Question for all you 250r guys........

**Threes company** · 08-29-2006, 04:03 PM

Looks like I'm going to check out an '86 250r for sale later this week. The seller says its in mint, showroom condition............ but we've all heard that before, right? Just wondering what I should be looking out for on this beast, I know I'll be looking for a bent axle, thats for sure. Any suggestions? ???????????

**kb200x** · 08-29-2006, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by Threes company

Looks like I'm going to check out an '86 250r for sale later this week. The seller says its in mint, showroom condition............ but we've all heard that before, right? Just wondering what I should be looking out for on this beast, I know I'll be looking for a bent axle, thats for sure. Any suggestions? ???????????

Im not a 250r guy but general things to look for are rear bearings, front bearings, cracks in the frame, check out the swingarm. chain damage from the chain wacking the case. leaky fork seals, Brake system, clutch, cables ect....

**250r'en +TCB** · 08-29-2006, 04:25 PM

start it up and make sure it runs good........ Make sure the forks arn't leaking, or any fluids from the engine either. Check the brakes, make damn sure the frame isn't bent!

**ATCWRENCH** · 08-29-2006, 04:33 PM

check for bad bearings. first thing grab the bars and slowly rock the trike back and forth and look for play at the carrier where the axle goes through the swinger, rock it far enough so one of the back tires comes off the ground a bit and look to see if the hubs are loose, they will throw your judgement off if you dont think to look at them. also look at the swinger pivot area, grab the frame just above the swinger bolt and push/pull on the frame and see if the swinger moves side to side. the swinger pivot isnt supposed to move aside from just rotating. put the front tire against a wall and stand behind the bike and push forward on the bars toward the wall, see if the triple trees move in the steering stem besides rotating.

put your hand on top of the front tire and move it side to side and look at the axle when this is done, again no movement should be there aside from rotating. see if the brakes work.

get on the bike and compress the forks, if they sound squishy and/or notchy in there movement, they need rebuilt. stand on the pegs and drop your butt on the seat, is the rear end bouncy or does it smoothly take the weight drop and quickly regain a still position?

check the intake boot between the carb and engine and all of the little rubber pieces on the bike. grab the clutch lever and see if the action is smooth and easy, same with the throttle, regardless if its thumb or twist, the clutch and the throttle should be smooth and easy to operate. if you need anymore answers, give us a shout

**350xBomb** · 08-30-2006, 04:12 AM

"check for bad bearings. first thing grab the bars and slowly rock the trike back and forth and look for play at the carrier where the axle goes through the swinger."

I this a known issue with the 86 Rs? The bike I have is on its second set of bearing in just over a year. Is there anyway to beef it up to avoid this. I afraid Ill eventually tear up the bearing carrier, and thats not goin to be cheap like bearings.

**Red Rider** · 08-30-2006, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by 350xBomb

I this a known issue with the 86 Rs? The bike I have is on its second set of bearing in just over a year. Is there anyway to beef it up to avoid this. I afraid Ill eventually tear up the bearing carrier, and thats not goin to be cheap like bearings.

I don't get to ride nearly as much as the next guy anymore, but I used to back in the day, and I'm the original owner of my '86 250R, which is still on it's original set of bearings & rear carrier. The same is true of my brother's '85 250R. As long as the rear carrier/axle is kept tight, clean, & good seals in it, you shouldn't have a problem. Problems could arise if you're constantly immersing the rear end in water, and that water is getting inside the carrier/bearings due to faulty seals. But the answer to your question is, no, this is not a "known issue" with 250R's, just something to look for when buying something used.

**350xBomb** · 08-30-2006, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Red Rider

I don't get to ride nearly as much as the next guy anymore, but I used to back in the day, and I'm the original owner of my '86 250R, which is still on it's original set of bearings & rear carrier. The same is true of my brother's '85 250R. As long as the rear carrier/axle is kept tight, clean, & good seals in it, you shouldn't have a problem. Problems could arise if you're constantly immersing the rear end in water, and that water is getting inside the carrier/bearings due to faulty seals. But the answer to your question is, no, this is not a "known issue" with 250R's, just something to look for when buying something used.

Thanks man...didnt mean to jack the thread or anything...guess I wont cheap out again when I get my next set of bearings.

**ATCWRENCH** · 08-30-2006, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by 350xBomb

"check for bad bearings. first thing grab the bars and slowly rock the trike back and forth and look for play at the carrier where the axle goes through the swinger."

I this a known issue with the 86 Rs? The bike I have is on its second set of bearing in just over a year. Is there anyway to beef it up to avoid this. I afraid Ill eventually tear up the bearing carrier, and thats not goin to be cheap like bearings.

getting a tapered bearing carrier is about the only way you can truly beef up the rear end. yea you can get a double wide carrier but that just increases your bearing surface to axle surface connection. i dont feel a double wide carrier has the strength and stability of a tapered bearing in sever side loaded situations, ie. full lock slides. another upside and downside of a tapered bearing is that the bearing is an open caged bearing, meaning you can grease the bearing by hand so you know that it has grease in it, downside is thats its an open caged bearing, even though it has a dust seal the grease can be washed out as fast as it was put in if you ride through a lot of water.

**Threes company** · 08-30-2006, 03:13 PM

Thanks for all the input guys, its really appreciated. I've been wanting to get my hands on a 2-stroke for a while now. My 200x is fun but I figure a 250r might bring back a bit of my old MX days. Ahhhhhhhh, I can almost smell that pre-mix now!!!

**AZ250R** · 08-30-2006, 05:16 PM

The ammount of paint worn off the frame, just above the foot pegs, is directly perportional to the ammount of use the trike has had. If the frame has been repainted, or you can tell those spots have been touched up then you'll know its likely had more use too. This is a pic of mine and its still in the "low use" margin IMO. The more wear or touch up paint the more you should look closely at everything else.

**tmecars** · 08-30-2006, 10:37 PM

quick question about the bearings:
Will bad rear axle and rear end bearings cause the bike to ride differently? Will there be "slack" in the drive train when the trike accelerates?
T

**KASEY** · 08-30-2006, 10:59 PM

ok it looks like this thread has been jacked and ran its course,,,,

BEARINGS 101

ball bearings will last as long as anything,,IF they are installed and maintaned properly!!!!! if your bearings are going out in a year ,, i say improper install,,,,, the most critical part is so overlooked ,,,, the spacer pipe between the bearings ,,, ball bearings WILL NOT live with a side load,,, if you have ran with the nut loose chances are your pipe has wear,,, then the bearings bottom out on the carrier on the outside diameter,,, when you tighten up the nut,,,,,,,, you side load the bearings cause the pipe is shorter and WHAMMM bearing failure!!! i have a shimm in a carrier that compensates for the wear ,,and hmmm 5 years no failure if your bearings are in the carrier and you can move the pipe spacer expect failure soon,,,,

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Question for all you 250r guys........