What have I done?

[98940]

I am not a racer.  I am the freeriding, open practice guy.
I just ride to ride.  I can't hammer whoops or big doubles/triples.
I don't over-rev any of the bikes I have ever owned.

Anyway, so while I was recently looking for a new bike,,
I says to myself, "dude, a 250 2-stroke would be so bitchin to own!".

So, I go out any buy a used (from orig owner) '05 KX250.  Excellent, low hrs.
Still has orig tires/sprockets/chain.
Got it from an old guy like me.

So... I take the bike up to Mototown USA in CT.


Let's just say this: 

This bike is meant for someone who actually knows what they are doing.
I could not handle the hit of the powerband.

[Jeeks]

Maybe with an 11' pole.

[98940]

Thanks for the welcome, Jimmy 

[makKX250]

Mind you, I am not a racer.  I am the freeriding, open practice guy.
I just ride to ride.  I can't hammer whoops or big doubles/triples.
I don't over-rev any of the bikes I have ever owned.
(Hmmm, maybe that's why I have never had a blown motor before).
.......................
So, I go out any buy a used (from orig owner) '05 KX250.  Excellent, low hrs.
Still has orig tires/sprockets/chain.
Got it from an old guy like me.
.........................
This bike is meant for someone who actually knows what they are doing.
I could not handle the hit of the powerband.

I think you should give the bike a chance. I'm 46 and after a 20 year break from dirt bikes I bought a '06 YZ 125 and was having a kick-ass time! I ride tight woods trails and am by no means a 'fast' rider. Them I decided I needed a little more low end grunt and picked up an '06 KX 250. The first couple of times out I had no fun at all - I was scared of the bike and like you was about to sell it. By the third ride I started to learn some throttle control and the bike became a lot easier to ride - I was actually having fun! My problem was that I was used to just whacking the throttle on the 125 where as doing that on the 250 had dire consequences. Now after about 10 rides on the bike there is no way I would go back to the 125 - the 250 is just too much fun!

Like I said, get more experience on the bike - you'll be glad you did!

[98940]

I think you're on to something there...
I'll probably take that advice.
It sucks though, because I don't get many opportunities to ride (work & ma waafe).
Plus, the rides are spaced out far- sometimes a month or two goes by.
The crappy part is that just when I start to 'figure it out', and get a skills groove going,
the long time period of not riding makes the muscle memory fly right out the window. 
This has been my deal with lots of fun stuff... snowboarding, golf, etc...
I got a decent technique foundation, but without the constant exposure and repetition,,
I can't ever get to new levels.
Keeps me locked in at having to ride at 70% to keep things safe and reasonable.

[Hillclimb#42]

The first year or two that I owned my 250, I thought and said many times that I would have been better off with a 125. That 250 rips. After riding it for 4-5 years and making it faster a little at a time, I went nuts and bought a 500. I will probably never ride it over 70% and it will still be very unsafe. Its like the roller-coaster affect. When its over, you realize that it was a blast. You are freakin' so hard that you are on that much power that you really focus in on every obstacle, every sound, every gear shift, until you park it. Then you realize that for the past several hours you totally forgot about all of your daily problems, and the rest of the world. If you were on something easy to ride at a comfortable pace, all of life's stresses are still able to creep in on you.
 I say keep it, figure out what you need to do on gearing and clutch control. You will love that bike soon. Gear down away from stock gearing will slow it down a little. 13-47 is a good gear set-up or even 13-49. That will get you out of first gear and you won't have to clutch so often to keep it running. I kept kllling mine with stock gearing which then wore me out from starting and catching back up to friends.
 Another good thing to do is go riding with guys that are better riders than you are. They will constantly feed you info that took years for them to learn. After riding with them for a little while you'll see how good you are when you go riding with some new guys or guys that you think are on your level.

[KXcam22]

I would suggest trying a steahly flyweel weight before I gave up on the bike. You can also close the metal reed stoppers on the reedvalve to tame the hit. Move them each 3/8" inward.  There are lots of cheap ways to tame the hit. Cam.

[98940]

Thanks for the suggestions, fellas.
I will look into this reed spacing thing...

[98940]

Ordered 13 oz. flywheel, I'll post a ride report after I ride it. 

[98940]

Well- I promised a ride report...

Rode at Mototown USA last night.

Installed SFB 13 oz. flywheel weight.
The bike starts the same, but idles much better now,, even if not fully warmed.
(This is nice, so I can strap my helmet on and put my goggles & gloves on without the bike stalling.)

The bike is definitely easier to ride now.  Mototown is a pretty tight place,
so I really didn't get to keep WFO too much anywhere, but I must say that it is more manageable
in the turns and in whoops (at least for a novice like me).
Jumping is a much easier as well.

Overall, the change isn't what I would have liked (I would prefer even more effect).
But, I guess the change was worth the money.

Bottom line is, you gotta be in shape to ride this bike, and I ain't in shape.
I am sore today.  This has actually motivated me to start taking care of myself again
after a long hiatus (marraige, comfort, awesome home cookin').

The bike was controllable for the first 1/2 lap or so, but once the fatigue sets in,
it becomes too much of an exercise in restraint and survival.

Look, the bottom line is- if you aren't clearing all the jumps like the fast guys,
the landings are rougher, and your upper body and legs really take a beatin'.

She starting to grow on me now.  She doesn't tolerate couch potatoes like the 4-strokes.
She expects me to match her performance, so let the calisthenics begin.   

[KXcam22]

To tame the hit more you can put a reducer in the silencer outlet to restrict the exhaust.  For an experiment, try taping one in and going for a ride. Easy to do and test. Can be metal or plastic or even just a washer centered over the outlet. Cam.

[98940]

You mean just stick something in the tail end of the exhaust? 

[KXcam22]

Yes.  The yamaha PW50 came stock with a washer that went in the exhaust port to detune it for beginners.  You will effectively be doing the same thing except it is much easier to install and test (you wont have to remove the pipe).  I short 1" piece of thickwall pipe that slides tightly inside the silencer end would be fine.  Heck PVC or ABS would propably last fine. To start try to reduce the stinger pipe opening area to 50% of stock. Hope this helps. Cam.

[js]

seems like they use to cut an 8 inch section out of a bicycle inner tube and strech it over the end of the tailpipe. Maybe that was the old homemade sparkarrestor?