Long term KLX250S review

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by GuinnesS

A very nicely put together package indeed. It certainly felt alot lighter than its claimed weight and even though it was bone stock, one could feel the very nature of trapped ponies within.

I agree and I have had quite a few other bikes in my time

Originally Posted by GuinnesS

I had a chance to ride it up to sixth gear and was seing about 6k rpm for 60 mph, does this sound about right? 6K rpm was also where the engine seemed to come into its own, those of you who are still breaking yours in must be really jonesing by now.

Yes thats right I'm getting 6K rpm @ 100kmh = 62 mph

Originally Posted by GuinnesS

I must add that this engine is sooo smooth for a single, highway jaunts are very doable IMHO.

I think GuinnesS is turning green

Originally Posted by GuinnesS

Anyway, Iam certainly very glad I took the time to get to know the KLXs it has been a revelation. Even did a little 3rd gear lugging around the dealer parking lot doing tight figure-eight's and it performed beautifully. Well, you all probably knew all of this already but I thought $.02 from a less biased non-owner might be appreciated by other sniffers like myself

Thank you GuinnesS ! good to hear from someone looking to buy a Husky and looking at the KLX and giving an honest opinion

Cheers and good luck with whatever you buy

Garry

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by alternateimpact

So what about a rad guard/brace.... the one I ordered up didn't end up fitting!

sorry to hear that alt, just out of curiosity what model bike was the one you ordered for? Just so we know not to get it

Garry

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by f650gs

Don't bother....it LOOKS like one of those so called spark enhancer units, used to put them in the coil wires of cars to increase the spark, years ago.
I cut one apart and discovered it was a capacitor
They can help a motor start, with bad plugs, as they used to fractionally delay the spark timing.
The best thing for a good spark on your bike is use an Iridium spark plug.

hey f650gs how do you like the postie bike? lol I rode one (well it was more than one) for 20 years during my time with aussie post

Garry

[MaverickAus]

Do you guys wanna hear and see pix of a ride I went on today or should I find/start a ride thread?

[f650gs]

Originally Posted by MaverickAus

hey f650gs how do you like the postie bike? lol I rode one (well it was more than one) for 20 years during my time with aussie post

Garry

Postie bike is undergoing a light resto I TRIED to buy a brand new one a couple of years ago. Honda dealer said no, ONLY brought in for sale to Australia Post.

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by f650gs

Postie bike is undergoing a light resto I TRIED to buy a brand new one a couple of years ago. Honda dealer said no, ONLY brought in for sale to Australia Post.

well hell I'd hate to contradict the mighty red dealers but I will
http://www.hondamotorcycles.com.au/m...ral/ct110p.htm

[f650gs]

Originally Posted by MaverickAus

well hell I'd hate to contradict the mighty red dealers but I will
http://www.hondamotorcycles.com.au/m...ral/ct110p.htm

Just sent online enquiry, via their WEB site. Sit back and see what happens!

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by nobrakes

Finally we got a nice day in North Carolina after nothing but bad weather since I picked it up last Saturday. Back roads got me here.

nice one nobrakes, hey you and I got our bikes the same day
p.s. you wont have to worry about nobrakes any more the KLX has excellent brakes

on another subject has anyone had any problems with this brake pipe? It looks a bit vunerable to me

[styx]

I have been visiting this furum for a few weeks now and have found it to be very helpful. I was looking for a street legal trail bike that was light enough for me to ride along with my seven year old son on his TTR-90. I previosly owned a '96 KLR 250 and loved how she handled on the trails. When I first saw the KLX 250 I was smitten; better suspension, smooth power delivery, light weight and of course the amazing little button on the right grip, electric start. This fourm was exactly what I needed to finalize my decision. I picked up my KLX last Tuesday. I cannot wait to get some serious miles on it.

Thanks for all of the information and real-life evaluations.

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by styx

I have been visiting this furum for a few weeks now and have found it to be very helpful. I was looking for a street legal trail bike that was light enough for me to ride along with my seven year old son on his TTR-90. I previosly owned a '96 KLR 250 and loved how she handled on the trails. When I first saw the KLX 250 I was smitten; better suspension, smooth power delivery, light weight and of course the amazing little button on the right grip, electric start. This fourm was exactly what I needed to finalize my decision. I picked up my KLX last Tuesday. I cannot wait to get some serious miles on it.

Thanks for all of the information and real-life evaluations.

Congrats on your new bike styx

[Dukeryder]

WOW 17 PAGES!!! I just got finished reading all the posts. I've only had my XR650L about a month now, but that's been long enough to realize it's great for tearin' up the streets (especially in SM trim), but even if I found some stock wheels w/dirt tires it's way too much bike for me to handle off-road (trails; not dirt roads). I know some folks might laugh at that; as the XR650L only has about 35hp, but my Dirt Riding experience has been only on OLD I'm talking real old like 1970s 100cc bikes.

Anyway I was thinking about buying a small dualsport so that I could do some trail riding with; and my girlfriend could ride it on the streets w/me or my friends when they come to town for a visit (mainly would be for me to get some good dirt experience). I found a couple OLD Dual sports not too far from me on eBay, but $1000 (each) for 18 year old bikes (SP200 and an XL250) seemed a bit much even if they only had 5000 miles on them. I'd rather shell out more $ for a bike I wouldn't have to fix all the time, and have more modern features.

I rode a TW200 @ the MSF and it seemed to tote my large ass around fine, which is really my only concern about this bike, I'm weighin' in about 250 these days, and nobody has brought up the question about how much weight this bike can carry. I'm just wondering if I'd be better off picking up an XR400 to use for trailriding instead (I'd have to add a D/S kit). I got my XRL for riding the streets, but I'd still like a street legal bike so I don't have to trailer the bike I can just ride it to the woods. There's someone in Baton Rouge sellin' a '99 XR400 for $2,000 w/some mods and only 300miles on the bike, I could be mistaken but an XR400 should only be marginally more powerful than the Liquid Cooled 250???

TIA for any advice input.

[BikePilot]

Many dirt bikes come with under-the-fork front brake line routing like that. I've read that honda pattented the proper way to route the line, leaving that as the only option. Most folks promptly install aftermarket lines and route them properly, like a honda where it is clamped to the top of the lower fork guard, then wraps around the inside of the fork leg and directly to the caliper. The result is a shorter, less vulnerable line.

enjoy

[bmwhd]

FourStrokeWorks.com sells a cover for the front brake line. It's on my list of things to order.

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by bmwhd

FourStrokeWorks.com sells a cover for the front brake line. It's on my list of things to order.

Thanks bikepilot and Todd, I might have a go at making one or if they are cheap enuff in OZ I'll buy one.
Todd got my Pelican 1200 case today and got all the bits to mount it, so thats the next project, they look like a great bit of kit, wanna be for the price lol. I've ordered the barkbusters too, the dealer only had red, white and blue so i ordered .... wait for it ... drum roll please .... green .
I'm also going to make up a template for making rad guards. I had a look at the guards on my KLR and they look pretty easy to make if you can weld, they won't be the bling bling anodised aluminium but behind the white airflow thingys thats on the bike now you wont even see them.

That's all for now folks

Go Team Green

[MaverickAus]

Originally Posted by Dukeryder

I rode a TW200 @ the MSF and it seemed to tote my large ass around fine, which is really my only concern about this bike, I'm weighin' in about 250 these days, and nobody has brought up the question about how much weight this bike can carry.
TIA for any advice input.

Hi Dukeryder,
I'm approx your weight and it hauls my fat arse round just fine only thing I wanna do performance wise is drop one tooth on the countershaft for offroad. I'm getting the idea tho that the aussie version is not choked as much as the US bike, some ppl say in these forums the bike wont accerlerate in 6th gear, mine does just fine. However Todd's mods work just fine and don't cost much.
Whatever you decide good luck