I had a 1985 klr 250 and now have a 2001. I can say the 2001 has better power. The valves and camchain are lasting past 20k . Keep the valves adjusted and the swing arm well greased and don't forget to change the fork oil. It will last forever. >Vermont back roads
Got me an '87 last summer and never found the time to work on it. I'm so glad I found these videos because now I have an idea of what the hell I'll be doing to fix it. Mine is in considerably worse shape than yours, but luckily there are bolt kits and most other parts available on eBay.
ive got a 91 klr 250 and I love it man. they are a very capable bike.if you know how to ride it ;) plus they clean up pretty well and.finding parts is pretty easy. but yea, nice bike bro haha
love the bike dude, I have an 03 and LOVE IT. I was eying the Yamaha xt225 and found my 03 kawi first. I later rode an xt225 in my motorcycle class, and was glad to have gotten the 250, it shifts much smoother and goes into Neutral much easier. it even goes on the highway no problem! Love the kick start too.
I want one of these so bad..especially with some rad ass graphics these are what those of us born in the 80s dreamed of as youngsters was lookin at DRs and my buddy kept pushin Kawasaki then I found these have everything you could need for a lil all around town&more bike
I bought a 97 klr 250 for $1500 with 3300 miles. Have had it about a month. Love it so far. Glad I got it. The newer klx is taller and the seat is like sitting on a 2x4.
Dude it's perfect! It's a dirt bike it's not supposed to look pretty! I would love a kick start for my bike but want available for my 1989 Honda NX125. I want a clean KLR like that. Can't wait to see what all the content you'll be making with this!
Nice Man! Its always fun to wrench on something thats yours. I bought a 92 suzuki savage off craigslist for 600$ that wasnt running. the guy was gonna scrap it. I took the float bowel off the carb and found the main jet had come off. put it back in. cleaned the carb real good. and replaced the petcock. started right up and runs real good.
He was gonna scrap it? Aww man he should have given it to you for nothing! That's awesome though, a lot of these older bikes have tons of life in them, they just need a little love :)
I just bought a 1997 in pretty good shape with 10,500. Waiting for the new rear shock to come in. OEM shock is toasted cheese. Power reduction was in 1998 and on from what I understand . Main jet was smaller and cams had less lift and duration from what I understand to meat CARB emissions and help valve train last longer for bone heads who don't know how to adjust the valves. BTW, ADJUST THE VALVES and or Check them every 5 K miles! If the bike gets hard to start it's most likely the intake valves gone tight!
Yep me also too picked up a 92 !! Dosen't need a battery to run and ditto on the life saving kicker! But part of the original wire loom was cut off at the plug and I at the least need a 12V circuit for my new fan!! Old one worked but the fan blades dry rotted in the Arizona sun and wasn't working and the sending unit by the spark plug isn't hooked up:/ so I stop and let it cool down if'n I'm just cruising slowly like the old man I am hahaha
Check back later this week for a video of me giving this bike some good TLC. :) Here's a little spoiler for you, the exhaust will be getting cleaned up. If you want to see some pictures be sure to follow me on instagram for a sneak peak! ;) instagram.com/theherorr/?hl=en
If you guys have any further questions please comment below and I will try to answer them all! I forgot to mention why I didn't buy a 2 stroke, reason being is I didn't want to deal with 2 stroke maintenance and having to mix the oil with the gas.
I'm buying one like this from a guy and I'm not understanding why he has it listed as automatic transmission. Really scratching my head can't wait to see what he's talkin bout.
Just scooped up my buddies 05 KLR, he got a new DR650 last year and the poor thing just sits. Can't exactly take my Z1000 into the woods, where I started many years ago with a KE100.
Hey Man, came across a video of yours from last year in Southern MA. If you still live there I'd be down to ride sometime. Currently living on the Cape.
I'm looking at a 1986 klr 250 with 45000 I think but it apparantly runs great, new tires, new light fixtures. Full on tune up, in great shape beside a little ding in the gas tank, seat is immaculate. He is firm on $1500. Good deal?
I paid 2100 for mine and it had a recent tune up on it and I have all the receipts from previous owner. It has barely over 7000 miles on it. Runs and rides great. Starts no problem
Kickstart only as good until you blow through a few pairs of shoes trying to get the damn thing running well. I spent six months with a dr350s and that POS just would not get running right
i think it looks good, i was so close to buy a tsx50, but it cost like 300 dolars to fix it. i dont know how it is in america,but in norway you need original parts.
That stinks :( In america we can use aftermarket parts if they're available. Although I think a 50 would be too small, at the very least a 125 (preferably a 200-250)
Is nice I never owned a older Kawasaki enduro duo sport. I owned a 1983 Honda XR500R Not L . Duo carburador . I pay $200 clean the carbs and ready oh I made it street legal . I also owned a 2002 Honda XR250R I paid $1600 street legal kit love it but hard to start kick start only and was tall and I’m 5”4 almost 5”5.. I think you paid little higher you could get a newer one for cheaper or same price
LOL that was my EXACT first KLR bought brand new. I don't think the power really was dipped. They were kinda slow in '87 and my '04 felt the same. They are ok bikes though and water cooling was special way back then for sure. I bought another one later in 2015. ua-cam.com/video/BHVdKeWjv1I/v-deo.html&lc=z22zzbzjjniyu1yjt04t1aokg3uiioxsfojyw5jkhvgrbk0h00410
I just bought one for $500, I think its the blue and purple version from 1996. i want to figure out how much to invest in it. I need a new sprocket and chain and its a little cosmetically beat, but is this worth the investment? I also have a Honda cx650E from 1984 but i figured i should start with this as my first bike because i wanted to get a new dirt bike anyway. Let me know if there is anything you think i should get, but more specifically i was wondering if a dual sport helmet would be a good investment
The pre-1990 had 20% more power. What did they change and can it be easily changed back? I’m looking at a 1998 that seems in great shape. I know this is an old video. I’m wondering if you still have it
i have a 1985 klr250 i can start it up and let it warm up but when i put it in first it just dies almost like turning the key off , then i have to choke it to start it back up, its got fresh gas , any ideas to help
I'm looking at 94 KLR250 for $1000 obo so I offered $750 and he will let me Sunday maybe. How fast is this model, I'm 6 foot 206 pounds so I'm a factor with speed? I plan to upgrade carb to larger size & better jets, change front/rear sprockets to smaller size and better muffler than factory to garner more speed. Any other speed enhancing ideas besides Jenny Craig?
You probably don't even need to do all that. Mine was plenty fast with me on it. I weigh 170 but even if I were 30-40 lbs heavier it still would pull fine I imagine. Sprockets might be the only thing (maybe) but I bet you it will be fine just as is!
I feel the more comfortable it is to ride the more fun it is.. doing the top speed with this motorcycle on a dirt road is a lot of vertigo. I don't know why you need any more bigger
Liquid cooled is far and away better than having an air cooled dual sport!!!! Even motocross bikes are liquid cooled and have been for years now. Liquid cooled is the way to go. Don't takes points away from your new bike for this positive attribute... :)
Good point, I just hear people saying that air cooled bikes are much more reliable (provided they don't over heat!) Because you have way less maintenance, I personally don't mind the maintenance and am glad it is liquid cooled. It's good peace of mind.
+HEROrr Ah heck, there's not really any extra maintenance to speak of. Drain the system once every couple years and refill with a quality antifreeze mixed 50/50 with distilled water and you're good to go. 20 minute job at best. I always added the recommended amount of REDLINE Water Wetter to the mix as an extra measure. Do the same on my gixxer 1000 too.
+Chris Horst well like most things it has pros and cons. Pros would be it's easier to work on and more reliable. Cons would be the obvious limitations of not have adaquate cooling at low speeds.
It's only advantage is it's simpler. Water cooled can make more power and torque at the same rpm. And more power everywhere else. Tune an air cooled bike to high it gets to hot and never makes the power anyway.
No messing with antifreez. No sensor problems (bike dependent). Weight save. No risk of punching a hole in the radiator and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. There is no serious advantage with liquid cooling on small 4 stroke! bikes, unless you use it for slow moving traffic... Two stroke is completely different story, there liquid cooling is a must. Unless you deliberately push the bike to its limits with limited air flow, a small 4 stroke air cooled wont overheat. At least I never had such issues on my klx, altough it should be noted its FI not carburated, so it has more accurate fuel mixture at different rpms and temperatures.
***** The power was increased to 30hp in 1994 according to this site motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_klr250%2094.htm which doesn't show US models, this site is great for looking up different models but unfortunately they don't mention the bikes that come to the US always get screwed with.
***** Looks like you may be correct, I was looking at specs that didn't mention the US models decreasing the HP. Well now I may be looking at a different dual-sport to get or look into changing the cam if possible.
***** It might also be because the way they measure HP ratings, i know back then they started showing hp at the rear wheel as opposed to hp at the crank.
Running 32 hp from a 250cc, you will be losing a lot of the low down power. In most cases this style of bike does not find it's place with power high up in the rev range it's no street racer or moto x bike. Trails require low down torque.
As a old school rider, I will say you have a nice bike! I just bought a xt350. I love it!
@Ayaan Duncan China Virus
I just bought one last week and your videos have just convinced me I made a good choice and your videos are a great help. Thanks
i think this is the ONLY dual sport under 300 LBS that has a 6 speed and road worthy. very nice find!!
I had a 1985 klr 250 and now have a 2001. I can say the 2001 has better power. The valves and camchain are lasting past 20k . Keep the valves adjusted and the swing arm well greased and don't forget to change the fork oil. It will last forever. >Vermont back roads
Got me an '87 last summer and never found the time to work on it. I'm so glad I found these videos because now I have an idea of what the hell I'll be doing to fix it. Mine is in considerably worse shape than yours, but luckily there are bolt kits and most other parts available on eBay.
Brilliant, reliable, fun to ride, easy maintenance, love it 🇦🇺👍
Might be picking up the ‘84 version of this bike tomorrow locally. It’s done 14k from new and looks looked after. Lovely bike
I just got a 05 KLR 250 and they really are a truly good bike and I love mine so far
It looks stunning. I don't understand why manufacturers can't replicate the same design with new engine and electronics..
You're the only youtuber that i can't wait to see the next video from :) I don't know what it is. You instantly make my day better.
Thanks!! I love hearing things like that! :)
ive got a 91 klr 250 and I love it man. they are a very capable bike.if you know how to ride it ;) plus they clean up pretty well and.finding parts is pretty easy.
but yea, nice bike bro haha
love the bike dude, I have an 03 and LOVE IT. I was eying the Yamaha xt225 and found my 03 kawi first. I later rode an xt225 in my motorcycle class, and was glad to have gotten the 250, it shifts much smoother and goes into Neutral much easier. it even goes on the highway no problem! Love the kick start too.
Nice video as always! I'm definitely considering a duel sport now.
Definitely should get one I love mine even if it's not a power monster
Awesome choice man! Always great to see someone choose something different, looks in good condition for the age! Have fun with it bud :)
Thanks brotha! :) I like that it's unique although it can be a pain finding information and parts on it.
I have an 04, absolutely love the bike.
I want one of these so bad..especially with some rad ass graphics these are what those of us born in the 80s dreamed of as youngsters
was lookin at DRs and my buddy kept pushin Kawasaki then I found these have everything you could need for a lil all around town&more bike
I bought a 97 klr 250 for $1500 with 3300 miles. Have had it about a month. Love it so far. Glad I got it. The newer klx is taller and the seat is like sitting on a 2x4.
Dude it's perfect! It's a dirt bike it's not supposed to look pretty! I would love a kick start for my bike but want available for my 1989 Honda NX125. I want a clean KLR like that. Can't wait to see what all the content you'll be making with this!
Thanks brotha! :)
Nice Man! Its always fun to wrench on something thats yours. I bought a 92 suzuki savage off craigslist for 600$ that wasnt running. the guy was gonna scrap it. I took the float bowel off the carb and found the main jet had come off. put it back in. cleaned the carb real good. and replaced the petcock. started right up and runs real good.
He was gonna scrap it? Aww man he should have given it to you for nothing! That's awesome though, a lot of these older bikes have tons of life in them, they just need a little love :)
Wish I could find one of these real cheap even if it needs a rebuild
I just bought a 1997 in pretty good shape with 10,500. Waiting for the new rear shock to come in. OEM shock is toasted cheese. Power reduction was in 1998 and on from what I understand . Main jet was smaller and cams had less lift and duration from what I understand to meat CARB emissions and help valve train last longer for bone heads who don't know how to adjust the valves. BTW, ADJUST THE VALVES and or Check them every 5 K miles! If the bike gets hard to start it's most likely the intake valves gone tight!
that bike is really awesome, I don't understand why not everyone likes them
Yep me also too picked up a 92 !! Dosen't need a battery to run and ditto on the life saving kicker! But part of the original wire loom was cut off at the plug and I at the least need a 12V circuit for my new fan!! Old one worked but the fan blades dry rotted in the Arizona sun and wasn't working and the sending unit by the spark plug isn't hooked up:/ so I stop and let it cool down if'n I'm just cruising slowly like the old man I am hahaha
I've owned two Klrs over the years, an 88 and a 98... I regretted selling them both...
That bike is a gem.
hey bro you should think about wirebrushing the exhaust clean it up real nice also plastidiping the fairings will spruce it up a bit to great vid bro
Check back later this week for a video of me giving this bike some good TLC. :) Here's a little spoiler for you, the exhaust will be getting cleaned up. If you want to see some pictures be sure to follow me on instagram for a sneak peak! ;) instagram.com/theherorr/?hl=en
If you guys have any further questions please comment below and I will try to answer them all! I forgot to mention why I didn't buy a 2 stroke, reason being is I didn't want to deal with 2 stroke maintenance and having to mix the oil with the gas.
Man I have a kawi super Sherpa 250 dual sport and I love it it’s my first bike and it does everything I want and more
I like the look of your bike! Maybe it's the vents under the headlight.
i had the KLX250 .Seat way to high gave me more trouble than it was worth. Harder to kick start as well. Got rid of it. Prefer now a KLR
I'm buying one like this from a guy and I'm not understanding why he has it listed as automatic transmission. Really scratching my head can't wait to see what he's talkin bout.
Just scooped up my buddies 05 KLR, he got a new DR650 last year and the poor thing just sits. Can't exactly take my Z1000 into the woods, where I started many years ago with a KE100.
Get a black seat, take all the white parts and paint it lime green and get new Kawasaki decals, basically make it look newer
I'll consider it! I do want to change the look a little.
I am so proud of you 😢
My roommate posted this I don’t even know what he meant 😂
There is a guy selling two of these for 600$ on Craigslist oc right now
Hey Man, came across a video of yours from last year in Southern MA. If you still live there I'd be down to ride sometime. Currently living on the Cape.
I'm on the cape all the time! I'll definitely ride with you, what's your ride?
Ninja 250. Joined the RMC FB group. Guessing you may be in it.
What's the bottle thing on the frunt let had said for it acoolandt
KLR 250 is a great bike for beginners too
Nice Ride
How did they reduce horse power? Cams?
I'm looking at a 1986 klr 250 with 45000 I think but it apparantly runs great, new tires, new light fixtures. Full on tune up, in great shape beside a little ding in the gas tank, seat is immaculate. He is firm on $1500. Good deal?
Im selling a 2002 for 8800 miles, runes great , looks great, for 2,000
i still can't sell it after 2 months.
That's really high miles
I'm looking at one tomorrow that's a 1994 and it has a bunch of work done to it. Guys asking 2000
Please where can I get the spear parts in Nigeria? And competent mechanic .who can help me fix mine.
So many haters its all rider any way and making stuff nice on a budget is sweet
I love it bud! Who carea
Ouch $1400?!!!! You can get a 2000 for 1600
SUPERNOVA lol we got one for $140 on letgo we just need to replace a few parts
I paid 2100 for mine and it had a recent tune up on it and I have all the receipts from previous owner. It has barely over 7000 miles on it. Runs and rides great. Starts no problem
Kickstart only as good until you blow through a few pairs of shoes trying to get the damn thing running well. I spent six months with a dr350s and that POS just would not get running right
i think it looks good, i was so close to buy a tsx50, but it cost like 300 dolars to fix it. i dont know how it is in america,but in norway you need original parts.
That stinks :( In america we can use aftermarket parts if they're available. Although I think a 50 would be too small, at the very least a 125 (preferably a 200-250)
no sry i dindt cost 300 dollars to fix it, it cost 1300 dolars to fix it, and if it was legal to modify you bike, i wuild only need a new battery
Please do videos of cleaning her up/work you do to her.
As you wish :)
Would you recommend this as a first bike? And how bad/ loud and windy is it at 70 mph?
You can also push it, to start it :)
I've done that twice now lol. :)
Is nice I never owned a older Kawasaki enduro duo sport. I owned a 1983 Honda XR500R Not L . Duo carburador . I pay $200 clean the carbs and ready oh I made it street legal . I also owned a 2002 Honda XR250R I paid $1600 street legal kit love it but hard to start kick start only and was tall and I’m 5”4 almost 5”5.. I think you paid little higher you could get a newer one for cheaper or same price
I'm 14 and looking to buy a bike to learn on,is it good for that?
Yes!
Bump start,,,but i like the kicker too.lol
I think that it's a smart move!
LOL that was my EXACT first KLR bought brand new. I don't think the power really was dipped. They were kinda slow in '87 and my '04 felt the same. They are ok bikes though and water cooling was special way back then for sure. I bought another one later in 2015. ua-cam.com/video/BHVdKeWjv1I/v-deo.html&lc=z22zzbzjjniyu1yjt04t1aokg3uiioxsfojyw5jkhvgrbk0h00410
nice vid how much did you bought it for and what you need to fix for it
I paid $1,400. All it really needs is a tune up, and maybe some better tires.
Do you still have this bike ? Does it look any different now ?
I just bought one for $500, I think its the blue and purple version from 1996. i want to figure out how much to invest in it. I need a new sprocket and chain and its a little cosmetically beat, but is this worth the investment? I also have a Honda cx650E from 1984 but i figured i should start with this as my first bike because i wanted to get a new dirt bike anyway. Let me know if there is anything you think i should get, but more specifically i was wondering if a dual sport helmet would be a good investment
Holy shit you got a great deal on that bike
Just gotta look and you find them! :)
***** I live in an area where people try to charge $10,000 for their rusted out frames - but i get what you mean.
My best bud sold a 1993 klr 250 to me for 800 its street legal and it passed safety
did you ever install and electric start??
The pre-1990 had 20% more power. What did they change and can it be easily changed back? I’m looking at a 1998 that seems in great shape. I know this is an old video. I’m wondering if you still have it
It has a smaller cam, most people say the newer one is faster, likely has a lot more torque down low
i have a 1985 klr250 i can start it up and let it warm up but when i put it in first it just dies almost like turning the key off , then i have to choke it to start it back up, its got fresh gas , any ideas to help
Your airbox may be full of mouse stuffing. mine was.
I'm looking at 94 KLR250 for $1000 obo so I offered $750 and he will let me Sunday maybe. How fast is this model, I'm 6 foot 206 pounds so I'm a factor with speed? I plan to upgrade carb to larger size & better jets, change front/rear sprockets to smaller size and better muffler than factory to garner more speed. Any other speed enhancing ideas besides Jenny Craig?
You probably don't even need to do all that. Mine was plenty fast with me on it. I weigh 170 but even if I were 30-40 lbs heavier it still would pull fine I imagine. Sprockets might be the only thing (maybe) but I bet you it will be fine just as is!
Does it turn in a monocycle
I feel the more comfortable it is to ride the more fun it is.. doing the top speed with this motorcycle on a dirt road is a lot of vertigo. I don't know why you need any more bigger
i got a 82 kl 250.and my question is can i take out the airbox and just put a round air fliter in in its place?
I did that on an old klr250 didn't run right after taking air box off, but got carb rejetted and was fine
pain in the ass to jet but you can do it. just cut the 3x3 hole in the airbox. the bike isnt going to use more air than that
Whats that exhaust?
One locally for $2400 for sale
i have chance to buy one for 500$, would be that fair price for so old bike?
hell yeah
Liquid cooled is far and away better than having an air cooled dual sport!!!!
Even motocross bikes are liquid cooled and have been for years now.
Liquid cooled is the way to go. Don't takes points away from your new bike for this positive attribute... :)
Good point, I just hear people saying that air cooled bikes are much more reliable (provided they don't over heat!) Because you have way less maintenance, I personally don't mind the maintenance and am glad it is liquid cooled. It's good peace of mind.
+HEROrr Ah heck, there's not really any extra maintenance to speak of. Drain the system once every couple years and refill with a quality antifreeze mixed 50/50 with distilled water and you're good to go. 20 minute job at best. I always added the recommended amount of REDLINE Water Wetter to the mix as an extra measure. Do the same on my gixxer 1000 too.
How is air cooled better?
+Chris Horst well like most things it has pros and cons. Pros would be it's easier to work on and more reliable. Cons would be the obvious limitations of not have adaquate cooling at low speeds.
It's only advantage is it's simpler. Water cooled can make more power and torque at the same rpm. And more power everywhere else. Tune an air cooled bike to high it gets to hot and never makes the power anyway.
No messing with antifreez. No sensor problems (bike dependent). Weight save. No risk of punching a hole in the radiator and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. There is no serious advantage with liquid cooling on small 4 stroke! bikes, unless you use it for slow moving traffic... Two stroke is completely different story, there liquid cooling is a must. Unless you deliberately push the bike to its limits with limited air flow, a small 4 stroke air cooled wont overheat. At least I never had such issues on my klx, altough it should be noted its FI not carburated, so it has more accurate fuel mixture at different rpms and temperatures.
Where did you come up with "they" reduced the power in 1990 to 22hp? I don't think so.
Yes they did, look it up, there was a change in the cam profile which caused the reduction.
*****
The power was increased to 30hp in 1994 according to this site motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_klr250%2094.htm which doesn't show US models, this site is great for looking up different models but unfortunately they don't mention the bikes that come to the US always get screwed with.
tonyinfinity Are we talking about the US model? Because I can't find anything that says the power was increased to 30hp in 1994, do you have a source?
*****
Looks like you may be correct, I was looking at specs that didn't mention the US models decreasing the HP. Well now I may be looking at a different dual-sport to get or look into changing the cam if possible.
*****
It might also be because the way they measure HP ratings, i know back then they started showing hp at the rear wheel as opposed to hp at the crank.
I just bought a 1996 with 2100 miles on it 😀😀😀😀😀😀
XT 350 is a wheely machine!
I found one like this for $1600 I really want it
What grips are those?
I don't know sorry.
Actually the 97 has 30hp.
28 HP? Cool!
Николай Малинкин heck yeah they made power back then lol .mine makes 32 with up grades
Running 32 hp from a 250cc, you will be losing a lot of the low down power. In most cases this style of bike does not find it's place with power high up in the rev range it's no street racer or moto x bike. Trails require low down torque.
he asks "where is the rust" as he points...at rust
push start? Hummmmmmm!
I Wonder why you bought that bike? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
why, because your broke Right
They knew how to make enduro back then! Some new are still same shape today.