Hello,
This is my first post. Saturday 8/17 I am going to look at a 2001 Honda 250 ex for my wife. This quad is currently owned by a 51 year old man who says he has only ridden it 150 hours. He mentioned changing the motor and gear oil routinely. Is there anything specific I should check that would show signs of abuse? 150 hours seems like a lot, should some type of overhual be done to the engine or suspension? I ride a KX 250 and if I had 150 hours on the bike I would have had to change the fork seals, shock seals, grease the wheel, swingarm, suspension bushings/bearings and at the minimum changed the piston and rings once... and the gear oil about 15 times. The price we agreed on (in excellent condition) is $2650.00, is this a fair price? A new 250 ex in the washington d.c. area is $3899.00 and not open to negotiation. I understand this quad is basically unchanged in 2002 and 2003 so I think this is a good deal. Is It? KBB has the retail price at $3325.00. Sorry this was so long. Jim

 

It's not a bad deal if it is truly in excellent condition. I would try to get hime between 2000 and 2500 if I could. Check the tires for plugs or slices that can turn into holes. Make sure the axle isn't bent and push up and down on the suspension to see if it squeaks. If it fires right up shifts cleanly the engine oil looks ok and the brakes all work well it should be OK. If he's a stickler about the price I would make sure the plastic looks at leas above average for a 2 year old quad considering the 2003's hit the showroom this month in my part of the country. I would also look at the air cleaner and the plug also. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence with any of this just everything I could think of in case you forgot something.
Diggler

 

A plug in a tire should not keep you from buying an ATV....
Listening for suspension squeeking will tell you absolutly nothing except that the suspension squeeks, LOL just about all fourwheelers develope suspnsion squeeks, just put some grease on the a arm and shock mount bolts... Usually anyone with atleast half a brain will change the oil before someone looks at it...you haev to be numb not to...

Since an older guy had it it's highly likely he babed it...$2650 sounds ok.. but try and jew him down anyway....good luck.

 

Suspension squeaking will tell you he ain't greasing it. I wouldn't let a plug in a tire stop me from buying an atv either but if you going to say it's in excellent condition I wouldn't expect tom many flaws other than tread wear and som scratches in the plastic/hand grip wear. If he road it like the old man he is he could probably get by with a plug in the side wall if he just putted around on it but you get aggressive and you could add the cost of a new tire to your "excellent" condition atv.
my .o2 but it's you $
Diggler

 

Stand it on the grab (rear) bar and back tires. Now you can see the whole underside. Check the A arms, they are prone to bending with hard use and VERY expensive to replace. Look around the engine cylinder and cases for dings, leaks, and gasket patches, also at both ends of the drive shaft. Is the rear axle straight? A lot of dents and dings on the underside may indicate hard use, more than the 250ex is made for. 150 hours could approach or exceed 2000 miles. If the only aftermarket parts are bars, the stock bars may have been bent by overturning. This usually chews up the plastic as well. With the machine back on all 4s, grab the front and back of each front tire and try to turn the wheel without the bars turning, checking for loose wheel bearings. Jack up the machine so the back tires are up and twist both together side to side, feeling for slop at the swingarm pivots. Dented rims also can indicate rough use. A bad dent will yield a bead leak of air from the tire. Check the controls and electrics for proper operation. 2K miles on a well ridden and maintained Honda is not all that much, but the asking price sounds high. I expect more of these to hit the market soon, as riders outgrow them and move up to stronger machines. Good luck.

 

Yeah deffently check the undercarage for dents and and the frame for bends. Also check the edges of the plastics and so one for signs of overturns. The best advice is to start it up and take it for a test ride to see how it sounds, handles, and power, and if you have never driven one before go to a dealer and take a test ride, to do a compare.

 

Thanks for all the great advice! I will take my time and check things very carefully... Jim