Originally Posted by xshanex

dr350's are cheap and even saw a drz400s for cheap on CL here. Judging by the xr250r that skrooz rebuilt for me I wouldn't be worried about buying something a little bigger. A 250 single is marginal on the road


with any dual sport (except maybe the new ktm dual sports which are not cheap) you're not going to be doing big jumps or a lot of single track. Throw the klr250 on the list too


I'd buy this one in a second if I didn't already have one
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/mcy/401286390.html

klr250
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/mcy/404431067.html

if you're tall and skinny this would be ok for mostly road riding
http://norfolk.craigslist.org/mcy/406378146.html

Originally Posted by Enigma

Thanks!

That is a lot for a bike..
E

Originally Posted by xshanex

how much are you expecting to really spend?

Originally Posted by Enigma

No more than 2k.

Some thing around 1k is more reasonable for a bike.

If read, there is a post up there about wanting a bike from the early to mid 90's.

The bike will be torn completely apart and rebuilt, for safety.

E

Originally Posted by xshanex

might be a little hard to find for those years at that price. You might be able to find a really beat-up dr350 or may get really lucky and find a thrashed xr250l(they hold a premium for some reason and I haven't even seen one for sale anywhere in a couple years). There wasn't too many dual sports made then so there isn't a whole lot to choose from. I'd look at something bigger than a 250 for the street part though. My xr250 was a dog on the street and required being at full throttle most of the time

if it was easy to find 90's dual sports for around $1.5k then I know about 10 people that would have them including me. I'll let you know if I see anything because I'm always looking at ads and thats already on my list of stuff I want but can never find


this klr 250 is pretty awesome. Offer them a little less and be done with it. though http://norfolk.craigslist.org/mcy/374670271.html

Originally Posted by Enigma

The plan is to have a 4-Stroke 250cc Enduro. There are a few things that I would like more information on:

Company Selection: Inexpensive and Abundant Parts/Reliability/Maintainence/Metric/Size (I'm small; 140 lbs.)

--any of the big 4 honda/kawi/suzuki/yamaha. None of the 250 models were huge sellers compared to their big brothers so expect less availability in most cases (xr250 is an exception). A lot of the models sell in surprisingly low numbers. Most of the models that were only put out for a couple years had a real enduro sibling so parts for them aren't extremely hard to get. The technology on most dual sports goes back decades so there's a lot of intechangeability on the more popular models. If you get a less popular model I would stock up on some parts before get harder to get. Most dual sports are taller...I can't flat-foot my drz or xr250 but you get used to it and lowering them is fairly simple

Engine Size: Having enough power without throwing my ass.

--all the 250's have fairly close low amounts of tractable power. expect around 16-20hp on the 250's(couple more hp either way depending on model). Max mph around 70-75 with the max comfortable cruising speed around 55-60mph. Give or take 5mph depending on the models. They're not great on the road and freeways suck....simple as that. Around town and on backroads the 250's are fine. Even my drz400sm with 35hp is more comfortable around 70(still a little buzzy) and maxes out at 90ish. It's not much fun on the freeways as its light so thus gets blown around, with little wind protection, and could use a 6th gear for cruising. I wish I hadn't sold my xr250 so you could get an idea about what to expect.....with a gutted exhaust and newly rebuilt engine I could twist the throttle to the stop and leave it there when going through all the gears. 250's are marginal at best when 2-up. I wouldn't hop on the freeway for long with my girlfriend on the back of my 400. Power from a 250 is manageable for anyone and if they can't handle it they shouldn't ride a motorcycle ever again. I would have no problem recommending any size street legal dual sport from 200cc-650cc for a brand new rider with maybe the exception of the new ktm525 and I'm a huge safety nazi. The only thing hard to control is the size and weight. Even some of the 650's aren't great on the freeway with twice the hp/tq

Suspension Travel: Tall enough for my long legs, and to get around if I feel like taking the road less-traveled.

--any dual sport will have this. (how tall are you?) Do not have any high expectations of stock suspension as its mainly for trails and the road. There are aftermarket solutions for just about all of them which will help a lot but it can only take you so far

Tire Selection: Mobility, all-around performance on any surface.

--my preference is the dunlop D606's(what I will run on my drz) or pirelli mt21. There's a ton more options from barely street legal knobbies to full street tires that fit dual sports. The trade-off for aggressive off-road tires is usually less streetability and less wear. Knobbies on a wet roads isn't great.

Lighting: Saftety. I've seen several accidents (ouch!).

--They all have lighting but there are several aftermarket solutions to every model's problems or limitations. Worry about a great braking system because most dual sports have barely adequate brakes. Very few if any are to the level of an average streetbike. A disc in the front and rear is best. Recommend a stainless front line in general and regular maintenance if you're going to be in the dirt a lot. Rider training and skill is much more important than equipment....it's true on all aspects of motorcycles. Good riders on 10 year old bikes are faster/safer than so-so riders on the latest and greatest

Cooling: Water or air?

--most of the 250's are air cooled with the exception of the klr's. It wouldn't be a deciding factor for me. Water cooling is nice but the simplicity of air-cooled is also nice. It's a wash

Weight: I'd like to get around easily and jump anything. Restrictions suck!

--No model of dual sport is exactly great at any real jumping. Think less motocross with jumps and more casual trail riding and dirt roads with small jumps. Weight is also up compared to real enduros and mx bikes.

Muffler choice: I don't like being heard.

--leave it stock with a rejet and larger airbox opening(dependent on model)

I've been doing some online research, yet all of the information I find is on the newer bikes.. I want something from the 90's and cheap!

--here is every 250 model of every brand produced http://www.250ccbikes.com/thelist.htm

Enigma

Originally Posted by Enigma

Now that is what I was looking for!!!

Since this state seems to be more about generating money than to take care of its citizens I will be moving to Tennessee for my education. This bike would be used for long trips, 2 to 3 hours riding at the most, to get to and from school and other things since it is so wide-open in the country. A 6-Speed would be grand!

I've riden a set of Honda 250XR's?, 4-stroke trail bikes, since I was 11 years old or so with my unc. We trailed them.. jumped them.. and just trashed out there in the open. I wouldn't say I am the best rider in the world, but I would say I am confident on a 250.. with plenty of room to learn!

--can I ask why so stuck on the 250cc? With experience riding off-road like that and those goals for riding especially with the trips and mild off-roading life would be easier with something common like the klr. It just makes the trips between school and home a ton easier and if a girl ever wants a ride on the back the 250 will be lacking

Would it be advantageous to bore the engine to around a 300cc?
I'd have to start looking into engine options to see if I might just get a frame and piece it together as I do not need to get a bike right out when I move there. I'm looking for power on-demand, similar to the difference of a V8 and a B16. If I get on the throttle I want to go, I just don't need a really high top end.

--depends on the bike with the big overbores. In general it reduces reliability and some other work is often needed like a new cam, exhaust or carb to actually make the most of it. It most likely won't be as problem free as if you left it stock. Heat is often an issue with overbores and tons of motorwork. There really isn't a 250cc out there that offers power on demand.....they have to be wound out all the time and since they're all singles they all have some torque and don't have to be revved out like a 4cyl street bike. I'd compare a 250 to the 22re 4cyl in engines in the toyotas or the 2.4l in the little nissan trucks. For that "V8" only a 650 will really deliver

We do a lot of hunting out there and chasing down a deer, checking traps, or just getting out to our grounds is what the off-road would be. I just need some thing capable to handle what mother nature will throw at it given the suspension, brakes, tires, ect.

--thats pretty easy to do. Dual sports are all made for this kind of stuff

Also, this would be a purpose-built bike.. nothing off-the-shelf for me. Saddle bags on both sides for tools to repair out in the open as I will be camping out there a lot with nothing more than what I can carry. A few shotguns/rifles along with a pistol or two would be necessary. So a bike that has room for some type of McGuyver-ized rack or saddle back set-up is what I will be looking for. My main talent is making the best of what is at hand.. I hate going out and buying needless shit.

--check out advrider. Lots of people with nice stuff but a ton of people that made their own stuff or found a cheap alternative that works great. There's a specific thread on 250cc touring http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201349 that shows you what people do on them. The amount of crap they put on the bikes and the rides they do is often pretty impressive. Take some of it with a grain of salt because a lot of those guys have been riding for a long time and have a lot of off-road experience so they make it look easy. A ton of their trips would have been much easier and arguably more fun with a better bike. Most of those people have them as 2nd or 3rd bikes. The klr250 seems to be one of the more popular

I'm looking for the bike that is/was is highest production with the most amount of OEM and aftermarket support at the chepeast price.. kinda like the Acura I have (some one buy it!).

--klr650...simple as that. Every 3rd person advrider has owned one and its the most popular dual sport on there. People are downright fanatical about them. You can also really rack up the mileage on them. More people buy them than anything else. The model has been about the same for 20 years and parts are as cheap and plentiful as they come. The aftermarket on them is one of the strongest there is and you can get anything for them from racks to suspension to motorwork to supermoto kits. They're the easiest to find and are usually at decent prices because they were cheap to begin with. People have ridden them around the world many times and all over south america and are the perfect low buck adventure tourer. Also heard they do some decent wheelies That's why I pointed out that klr650 to you

Thanks again!
Enigma

Originally Posted by xshanex

www.advrider.com seems perfect for you because you sound like you want to do what those guys are all about. Read and search as much as you can before posting. Every imaginable topic has been covered