P/U kit or 310 kit?

[Darkside]

I bought my 250 for Dan at MotoXotica. He helped me tune the efi with the ibeat. I didn't notice a lot of power gain with the P/U kit but it definitely ran better, especially off the bottom.

 

[terryth]

Give it some time for her to get used to the nature of the beast. I went from a DRZ400 (which I still ride) to a 2006 te250. The TE is never going to be the sit down just point it where you want and chug up or down where ever you are going look at the scenery tank that the drz is, even if the TE has the power up or bigbore. The close ratio tranny is not going away and the shifting that it requires. On any type of trail or single track, the TE is much easier to ride much faster than the DRZ with a lot less effort. Sure you shift a lot, but the lower mass of the TE is so much easier to control and save when you do get bent out of shape, its not even funny. The harder and faster you ride it the better it works and the more fun it is.

I need to do something. The g/f TE 250 is not what was expected. We both own DRZ's, figured the 250 would be the better choice then the TE 450 for her. The 250 specs. about the same HP as the DRZ, and is much lighter, but is really a pain in the arse to ride in comparison then the DRZ. All the shifting required to keep the thing above 7K and keep it moving with out bogging is not fun. She went from a 1982 XT 550 to a 2007 DRZ 400 to a 2008 TE 250. The XT was the best motor for her yet. She scoots right along on the TE, but it is a lot of work on the hand and foot. All the extra work needed to ride the 250 may actually make her slower.

Would the big bore and/or p/u kit alleviate alot of the required shifting or is the 450 the answer?

Thank you.

 

[ioneater]

Well, I think I understand where Tami's coming from. I don't think having a bigger displacement bike makes you lazy, hell I don't feel lazy riding mine 4 hrs in the woods, rocks, roots and ponds around here. Granted, this bike and a kawi 300 are all I know. No 2-stroke bike in my lineage. I think a person will adapt to whatever ride they have if they have the motivation to do so. I saw Eric ride the shit out of that KTM tank at Baja through stuff that some of the rest of us had trouble in. I don't think he was lazy, LOL. The power delivery of the 4 strokes allows a bit more flexibility on the bigger displacement bikes but I don't believe it makes them any easier to handle, especially for a smaller person. Ride what works for you. Caveat-----I don't have near the experience that Woodschick and many other posters here do on so many different bikes. My .02

 

[XLEnduroMan]

Update. We are on the list for a p/u kit when they get them. Will be putting it on the TE 250.

Last Saturday I let (made ) her take the leed on a nice long rutted, twisty, narrow dirt road along the ride. She was hauling arse! If I though about backing off for a moment I would have a fair bit of ground to make up.

I think my 225 lb's is to much for the TE 250, but her 150 lbs or so is what the 250 likes.

What the am I gonna do when she get the p/u kit? Hope she doesn't get the 310 kit to go with it.

 

[fitness2go]

I think it's funny when people don't think a 250F can pull a bigger person around. I've had a 2008 TXC & TE 250 drag my fat @$$ (225 pounds without gear) plenty fast and seen Russ haul @$$ on his 08 TE 250 (now a 310) at 245 lbs without gear! They are deceptively fast and surprise you. It seems your G/F is learning how to ride it faster...you go girl!

 

[MChammer]

I totally agree with fitness2go and homefinance. While I'm only 175lb, I'm sure my bike would pull 225lb around just fine on anything but long steep hills or deep sand. My original ride - an 08 TE250 was one of the first to get imported - picked it up in Jan 08, and stock, even with the throttle stop removed, it was unimpressive. As soon as the power up kits arrived a month or so later I installed it (removing the O2 sensor and plugging the pigtail into the connection that used to connect to the O2, and slipped the non-catylitic convertor Arrow muffler in place of the one that had the catylitic converter in it is legal here in PA). Big difference, and would still be running it like that if I hadn't had crank issues this past April. While it was getting rebuilt, I did the 300 upgrade with a Power Commander (couldn't get it to run right without the PC) and now it is even better than before. What I don't understand is that everyone says they need to wring it's neck...I guess you ride different terrain than I do here in the northeast. I lug through the tight, rock/boulder infested trails in 2nd or 3rd and snap the throttle to get over logs etc. The only time I hit high rpms is in the short bursts of open terrain between the tight stuff. Even Mike Lafferty just did an article in the latest issue of Dirt Bike where he gave tips and says that's the quickest way through the tight stuff - don't go in lower gears/higher rpms. Your girlfriend will be farther ahead with the lighter, more nimble 250 - us long as you have it running to its potential (pu kit).

 

[glangston]

I think the backwards progression of her bikes from big and torquey to smaller and more rev reliant is the issue and not any lack of power. Just needs some time. Mainly she'll have to choose a lower gear, no one said you have to use the clutch......

 

[XLEnduroMan]

She now has the p/u kit. It was way off capped and plugged. Put the lambda back in and took it to Motoxotica and Dan got it running good with Ibeat tuning. She is very happy with her TE now that it's broke in, Arrow pipe and tuned. Left the lambda in as she is happy with it. She takes it around town and makes the guys on the Japanese dual sports jealous.