Honda Big Red 250ES, maintenance?

[01ps]

I recently purchased a 1985 Honda Big Red 250ES. I am wondering what I should be looking for as far as maintenance? It is in pretty good mechanical condition, everything works pretty much, small oil leak around top end.

[ScottZJ]

Well the #1 item to keep close attention to and your maintaince regularly is the rear "diff". The rear end seems to get the most brunt of punishment with sand, dirt, mud and water. Changing the fluid in the rear final drive unit is a must if you plan on keeping it going. I change mine every other ride or atleast every third ride, depending on the riding I did.
Next would be bearings, if you have loose headset, rear axle, brakes, front wheel then replace or lube the bearings. This will prove to be a great asset in keeping a well maintain rig. Then last, fix any oil leaks that you might have, as they could prove fatal for the engine. If your top end is leaking, buy a gasket kit and replace them, its not too hard and worth the 25$ of gasket price.
This suckers are tanks and can handle alot more than we know but its always good to keep them nice............peace

[01ps]

Well the #1 item to keep close attention to and your maintaince regularly is the rear "diff". The rear end seems to get the most brunt of punishment with sand, dirt, mud and water. Changing the fluid in the rear final drive unit is a must if you plan on keeping it going. I change mine every other ride or atleast every third ride, depending on the riding I did.
Next would be bearings, if you have loose headset, rear axle, brakes, front wheel then replace or lube the bearings. This will prove to be a great asset in keeping a well maintain rig. Then last, fix any oil leaks that you might have, as they could prove fatal for the engine. If your top end is leaking, buy a gasket kit and replace them, its not too hard and worth the 25$ of gasket price.
This suckers are tanks and can handle alot more than we know but its always good to keep them nice............peace

Thank, actually the diff fluid is the first thing I plan on changing, next to the engine oil. I may tackle that top end leak in a bit, but it seems to be mostly a "dry leak", if you know what I mean.

[01ps]

Well the #1 item to keep close attention to and your maintaince regularly is the rear "diff". The rear end seems to get the most brunt of punishment with sand, dirt, mud and water. Changing the fluid in the rear final drive unit is a must if you plan on keeping it going. I change mine every other ride or atleast every third ride, depending on the riding I did.
Next would be bearings, if you have loose headset, rear axle, brakes, front wheel then replace or lube the bearings. This will prove to be a great asset in keeping a well maintain rig. Then last, fix any oil leaks that you might have, as they could prove fatal for the engine. If your top end is leaking, buy a gasket kit and replace them, its not too hard and worth the 25$ of gasket price.
This suckers are tanks and can handle alot more than we know but its always good to keep them nice............peace

I meant to ask what type of diff fluid is needed, I assume 80w-90?

[Hair Bear Bunch]

I had a leak on the topend, turned out to be the 'O' ring at the end of one of the rockershafts. Looks a bit like a large screw in the side of the head. Fixing it is a head off job, but as a temporary fix I cleaned the area around the shaft then smeared it with instant gasket. It'll keep the engine cleaner until it's fixed. One day I'll get round to fixing mine! So far, it's still appears to be holding after 6 months but it'll have to be done sooner or later.

[TravEX]

Yeah, 80w90 gear oil.

[jasonb01]

I meant to ask what type of diff fluid is needed, I assume 80w-90?

I run diff fluid from Honda in mine. Same with engine oil and filters. All Honda OEM. Just go to the Honda dealer and tell them what you need. It costs more, but the way I see it, another Big Red will never be made, so it is worth the extra money to use the best to keep it around. I hate to see people cheap out on maintenance and Jerry Rig problems on these bikes that once there gone, there gone. Congrats on the new ride!!! It's a workhorse that can't be beat if you maintain it properly.

[keister]

Also, don't forget the oil filter. My experience was always with smaller trikes, so I had my 250ES for a couple years before I even realized it had an oil filter. You might have already known, but I thought I'd throw it out there.