Waiting for two wheels as the warmth comes back.

[hypophthalmus]

This post is firmly in the category of indulgent complaining, so I apologize in advance.

My scooter's engine died last July. At the time I was pretty preoccupied with finding place to live in Arkansas. After falling in love with it, I had been looking for somewhere suitable for quite some time -- endlessly waiting it seemed. I was actually on my way to check out where we finally did move to when the engine died.

Now it's finally warming up again (winter is always difficult to suffer through). And the warmer it gets, the more I'm dying to explore this area on two wheels.

I'm set on a specific bike, the Yamaha XV250, for various reasons: it's air-cooled, has a twin engine, gets 80+ mpg, it's light, basically unchanged for almost 30 years, and elegant looking.

I'm firmly in the reasonably-good-deal used market, and finally have enough money for as much, but there's nothing that qualifies nearby. There's definitely plenty elsewhere in the country... some even good enough to ship in, if they weren't firm on selling locally. So again it's slow waiting.

[CROSSBOLT]

Looks like northwest AR. Hang in there, it will happen.

[LoupGarou]

The waiting is no fun, (been there) but it makes it all the more enjoyable when you get where you want to be. 

[hypophthalmus]

I didn't have to wait that long after all.

One popped up fairly close to me within my price range, $1500 about a week ago. I wasn't able to get it until yesterday, but miraculously it was still available. Just in time though.

I needed to open the engine up right away; the clutch was sticking. I'm impressed by how easy everything is to access.

 It has absolutely no storage or racks, which is something I'll need to fix. And the carburetor possibly needs tweaking. And the tires need changing out soon, which I'm sort of glad of because I don't have to feel compelled to use them up before switching.

It's kind of surprising how small and light it is.

It'll take some time I think to remember that the clutch is not a brake, and that the rear brake is by my foot.

[LoupGarou]

Welcome back to the two-wheeled world! 

[hypophthalmus]

Thanks!

[forkintheroad]

This post is firmly in the category of indulgent complaining, so I apologize in advance.

My scooter's engine died last July. At the time I was pretty preoccupied with finding place to live in Arkansas. After falling in love with it, I had been looking for somewhere suitable for quite some time -- endlessly waiting it seemed. I was actually on my way to check out where we finally did move to when the engine died.

Now it's finally warming up again (winter is always difficult to suffer through). And the warmer it gets, the more I'm dying to explore this area on two wheels.

I'm set on a specific bike, the Yamaha XV250, for various reasons: it's air-cooled, has a twin engine, gets 80+ mpg, it's light, basically unchanged for almost 30 years, and elegant looking.

I'm firmly in the reasonably-good-deal used market, and finally have enough money for as much, but there's nothing that qualifies nearby. There's definitely plenty elsewhere in the country... some even good enough to ship in, if they weren't firm on selling locally. So again it's slow waiting.

Deja vous or something. I actually bought an XV250 this week. I got some saddlebags for it, and I am going to get a top case. I agree with you 100%, it is hard getting used loosing storage I have on the Kymco. I love the way the XV250 sits. It's far more comfortable than my Agility. Like you, I have to get reacquainted with the clutch. I've been treating it like an on-off switch in lieu of it not being a rear brake pull. Bad habit I have to kill now.

Fortunately the rear brake on the kymco Agility is a much a joke as the rear brake on this bike. The friction zone on the clutch is almost at the far end of the pull and its not so much a zone as a tiny little area that either works or not. but ill get used to it.

Enjoy putting your key in the left side of the vehicle


Welcome back.

[hypophthalmus]

The clutch mechanism is adjustable, on the lever and inside the right side engine cover. More play might put it closer to the middle.

I noticed that mine was pretty far out too, but then I noticed that I didn't lock down the clutch lever adjustment so that was out (not enough play).

I haven't been able to ride it to see if it's more centered though... I've been chasing down why mine has been running so rich, and now I'm waiting on parts.

[hypophthalmus]

Honestly, I'm a bit nervous. Intellectually I know that the bike isn't just cursed to run rich, but so far I haven't seen the good running bike yet.

I'm also putting my hopes in a cheap aftermarket carburetor (it was almost as much money to *attempt* to get this one working, and then I stripped the threads on the choke cable...) -- hopefully that works out for me.

I also noticed that the intake tube above the carburetor was badly cracked and the fuel petcock is leaking, just a tiny bit. I really hope this is the end of the problems.

More waiting I guess.

[hypophthalmus]

I was worried for nothing. The cheap carburetor worked and it's running great. It's surreal driving out of town and being in the mountains. All this freedom is sort of overwhelming.

Interestingly, the gearing is such that unless you want to accelerate in a hurry, you can mostly just quickly get up to fifth gear and stay there. The gearing is something I definitely want to change, although I'm not sure how much.

Compared to the People 250, there's a lot more vibration. Not sure why -- it could be the frame mounted engine, or the v twin. And hopefully not an indication that something's wrong.