I just got a new trx250ex. I am likeing it alot. But a tad slow im wodering is there anything exhaust pipes anything for some more speed? Can i jump it stock? Also this ATV is new to me so i would like it if any of yall are familar with the trx250ex can you post just any thing about it good things and bad things just anything? Thanks.

 

It won't ever be a scorcher, but you can improve performance noticeably by adding a pipe, a better air filter and rejetting the carb.

It's not going to be a really big jumper, as the shaft drive setup will limit your suspension and shock options.

Do regular maintenance and you should enjoy it for nearly a lifetime. Honda makes a very reliable machine.

The only negative I can think of is the rear drum brake, and thats a negative because drum brakes are just crappy designs.

 

my wife has had one for about 3 years now and its a pretty good quad. one thing. dont run synthetic oil in tranny. it will make the clutches start to slip. and i weigh 200 pounds and jump the crap out of it. and it has never bottomed.

 

Nonsense! I ran Maxima Extra for years, and am now running Redline (JASO MB!) and absolutely no adverse effects whatsoever on the clutches. Your trans has some other problem....that you are blaming on synthetic oil!

We have an 01 and an 06. Neither has ever needed one single thing done to them besides regular maintenance. Do be sure you adjust the valves after 20 hours, and change the oil in the rear end twice as often as the owner's manual recommends. I highly recommend Maxima Extra oil, after it's broken in.

As for performance, an FMF PowerCore 4 Muffler, UNI air filter, cut the end off the snorkle and maybe put a few of the round UNI 1" vents in the airbox lid (only if you don't run in the wet frequently), and of course a rejet.

Tires will make a huge difference! The balooney stock tires are terrible, so lose those first thing. We put on ITP TracStar radials, and they really contribute to the suspension and handling.

 

thats actually hondas standing on the slippage issue. the quad was still under warranty and the clutch started slipping and i took it to honda to have the problem fixed and they would not fix it because the quad had synthetic oil in crankcase. the oil they told me i shouldve been running was standard 10w40 motor oil.

 

Could you give some more detains? What brand "synthetic" oil were you running when you had the problem? Was it a friction modified "car" oil by any chance, or a "motorcycle" oil that did not contain friction modifiers??? And what do you mean by "standard" 10W40?

There are a bunch of JASO MA synthetic motorcycle oils out there, that meet Honda's specs. This should be no big deal, folks!

 

its not a big deal, i just dont run synthetic unless a manual calls for it. thats it in a nutshell

 

Newport is correct about the oils...additives that cause engine parts to "slip" and have less wear can create problems with wet clutch plates...the plates are designed (and thus warranteed) to have a certain amount of friction to operate properly...the addition of slippery oil additives can cause the plates to fail and thus not be covered under warranty. Many years ago I ran some "Slick 50" in my 300EX and had that exact problem occur. Fortunately I was going to replace the clutch with an aftermarket setup anyway

"Regular" oil is one that is not synthetic and has no additives.

Recon made a very good point...the tires will have a huge impact on the way your ATV handles...after putting some lower profile Shredders on my 300EX, it handled corners like it was on rails, unless I wanted to fan the clutch and powerslide through them...so much fun from just a tire swap!

However, I don't believe that a 200 pound rider never bottomed out the very limited travel of the 250ex's suspension, unless we have vastly different opinions as to what constitutes "jumping the crap out of"

 

My manual specs a JASO MA motorcycle oil. No mention anywhere that synthetic is prohibited! In fact, Honda's own HP4 is semi synthetic, and they now have a full synthetic as well....HP4S.

"Can synthetic oils cause my clutch to slip?

To answer this in one word: No. Clutch slippage is caused by many things, but the use of synthetic oil alone is usually not the culprit. The truth is that some bikes seem to suffer clutch slippage no matter what oil goes in them, while others run fine with any oil. This is most likely caused by factors other than the oil, such as the spring pressure, age and clutch plate materials. If you have a bike known for clutch problems, you may have to be more selective in your oil choices. Moly is often blamed for clutch slippage, and it can have an effect-but moly alone is not the problem. We wish there was a hard and fast rule to follow, but it is just not that easy. Simply put, you will have to try an oil and evaluate it. If you experience slippage with the new oil, and have not had problems before, it may be the oil. The plates and/or springs could also be worn to the point that they have finally started to slip. Simply change back to the previous oil and see what happens. You can also check the test data in next issue's article to see if that particular oil has a significant amount of moly. If so, try one that does not have as much moly next time.

We talked to Mark Junge, Vesrah's Racing representative, who has won numerous WERA national championships using Vesrah's clutches. He said that in his years of engine work he has yet to see a slipping clutch that could be pinned on synthetic motor oil. Junge felt that nearly every time the clutch was marginal or had worn springs, the new oil just revealed a problem that already existed." Oils Well That Ends Well, Part 1 - Sport Rider Magazine

More good reading: ThumperFaq: 4-Stroke Oil

 

Motorcycle specific synthetic oils do not have additives that cause clutches to slip......period.

Perhaps if you bought a synthetic car oil that had the Energy Conserving designation then you would get clutch slippage.

Hell I use synthetic 10w40 car oil (without the EC designation) on my neighbors trx250 the last 3 or 4 oil changes with ZERO problems.

The EC designation is where the difference is....specific friction modifiers for energy conservation......they have been know to cause clutch slippage in wet clutch applications.