Posts
3434
Joined
6/24/2014
Location
Charlotte, NC
US
Looking for general advice on a 2003 RM250 from those experienced with them. One of my best friends scored this low hour bike today. He used to race, but put owning a bike on hold for the last 10 years while he served his country in the Army, established a career, started a family and just bought a house. I think I'm as excited as he his to see him "back in the saddle" again after all the sacrifices he's made!
He's going to frame it to QC and lube everything, remove the previous owners "personal touches" to make it his own.. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated!!
(Previous owner just moved here and currently lives in an apartment so he had nowhere to store it
)
He's going to frame it to QC and lube everything, remove the previous owners "personal touches" to make it his own.. Any tips/tricks would be greatly appreciated!!
(Previous owner just moved here and currently lives in an apartment so he had nowhere to store it
)
+1 on setting the steering stem tension right. Do this along with a good fork height and sag setting and the bike will ride beautifully. You will know when it's set up too steep!
Gearing wise I really like 13-51. However you can tune the power and delivery a lot with pipes. The difference between the stock silencer and shorty on my bike is crazy. The longer the pipe the smoother the delivery. Fly wheel weights are also good on these bikes if you prefer a smoother ride or have a less aggressive style. RM's have super light FW's stock which makes them peppy and aggressive, which is great so long as you know how to utilize it.
The stock front pipes are very good on RM's so swapping to aftermarket isn't necessary.
For jetting the Pro Circuit jetting guide is a good start.
The Shop
Stock my RM was around 1.45mm. I took it down to 1.25mm with a 0.3mm thick Athena base gasket. The combination of tighter squish and lowered ports made a broader powerband and a noticeable difference to the low end.
Alternatively you can get the barrel decked but base gaskets are cheaper and good to test with before committing to permanent machine work.
You will need to use decent fuel if you are going to do this.
Stock pipes are pretty good on the RM's. I use the stock silencer for hardpack/technical tracks where controllable power is key. The 304 is best for sand and loam where you can just open it up and let her rip.
There is also gains to be had from experimenting with the powervalve tension and timing. I also found different needles change the personality of the bike so its worth testing those too if you are still searching for a desired feel.
And ever have any transmission problems?
Sag I run 103mm.
As above check your springs for your weight, I'm running 0.45's in 49mm A Kit forks which is a little on the stiff side for my weight but I compensate by having a slightly lower oil height and going out more clicks on compression (16/18). It keeps the forks up in the stroke which helps keep things stable.
I've owned my RM since 2010, I had to replace a couple of gears in 2013 and need to do it again now. So 2 times in 6 years, not ideal but not terrible. That's riding the bike every weekend for the entire year, every year near enough.
Post a reply to: 2003 RM250 general advice, tips & tricks