rode one yesterday and I really liked it also rode a 01 polaris325 trailboss didn't like this one to good.I 'm no expert and am certanily not try to start something, but the 250ex seemed as fast as the TB325. I also liked changing gears with the 250ex it was pretty smooth. just putting this out there for any firsttime buyers like me.

 

WOW! the 250Ex must be slow then. My friend has a new 2001 325 trailboss and he brought it over. I raced him with my old 1986 honda 200sx and beat him. that is pretty bad that a 200 beats the 325 stock for stock, i think the trailboss is bad, cuz it has no punch to it and its slow. Jjust my opinion

 

I rode a new 250ex wensday in a field behind some of my rent property. I was amazed at how the 250 would pop a wheelie in first and second gear with just a stab of the throtle. I rode the machine for ten or so minutes. The shocks were good for a couple feet of air without bottoming or rebounding to hard. I saw no adjustments to be made on them though. The machine is real,real light. I did not run it all the way thru 4 and 5 gear. Seemed to hit the rev limiter fast! I doubt that there will be to many mods made for it. It would be better without shaft drive. I think it would be a good quad for wife/girlfriend, if they are not agressive riders. I did notice that the handlebars vibrated quite a bit. I was surprised at that. I would guess that it might almost get to 50 mph.

 

Honestly guys, I'm a big Honda fan, have always owned Hondas but I bought my DS because I wanted some sheer power right out of the crate. I think Honda should have gone the other direction in displacement. Ya Honda will sell a few 250EXs' but theor profit margin would have sky rocketed if they would have joined in the big bore(600cc and above) race. They have enough rewards that they get for the 300EX. I love my 300EX still, but it just doesn't have the power that I want now. Now my wife will start to race the 330 and I will race the DS. Honda should have put a big XR motor in a frame similar to the 400EX. Now that would really turn some heads and steer sales away from Bombardier and Yamaha, after all Honda is known for its' reliability!

 

Has anybody else noticed that this bike understeers. I am 200+ lbs., and even if I sit all the way forward, sometimes I turn the bars and nothing happens! If I blip the throttle in a turn, the front end comes off the ground and I have no steering at all! I think kids are going to ride this bike, try to keep up with their friends on Blasters and get into trouble.

Also, the weight bias is a bit front heavy, so you have to keep your weight to the back going over bumps. So, I've had to teach my daughter to constantly be shifting her weight: forward for turns and back again for the bumps, then forward again...... The bike does fly well though, if the rider keeps the weight bias in mind and leans back.

 

I rode the 250ex again today, the first ride i walked away impressed with the little quad because it ran better than i expected. Today being a little more agresive with it i saw that it was always wanting to land front first.Getting on the gas coming out of a corner the front wanted to lift and push out. It is a peppy little quad. Since it is geared towards the new rider, i now see pictures of 12 to 14 year old boys and girls underneath the quad surprised that it would flip over on them in first gear. I hope they have on safety gear. I also think repairs will be high from the beating it is going to take.

 

Like with any bike, kids and beginners will need a stern warning about the bikes handling peculiarities. I don't hesitate to put my daughter on this bike, but she has a lot of hours in on the Recon, and really isn't a beginner anymore. Every bike has its quirks, and you have to adapt to them.