I'm taking my 2008 XT250 for a work commute today, and I'm giving my thoughts and opinions about it from a long-term ownership perspective. Skip to the end of this description for clickable time indexes.

The XT250 is a great all-purpose bike with a few drawbacks. It can go anywhere, anytime, but it's not a great highway bike because of the short wheelbase and steep steering angle. These factors lend to a high-speed wobble (head shake) above 65 mph. The fuel tank only holds 2.6 gallons, so its range is somewhat limited for longer trips. The only other negative thing that I can find about the bike is the weak front brake... it takes a LOT of pressure to stop from higher speeds and the brake lever doesn't have much feel or bite to it.

However, those are the only negatives that I can find about this machine. In all other aspects, it's a fantastic do-it-all machine. Yamaha designed the XT250 to be a trail bike, but I have pressed it into much harsher roles... long-distance touring, light ADV riding, and daily commuting in Houston traffic. It has handled these chores without a whimper and continues to be a great machine.

The newer models are fuel-injected, so they won't suffer the same idle stumbles and finicky carburetor issues that I have faced. However, the fuel-injected bikes can't be bump-started on the trail if you have a dead battery (need the battery for fuel pump pressure). It's a tradeoff, and I think I prefer the carbureted version for that reason alone.

Product links for the upgrades used on my bike:
National Cycle Deflector with 7/8" clamps: [ Ссылка ]
ROX 2" anti-vibration bar risers: [ Ссылка ]
ProGrip 714BK grips: [ Ссылка ]
Acerbis hand guards: [ Ссылка ]
SW-Motech Enduro LT tank bag: [ Ссылка ]
Skid Plate Armor skid plate: [ Ссылка ]
RAM 7/8" bar mount: [ Ссылка ]
... still adding more links ...

Time indexes:
0:00 : My XT250 hasn't been ridden in a little while, needed a fresh battery
1:55 : The XT250 has 8" of suspension travel and very little compression damping, so it rides VERY softly... great for rough roads in town
4:00 : Discussing some of my add-ons for the bike... RAM ball mounts, Garmin GPS, etc
5:06 : The XT250 is carbureted and doesn't have a fuel gauge... just ride until it sputters, then switch over to reserve... usually around 115 miles to the switch-over
6:37 : Average fuel economy is 56 mpg
9:50 : I have AVON TrailRider AV53/AV54 tires on my bike for good on-road performance, but they aren't great on gravel or sand... no knobbies, so no grip on loose surfaces
11:12 : I have the Happy-Trail Teton aluminum panniers on this bike, and they are excellent... I have used these panniers more than bags on any of my other machines
14:37 : More of my add-ons and discussion about the XT250 as a commuter or highway vehicle, ROX bar risers, National Cycle Deflector windshield, BarkBusters, Seat Concepts seat kit, etc.
17:38 : Immix Racing (Skid Plate Armor) aluminum skid plate
18:53 : Electrical add-ons: LED lights throughout, LED driving lights, Signal Dynamics Triple-Play brake flasher, Galfer braided stainless-steel front brake line, etc
23:07 : Top speed discussion... the XT250 can reach low- to mid-70's most of the time, and the highest that I've achieved is 82 mph
25:45 : The front brake on the XT250 is VERY weak... you need to grab a full handful of that lever anytime you want to stop
29:30 : Top speed run #1 of 3, reached 79 mph, and the headshake shows up as usual
30:12 : Top speed run #2 of 3, reached 80 mph
31:39 : Top speed run #3 of 3, reached 82 mph!
--
QM
quasimotard@gmail.com
#yamaha #xt250 #motocommute

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