Just got a 01 250 ex and am planning on testing it out this weekend. Since I'm used to a utility and where it is light in the front end, I'm a little concerned how it will do on hills. We have some nasty hills around here and wonder if the front end comes up too easy. It seems like it has enough power and maybe you can lean up on the front of the bike to keep it down. What's your experience with the quad?? Thanks for any input.

 

On my old 250 Trailboss I didn't half to lean up a lot but on step hills I did but when going up hills just judge the angle before going up so you will know if you need to lean up. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

all I have to say is lean way up.... the front end is light...

however, the rear axle has much better ground clearance than most any other sport quad, so you don't get hung up or high centered on the up-hill ruts as often... that's what usually causes me to not make it up a hill, is bottoming out my rear axle on a rut, or just constantly dragging the skidplate and losing momentum

 

Dont worry i go up some pretty big hills and have not flipped but almost have. look out for rocks when your going up hills (even small ones) because you may flip. Good Luck!
~Jamie

 

On my 250Ex the front end seem to be a little lite when going up steeper hills. Just take it easy and be carefull.

 

I have been on some pretty good hills with my 250EX. It climbs like a goat! The good low end power and auto shift lets you get off and on the throttle without fear of killing it. Second is really geared well for climbing with the option of downshifting if you have to crawl. I have not had it come up on me much where it felt out of control. I have climbed with the front off the ground but that was on purpose. I some times get up over the bars, but most of the time it feels pretty stable just scooting up on the seat. It is light enough to maneuver well and change lines on your way up if needed. I went on one trail at Wayne Natl Forest last year where every hill made you move around and change lines. The 250 was in its element. We were amazed by what it did. One thing I did right away was to put better tires on the rear. With its light weight and decent ground clearance my Gators have allowed me to go thru stuff my brother sometimes can't get thru on his Wolverine!

 

Don't worry about it man the 250ex ain't no problem in hillclimbing. I'll tell you this a good friend of mine has a 250ex also and he takes it up some pretty nasty hills that are around here. put it this way there are some hugh hills down from our place that are very long in length and real steep all the way up and he went up one of them the other friday and then done it a couple of more times because this ain't the kind of hill you go up once then it ain't nothing no more you know. but really you should have no problem in climbing with it. but hey everybody is right about flipping and stuff because that other friday also him and me were climbing some hills at the tracks by ourself before we decided to head home because everybody else done left. all the hills down there ain't nothing no more to us but to others it will be. but what I'm saying is on the last climb he went up the hill and it pulled him to the left and it stopped and next thing you know down the hill it goes. he bent his steering shaft cracked his front plastic, and bent his axle. but yesterday he got all his parts in so he was able to ride with us last night. but if even if you have climbed certain hills over and over and they ain't nothing to you no more well you never know when the unthinkable will happen. so later guys from #1 stunning madmike

 

Well, IF it climbs better than a Warrior, than thats one heck of a hillclimber. I've seen warriors climb a lot of sick stuff. I've only had to help about 2 warriors up a hill, and they were just about at the top, of course making it worse to pull up. That 250EX isnt too bad of a hillclimber, but its not going to do the sick stuff you might think due to the underpowering and design.

 

The 250 ex did well this weekend. We didn't go up any really tuff hills due to the bad weather. But we hit some decent hills and they were worse than usual because they were saturated w/ snow and freezing rain. A friend of mine rode it who weighs 240 and I couldn't really shake him on my Kodiak. I may end up keeping this bike but would like some more agressive/ heavier tires on the front for some weight and traction. Have you guys put any bigger tires on the front or best to stick with stock size? Thanks for all the input..

 

I've had my 250 about 6 months, and have rode some tough hills. I rode in Wayne Nat, With a bunch of 4x4's and I rode more hills than they did. I like the light front end. I ride hills with the front off all the time. I've only backed out of two hills. One I rolled the first time and the second I watched my bud roll on.