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Thread: Polaris 250 trail boss

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Missouri
    --
    79

    Polaris 250 trail boss

    Anyone know anything about the late 80's, early 90's. Polaris Trail Boss 250's. Where they any good? Im thinking about getting one.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    GA
    --
    53
    I might still have my ancient '87 or so shootout in Dirtwheels or one of those mags. The auto tranny kills sportiness, although having a 250cc 2-stroke and competing against the ~250cc 4-strokes of the '80s like the Kawa 250 Mojave, Honda TRX250X and Suzuki Quadsport 230 made it seem relatively quick. It was heavy and would be left for dead by any Japanese 2-stroke sport trike or quad. It was radar'd at 54 mph top speed. Top speed and acceleration were similar to the 250X and Mojave of the '80s. If the Trail Boss had come with a 250cc 4-stroke, it would have been a dog. The Macpherson Strut suspension was liked pretty well by the testers, but again, the Jap quads still held the upper hand.

    Overall, if you like Polaris quads, you would probably like the trail boss, but I can't live with the idea of an auto tranny for a sport quad personally, and the even with a manual, the Japanese bikes were still better even then, much less now.
    '03 CR250R Pro Circuit Works pipe, Uni filter, etc

    Previous trikes: '85 ATC350X, '85 ATC250ES Big Red

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Missouri
    --
    79
    The guy was wanting $100 for it. It was in good shape but, it needed carb work. He just called and said it was stolen.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    HI
    --
    1,575
    why would * want that? ATC200x could beat that suckker.EASY, man eventhe 250ex coud beat it. Blaster could beat it...ATC250sx could prolly beat it. Come on, get a real two stroke. Not that polaris isnt bad, they have bad trannys and are built to be "dogs". OH wel, it was worth 100 bucks so not a big deal that it was stolen. To bad for the guy though,i would never want my trike stolen, no matter the price.
    Rest in peace Rex Carlson

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    NE Arkansas
    --
    2,344
    my dad has a 91 Trail boss 250 4x4. Still has the original tires, the machine is in great shape! The only thing mechanically wrong with it is the master cylinder is shot and the right front strut is shot. The only ever done to it is 1 belt and 1 or 2 batteries. i just cleaned it up and took a link and a half outta the stock chain so that it will tighten up. It's ready for another year of working foodplots, farm errands, and deer hunting. Too bad it was stolen! The carb woulda been an easy fix. The carb has never been touched on dad's and it starts as good or better than anything I got, maybe more reliable than my trikes. We call it "The Cream Puff" hehe. Later
    36 yo, Apple geek, married with kids, conservative. If you are a GUN OWNER and not a member of the NRA, SHAME ON YOU! JOIN!

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    My Rags
    85 ATC70,85 ATC70,85 ATC110,83 ATC185S,85 ATC250ES,02 400EX,04 Polaris ATP 500
    Past rags:2000 Scrambler 400, 86 350X, 86 250R, 84 200S, 97 ATK260LQ

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Missouri
    --
    79
    I wanted it so I coluld fix it and trade it off for an 86 T3 that needs a piston and rings.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Washingtons Crossing, Pa.
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    2,977
    If its an '87 to '91?, it'll have the hot ported, 38mm carbed, 30 hp motor. I know those early Cyclones are pretty quick.
    J. Jonny D, --- Quad - Trike relations committee Chairman and all around swell guy.

    Rides: '91 Warrior, '87 TW200, 1984 YTM225DX, 1984 ATC125M, '71 CL350 Scrambler

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    IL
    --
    67
    we had 2 of them an '88 and an '89. and they where the biggest piles of junk. They were always broke down. and it seemed like as soon as we would get it fixed something else would break and cost more to fix than the previous break down. but we did buy them pretty wore out. neither of them ran when we got them and we sold both running and lost a massive amount of money on both and they still were junk.
    1983 Ford Ranger 302 4x4
    '04 TRX450R
    '97 trx300 4x4
    '93 trx300 4x4
    '08 700 grizzly 4x4
    '87 trx250x
    '85 atc250sx
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    2 JD gators

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    GA
    --
    53
    Quote Originally Posted by Wickedfinger
    If its an '87 to '91?, it'll have the hot ported, 38mm carbed, 30 hp motor. I know those early Cyclones are pretty quick.
    You just reminded me, the Cyclone is the Polaris I was describing, not the Trail Boss. The Cyclone was Polaris' answer to the Mojave, etc and was considerably faster than the heavier Trail Boss. The Trail Boss would be a true dog compared to any Japanese sport quad, although I recall the mags seemed to like those early Polaris quads quite a bit. If they didn't have 250 2-stroke Fuji motors (aha, so it's not all American!) they would have been vulnerable to being whipped by a strong ATC185S.
    '03 CR250R Pro Circuit Works pipe, Uni filter, etc

    Previous trikes: '85 ATC350X, '85 ATC250ES Big Red

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    --
    697
    Sorry to drag up an old thread, but a buddy of mine is thinking of buying a cheap trail boss 250 as a beater and in my searches I came across this thread as well as a very interesting video I thought you guys might enjoy - promotional videos from the 80s and 90s is always entertaining.

    I searched the site and couldn't find this posted anywhere, sorry if it's a repost and it actually is linked somewhere:


  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    --
    697
    Well, he ended up buying it. He got it for a good deal, and this seems like a pretty low hour machine. Hopefully it will get him interested enough in riding that I can convince him to get a 3wheeler next


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Waterloo IL
    --
    2,701
    I know a lot about them if you need anything. I currently have 5 Scrambler 250s which is the same other than the front end. I just sold a really nice 1988 but had a transmission problem. I've also got a 1987 that I haven't messed with yet and another 1987 parts bike. And my uncle and dad had an 88 and 89 in the 90s that required a lot of work. lol.
    08 Outlaw 525s
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    01 Banshee
    00 XR50R
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    99 PW50
    99 JR50
    96,95 Sportsman 400
    95 Xplorer 400
    94 Indy XLT
    87 Trail Boss
    86,86,86,86,86 Scrambler

    86 TRX70 x2
    85 ATC350X
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    85 Red Tecate
    85 LT50 x2
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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    --
    697
    Quote Originally Posted by Blown 331 View Post
    I know a lot about them if you need anything. I currently have 5 Scrambler 250s which is the same other than the front end. I just sold a really nice 1988 but had a transmission problem. I've also got a 1987 that I haven't messed with yet and another 1987 parts bike. And my uncle and dad had an 88 and 89 in the 90s that required a lot of work. lol.
    We pulled out the rear caliper last night and the piston is pretty seized in the cyclinder - we're trying the "grease gun" trick to squeeze the piston out, but if that fails do you have any suggestions for a replacement part that might fit? The specific part (casing and piston) are discontinued for his model, so we're trying to find out what else might fit. If you have any suggestions please let me know, thanks!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Waterloo IL
    --
    2,701
    What year is it? I just popped the piston out of the 88 I sold recently with a grease gun. Works great and I can't really see it failing for you. I found a NOS rebuild kit for my 88 on ebay. It came with the piston and seals. It worked like new when done, sucks that bike didn't work out for me.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Toronto Canada
    --
    697
    Quote Originally Posted by Blown 331 View Post
    What year is it? I just popped the piston out of the 88 I sold recently with a grease gun. Works great and I can't really see it failing for you. I found a NOS rebuild kit for my 88 on ebay. It came with the piston and seals. It worked like new when done, sucks that bike didn't work out for me.
    Thanks man - the grease gun trick worked like a charm! Cleaned everything up, put it back together and works great!

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