Re: Purchase of the year thread

by skyrider Sun 13 Dec 2015, 8:10 pm

that was nice and cheap

by ANDYC Sun 13 Dec 2015, 8:18 pm

The paint is in a bad state, but as it was originally to see if it could be done so it didn't matter.
Now I have to decide which colour to powder coat it. Gold appears to be my choice at the moment.

by ratatooie Mon 14 Dec 2015, 11:57 am

trevor machine wrote:Okay cheating alert now, but I've started so I'll finish - but best bike related purchase was my klx250, which iirc had just over 2k on it and cost me 2.2k. It was in excellent very clean one owner nick having been only used abroad in portugal. The thing is though that despite an egregiously bad MCN review, this bike is perfect for green laning.

I agree about the KLX250 and the short shrift MCN gave it. I do a good bit of green laning and enduro type riding on my 2t (the IoM is a paradise for this!), but did a day course over in the UK recently which used primarily KLX250s. They are good, plodding and capable bikes and as you say, light. I would say that they are a tad unexciting and you really have to work to get the front wheel over obstacles.

The clutch on my one felt like it was on the way out (or maybe I am just used to sharper response, more ponies etc). Road riding felt like it took an age to get anywhere from stopped - almost like a twist and go 50cc hairdryer.

I do wonder about MCN reviews sometimes. They obviously know what they are talking about, but this one seemed a bit harsher than it needed to be. All that said, if I were to go down the 4t 250 route, I think I would go for the new Yam WR250.

by trevor machine Mon 14 Dec 2015, 2:34 pm

Yeah the WR is probably the one. However I'm guessing most of its power will be made north of 6k - which is fine, but it's often a bit difficult to work things that hard when on green lanes. Great for MX track type stretches but I'd prefer torque and mid range. Claiming an extra 10bhp over the likes of your KLXs and CRF-Ls is fine, it's just that I'd probably never get to it in 90% of how I ride.

One interesting other option a bike by AJP, which seems to use an XL-250 derived lump - so air-cooled, but and here's the thing, instead of being kick only it's got an electric starter. The only slight issue is that it's pretty tall. And of course something of an unknown quantity.

MCN is pissing me off though because I'd very much like to submit a more informative review of the KLX, but for some stupid fucking reason they've changed their reader review website policy and it seems impossible to use. It's been like this for quite a while now with no sign of becoming accessible again. I suspect because manufacturers have complained - but this seems stupid in itself because 95% of reader reviews are at worst objective and balanced, or else very flattering.

by ratatooie Mon 14 Dec 2015, 5:31 pm

trevor machine wrote:One interesting other option a bike by AJP, which seems to use an XL-250 derived lump - so air-cooled, but and here's the thing, instead of being kick only it's got an electric starter. The only slight issue is that it's pretty tall. And of course something of an unknown quantity.

MCN is pissing me off though because I'd very much like to submit a more informative review of the KLX, but for some stupid fucking reason they've changed their reader review website policy and it seems impossible to use. It's been like this for quite a while now with no sign of becoming accessible again. I suspect because manufacturers have complained - but this seems stupid in itself because 95% of reader reviews are at worst objective and balanced, or else very flattering.

By a strange coincidence, the course also included AJP 200s, which were borderline unridable so I hope they have upped their game. They engines were quite spritely compared to the KLX and had quite good torque (but again that might just a false comparison be due to the questionable clutch).

My main issue with the AJPs were that the suspension was just terrible. Having ridden primarily KTMs offroad, it was very much a case of you don't miss it until you no longer have it!

by wornsprokets Mon 14 Dec 2015, 6:55 pm

If it same engine as my xlr 250 baja its a great engine it did nearly 90mph , and only sipped petrol, i believe its simular to xr 250. It was very tall i had no probs with it i am 5"11 and if i was smaller i wouldnt get my feet on ground.this was kick start and no battery! Took while to get use to kickstart

by wornsprokets Mon 14 Dec 2015, 6:56 pm

If it same engine as my xlr 250 baja its a great engine it did nearly 90mph , and only sipped petrol, i believe its simular to xr 250. It was very tall i had no probs with it i am 5"11 and if i was smaller i wouldnt get my feet on ground.this was kick start and no battery! Took while to get use to kickstart

by trevor machine Mon 14 Dec 2015, 7:04 pm

Yeah iirc they've got Marzocchi forks - like GasGas use on the Pampera. I'm not sure I like them, tbh - they seem to feel everything. So much so that a decent sized pebble can buck you off a line!

by ratatooie Tue 15 Dec 2015, 12:22 pm

I think that the AJP that the course had was this one, but I could be mistaken. It looks similar, but the review bears little resemblance to the bike that I rode (especially in the ride quality & brakes, and build quality & reliability sections!). Quite a few times going through puddles, the damn thing would just die! That and the electrical connections would work themselves free frequently.

I would describe them as glorified pit bikes and that would be being kind.

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