04 suzuki rmz250

Phillip_Lamb
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2144
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12/14/2010
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ORANGEVALE, CA, USA
12/13/2016 1:00pm
I generally am a skeptic when it comes to used four strokes

the 2004 rmz/kxf had teething problems, if it had no problems and the price was good then i would consider it, but in this case walk away.

on the 02 yz250f, only issue is age, the motors on these are well built and I would argue the most reliable we had one we put around 200hrs on without even a valve adjustment. Back in 02 the motors were not built up a powerfully as the current stock engines i think hp was like 32-33 hp vs 39 today. the biggest issue will be having to rebuild the whole bike depending on neglected it is. chain sprokets, bearings, bars plastics, controls, it starts adding up fast. a $1000 bike can easily cost you $3000. if you want to fix up a bike sure go for it otherwise keep looking for seomthing running
12/13/2016 3:01pm
Would I give the seller $700 for that bike? Sure. If the boots and helmet it came with were brand new alpinestars tech 10's and a new in box Shoei. if not I'd pass and use that money for a running 2 stroke.
gsxr6
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1956
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Anderson, CA, USA
12/13/2016 4:52pm Edited Date/Time 12/13/2016 4:55pm
U guys are actually very kind to newbs. Otherwise u would be encouraging him to buy. I knew a guy who rebuilt his engine twice in 04 before the bike even hit 20 hrs. I actually didn't buy a four stroke due to that bike, a buddy's 04 crf450 that needed valve adjustments every two rides/ valves every eight, and another buddy's 07 rmz 250f that quit kick-starting at 20 hrs, and wouldn't push start soon thereafter. That bike is guaranteed to be the most expensive cheap bike u could get. Just the fact u have a mechanic "checking it out" screams u should own a two stroke, esp with a tight budget. I bought a yzf 450 in 2014 brand new, and don't regret it. Two strokes are funner.
gsxr6
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1956
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Location
Anderson, CA, USA
12/13/2016 4:54pm
250f are for people who buy brand new. After 40 hrs it's a ticking time bomb. The bad ones don't make it to 40 hrs.. that bike probably hasn't been ridden much at all, it would've surely.dropped a valve or went boom long ago if it had been. They are famous as basically the most unreliable four stroke of the modern era. Esp. Of any Japanese brand.

The Shop

malachi177
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B.C., BC, CA
12/13/2016 5:23pm Edited Date/Time 12/13/2016 6:47pm
731chopper wrote:
I had this bike in 04-06 but I got a lemon. Mine was 100% reliable.
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's old. But new or low hrs that bike was actually reliable with some mods. With a 1.4 or higher rad cap, Pro Circuit impeller and water pump cover (which eliminates the water pump/oil filter sharing the same cover) and regular maintenance ( oil/filter, air filter, checking the valves frequently) the bike held together...and not sitting and idling it forever. But if you neglected the regular maintenance it was a grenade. Simple as that.
JW381
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Location
Harrisburg, OR, USA
12/13/2016 5:25pm
LOL @ used 250Fs
moscrop940
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1077
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4/20/2010
Location
Temecula, CA, USA
12/13/2016 6:12pm
731chopper wrote:
I had this bike in 04-06 but I got a lemon. Mine was 100% reliable.
malachi177 wrote:
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's...
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's old. But new or low hrs that bike was actually reliable with some mods. With a 1.4 or higher rad cap, Pro Circuit impeller and water pump cover (which eliminates the water pump/oil filter sharing the same cover) and regular maintenance ( oil/filter, air filter, checking the valves frequently) the bike held together...and not sitting and idling it forever. But if you neglected the regular maintenance it was a grenade. Simple as that.
Bandwagon crap? Hardly.

The majority of the people posting are saying the thing is a pile, because it was.

Sure a few people got a solid bike off the production line, but they were few and far between.

I can't speak for anyone else, but the idea that improper maintenance was the cause of our issues with the 04' is absolutely laughable. We were fortunate enough to have a former-factory level
mechanic go on the road with us racing for a couple years, and he struggled to keep them from grenadeing on a regular bases.

Do this guy a favor and don't pass your exception as being the rule....
If I took a pill that made me better, but 99% of the other people who took it became ill, I certantily wouldn't be recommending it and telling everyone else they must have taken it wrong.

malachi177
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Location
B.C., BC, CA
12/13/2016 6:39pm Edited Date/Time 12/13/2016 7:28pm
731chopper wrote:
I had this bike in 04-06 but I got a lemon. Mine was 100% reliable.
malachi177 wrote:
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's...
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's old. But new or low hrs that bike was actually reliable with some mods. With a 1.4 or higher rad cap, Pro Circuit impeller and water pump cover (which eliminates the water pump/oil filter sharing the same cover) and regular maintenance ( oil/filter, air filter, checking the valves frequently) the bike held together...and not sitting and idling it forever. But if you neglected the regular maintenance it was a grenade. Simple as that.
moscrop940 wrote:
Bandwagon crap? Hardly. The majority of the people posting are saying the thing is a pile, because it was. Sure a few people got a solid...
Bandwagon crap? Hardly.

The majority of the people posting are saying the thing is a pile, because it was.

Sure a few people got a solid bike off the production line, but they were few and far between.

I can't speak for anyone else, but the idea that improper maintenance was the cause of our issues with the 04' is absolutely laughable. We were fortunate enough to have a former-factory level
mechanic go on the road with us racing for a couple years, and he struggled to keep them from grenadeing on a regular bases.

Do this guy a favor and don't pass your exception as being the rule....
If I took a pill that made me better, but 99% of the other people who took it became ill, I certantily wouldn't be recommending it and telling everyone else they must have taken it wrong.

Reading comprehension buddy...I never recommended the bike...not one bit. I just stated that the bike wasn't as unreliable as everyone says it was. It needed some upgrades to make it work better. I never said it was a good bike, I said it was quite reliable for it's time if you did the upgrades and stayed on top of maintenance. That is the truth. Also racing at the level you were at...seeing as you were "on the road for a couple years" is completely different from the weekend warrior. Remember though, it was still early years for the four stroke and most riders weren't as religious with the maintenance as they should have been....because you could get away with that on a two stroke.

As for the bandwagon crap. How many of the people on here (or in general) that slagged the bike, actually owned one? Or are they just going off of what they've read or heard from others? That is what I was getting at.

No 250F in '04 didn't have it's share of issues... Yamaha being the most reliable.
moscrop940
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Temecula, CA, USA
12/13/2016 8:04pm Edited Date/Time 12/13/2016 8:04pm
malachi177 wrote:
Reading comprehension buddy...I never recommended the bike...not one bit. I just stated that the bike wasn't as unreliable as everyone says it was. It needed some...
Reading comprehension buddy...I never recommended the bike...not one bit. I just stated that the bike wasn't as unreliable as everyone says it was. It needed some upgrades to make it work better. I never said it was a good bike, I said it was quite reliable for it's time if you did the upgrades and stayed on top of maintenance. That is the truth. Also racing at the level you were at...seeing as you were "on the road for a couple years" is completely different from the weekend warrior. Remember though, it was still early years for the four stroke and most riders weren't as religious with the maintenance as they should have been....because you could get away with that on a two stroke.

As for the bandwagon crap. How many of the people on here (or in general) that slagged the bike, actually owned one? Or are they just going off of what they've read or heard from others? That is what I was getting at.

No 250F in '04 didn't have it's share of issues... Yamaha being the most reliable.
After rescanning your post, maybe I came off a bit harsh.

Truth be told I'm just trying to save the kid from absolute disaster.

I bought a used 07' RMZ 450, against the recommendation of a lot of people, and it was bar none the worst financial decision I have ever made. Paid 3K for it, ended up dropping 4-5K into over the next two years not wanting to admit my own faults.

Just don't want to see another guy make the same decision that I made and instantly regret it.

Sorry for coming off a bit over-the-top
malachi177
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2281
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B.C., BC, CA
12/13/2016 8:50pm
moscrop940 wrote:
After rescanning your post, maybe I came off a bit harsh. Truth be told I'm just trying to save the kid from absolute disaster. I bought...
After rescanning your post, maybe I came off a bit harsh.

Truth be told I'm just trying to save the kid from absolute disaster.

I bought a used 07' RMZ 450, against the recommendation of a lot of people, and it was bar none the worst financial decision I have ever made. Paid 3K for it, ended up dropping 4-5K into over the next two years not wanting to admit my own faults.

Just don't want to see another guy make the same decision that I made and instantly regret it.

Sorry for coming off a bit over-the-top
No worries, and I understand completely :-)
BobPA
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8340
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Location
USA
12/13/2016 8:59pm Edited Date/Time 12/13/2016 9:01pm
731chopper wrote:
I had this bike in 04-06 but I got a lemon. Mine was 100% reliable.
Same here, mine was actually an awesome bike that I won a lot of races on. 40 hours and I did my first set of valves, adjusted the valve seats to have nearly double the contact area and never had a valve issue again. Put the updated 2005 radiators on it and rode the shit out of it. Too many guys read these internet rumors without ever actually owning one.

They were ugly though, and I would not recommend buying one used.
Turbojez
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2419
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8/5/2015
Location
PL
12/14/2016 12:25am
If you are on a tight budget look for a 125. It's going to be easier and cheaper to fix it. If you buy an old 250f believe me - motocross will stop being fun for you way to soon and that would be a tragedy. There's no fun in looking at a broken down bike and wondering how to get the money to fix it.
12/14/2016 12:28am Edited Date/Time 12/14/2016 12:29am
Ok so ive decided not to get it anymore and ive found an 07 kx250. My only concern is will it be too powerful for me to handle as someone whos never ridden before? (im really struggling to find 125s online at a good price)
HenryA
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Location
Stockholm, SE
12/14/2016 12:52am
Ok so ive decided not to get it anymore and ive found an 07 kx250. My only concern is will it be too powerful for me...
Ok so ive decided not to get it anymore and ive found an 07 kx250. My only concern is will it be too powerful for me to handle as someone whos never ridden before? (im really struggling to find 125s online at a good price)
07 KX250 as in a 2 stroke?

Pull the trigger man, great bike! And use your right hand to adjust the throttle,they are very easy to ride if you're careful.
PierreG
Posts
41
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2/29/2012
Location
Stockholm, SE
12/14/2016 1:05am
That is a very good bike.

Its very easy to ride if stock exhaust is still on.

It has some Power if you want to freeride or ride sand.


And you learn the meaning of breaking Before a corner.

12/14/2016 1:05am
Ok so ive decided not to get it anymore and ive found an 07 kx250. My only concern is will it be too powerful for me...
Ok so ive decided not to get it anymore and ive found an 07 kx250. My only concern is will it be too powerful for me to handle as someone whos never ridden before? (im really struggling to find 125s online at a good price)
HenryA wrote:
07 KX250 as in a 2 stroke? Pull the trigger man, great bike! And use your right hand to adjust the throttle,they are very easy to...
07 KX250 as in a 2 stroke?

Pull the trigger man, great bike! And use your right hand to adjust the throttle,they are very easy to ride if you're careful.
Yeah its a 2stroke
gsxr6
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1956
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Anderson, CA, USA
12/14/2016 4:11pm
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull be glad u got the two stroke most likely. If u mix the gas 32:1 the top ends will last very long time! Good luck
gsxr6
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1956
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Anderson, CA, USA
12/14/2016 4:12pm
The 04 and down had more beginner friendly style of power.
mwssquad827
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1466
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Twin Falls, ID, USA
12/14/2016 5:49pm
Suzuki/kawi 04-05 250f are one of the worst bikes of all time!! Bought one brand new it had a complete engine lock up in 2 hrs! Dealer fixed it no hassle!! Sold it without even making one payment on the bike!! Hahah lost my ass but ya know. Don't buy this bike, don't even let him give you this bike.
trailrider
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340
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Location
Temple City, CA, USA
12/14/2016 6:19pm
'06 was a great bike for me. Very reliable. I'm surprised by the comments
JM485
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Davis, CA, USA
12/14/2016 7:08pm
gsxr6 wrote:
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull...
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull be glad u got the two stroke most likely. If u mix the gas 32:1 the top ends will last very long time! Good luck
For a beginner, he's going to load the power valves up and destroy his pipe packing at 32:1, not to mention the bike is going to be drowning in oil. 50:1 will be fine for you unless you're ripping a sand track in the heat, 32:1 is going to be way too much oil and I think others will agree. Even at 50:1 your top ends will easily last 50+ hours, just stay consistent with one oil as some premix oils don't mix well with each other.
gsxr6
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1956
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Anderson, CA, USA
12/14/2016 7:19pm
gsxr6 wrote:
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull...
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull be glad u got the two stroke most likely. If u mix the gas 32:1 the top ends will last very long time! Good luck
JM485 wrote:
For a beginner, he's going to load the power valves up and destroy his pipe packing at 32:1, not to mention the bike is going to...
For a beginner, he's going to load the power valves up and destroy his pipe packing at 32:1, not to mention the bike is going to be drowning in oil. 50:1 will be fine for you unless you're ripping a sand track in the heat, 32:1 is going to be way too much oil and I think others will agree. Even at 50:1 your top ends will easily last 50+ hours, just stay consistent with one oil as some premix oils don't mix well with each other.
I'd follow what the manufacturer recommends. I love 32:1. It's amazing. Anyone else who says otherwise would stick their rings trying to hang with me lol. Btw, since ur a beginner I'm gonna give u some awesome advice. At some point u will be too tired, and the act of hanging on to ur new bike is gonna cause u to go into an uncontrollable, throttle on wheelie. Pull in your clutch! Just trust me. Ur welcome in advance. Also squeeze with ur legs. That helps with whiskey throttle and tired arms in general.
JM485
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5826
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Location
Davis, CA, USA
12/14/2016 7:29pm
gsxr6 wrote:
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull...
U will like the bike. After u get used to it and have some experience borrow a 250f from a friend and try it out. Ull be glad u got the two stroke most likely. If u mix the gas 32:1 the top ends will last very long time! Good luck
JM485 wrote:
For a beginner, he's going to load the power valves up and destroy his pipe packing at 32:1, not to mention the bike is going to...
For a beginner, he's going to load the power valves up and destroy his pipe packing at 32:1, not to mention the bike is going to be drowning in oil. 50:1 will be fine for you unless you're ripping a sand track in the heat, 32:1 is going to be way too much oil and I think others will agree. Even at 50:1 your top ends will easily last 50+ hours, just stay consistent with one oil as some premix oils don't mix well with each other.
gsxr6 wrote:
I'd follow what the manufacturer recommends. I love 32:1. It's amazing. Anyone else who says otherwise would stick their rings trying to hang with me lol...
I'd follow what the manufacturer recommends. I love 32:1. It's amazing. Anyone else who says otherwise would stick their rings trying to hang with me lol. Btw, since ur a beginner I'm gonna give u some awesome advice. At some point u will be too tired, and the act of hanging on to ur new bike is gonna cause u to go into an uncontrollable, throttle on wheelie. Pull in your clutch! Just trust me. Ur welcome in advance. Also squeeze with ur legs. That helps with whiskey throttle and tired arms in general.
I'll tell you this, we'll run 50:1 so much we'll get tired of running 50:1. We are going to make America run 50:1 again. It's going to be fantastic. Believe me. You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it. It's going to be great. We're going to defeat crooked 32:1 and drain the bad gas!Laughing
r.sal923
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573
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1/25/2014
Location
CA
12/14/2016 7:36pm
I could sell you a boat anchor, oh wait is sounds like you might be buying one
gsxr6
Posts
1956
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9/3/2011
Location
Anderson, CA, USA
12/14/2016 7:55pm
The 04 kxfrmz will go down as the only race 250f the factory preferred to race it's 125 instead...
gsxr6
Posts
1956
Joined
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Location
Anderson, CA, USA
12/14/2016 8:16pm Edited Date/Time 12/14/2016 8:16pm
Delete
mwssquad827
Posts
1466
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8/4/2016
Location
Twin Falls, ID, USA
12/14/2016 8:19pm Edited Date/Time 12/14/2016 8:21pm
731chopper wrote:
I had this bike in 04-06 but I got a lemon. Mine was 100% reliable.
malachi177 wrote:
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's...
Yep, alot of bandwagon hearsay crap in this thread. Would I recommend he get the bike...no. Something is wrong if the timing is off and it's old. But new or low hrs that bike was actually reliable with some mods. With a 1.4 or higher rad cap, Pro Circuit impeller and water pump cover (which eliminates the water pump/oil filter sharing the same cover) and regular maintenance ( oil/filter, air filter, checking the valves frequently) the bike held together...and not sitting and idling it forever. But if you neglected the regular maintenance it was a grenade. Simple as that.
177 your a Jackass
malachi177
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2281
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B.C., BC, CA
12/14/2016 9:00pm
177 your a Jackass
*you're* ....Dumbass

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