250cc bikes' lives

[hidepenny]

Just wondering generally how long or how many kms a 250cc can last for?

thanks

[kellz]

i get about 300-320 out of my gpx 250r,

this is pretty steady riding though. when i am doing teh stop start crap or running up and down teh pass all day i only get about 270-290 per tank.

why how much do u get????

[wazza1234]

I think the op is talking of the life of the engine. I have been told around 100k but thats from a dealer so I could be passing on BS.

[hidepenny]

yeah life of a 250cc engine, coz, just thought i bought a 250cc, and it's already got 32k on it, so just thinking how much life it's got life

[Smitty]

my brother got 280,000 km outta his ol' GPX250
before it went...bang

silly bugger is now looking to buy an old Viffer
despite my recommendations

[I-K]

There are 250's out there which have clocked up 140-150,000km without the engine being opened up, and there are 250's out there which have dropped their guts at 20,000km.

What bike did you buy?
How old?
What sort of condition?
Was the previous owner a know-nothing gronck or did they know their way around an engine?
What about the owner before that?

Etc, etc...

If you want a concrete answer, you have to ask a well-specified question...

[stevew_zzr]

My ZZR250 has 90,000km on the clock... but due to the 'Stephen effect' every km i add from now probably equates to 100km of normal engine wear

[Ollie]

My '92 ZZR 250 was bought in oct 05 with 12k on the clock and just shat it self at 16k, but i suspect its not the original kms......

[hidepenny]

my bike? it's the zx2r A version with the 2 bug eyes, don't know what year it was, but it's been dropped, i guess it's got nothing to do with the engine, it's been running great after i sent for a servicing and tune up. going up to the redline is not a problem at all, and starting is not a problme either, just wondering how long i can keep the bike for, so can start saving money for a zx6r hehe. thx guys

[AJ]

ive got a zx2r with 38,000kays and it still goes great, ran a 13.9 with my fat arse on it.
only thing ive had to change was the cam chain and tensioner.

[I-K]

my bike? it's the zx2r A version with the 2 bug eyes, don't know what year it was,

Easy way to tell... if the swingarm is extruded (same cross-section all the way down the arms) and doesn't have machined adjuster blocks, it's a 1989 model. Otherwise, it's a 1990.

just wondering how long i can keep the bike for, so can start saving money for a zx6r hehe. thx guys

Well, my own ZXR250A2 reached 44,000km on the clock (it was at 17,000-odd when I got it) before trackwork at the hands of my sasquatch of a kid brother chewed out 2nd gear. I sold it, the buyer got the gearbox rebuilt and, at last update, it was still getting around.

A bloke I knew in Sydney had 96,000km on his A2, without the motor having had to come apart.

Like all engines, look after them with lots of fresh oil, frequent filter changes, valve clearance checks, few attempts at wheelies, no full-noise clutchless shifts from first to second, and they'll last a long time.

Thrash them and/or neglect them, and they'll die in the arse in pretty short order. Case in point, Kass' ZZ-R250. Chances are a previous owner of it was a nob-jockey who only put petrol in it and, thus, ruined it for her.

[hidepenny]

how often should i keep it serviced and tuned up, as i just done it 1000km ago, when 's the next one, or is that something i can do meanwhile until the next service, coz i'd love to keep it for another 2 years, b4 i go for a zx6. thx

[hidepenny]

also clutchless gear changing, how much damage does it do to the bike? i havn't tried it, but thinking it'd be convinient if possible and also white smoke in starting the bike, does it indicate something? but i don't see any white smoke after may be 1 minute

[Glen]

Keep fresh (good quality) oil up to it probably every 2000-3000 klm's depending on how you ride it and it'll love you for it and make sure your valve clearances are OK.

Clutchless shifts? You'll get varied opinions. Personally I think you'd probably do better without them if you really want to look after it well.

[SocialSecurity]

white smoke on start up is generally condensation in the exhaust evaporating, you get that on cars too


as for clutchless shifting, never from 1st to 2nd, but anything above that on the track i just close the throttle for a split second as i bang the lever up a gear nice and firmly (limp shifts are bad for gearboxes)... and never ever downshift without the clutch

theres really no need for it on the street... unless your desperate to win that TLGP