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Thread: How much more nimble is 250 sx vs big red 250es as far as handling?

  1. #1
    MotorCity is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerFirst time rider
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    How much more nimble is 250 sx vs big red 250es as far as handling?

    I still need to get this 250sx going I just bought, but I"m envisioning it to be a more more nimble and sporty handling machine , relative to my big red. Can anyone give me any feedback about this statement, and riding experiences / opinions?

  2. #2
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    You're absolutely right. It's smaller, lighter weight, and more nimble. I think that it also sits a little bit lower so the center of gravity is also lower. For being "fraternal twins", they are completely different animals.

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    I own both, yep the 250sx is more nimble. It's also quite a lot lighter (no racks, hitch, fancy headlight setup etc), narrower but longer. Besides the physical differences, the engines are extremely similar to power should be the same. It feels like the SX has more power, but the CDI and cam's are the same part number as the ES so it's more power to weight ratio than anything.

    As stated above, besides the engine and CDI, not a whole lot else interchanges. The rear diff is about the only thing that comes to mind (different gearing though), can't recall if the hubs interchange or not, same with rear brake drum.

  4. #4
    MotorCity is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerFirst time rider
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    Quote Originally Posted by ps2fixer View Post
    I own both, yep the 250sx is more nimble. It's also quite a lot lighter (no racks, hitch, fancy headlight setup etc), narrower but longer. Besides the physical differences, the engines are extremely similar to power should be the same. It feels like the SX has more power, but the CDI and cam's are the same part number as the ES so it's more power to weight ratio than anything.

    As stated above, besides the engine and CDI, not a whole lot else interchanges. The rear diff is about the only thing that comes to mind (different gearing though), can't recall if the hubs interchange or not, same with rear brake drum.
    PS2Fixer, / all: thanks for the input. Yes, I own a 250ES big red too, and couldnt believe how much "smaller" the 250sx looked when I went to look at (and purchase) the machine. I still need to get it running, but I've been looking for a 250sx for a while. I hooked up my buddy with a 200m, and we have a great track on his property up in East Jordan, Michigan. Lots of water, mud, sand and great hill climbs. He smokes me on his 200m vs my Big Red, hoping I can cut the gap with this 250sx....we have an absolute blast riding these 3 wheelers up there. looking forward to getting this 250sx going.

    BTW, PS2Fixer, whereabouts are you located in michigan?

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    Interesting, your 250es might be a bit tired. My 250es goes pretty good, the 250sx goes more. I'd say the 250sx is about as fast as a 200x in a straight line, but every 200x I've rode felt super high geared and slow to me so maybe the 4 machines or whatever were all messed with, weak on power or whatever.

    I have kind of the same thing here, ~5 acres of wooded land, back half is all swamp so plenty of mud. If I want to ride sand, just have to go down the road 1/2 mile to state land and there's like 400+ acres of trails and such. They are logging trails and local laws passed it so atvs and 3 wheelers can ride on the side of the road, so pretty sure that covers logging trails too. I don't have much for hills, atleast not in the sense of like Indiana riding. Highest point to lowest point is like 700ft elevation vs 650ft and most hills are slow gradual inclines over a mile long etc, the quicker hills are like 5-10ft tall in 30 ft of trail.

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    Ranvier is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
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    Both of mine are for chores but agree the sx way more agile, big red for cruising.

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    You might also look at doing a 200x front end swap on your 250SX once you get it running.

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    Quote Originally Posted by drsung View Post
    You might also look at doing a 200x front end swap on your 250SX once you get it running.
    My 85 250SX has a 200X front end on it. I love the disc brake. A friend rode it a while back and said that the 200X forks held the front end up better than the stock one does. He feels that the SX forks bottom out easier. I also like the narrower front tires. They steer more precisely.

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    The 200x shocks have more travel, so that's partly why it's harder to bottom out. I'm pretty sure another option is to use 350x front end, but those are a bit harder to find than the 200x ones. I suspect the 250r ones would be similar too, like the 81-84 ones.

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    He said that he thinks the springs are stiffer too.

  11. #11
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    My experence is the 250sx shocks were stiffer and shorter travel. I've rode 2 250sx's both 85, and 4 different 200x's 83-85. Changing the oil, valving, spring etc can change a lot though. That's just riding one machine vs the other, I'd think the 200x front end would be even softer with the heavier 250sx machine attached to it.

  12. #12
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    I have no idea. That's just what he thought after riding it.

  13. #13
    MotorCity is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerFirst time rider
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    Quote Originally Posted by 350for350 View Post
    My 85 250SX has a 200X front end on it. I love the disc brake. A friend rode it a while back and said that the 200X forks held the front end up better than the stock one does. He feels that the SX forks bottom out easier. I also like the narrower front tires. They steer more precisely.
    Sounds like a great upgrade. I'll keep my eyes open for 200x / 350x front end .

  14. #14
    MotorCity is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerFirst time rider
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ranvier View Post
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    Both of mine are for chores but agree the sx way more agile, big red for cruising.
    Thats why i love my big red 250es. definetely helps me out with lotsa yard work moving wood etc, throwing floor jack on the back rack at times....its a great reliable beast of burden. I'd like to do some winter drifting with the 250sx, after a few inches of snow, like I used to on a 200s I had about 12 years ago.

  15. #15
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    Sliding around in winter is always a blast. Just remember where your limits are, I went beyond mine once and flipped my 250sx. It planted and stopped very quick, I jumped off by instinct and slid a fair ways. Only got a bent handle bar out of the ordeal and I was in 3rd or 4th gear sliding sideways basically.

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