Two days ago I met this kid who told me he had a quad for sale for $300. I asked him what was wrong with it and he said the motor seized because his brother was riding it and it didn't have enough oil in it. He said it's an 89 honda fourtrax 250 and that it has a 4 stroke engine. I went to his house to look at it real quick and it is like a racing quad not a utility quad. Yesterday I went online and tried to look for any information on it and everything I found was about honda fourtrax 250r's and they have 2 stroke motors but look exactly the same as the one the kid has. Was there a fourtrax 250 in 89 with a 4 stroke motor? Could the motor be rebuilt or would I have to just buy a new motor if I buy it and is this thing worth buying?

 

Honda did indeed build a Fourtrax 250 with a 4 stroke, the 250X. Usually one of the most bullet-proof motors I've ever seen. They were built from 87 to 92 when the almost identical 300EX came out (almost meaning exact same frame, plastic, etc. with a revamped motor and electric starter installed). Still, an air cooled motor, 5 speed with reverse. Great machine, especially for trail riding.
If the motor isn't actually broken in pieces, yes it can be rebuilt.
Also, it isn't a "racing" quad, it's a "sport" quad. Yes you can race them, but they weren't designed for it.

 

What I meant by it being like a racing quad was that it wasn't like one of those 4x4 quads with the racks on the front and back. It looked pretty good for an old 4 wheeler. There was no fenders on the front and it was really low and the rear axle was really wide and there were these net things under the foot pegs. Now that I reread your post I don't think its the same thing because the fourwheeler the kid has doesnt have reverse.

 

Quick at a glance notes for you...there was no '89 Fourtrax 250"X", it was made in '87(grey+red) and '88(white+red), they weren't made AGAIN until '91 or '92 when they were re-released(blue+white) for a short period until in '93 it became the 300ex. Trapperb 1 was right there. Now, the 250R was made from '86-'89. The '86-'87(white+red/white+blue) R had a handlebar mounted headlight, while the '88R(red) and '89R(white+red) had it's headlight in the nose-piece. All X's from '87-on had handlebar mounted headlights. This is not to say that it can't be an earlier R with non-original fenders and such. Look deeper...if you're having trouble telling a 2stroke from a 4stroke...check the exhaust header, the 4stroke X will have a header no larger than 2 inches in diameter, where the R will have an exhaust pipe that can become 6 inches in diameter or larger in the middle. The R will have a radiator, and hoses coming from and going to the engine...where the x will not. Additionally, the X back fenders are smoother, more rounded when compared to the R...the R has like "vents" near the back directly behind the seat. The 250"X" and "R" are both excellent machines. Either machine for under $500 would be a steal as long as they haven't been wrapped around a tree and engine blown apart and you'd have to replace multiple frame components and major engine components, although some would still argue that it's a good deal. From what you say, and there's no reverse, I'm going to call this a 250R. Pick it up for under $500, spend less than $1,000 on the engine...you'll be rippin' in no time!

 

Ok I looked at it real quick and just assumed it had a 4 stroke motor since thats what the kid told me. I'm definately gonna pick it up now though. Say it is a 250x and the kid just was wrong on the year or it is a 250r would I be able to use a 2000 cr250 motor on it?

 

If indeed it is an R, you can run a CR motor with some mounting modifications. I'm sure you can also put the CR in an X frame, but with other mods that I'm ignorant of and have never seen done.
Being a sport quad it can have nerf-bars, wider axles, etc., shaved front fenders, all that stuff. Often, people will crash and break a fender and then shave them rather than going to the expense of replacing them.