Found the DR250 a few miles from my house. Guy said it just started belching oil one day so he quit riding it. I got there and checked it over with a friend of mine. We pulled the plug and cranked it over, and it gushed oil out the breather. Bought it anyway, cause I figured I could fix it ($700 with a clean title and only 4900 miles). Took it home and drained 7 quarts of oil from the 1.8 qt oil pan :whoa: . Seems the guy didn't know that cause it's a dry sump system you gotta check the oil when it's running. He'd been putting oil in thinking it was low, when it was just in the crankcase instead of the sump. Cleaned it out, changed plugs, and she runs like a champ. Carb's a bit dirty, but daylight is short so I'm hitting that later.
Now that it runs, time to make it better. For starters, it's got lowering links on the rear shock cause the last guy was short. I need to find a set of stock links to raise the rear back up. Now, I'm a big guy (6'2 245) and the suspension is waayyy too soft. I can practically bottom it out kicking it over. I need stiffer springs front and rear, progressive would be nice. My cousin rides a TTR250 and I just need to be able to keep pace with him through the smaller jumps we hit sometimes. Who makes stiffer springs for the forks and the rear? Do I need to change the rear shock too, or just better springs and crank the damping up. Anyone who's played with the DR's and can help me stiffen her up would be much appreciated. Now, I intend to ride on the street some too and don't wanna rattle myself to death. Suggestions, anyone?
This is my first dirt machine since my '83 YZ490 a couple years ago, and obviously the two bikes couldn't be more different. I mostly trail ride with a few smallish jumps and such.
Anything I should watch out for on the DR? Any known problems?
Now that it runs, time to make it better. For starters, it's got lowering links on the rear shock cause the last guy was short. I need to find a set of stock links to raise the rear back up. Now, I'm a big guy (6'2 245) and the suspension is waayyy too soft. I can practically bottom it out kicking it over. I need stiffer springs front and rear, progressive would be nice. My cousin rides a TTR250 and I just need to be able to keep pace with him through the smaller jumps we hit sometimes. Who makes stiffer springs for the forks and the rear? Do I need to change the rear shock too, or just better springs and crank the damping up. Anyone who's played with the DR's and can help me stiffen her up would be much appreciated. Now, I intend to ride on the street some too and don't wanna rattle myself to death. Suggestions, anyone?
This is my first dirt machine since my '83 YZ490 a couple years ago, and obviously the two bikes couldn't be more different. I mostly trail ride with a few smallish jumps and such.
Anything I should watch out for on the DR? Any known problems?
