1996 RMX 250 Parts

[Grumps]

I have a 1996 RMX 250 that I'm very happy with. As time and money permits, I'd like to add more upgrade/aftermarket stuff and I've been searching the internet and not finding much out there for this year of bike. I suspect they're not making aftermarket parts for this bike anymore? If so, I'm hoping to get my hands on some of this stuff before it completely disapears.

Currently I have:
FMF Gnarly & spark arrestor :p
eline pipe guard
Works connection skid plate & rad braces

Things I'm looking for (but am having trouble finding):
top tripple clamp & bar mount (something that's adjustable & can take fat bars & stablizer)
tall seat foam
frame guards (which year of rm will fit?)
graphics (anything still out there for this year? which year of rm graphics fit?)

I'm also open to suggestions from fellow RMX'ers about other things I should consider. I ride the mountains and foothills around Calgary.

 

[placelast]

Call BRP in Irvine, CA, USA for the top clamp. I think they are all gone and he had no plans of another batch, sorry to say. This is one of the most needed mods. Call him to see if he reconsidered. Well worth it if you can find one used.

Ceet (Vista, CA) and Guts (Sacramento, CA) has tall foam. I liked Tecnosel best - from Villa Racing in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Works connection or Devol for frame guards. Use either's glide plate with the stock case protector/hoops instead of the shovel-type skid plates since the latter collects mud/pebbles, and reflects engine noise.

Ceet for graphics and seat cover.

Things to do:

'89 RM250 head gasket or Cometic HiPo top end set.

Eric Gorr bottom-to-mid porting and head dome reshaping, if he is still willing.

38mm Keihin PWK; and AirStriker is preferred but a regular PWK will do.

CR-High bend ProTapers or the like.

51-tooth rear sprocket; stock 13T is fine for the front. (52 rear makes the front end pop up in turns.) Use a good X-ring chain and steel sprockets.

Respring the front and rear for your weight.

#8 spark plug in place of the #9.

Replace the complete exhaust with ProCircuit when the FMF stuff (soon) rots/breaks. E-Line has pipe guards.

Steahly FWW if you can't get get over the grabby rear brake, and want a tad more chug.

Dunlop 773s for mud/sand - perfect hookup. Pirelli MT16 or 18s for rocks/roots/hardpack - good all-around tire. Bridgestone UHD tubes.

 

[Grumps]

Works connection or Devol for frame guards.

Placelast, Cool! that's a lot of info to digest and implement. I have been to Works Connection & Devol websites, but I can't find frame guards for my bike listed there. Do you think they might have them still for this bike, but just don't have them on the website? I agree, the top tripple clamp & bar mounts should probably be the first priority. I just peeked at the brpmoto website, they list 3 types: scotts, moto, & sx. It looks like the scotts will accept a scotts stabilizer, but I'm not really sure what's the difference between the moto & the sx? Should I get their 'package' (tripple clamp with scotts stabilizer) or the moto or the sx? What stabilizer do you recommend (if not the scotts?)

Ridding around here is mostly hard pack; but haven't seen many riders with Pirelli's. I'll see if I can find them and try them out. Thanks! :)

 

[placelast]

Don't do the BRP website thing: I suggest you call instead as the owner (Jim?) prefers you talk it over so he understands exactly what you want and are trying to do - that 's even if they still have the top clamp for the RMX.

If cannot find what you want then try that auction site; I saw a top clamp on there two years ago but another beat me out - was going to use it for my project bike which also had RMX conventional forks (already had a BRP top clamp on my RMX).

I used a WER on my RMX and then put it on my son's RMX. I then bought a GPR; used it for a few years (Scott's happened to be on temporary sold-out status); the GPR was good in the desert but in the mountains and single track wore out my arms from the return-to-center resistance, yet the worst part of a top-mounted damper was taking hits in the crotch (2x) - that was it. So I sold it and went back to a WER. If money is not object then get what is considered the best: Scott's. WER's is good; and any brand is better than none.

For hard pack my favorite thus far has been the Pirellis MT16s; previously tried Maxxis IT (long wearing, so-so performance), Dunlop 756 (quick wearing, better-than-average performance), Dunlop 952 (Long wearing, average performance), Pirelli MT16 (long wearing, better-than-average performance), IRC VE40 (quick wearing, better-than-average performance). I'm going to try the MT18 next just for kicks as they have a heavier carcass than the MT16s and I need that in the desert here with all the cactus and mesquite barbs which end up in my donuts, gear and fanny - fell butt-first into a cactus plant and had to pick the needles out!

I've recently converted to low pressure (10PSI) and have had great traction/results - seems to work well with the Pirellis only.

Maxxis ITs have long wear and average performance; if you do Maxxis, do not use their IT front tire - rear only.

Trials rears are the hot setup in CO and WA states; not down here, though your way, so consider one in a radial version (on the rear only).

 

[Grumps]

Thank you placelast for your info, I appreciate it.

How do I figure out what springs to get for suspension? According to the manual for my bike, the stock spring rates are:
front 7.85 N/mm (0.80 kgf/mm)
rear 53 N/mm (5.4 kgf/mm)
I weigh 190-195 lbs (that's dry weight, not dressed in riding gear) and I'm 5'-8" tall.
Anyone know where to get the springs I need and which springs to get?

 

[Rotorranch]

http://www.mx-tech.com/

Use the spring generator to figure the spring rates to use.

FWIW...I'm 5'8", 165 pounds. I'm happy with the stock spring rates on my RMX.

Rotor

 

[placelast]

You will certainly need to go heavier front and back; like Rotor the stockers were perfect for my 150-155-lb body in street clothes.

I have two (free to a good home) rear springs which will fit though they are lighter than the stock 5.4 rear at 5.2 and 4.9.

 

[Grumps]

That mx-tech website doesn't list RMX in the spring generator and it doesn't go any older than 2000. Would it be enough to find the next stiffer spring for each of the front and back?

 

[placelast]

Go to Race-Tech's website or others as they are out there. I've heard RT is off but it worked for me (no changes).