1986 Honda 250sx - $1000 - Should I pull the trigger?? [Archive]

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Xhumeka

03-25-2010, 10:33 AM

So here's the deal... an '86 250sx has been posted in my local classifieds for over a month. The seller originally wanted $2000 for it but was willing to take $1800 - he obviously didn't get any bites.

He contacted me via email on Monday saying "today is a good day for a sacrifice sale" and said he was willing to take $1050 for it if I show up with cash ASAP. I really don't need another ATC, but am considering selling 1 or 2 of mine to pay for this one since it appears to be in such great shape (and has an interesting history if I am to believe the seller).

Attached are some pictures and quotes from the seller... this has been bugging me for the past 3 nights and I need a push in ONE directon or another... I obviously can't seem to make up my mind on my own!

Should I run to the bank tonight, or forget about it... what do you guys think?

Here's the reason this bike is in such fantastic condition with almost no hours and seen water and mud only once by me.

The original owner , the gentleman I got it from owns a car dealership. He purchased this ATC brand new and kept it in the showroom until last fall when I purchased it.

The sole purpose I was told by him was to travel the 1-2km down the road to where the inventory lot was behind a large tall fence where all the vehicles that wouldnt fit on the lot were. He also was/is a larger dealer who trades and sells vehicles stock to other small dealerships in Ontario and Quebec.

He chose this ATC for its unique limited edition status and features like maintenance free shaft drive and valvetrain, and the fact it had full lighting and reverse. It was driven once or twice a week I gathered for a short ride and short amount of time. It was good enough and clean enough to sit on the showroom floor amongst his new stock of vehicles.

When I saw the bike for sale in the Bike Trader last year he was asking $2800 I think and I paid damn close to that figure. So there is not one shred of BS when I say this is a sacrifice sale. I have some very personal reasons I have to liquidate some of my toys, and I do wish I didnt have to sell it.

So as to all your questions about brakes and parts, the brakes are at about 75-80%, the battery is like brand new.

The only mod is I installed a heel/toe shifter because I am used to a Harley and like kicking down with my heel as opposed to destroying my feet anymore with a toe pullup. I know Honda ATCs inside and out because i had the adventure of Racing for Bill Moss Honda in Naples, Florida and was taken off ITT flat trakc racing to master this new ATC thing. I raced both 2 strokers and the 200x four stroker. I can outride any 4 wheeler of the same CC's with ease and can ride an ATC over any car from bumper to bumper. I can also ride a wheelie thru 4 gears and hold it up endlessly if in a straight line.

Ok, enuf tootin my old man horn. I assure you this bike will be very satisfactory to you ..... I spent from May2009 to September09 finding the perfect one I wanted.

Ready to come look now ?

Silverado

03-25-2010, 11:09 AM

I would do it. I just blew $1300 on a 250es same condition.

inv3ctiv3

03-25-2010, 11:46 AM

Holy crap that thing is nice, I say do it!

oldskool83

03-25-2010, 11:57 AM

thats about normal for one ins fair shape, buy that sucker and see if ya can get him down like $50-100, but more then that cuz its super nice.

keister

03-25-2010, 12:02 PM

Don't walk, RUN to the bank!!
It will be a long time until another one like that comes along.

QCR77

03-25-2010, 01:03 PM

quick ! get to tha choppa ! do it, do it now !

petesatc

03-25-2010, 01:18 PM

yes jump on it!!!!!!

cox

03-25-2010, 01:27 PM

quick ! get to tha choppa ! do it, do it now !

Lmfao!!! to funny

Woodsrider

03-25-2010, 01:28 PM

You don't very often get them for a price like that when they look like that....here in Canada anyway ! That's beautiful !! I'm pushing you to go buy that thing...yesterday !!

Xhumeka

03-25-2010, 01:51 PM

Nah, i`d get a `85-`86 250r what can you do with that ? Run kiddy rides, it`s clean and cute 5-600 max! 1000-1500 you can get a nice 250r that will make your eyes pop out!

I already have a 350x and a 250r (84, so not liquid cooled but still is a fun trike) - i'm not looking to replace either of those trikes. This would be a casual trail rider and I don't expect it to out perform either of them. I'm also hoping to get my wife into riding with me, so this would be perfect for her.

Thanks for the input everyone - it seems the general concensus is that this is a great deal, and I should just pull the trigger.

Now I'm going to have to explain to the wife why there is yet ANOTHER trike in my garage when she gets home!

keister

03-25-2010, 01:55 PM

Nah, i`d get a `85-`86 250r what can you do with that ? Run kiddy rides, it`s clean and cute 5-600 max! 1000-1500 you can get a nice 250r that will make your eyes pop out!

Not in Canada he can't. I'd like to move to California just to get cheap deals on three wheelers.

Silverado

03-25-2010, 02:14 PM

I have seen ATC's (250sx in particular) in Ontario going for $1000 when they are just brutally abused. I once came across one in Toronto, foot pegs bent, gas tank dented, no brakes at all, no working lights, entire switch assembly not working, bearings shot, plastic (what was there) held together with duct tape and a torn up seat (lots of rust included)...He wanted $1000, I would have given him $100 at best.

My Soul was crying.

Buy the bike.

TriMotoMan

03-25-2010, 02:32 PM

buy it! shaft drive means no chain maintnence way better for trail rides

Xhumeka

03-25-2010, 02:35 PM

Look , wife would be alot safer on the 350x cause its got suspension or a quad but hay i doin`t about canada, maybe it is a good deal! If you know you can turn it over for more than you spend by all means! Good for hunting i guess!

_better_ suspension you mean? Cause the 250sx has front and rear suspension...

And this purchase would be a "until death do us part" sort of deal... I have no intentions of ever selling it - i'm hoping I can get ANOTHER 25 years out of it ;)

Silverado

03-25-2010, 02:37 PM

haha you are in Toronto, I am in Whitby....about 20 min from you....don't make me come Ninja it from you !

atc350xer

03-25-2010, 02:43 PM

BANG BANG!! Pull that trigger!

fabiodriven

03-25-2010, 02:54 PM

It does look great and I say do it, but why are the Trailpros on there? If the thing hasn't been ridden that much, why have the rear tires been replaced?

:shiftyeyes:Trailpros:shiftyeyes:

userj8670

03-25-2010, 04:35 PM

Im not far from toronto ...i'll buy it. give me his info if you dont want it

Dirtcrasher

03-25-2010, 04:45 PM

It's nice but why the TrailPro's??

tapper190

03-25-2010, 05:01 PM

If I didn't have 5- 250sx's already, It would be in my garage. I've been watching that ad for a while now. I guess the mto is really pushing him now, lol. It would be prefect for your fathers house! Let your wife ride the beat up sx until she gets use to the trike. Make sure you bring it when we do the Ganny's ride for James's motor break in . That way we'll have at least 3 sx's there.
Tapper

dirtbiken

03-25-2010, 05:05 PM

do it bud, that is a nice trike for 1k, that would be one sweet bike to tear around on eh.

86 350x

03-25-2010, 06:01 PM

scoop it up :)

bigworm626

03-25-2010, 06:12 PM

Hey guys, are trailpros good tires? i havea pair on my 200s & there pretty good, excellent grip, a bit bulky & a stiffer ride but they kick ass in the mud. Is it truth that a last for a long time?

tri again

03-25-2010, 06:13 PM

the great gazoo

03-25-2010, 06:23 PM

I disagree on "new cab syndrome" w/ the SX choke. They DO lock up, but all it takes most of the time is a lil patience/lube to get it unstuck.

Xhumeka

03-25-2010, 09:41 PM

Thanks again for the tips and advice guys... just got back from picking it up.

It's not QUITE as pristine as he implied, but it's close. I'll try to post some more pictures tomorrow after work.

three_wheelin45

03-25-2010, 09:55 PM

I think i creamed myself a bit.. thats a nice bike u dont see any like that down here.

code200k

03-25-2010, 10:03 PM

It does look great and I say do it, but why are the Trailpros on there? If the thing hasn't been ridden that much, why have the rear tires been replaced?

:shiftyeyes:Trailpros:shiftyeyes:

x2..that is wat i was thinking

m brater

03-25-2010, 10:08 PM

Congrats on the trike, you got a good deal. I paid 800 for my 86 but its not near as nice, put in another 350+ and almost there. You've got some nice trikes already, which one do you like best?

Xhumeka

03-26-2010, 10:44 AM

Congrats on the trike, you got a good deal. I paid 800 for my 86 but its not near as nice, put in another 350+ and almost there. You've got some nice trikes already, which one do you like best?

Thanks! I haven't had a chance to ride the 350x since buying it, but my favourite is probably still my 250r.

This '86 250sx seems to have difficulty cold starting... My '85 starts right up cold... just give it full choke and one kick (or one press of electric start) and it purrs like a kitten.

The '86 I picked up last night starts up beautifully once it's warm, but when cold no amount of choke seems to help. Takes a LOT of cranking before it finally starts up, so I'll have to figure out what's causing that problem...

oldskool83

03-26-2010, 10:51 AM

intake valves are tight, thats normaly the 1st sign

Xhumeka

03-26-2010, 06:26 PM

So like I said, it wasn't in the pristine condition he implied, but it was close enough for me. Small crack in rear fender, few scratches on the rims, etc.

It also didn't sit in a showroom along with cars its whole life (I did my due diligence and called the previous owner. had a good chat with him for 10 mins or so!) Turns out the original owner used it once a year for hunting, and kept it garaged the rest of the year (maybe he kept it with other locked cars at the dealership, who knows).

At any rate, here are some better quality pictures and a video walk-around... Thanks again for everyone's input!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg8Fo1OhRGg

MonroeMike

03-26-2010, 08:15 PM

Very nice looking SX.

QCR77

03-26-2010, 08:19 PM

man that thing is sick. good job pullin the trigger. we need a smiley for "drooling"

three_wheelin45

03-26-2010, 08:47 PM

man that thing is sick. good job pullin the trigger. we need a smiley for "drooling"

like this :drool: ?

tri again

03-27-2010, 04:53 AM

Thanks! I haven't had a chance to ride the 350x since buying it, but my favourite is probably still my 250r.

This '86 250sx seems to have difficulty cold starting... My '85 starts right up cold... just give it full choke and one kick (or one press of electric start) and it purrs like a kitten.

The '86 I picked up last night starts up beautifully once it's warm, but when cold no amount of choke seems to help. Takes a LOT of cranking before it finally starts up, so I'll have to figure out what's causing that problem...

I've got 2 of those carbs on my kitchen table right now.
New jets but the cold start PASSage was clogged in one.
Got real frustrated and blew air thru them both underwater

The good one threw bubbles in 3 spots, and the cold start wenchie one only showed bubbles in one place.

Anyway, there was a factory cold start recall on some of the early 250 models .
Shindy has a kit that actually includes the updated PRESS IN cold start jet.

Looks to be about .010" larger

those choke pistons may have a rubber seal on them as well and helps them get stuck.
I was thinking about dripping marvels oil down the choke cable as preventative maint since I spent 3 days getting them freed up.
Not real interested in doing that again anytime soon.

sometimes the cables will pull out of the piston so it wont do anything

starts and runs perfectly when warm, tho, right?

Sometimes they can be annoying even when they work correctly.

Real interested in hearing what you find