1986 250SX Value

[jeopardy98]

So I've been out of the game for a bit but decided I needed another 250sx about a year ago. I kept finding crap trikes for insane money or rotting away frames for still more than I wanted to pay.

I found one on facebook a few days ago that seems to be in working order. It isn't mint or even close but everything works mechanically. I ended up trading a guy some man stuff and some cash and we worked a deal. I'll pick it up Saturday. I'm just curious what this trike would realistically be worth. I'm in Virginia.

[6bt]

I'm north of you, in NY. Here, $700-800.

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[jeopardy98]

Thank you for the reply. I have been looking a bit more since I posted and I guess I got an okay deal. I didn't get screwed but I didn't get a deal deal deal either. I guess a mechanically sound trike is what I was after so I should enjoy it for a bit. I'm glad it is an 86 and not an 85 like my last one.

[Homeless Dave]

In my area a good running 250sx is could fetch 1200 all day. A 250es is at least 1000. was lucky enough to build one from spare parts and be given another (both 250es). Most of them are still being used daily on farms and such, just goes to show how good they are, still working hard after 30+ years.

[jeopardy98]

Well that certainly makes me feel a bit better. It is just so hard to tell what is a "fair" price since almost everything out there is crazy expensive. I sold my last trike which was a 110 for $400. It ran well but was ugly and had a camo seat and cracked fenders. The guy couldn't buy it fast enough. He said he hadn't seen 1 in under 1,000 in a year. I was happy to get what I got for it.

[Hopper055]

I bought my 250es for $800 from the original owner last summer it had been sitting in a barn for a few years. He had gotten to old to ride it confidently anymore and bought a side by side. I have known the guy for years and Asked him to let me know a price. After months of him saying he wanted me to give him a price I offered $600 sight unseen because I was told by him that it was used on the farm since new. I assumed it would be a beater with broken plastic and all the usual stuff. He told me that a friend of his looked it up on the internet and said it was worth 2k I told him I can't come close to it and that he should sell it if the guy was offering 2k. He later asked if I would take it for $800 I told him yes, again sight unseen it was only guaranteed to run and drive. The above picture is after I brought it home covered in dust and bird droppings. After a pressure wash, new tires and a little bit of maintenance here it is.



If I saw your trike for sale and were interested I would offer you $650-$700 depending on how eager you were to sell and hope to pay $800 after haggling. Generally they are listed around me for $800-$1500 I saw one last year listed for 4k though. I'm sure they didn't get it.

[Dirtcrasher]

Unfortunately it has some issues, but if it's mechanically good you're all set.

Prices vary, and I can't ride it, but that's a 800 - 1000$ trike depending on location and desperation

[jeopardy98]

Well I ended up paying $300 cash and traded some things worth about $350 to $400 so I feel okay about the deal. I would always rather trade than spend cash so it makes the overall price a little more pleasing.

On a side note, this thing has the dreaded cold start problem but it is an 86 so I'm thinking it may just need the carb cleaned or somewhere along the way it received an 85 carb. Where is the 08 that I am supposed to be looking for to know for sure which year carb I have? Also if it is an 85 which size pilot jet do I need to move up to? Currently it will flood the plug with gas while trying to start it so I'm going to grab another plug today on the way home as well.

[Baba Yaga]

Your choke cable has possibly stretched, and is ineffective at full choke.

[Dirtcrasher]

It's probably been sitting, may not have a gas filter or someone could have touched it. On the side of the carb where it says Keihin it will have the model number there.

The cold start issue was the slow jet, not the pilot and in 85 it's pressed in, 86 it threads in and that will tell you if it's the correct 86 carb. They all need to be removed and cleaned spotless.

Add an inline filter, check engine oil, check differential oil and adjust your valves if the engine is noisy.

Don't bother trying to start it until you go thru it a bit...

[jeopardy98]

Your choke cable has possibly stretched, and is ineffective at full choke.

I will certainly take a look at that.

It's probably been sitting, may not have a gas filter or someone could have touched it. On the side of the carb where it says Keihin it will have the model number there.

The cold start issue was the slow jet, not the pilot and in 85 it's pressed in, 86 it threads in and that will tell you if it's the correct 86 carb. They all need to be removed and cleaned spotless.

Add an inline filter, check engine oil, check differential oil and adjust your valves if the engine is noisy.

Don't bother trying to start it until you go thru it a bit...

It does have an inline fuel filter and it has only had non-ethanol gas in it. It also has a plastic tank so no rust. I still need to give the carb a thorough cleaning and check the valves while I have the tank off. I'll buy a new plug, give the carbs a good clean, check the valves, and see if I have an 85 or 86 carb. If that doesn't do the trick I'll check my choke cable and possibly start looking for an 86 carb.

[BarnBoy]

Man I'd love to snag an '86 SX for that price.

I'd wager the float is likely stuck if it just dumps gas into the cylinder. Does the oil have gas in it? BTW, you should be able to disconnect the choke cable and manually operate it to rule out the cable...Though I doubt thats the issue. Grab a kit and clean the carb real good and I bet it'll run. Ultrasonic cleaners are handy for cleaning carbs spotless.

Side note...I bought an '85 125M recently. Been sitting for who knows how long. Litterally brought it home, threw some gas in the tank and the son of a gun ran and idled! Never seen a motor that had been sitting that long fire up and idle so well. Just goes to show what happens if you drain the gas vs leaving it in the carb for extended periods of time.

[jeopardy98]

Man I'd love to snag an '86 SX for that price.

I'd wager the float is likely stuck if it just dumps gas into the cylinder. Does the oil have gas in it? BTW, you should be able to disconnect the choke cable and manually operate it to rule out the cable...Though I doubt thats the issue. Grab a kit and clean the carb real good and I bet it'll run. Ultrasonic cleaners are handy for cleaning carbs spotless.

Side note...I bought an '85 125M recently. Been sitting for who knows how long. Litterally brought it home, threw some gas in the tank and the son of a gun ran and idled! Never seen a motor that had been sitting that long fire up and idle so well. Just goes to show what happens if you drain the gas vs leaving it in the carb for extended periods of time.

I appreciate the reply. I'll check the oil for fuel and change it anyway just to be safe. I'll also try tapping on the body to see if I can unstick the float. Either way, it is going to have to come off. I have just been too busy this week to get back to it. Hopefully this weekend if not before...

[MrConcdid]

Value is subjective, for me, a rule of thumb is any running and decent looking atc is worth $800-$1000 a very nice 250es/250sx/200x about $1500, of course a nice 350x/250r go a lot higher.
Parts bikes go from $50 to $100 depending. I have made the mistake of trying to save a few bikes, that should have been parted out, but I enjoy bringing them back.

I wanted to say people don't realize the amount of work and cost to bring one of these back from the dead. I just paid $500 for a running driving 200es Big Red, you may think I stole it or I over paid, well, before I sell it, I will put another $300 cash and a lot of time into it just to sell it for $1200-$1500. This was a running driving machine, but after a full fluid change, tune up, clutch and valve adjustment, carb cleaning, tank cleaning, it still needs 3 tires, a headlight, choke cable, hand brake cable x 2, 1 rear hub, straighten the handlebars and a front hub and a good detail. It will be a nice dependable ATC when I am done, and for that, it cost money.
Since we are talking prices, buying a non running machine or a bare frame can be a money pit real quick, cranks, transmission issues, cracked heads, things you wont know until you invest either time or money just to find out you bought a lemon, that said a non-running bike is worth at least half of a running bike of equal condition.

With the cost of a new 4-wheelers $5,000 to $8500 and side by sides over $15,000.The people I sell to, say Atc's are cheap, dependable and are happy to spend $1500 vs walking or taking out a loan. I sell to a lot of hunters, anything with a rack sales, Big Red 200's and 250es mostly, modern conveniences like electric start, reverse, shaft driven, high and low make them equal to most new atvs on the market. you don't need a trailer to haul it and they are very easy to work on.

Just my opinion, on the matter.
Hope it helps
MrC.

[Homeless Dave]

Since we are talking prices, buying a non running machine or a bare frame can be a money pit real quick, cranks, transmission issues, cracked heads, things you wont know until you invest either time or money just to find out you bought a lemon, that said a non-running bike is worth at least half of a running bike of equal condition.

Very true. I am lucky enough to have had parts machines around, they really help. Best part is you can get a decent parts trike for less than $100 and get $500+ value in parts from it. I threw together an 87 Big Red for..drumroll please.....$45. How? because i had been given enough junk machines that did not run and was able to put a good engine together. It is not pretty at all, but it runs and moves, just enough to use it for work around the property. I did the entire build in spite, someone told me i couldn't build one for less than i could buy a running one for, so i built mine for $45.