So I just bought a 1989 KX250 this weekend for $400.
Good stuff: Front/rear brakes complete and functional. Rims decent (front a little tweaked), tires good enough, brand new FMF pipe/silencer...and the bike is 100% complete except for kickstarter.
Bad stuff: Sub frame is broken, front forks feel empty (not sure if they are tweaked or just need rebuilt), bars are junk, plastic is "just ok", one radiator is really bashed hard.
Now, the motor: I installed a kickstarter from another motor and was able to turn the cylinder over. It felt good on compression. I did not try to start it though, but started ripping the motor down instead.
Removed the stator cover and coolant pours out (there was not much in the radiator). Popped the head off and it looks fine, no debris or bash marks. Pop the cylinder off and the KIPS looks to be working fine. Piston has marks all over it though from contacting the cylinder at one time. The cylinder fells good though, but looks like it has wear marks at different areas around it. No major pits or scores and you can even see cross hatch marks in some areas. The crank was full of coolant and the clutch plates are smoked.
My biggest question is about the bottom end and cylinder. I really don't want to rechrome it and wonder if it can just be honed. Even if some of the plating has worn, can it be used as is? There is no flaking or chipping, just some areas that look shinier. The piston looks so bad though, that I have to wonder if it was one that siezed, but was reused after this cylinder was chromed again (which I know it was). I just don't see how the piston can look so bad, but the cylinder not have major scratches, etc...
Anyway, I'm on the fence. Would be nice to salvage this one, but I'd hate to lose too much money over it.
Micah
Good stuff: Front/rear brakes complete and functional. Rims decent (front a little tweaked), tires good enough, brand new FMF pipe/silencer...and the bike is 100% complete except for kickstarter.
Bad stuff: Sub frame is broken, front forks feel empty (not sure if they are tweaked or just need rebuilt), bars are junk, plastic is "just ok", one radiator is really bashed hard.
Now, the motor: I installed a kickstarter from another motor and was able to turn the cylinder over. It felt good on compression. I did not try to start it though, but started ripping the motor down instead.
Removed the stator cover and coolant pours out (there was not much in the radiator). Popped the head off and it looks fine, no debris or bash marks. Pop the cylinder off and the KIPS looks to be working fine. Piston has marks all over it though from contacting the cylinder at one time. The cylinder fells good though, but looks like it has wear marks at different areas around it. No major pits or scores and you can even see cross hatch marks in some areas. The crank was full of coolant and the clutch plates are smoked.
My biggest question is about the bottom end and cylinder. I really don't want to rechrome it and wonder if it can just be honed. Even if some of the plating has worn, can it be used as is? There is no flaking or chipping, just some areas that look shinier. The piston looks so bad though, that I have to wonder if it was one that siezed, but was reused after this cylinder was chromed again (which I know it was). I just don't see how the piston can look so bad, but the cylinder not have major scratches, etc...
Anyway, I'm on the fence. Would be nice to salvage this one, but I'd hate to lose too much money over it.
Micah