1997 rm250 any good?

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 11:19 pm Jan 17 2014

I've got a guy coming tomorrow that want to even trade a 97 rm250 for my kdx. He's an older guy and traded a 4 wheeler to it cause he thought it would be a Good woods bike(the rm). 46 screaming horsepower later, he's decided he wants a kdx lol. Anyway, my bike is very nice, but he claims the rm is as well. I want a big hit in my powerband. If the rm is decent enough, would any of you guys do it if you were in my shoes? Is that model rm reliable(if any mx bike can be considered reliable)? He nor I are under any obligation. I have an fmf pipe on order and he doesn't want it if I trade, so I may be selling a new fmf pipe cheap soon lol.

Post by **KDXGarage** » 12:38 am Jan 18 2014

Are you wanting it for the woods??

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 12:57 am Jan 18 2014

Jason wrote:Are you wanting it for the woods??

I ride some woods and I know that rm is all blast, but I majority ride wide open strip mines. I may very well regret it, but I've always been a suzuki man, and I famously told my wife" ill NEVER" get rid of my kdx.... Unless somebody trades me an rm250" lol. I'm pretty sure I won't be doing the '3rd gear, pull from zero rpm up a steep hill' technique I use on the kdx, but I have spent a lot of cash trying to get a bigger hit out of my kdx powerband. Guess I'll know tomorrow.

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 01:04 am Jan 18 2014

My kdx:

The rm:

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 01:16 am Jan 18 2014

Sucks also that I have new reeds, filter, swingarm and link bearings, levers cables, forks, shifter, brake pads, rear tire, and all plastic except for the tank that I have bout just in the last couple months for the kdx lol. I am insure of any condition of the rm, but the trader is a strong Christian guy and told me I could take however long checking conditions. He said he had extra fat bars, and a truck bed of yzf250 spares he'd give me to sell since I've spent so much. It says a lot of his character that when I told him a fmf pipe was coming for it he told me to just keep it and sell it to offset what I've spent. Man, my kdx is a tight matchine though lol! The rm is getting a jeremy mcgrath themed resto if we trade. Lol.
This also solves the problem that I was going to finally buy a basket case 2000 kx250 from a Friend to restore for $300, so that money I won't be spending.
My total expenditure on the kdx is about $1500 which is what a used 250 2 stroke goes for around here without knowing condition. I'm nervous! I can't sleep! Lol. Hope I don't f*** up by trading an awesome bike to a pile of chit. Lol.

royadams · Post by **royadams** » 05:20 am Jan 18 2014

I ride with guy that has one that is stock. We ride mostly single track, and he has no problems keeping up with woods specific bikes. That said I have never riden it so I have no idea what the power is like. I do have a kdx 250 98 rm 250 hybrid that I ride. I had to have suspension revalved it was way to harsh for me. Now its a great woods weapon. If it has no pipe I have a fmf fatty in decent shape you can have for the price of shipping.

adam728 · Post by **adam728** » 06:23 am Jan 18 2014

I have a soft spot for those RM's with the conventional twin chamber Showas. My senior year in high school my buddy had a RM125 and RM250 and did a lot of MX racing. Both those bikes were magic to me in the suspension department (Tech Care revalved). Small chop wasn't there, and you could overshoot anything and land out in the flats without worrying about your wrists snapping like twigs.

Now, that was when all I had it compare it to was a few CR's and my trust 94 YZ125. I may be looing at it with rose colored glasses.

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 05:45 pm Jan 18 2014

I made the trade! The kdx had a lot more low end, but the rm was soooo nice I went ahead . He threw in an almost new yz250f rear shock with titanium spring, new in box yzf race tech fork springs, and a set of rm bend fat handlebars. He also let me keep all the new bearings I'd bought for the kdx(they'll be in the for sale section later). It's unreal how much more low end pull the kdx had compared to the rm though. The mid and top of the rm is astonishing though, plus the suspension is out of this world! I'm pretty happy! Btw: I have a never used brand new fmf gnarly pipe for a kdx h series I'll take $150 plus shipping if anyone is in the market. It'll be in the for sale section when the pipe gets here( it's in transit at the moment and should be here Tuesday).

Post by **KDXGarage** » 06:53 pm Jan 18 2014

That is good that you are happy with it. That is always the main thing.

ecojbr · Post by **ecojbr** » 07:29 pm Jan 18 2014

Check jetting and for a flywheel weight. The RM's I have been around had a nice low end. And of course my favorite off road fork ever made!!!!

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 08:21 pm Jan 18 2014

I tore it down to the frame and it seems solid, so that good news. Nothing leaking, broke, or worn. Checking compression tomorrow, but it takes a stout kick to move it so it seems ok maybe. I noticed the power valve adjuster has been moved, and the timing isn't stock, so those are being checked after I buy a manual. Could explain the low end softness as well. Speaking of softness, I took a quick trail ride today(in 32 degree weather lol) to my trail I always ride, and the suspension is un-believe-able! Giant, square edged holes that always made me crawl on the kdx were soaked up like they weren't there by the rm! Holy cow, this thing has great trail suspension. Supposedly, it's been resprung for a 200lb rider, and the one moderate jump I hit didn't bottom it out, so it seems spot on for my weight. If the titanium spring from that nearly new yz250f shock is the same rate or more than this rm spring, it's going on there as well. I'll make a couple hundred bucks selling my kdx new parts he didn't take plus the yz parts hopefully, so I may come out smelling sweet! I'm pumped on the deal- but especially the suspension! Wow! It good lol.

Goofaroo · Post by **Goofaroo** » 11:00 pm Jan 18 2014

Nice scooter! I've never ridden with them but that is rumored to be a fantastic fork. I hope you enjoy the new ride.

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 11:57 pm Jan 18 2014

Goofaroo wrote:Nice scooter! I've never ridden with them but that is rumored to be a fantastic fork. I hope you enjoy the new ride.

Thanks! It's pretty cool. I'm still not believing how good that suspension felt! Sure a long way from those klx300 forks on my kdx lol.

DRoCksks · Post by **DRoCksks** » 10:37 am Jan 19 2014

Nice looking RM and I would be pleased with the trade. I see a lot of 250s from that era that go for about what your KDX had into it. Now if you can just wash the Rockstar ugly off of it...

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 11:54 am Jan 19 2014

DRoCksks wrote:Nice looking RM and I would be pleased with the trade. I see a lot of 250s from that era that go for about what your KDX had into it. Now if you can just wash the Rockstar ugly off of it...

Most of those stickers are gone now. Starting to look good.

DRoCksks · Post by **DRoCksks** » 12:40 pm Jan 19 2014

Can't wait to see the difference all cleaned up...

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 03:09 pm Jan 20 2014

Man, after it's all said and done, that rm isn't nearly as strong as I thought it'd be. It's been so long since I've ridden a 250 2 stroke that I figured the newer ones were monsters. It isn't far off my 86 rm250 in delivery of power, but u can tell its got a few hp over that old 86 rm250. I guess I'm more impressed at how strong that kdx was! It feels like a 400 4 stroke on the low end campared to the rm! I'd spent weeks trying to get a bigger "hit" out of the kdx, but now in looking for flywheel weights and torque pipes to smooth out the very kind of hit I wanted before. This all affirms the fact that the kdx200 h series is the greatest trail bike ever in my mind. Also, anybody thinking a 250 mx bike would be better in the woods...it won't. Just shed some weight on the kdx, put on a good pipe, rejet, and be happy. I miss my kdx, although having another rm is fun.

adam728 · Post by **adam728** » 05:20 pm Jan 20 2014

Put a tire with actual knobs on the RM. It looks pretty shot in the pics. My YZ would feel like a slug with a tire worn even 1/2 that much, too much snap then just spins spins spins.

A tired top end will hurt bottom end power more than top as well. What's compression?

Short gearing can hurt too, same reason as the worn tire, just blows thru each gear with no hook up. Lots of guys go down 1-3 teeth on 250's off road for better hook up and wider gear gaps. I ran my YZ with a 1 tooth larger front sprocket for this reason.

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 06:00 pm Jan 20 2014

adam728 wrote:Put a tire with actual knobs on the RM. It looks pretty shot in the pics. My YZ would feel like a slug with a tire worn even 1/2 that much, too much snap then just spins spins spins.

A tired top end will hurt bottom end power more than top as well. What's compression?

Short gearing can hurt too, same reason as the worn tire, just blows thru each gear with no hook up. Lots of guys go down 1-3 teeth on 250's off road for better hook up and wider gear gaps. I ran my YZ with a 1 tooth larger front sprocket for this reason.

New tire on the way, as well as new clutch kit. Rode the higher speed strip mines today and it was in its element. It runs so, so nicely. Just a beautiful delivery of power. Fairly controllable as well. As I get used to it, it feels better to me. The extra power over the kdx is definitely there though. It's got a punchy midrange kick that's fun as heck! I'm loving it !

Goofaroo · Post by **Goofaroo** » 08:04 pm Jan 20 2014

Have you noticed it doesn't have a kickstand?

KDXRIDER.NET

KDXRIDER.NET