YTM225DX Sucks

**Frankencelery** · 06-08-2011, 11:11 AM

Ok, now that all you Yamaha guys are pissed at me....

I bought this 225DX a couple years ago. Replaced a few parts, including the forks, which were bent, but otherwise I haven't done much. It looks and runs good, but the problem is that it rides like a tank. I think my old KLT200 rode smoother than this thing. I decided to take it on the trails one day, and I felt beat up after about 10 minutes, but it back on the trailer and went back to my 250SX. What gives? Is this how this machine normally rides, or are there things I can do? It's got a generic knobby on the front and Kenda Scorpions on the back, which aren't known for being the softest tires in the world, but other than that I don't know if anything can be done to the ride on this trike.

I've been threatening to sell it for a year now because it's the only one of my 7 trikes I actually dislike, but I thought I'd throw the question out here and see what other people think.

**NOSBIGSHOT** · 06-08-2011, 11:25 AM

I would take the gas cap off and shoot bottle rockets at it then post the video on youtube . Just my thoughts thats what I want to do to my Yamaha .

**teamboaty** · 06-08-2011, 07:38 PM

Hi neighbor. I love mine. I have had mostly Hondas for about 25 years and I just got my 84 225dx a couple months ago. I havent put many miles on it yet, but I rode a few hours the other day and I really thought it rode very nice. Ive seriously had almost all the trikes except the 250sx. I know its the comparably 1 and from what Ive heard its no comparison but I am happy with mine. My other trail machine for that weekend was a very nice 200m. I rode that for a little bit and that was enough of that. That was a back breaker.

**mrmello** · 06-08-2011, 08:43 PM

I actually find the ride of mine to be quite nice actually. Alot more nimble then my 200 Atc.

Im a bigger person tho and when a buddy of mine rides it the suspension barely moves. Are you a smaller person and is the rear suspension set ut for your weight?

**muthey** · 06-08-2011, 09:07 PM

I really love mine, and have no problem with the ride, my guess is your suspension is set to stiff. also mine has the dreaded

s on it so can't get any worse on rear tires than that, how new is the suspension, or is it almost worn out?

**Frankencelery** · 06-09-2011, 09:33 AM

I guess I didn't realize the suspension was adjustable, but that would be only be the rear. There doesn't appear to be anything adjustable on the front. Thinking about it, it was the front end that seemed to be

ing me as I rode, almost like I was fighting the steering all the time. This is an '83, so the suspension is 28 years old, but I'd expect it to get softer over the years, wouldn't it? I'm 200lbs, so that's not the issue either. By comparison, both my 250SX and my 200X are cushy.

**brd812** · 06-09-2011, 09:50 AM

check your fork oil levels, I've had mine for 25+plus years and I've never heard anyone say anything about the forks being stiff. If anything mine are to soft and need rebuilt. Good luck

**Frankencelery** · 06-09-2011, 09:29 PM

S'pose I had better do that. When I bought these forks (the original ones were bent), I saw the cap on top and didn't think it was removable. I just read the manual and I now see how they come out. I can't really see how that would make it so stiff (unless someone overfilled it maybe?), but it might be worth a try.

**muthey** · 06-09-2011, 09:36 PM

that or they are seized up inside, I have a dr that has a front shock issue, and they won't even crunch a lil bit. They look ok but when you try and push down on them, they don't even budge.

**kirby** · 06-13-2011, 08:20 PM

i have a 85 225dx and im not a 3 wheeler expert but i think mine rides quite well. Many people have also rode mine and i've had nothing but compliments on the ride

**Frankencelery** · 08-02-2011, 10:45 PM

Update- took the forks apart as much as was possible. Funny, the top cap won't come out on either one (yes I removed the circlips), so I was unable to take them completely apart. I can push down on them, and even if I try to snap them back up, they don't come out. I'm sure if I tried to look really close, it would pop out into my eye, but I'd rather not go that route.

Good or bad, I ran my parts washer down the tube until the solvent came out clean, and I'm hoping for the best. The seals were ok, so I'm going to leave them, but I got some 10wt fork oil (don't tell anyone it's Honda fork oil) and I'm waiting on the copper washers that seal the bottom bolt. I'm going to have to pour the fork oil into the bolt hole! It's only 4oz, how hard can it be?

Then we'll see if it does anything to improve the ride.

**CRAZY70MAN** · 08-02-2011, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Frankencelery

Update- took the forks apart as much as was possible. Funny, the top cap won't come out on either one (yes I removed the circlips), so I was unable to take them completely apart. I can push down on them, and even if I try to snap them back up, they don't come out. I'm sure if I tried to look really close, it would pop out into my eye, but I'd rather not go that route.

Good or bad, I ran my parts washer down the tube until the solvent came out clean, and I'm hoping for the best. The seals were ok, so I'm going to leave them, but I got some 10wt fork oil (don't tell anyone it's Honda fork oil) and I'm waiting on the copper washers that seal the bottom bolt. I'm going to have to pour the fork oil into the bolt hole! It's only 4oz, how hard can it be?

Then we'll see if it does anything to improve the ride.

I have had several and currently ride an 87 250sx in great shape and I can tell you IMO the 225 dx's and dr that I had rode far far better than my Hondas. Let alone the turning radius of the SX which is useless. Great bike but I would take a 225 dr over a sx if it was my pick.....my 2 cents///

**muthey** · 08-02-2011, 11:03 PM

if not let me check in my secret stash for some forks and what condition they are in, if they are good I'll sell them cheap

**Lil Earl** · 08-02-2011, 11:38 PM

my 2 cents i must say i love my dx, it is super smooth but the forks need filled and seals changed so the front is too cushy and bouncy but i think either way it is a great ride

**Frankencelery** · 08-28-2011, 01:24 AM

Ok, I finally got it back together after waiting nearly 2 weeks for the copper sealing washers. As I had said, I could not get the forks completely disassembled after taking the circlips out, so I ended up turning them upside down and pouring the 10w fork oil in the bottom bolt hole. I spilled some but it worked ok. Put them back together and today I got it out for a ride. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it did seem softer in the front. However, now the front wheel was visibly twisted to the right, and I have to turn the handlebars to the left to go straight. The forks must be bent, but I can't see it by looking.

I've read that the forks on these are weak and prone to bending, but geez, all I did was take them apart, not throw them off the roof of my garage!

So my neighbor comes over and I'm talking to him about it, and before i know it, he's wedging the wheel between his legs, and twisting the handlebars with his hands. He tells me to get against the wheel on one side and he gets on the other and we pull on the handlebars. I think he's completely nuts, because everybody knows you can't straighten bent forks like this. Except he did, and now the wheel looks straight! I had too many chores today, and I didn't have a chance to ride it yet, so we'll see what happens. But if two guys can straighten it like that, doesn't that prove these forks are super weak?

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