welcome to a 250, the hard way....

[jdager]

so.... I have had dirtbikes for about two years, all kawasaki 125's. I thought I was a pretty good, confident rider, but was getting bored with the 125, as I was doing wheelies all over the place, but was bored with the lack of power. I descided to buy a 2001 cr250, which I got a great deal on. I have had it for a few weeks, but today was the first nice day that I could take it out to ride it for the first time. well, less than two minutes into the ride, after putting around and warming it up, I descided to see what it would do. I hit the throttle, and bye bye bike.... it wheelied out from under me, got air borne, did a full flip while it was airborne, turned a quarter turn more, and came down right on the rear fender. total damage, to the bike at least.... rear fender, both side number plates, and a silencer packed with about 6 inches of mud.... I landed funny, and think I may have torn my ACL, hope I am wrong, but my knee is swollen up like a balloon. and then, I had to wheel the bike back about a mile cause I couldnt get the mud out of the silencer, all on one leg that wouldnt hardly work. looks like it is time for a flywheel weight for me, any suggestions on what weight? any good brands? anyways, sorry for the long story, hope someone had a laugh at my expense! any thing else I can do to tone this thing down a little?
thanks,
Jim hurting like a SOB Dager

 

[SMMWest]

Had the same thing happen to me when moving up from my Suzuki RM125 and Honda CR125 onto a Fully Modified DGY Yamaha YZ250 (remember when they had Steve Lamson riding for them on the DGY YZ360?, it was during those days). The handle bars were bent so bad and in such a weird shape that no one except for the guy that was there with me believed they got bent in a crash. Everyone thought that I put them in a Vice and Used something to torque them into those shapes. I kept them on the Garage wall for years.
Hope the leg is fine. Hope it isn't your ACL. I did the Lateral Colateral in my Left knee and it was no fun.. Try a Stealthy Flywheel weight. Also try going to a Tooth or two smaller on your rear sprocket, will give you less Bottom End Grunt (that make you loop out power range) and more Mid-Range to Top End pull.

 

[inotocracy]

Dejavue. First time riding my old YZ250 last summer I did the same thing. Gave it a blip of throttle not expecting it to take off and straight up it went and off the back I go. Luckily I wasn't going too fast and only cracked up the fender, bent the left peg and shifter. Never under estimate them 250s, mang ;)

 

[jdager]

funny thing was, a couple of weeks ago, I rode a friends 2000 kx250 for a couple of hours. I felt completly comfortable on it, and was riding around, pulling wheelies, and everything was fine. apparently, the CR hits the powerband a little harder..... just got my knee checked out, and thankfully, I didnt tear any ligaments, so I just need some time to heal. be back on the bike in a couple of days..... I hope, but with a new found respect for it!

 

[02stampede]

Hmm. Your story makes me anxious. I rode a lot when I was younger but mainly smaller bikes. I just bought an rm 125 and am already getting too comfortable with it and want more power. Cant wait to get on a 250 and leave the 125 for friends to ride!

 

[jdager]

well stampede, just dont get on it and try to ride it like a 125. get on it, and take it as slow learning as when you first started riding. I got on mine, and started riding it like it was my 125, and it made me pay

 

[longtime coming]

The more power you got. The more self control you need. And lean forward. Hard! Until you feel how its hookin' And then still watch out. And make your bike long with the chain adjusters.

And don't listen to me, I can't ride anyhoo.

Two strokes are the most fun you can have with your clothes on-or off.

If you want to feel really small, try to wrestle an old 500 2stroker. Now that's some kind of power. Scared me in the old days. Self control. The guys that rode those things were mature about power.

 

[SMMWest]

Yeah we don't want to talk about the broken left arm I got the year before on a Yamaha YZ490. That was the most ugly crash I have ever had in my life. 500cc Machines are monsters. Real mens bikes.