The official XT225 thread!

Looking to get a 2004 xt225 for my fiance. Well the bike we are going to look at smokes on start up. Once it warms up it doesnt smoke. Looking online it looks like a valve guide seal or something. How hard is that to fix?

Unless the price of the bike is $1000 or less I'd keep shopping. It's no fun buying machines that need work.

So Glenn, the only difference you really notice with the 14 is in 2nd and 3rd. When I got mine it had a 16 and the only difference I noticed was I had to downshift to 5 if the sligest hill came along, didn't like went back to 15 but would really like to go lower, 75% off road rider. Have you tried a 13? If so what did you notice?

Curious, so I looked in the manual. Both 5th and 6th are overdrive on this bike.

I was having some issues with my 2000 idling rough or altogether dying at idle.
I took the carb apart and blew massive amount of compressed air through the passages, took out all the jets and did the same, reinstalled carb and not too much of a change. I noticed the black plastic breaky-thingy (coasting enricher cover plate if you want to be technical) was not mating with the carb body at the top of the carb. It was also cracked. I put it back on and built up the area with 2 part epoxy. This is not my modus operandi but I didn't want to spend $50 on a possible fix and be forced to ride the wr250r all the time

Took the bike out for a very long spin this evening, and it is running really well. I did have to bump up the idle speed the slightest bit, which I found a bit odd, but so be it. (I could have been paranoid and just thought the bike was about to stall.)
While I had the carb off I removed the anti tamper brass insert on the pilot adjustment screw. Stock it was at 1 1/4 turns out, so I turned it to almost 2 turns.
Anyway, point of the story is that it ain't pretty, but 2 part epoxy sure can come in handy sometimes, especially to fix this breakage prone part on the XT.
Pretty soon I will have had this bike in pieces. As it stands I can fix or reassemble most things with a bent fork and a crescent wrench

AHA...I had been riding my used '97 for a few years, mostly off-road, but rode highways sometimes to get there. I noticed in 2nd gear, I could cruise really slowly down long/nasty hills without using the brakes too much, while Mr. redninja, on a stock '03, had to use his brakes a lot. One day, I removed the front sprocket cover to clean in there, and was surprised to see a 12-tooth in there! It was worn, and after reading some stuff about how it was not a good match with the stock rear (although the only drawback mentioned was excessive wear), I put in a 13, and put a 13 into the other bike also. Still seems to work fine on downhills in 2nd. When the 12-tooth was in there, we rode on the highways at 60-65 (usually not too far, though), and it didn't seem to be screaming excessively. But I also ride a sport bike, so perhaps I'm not the best one to ask about screaming bikes !!

Hello,

Put 16 on my 07 and rode to Boise and back, 2500 miles, 2 years ago.
Great till coming down 93 and hit 15. 105 degrees and 35 mph winds in my face.
New pavement after Vegas but lots of hills. 38mph was as fast as I could go
uphill with 16, gear and my fat ass on poor XT. The Emergency lane was not paved so it was about 1.5 inches lower than the rest of freeway and I had to go up and down for 250 miles to get out of the way of everybody, even big semis were passing me. Been riding 45 yrs and that was one of the worst 250 miles ever. It was an adventure though. Took coast north on my way there. Just came back from 4,000 mile trip to Boise, Missoula, Glacier, Canadian Border, Yellowstone, Tetons and home through Vegas on 650 Burgman. No problems with speed at all. Rode TW200 in Id. offroad, great fun. On xt after changing gear to 16, rejetting carb, doing z1 mod and opening airbox my mpg went from 78 to 60.
Cruised in 5th a lot.


heirhead
worlds worst mechanic

Replaced the second set of OEM tires at a little over 6K miles.

Installed a set of Shinko 244's, which I'd heard good things about here. Used them on an all day dirt/trail ride, they performed well.

But (there's always a but), on paved surfaces they squirm and the rear feels loose on turns to the point where I feel a little uncomfortable, like the bike has a flat. I'm running 15 lbs, which was what I kept in the OEM tires, and they never felt like this.

I bought the 244's because I'd read these were an improvement over Kenda's, which people said squirmed a lot.

Anybody have a similar experience with the 244's?

Weird, I just returned from a 2-up camping trip and was thinking about doing a little write up, including something on these -as far as I can tell- indestructible tires. Let me run out and check my pressure (sound of me running)
OK, 27 psi rear, 30 front. I have a 3.00 front and 4.60 rear. No squirming what so ever.
I run them at about 12psi off road. Rimlocks are used, but I've run that PSI without and no issues either.
The front is an acceptable off roader, but poor in mud. Rear seems about as good as it gets for a dual purpose tire (I want to try some t63's but feel the these tires might outlast the bike)
I'd say experiment with different pressures. I don't usually like to have my fronts over inflated as I feel I need some compliance when braking in wet conditions, but feel that the soft front suspension of this bike offsets the harder tire.

I'm using a 244 rear. I'm running "about" 20 psi all the time. The tire was a bit squirrelly at first when it was new, but not bad now.

If it doesn't get better add some air, at least when on road. Try 18-20 psi off-road it might be okay. Works great here, and I'm riding some very steep & rough terrain. Actually, in the rocks the XT225 has run out of power before the tires have broken their grip.

Have new Shinko 4.60 244 on rear and Mt21 on front with tubliss system. front gearing is 16 and 50 on rear. will be heading out to do some pavement and FS roads tomorrow and play with the tire pressures. Max speed is never over 60 MPH on our country roads.

John in Marysville

Thanks to all for the responses. I'll throw some more air in them and see if they improve.

Hi all,
I am on the look out for a center for my xt225.
Does any one have a used one for sale? Or know of where I can still buy one?
Thanks.

Tires like yours, with small knobs are squirmy, especially if you installed a larger size. Thats why none of the larger dual sports come with them.
I would leave the pressure as it is and learn to live with it. It's not a big deal and when you need more traction you can air down from there.

Check the xt225 site. http://www.xt225.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

Hey Matt, You sure get around. Good luck on a center stand.

Yours looks "ALMOST" as good as mine! I bought mine brand new back in 1994. I guess the difference between yours and mine is I have 18,000 miles on mine!. -Steve

Got one for the fiance. Need to order dirt tires, hand guards, bar risers, and foot pegs. All I am going to do it to. Maybe paint it pink or something.

I road it home and to the grocery store. Had a blast.

I'm thinking about a set of these(Shinko 244's) to replace the originals on an '05 I just bought. Is the rear 4.6 the same as the 120/80's? The factory front is a 2.75, what changes other than 1/4" by using a 3.00?

If by "these" you mean Michelin T-63's, I put these on my '04, using a 80/90 in front and 120/80 on the rear some 5,000 miles ago. No problems with the fit. They're not in dire need of replacing yet, but getting close. Most of that 5,000 miles was done on a Continental Divide Ride a year ago - see: http://www.xt225.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=102645&page=1

I liked these tires a lot, lot more than the OEM's.