250R questions

[mach1stang]

hey guys, i am trying to build a quad from the ground up on a budget, and everybody i talk to say the 250R is the big dog of the quads, and i would like to try and build one, but i am going to use a 4 stroke cuz i am more comfortable on a 4 powerband, but i dont have the mone to buy a aftermarket frame, so i have a few questions on the 250R.

1. what the biggest four stroke i could in a stock 250R frame?
2. i am 6 foot 200 pounds of a 15 year old would i be comfortable?
3. are there any parts from other honda quads that i could use on a 250R?
4. what are good shocks to use that are fairly cheap?

i am sure i have more but i cant think of them off the top of my head.
thanks for your help

if you do use a 4 stroke motor, i think everyone will agree to NOT use a stock 250r frame. Use a frame that was built for a 4 stroke. But if you are on a limited budget it will be cheaper to pick up a used 450.

[deathman53]

yes, DON'T use a 250r frame. They are getting hard enough to find in good shape. Lsr still makes a 250r frame for most 4 stroke dirtbike motors, fits all stock stuff. That would be the route to go, if you want a 250r handling frame. I don't think the 450's have the handling of a 250r.

[mach1stang]

man i was not expecting this, well i have been bouncing around on a few ideas.

[mineralgrey01gt]

i say just build a 2 stroke or go buy a 400ex or something like that if you want a 4 stroke. I am doing the same thing you are doing and so far i have spent $640 on parts and this is what i have so far:

1986 250r frame: $200
Houser racing steering stem: $100
Houser racing bar clamp: $20
Stock rear motor mount: $40
Stock a-arms,stock front shocks, stock spindles, stock front rotors, stock front hubs, stock tie-rods: $240
.190 douglas 9" rear wheels: $40

I dont know how cheap you want to try to build one of these bikes but trust me, parts are hard to come by. I started February 23, 2007 looking for parts and thats all I came up with so far being on a budget. I could buy more but my apartment is taking up most of my money.

[deathman53]

I must be lucky, I have a stock pile of 250r parts, even with the stock pile, it cost me ~13g's to build my 88 trx250r. I am collecting parts, I don't plan to get rid of my trx and atc 250r's anytime soon. Yes, some parts are somewhat hard to get, if you want to build one stock, 80% of your key(showroom) stock parts are discontinued and very hard to find.

[mach1stang]

yeah i was thinking of a 400ex but i figured alot of guys are saying the 250Rs are some of the best handiling bikes yet.

they are, but i wouldt rule out buying a 310PV motor...its not a 4 stroke motor by any means. i personally like the 2 stroke motors better, have you rode a faster 2 stroke quad?

[mach1stang]

no i have messed around on a few diffrent quads, but i havent really riden to many 2 strokes i goofed around on my freinds kids e ton but thats about it, thats why i said i am more comfortable on a 4 stroke.

[deathman53]

go ride a well tuned 310pv, you will love it. Have it done for low-mid, using the 38 a/s carb, low-mid reeds, pt type 6 pipe. You will love it. You might want a stock weight flywheel for the bottom end and torque. You will have enough torque to compete to a 4 stroke.

[TheFontMaster]

If you are on a limited budget a 4 stroke hybrid should be out of the question. CRF, and YZ motors usually cost quite a bit. Last I checked you'll probably be looking at around 2 grand just for a motor. You'd need an aftermarket frame, or find a stock one already modded for your motor. Like other people said I wouldn't take a stock frame and mod it. It's hard to come by good stock frames. I actually regret gusseting the stock frame I had cause it was in such good condition.

[strnge]

In your profile you should list where you live, so people close to you can help you out. They might even have a quad for you.

[mach1stang]

i get alot of greef for wanting to do a quad on a budget but you guys also have to consider that you can do it. it may take a while but you can build a nice quad on a budget, you could get a bent frame for cheap you can bend them back and gusset it up, you can get a blown motor and rebuild it, thers lots of stuff you can do to keep the price down you just have to shop around alot.

[mach1stang]

Originally posted by strnge
In your profile you should list where you live, so people close to you can help you out. They might even have a quad for you.

yeah thers that to i know there are people out there that have parts that they wont use it is just about looking around for the right deal.

[mineralgrey01gt]

you will come out 1000x cheaper buying one already put together then modding it. Trust me, I wish i would have waited and bought one already together. Its fun to build one but boring when you look at what you have and you cant ride it :mad:

[mach1stang]

well i am sure it is boring but what i am saying is it would take close to the same amount of time for me to save and buy complete as it would to buy one part by part, but i would also know where everything is on the quad, and it would look like i want it to look, because as i get parts and stuff i could get them painted or pced, where as if i buy one complete i would have to tear it all down and then put it back together.

[deathman53]

hate to say....you would be better off buying a hybrid already built. Like I posted in another thread, I built a trx250r, I have a stock pile of parts, but it still cost me ~13g's to build it. You can buy a nicely done hybrid for ~5-9g's, its far cheaper than building one. My hyrbid I bought for 9g's, it cost the guy 27g's to build it. If I sold my trx250r, I would be lucky to get 5g's for it, especailly since it has a stock frame and swinger. I can go on more about the costs of building my 86 atc250r, I have ~12g's in it now, that not counting the frame that is being made, custom tripples, dirtbike forks and other one-off stuff for it that I plan to have made. If I was lucky, I would get 3-4g's for it, I have more than that figure just in the motor!!!!

[mineralgrey01gt]

the question is, how much of it do you want aftermarket? Like deathman53 said a hybrid would cost some serious money. Way more than being on a budget thats for sure.

[mach1stang]

i dont need a mx ready race quad i just somthing that is going to be fun and will last me.

[mineralgrey01gt]

oh ok, pretty much like im doing. Get a bunch of stock parts. The few parts i picked up that are aftermarket were cheap enough. Also plenty of the parts you will need can be bought aftermarket cheap enough, but if you want a 4 stroke buy a 4 stroke frame and do that to it, it will save you tons in the long run. Also if you want the handling of a 250r, get a-arms and such from a 250r and put them on a 400ex frame, i wouldnt see why it wouldnt work. The 400ex arms and such will work on a 250r

[mach1stang]

yeah BTW you have a pm, and i am not needing the best of the best, for me it is knowing that hey i built that and i am going to run it like it is the last quad i will ever own.

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by mineralgrey01gt
Also if you want the handling of a 250r, get a-arms and such from a 250r and put them on a 400ex frame, i wouldnt see why it wouldnt work. The 400ex arms and such will work on a 250r

The a arms from a 400ex, and 250r may interchange, but the geometry that he is looking for is in the frame itself.

[mach1stang]

yeah theres a few trick you could probably do to the 400ex that would would get it close to the 250R.

[mineralgrey01gt]

Originally posted by TheFontMaster
The a arms from a 400ex, and 250r may interchange, but the geometry that he is looking for is in the frame itself.

ahh i see what you are talking about. I didnt realize the frame had so much to do with it. Im new to the 250r's :o

[mach1stang]

yep the frame is built with everything placed low to the ground that what gives it a low center og gravity.

[mach1stang]

hey guys i am back with another question, i am still wanting to do a 250r but i was wondering how long would a 2 stroke last, and is there alot of mantainace to get them running right?

[TheFontMaster]

They just need more maitenince than a 3 stroke. There are some 250r's still running around that are on the original piston, and bore. But general maitnence for the motor, other than the basic fluid changes. Would be tear the top end apart inspect the cylinder wall, and piston, and replace the rings.

If you ride more, replace the rings half way through the season, and piston and rings at the end of the season. Piston kits only cost around 100 bucks, and to spend that once a year is nothing.

[Nac's22]

exactly what ^ he said. when my 4 stroke blew up it cost me about 2,000 to get it going again and it was apart for 5 or 6 months trying to get the money. the 2 stroke is a much cheaper way to go..... plus they are fun as hell to ride.

[mach1stang]

ok but i ride almost every day and not really hard but every day for a few hours would a 2 stroke be able to stand up to it?

[deathman53]

yeah, it will, if you have to rebuild the top end end twice a year, its still pretty cheap to maintain.

[250Rkiller]

does n e one no if 450R a-arms will fit on 250R frame also what is the longest a-arms they make for a 250R the longest ive found was +3+3 is there anything longer than that

[deathman53]

why do you want anything longer than that???? With +3 arms and 4/1 rims mine is nearly 49" wide, too wide for most trails. +3 arms and 3/2 rims would be ~51 inches wide, that would be the widest I would go.