I was nice, so I'll probably steal those sometime

uNople you're setting a fine examble for other two fiddy owners. Good on ya. Look fwd to more of ya posts.

[MSTRS:Me]

So......in NZ you should be able to avoid most of these issues anyway since you dont have nearly the number of high speed roads as we have in the US.

Read that as 'In NZ there are no high-speed roads'
There is more fun to be had in the twisties anyway, most of which are 100kph just like the 'major' highways.
As far as touring is concerned...if touring is what spins your wheels, a 250 is just fine until you can get on a big bike.

[HRT]

Go for it, went to Chch and back to Dunedin on my CBR250 and it was great (ignoring the weather). The more on your back the more you'll feel it afterwards though

[hospitalfood]

used to do wellington to auckland and back on a 250 in weekends a lot. all good. now I don't think I would unless I had to. good work on the 250 but I think you should get on a bigger bike when you can.

[Dave-]

i plan on doing a tad of touring on an rs250

of course its a racing bike with lights.

good idea?

[Superdd]

For anyone touring, a recent 250 seems to be as good as a bigger bike on our roads - and by the way I'm the "old man" the young whippersnapper who started the post referred to - his 250 performed like a champion running with a Marauder 800 and FJ1200, though I did feel sorry for his rear looking at the slip of cardboard he calls a seat...

[MyGSXF:Me]

GO for it grasshopper!!!!

Years ago.. (like 1991 ) I did a huge trip by myself, over a week, on my old 82 gsx250.. from Motueka down as far as Dunedin & back up again, tickey touring on the way! had a blast & the bike never missed a beat!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen

here's a pic of her at my first Brass

[Renegade]

i did wellington to napier and then on to tauranga on my hyo, it went like a dream but i wished i had a pack rack or somthing similar afterward.