I purchased my first ever atv, a 2001 p250 xplorer. I really like this bike, and would like any wisdom on these 250 2 strokes. I've ridden dirtbikes as a kid, and know machinery. If anyone wants to chat about these or 250 2 strokes in general, please do!
Iv'e been looking, and these things have potential to be terrible monsters with the right mods. I don't want to go crazy, but I am planning on plowing snow with this thing. I would like to gain the best low end response I can. I don't care about top end, 35 or 40 is crazy fast for an atv where I ride (mostly technical and wooded stuff, nothing crazy). Any pros with help? I know nothing about clutches, and next to nothing about polaris atvs.
Part of the reason I bought this bike is because of riding a 400 xplorer. Wow. But too much for me right now. That will probably be my next bike when I grow up lol. Anyway, just joining in and hope to find some 250 2-stroke and or xplorer fans to talk to. Thanks for reading my great big long blah blah blah.

 

i love 2 stroke's also my email starts with pol2strok thats for polaris 2stroke that 250 realy has alot of power hidden in it but like you said i would stick with clutch mods for the low end..but if you want it can be made to be faster than that 400 you rode...

 

Hello Jayblazer, I am glad to meet you. I have only been able to ride my new to me bike for about an hour or so. Frustratin, fur sure. But I got alot of real quick impressions. Like I said, I rode dirt bikes as a kid. Alot of atvs I've gotten on aren't fun. I'm 5'10 150lbs and the only 4x4 I've ridden that didn't overwhelm me bulk wise was a wolverine, but I didn't like it much because it reacted slow to me. The X is very very quick to do what I tell it. Stop, go, go faster, turn, almost like it was built for someone my size. My father in law rode it and I laughed a bit--he's 6'2" 250lbs and looked funny. He rides an 06 Arctic Cat 500. Huge bike. Mine looks like a midget next to it. I hate it. Feels like your in a truck. I've run the X in low, not really enough room to open it up in high. I had it in high when I test drove it. Kept it pegged, but up a decent hill the whole time and it never stopped gaining steam. I think for the most part the bike is basically new and barely broke in.
Does the 250 have a built in rev limiter? I don't know. It seems to be willing to rev more than I am willing to allow it. Don't want to go nuts at 50:1 injection. The dealer said use Polaris oil, and only polaris oil, and as long as I don't mess with it, rebuilds are optional. I don't know. I read several places to get that stock piston out and put in a Weisco ASAP. Got me all worried.
I could not imagine riding anything 4x4 that is faster than the 400 Xplorer I rode. It was parked at my father-in-laws forever, he was trying to sell it here for his cousin in Ohio. Finally did, but I drove it a few times in the mean while. I don't know if he did anything to it, but it had nothing on it even in low until you were going about fifteen mph or so. Then, all at once, hope you were holding on. Boom. That thing stood up on its suspension (not of the ground) and just accelerated. I kept telling myself, "OK, this time I'm going to hold it wide open for ten whole seconds!" Could never do it. It's not that it was going too fast, its that it never stopped pulling my arms off. Crazy, Insane, I loved to fear it. However, it handled like a total pig. Nothing like mine. The front end made terrible noises from less than 3 inches of air, and it always felt tippy. Mine is heavy, but it doesn't feel it at all. The only quad I've been on I can relate it to would be a Warrior, weight wise. I know it weighs way more, but it doesn't "feel" like it. And it doesn't try to pop up every time I give it gas like a Warrior.
A work buddy had a p400X and had his clutched. He said his would pop up if you wanted it too. I've looked at the stuff on the web, but don't know how it works. I like going fast and all that, but what I like better is acceleration. Being able to poke along and then, bang. I test drove a 700 twin and it blew my mind. I didn't like the bike at all, but the power the thing has deserves reverence. If your in to that sort of thing, I highly recommend test driving a P twin. Price wise, size wise, and mpg wise, I'll pass for now. I heard they get 9 to 11.5 mpg. And thats EFI. Ouch. The one I drove said "Please improve my exhaust system so I can breathe" when I drove it. But it was really loud anyway, and vibration was noticeable. Reminded me of the old TT500 Yammers.
I had a KDX 250 when I was a kid. 1980, or 81. Air cooled, five speed, dual rear suspension, old school and mean. I loved it. Don't know how fast it went because I could never peg it beyond 3rd gear. Would pull your arms right off. 14t front and 55t back. Geared for stump removal fur sure. I ripped knobbies of the back just riding it. Nuts. But, I mixed oils in the thing and that was that. Tragic, but probably for the best back then because I was too young to gave that much power. My point is that it was a 2 stroke 250, and somehow it had instant torque and power right off the rpms. You did not have a "powerband" that "kicked in" like all my CR, YZ, RM, and KX buddies. They'd kill me on the straights, but I would eat their lunch in the woods. And I liked that. How does a 2 stroke differ so much in the way it achieves power? I've heard it's all in the "expansion cone" cylinder of the exhaust. If so, how so? Don't know and would like to know more. And what is porting. I've seen guys do it to Chevy heads, but 2 strokes get their lovin from within the cylinder. Do you just sit there and make it bigger, or is there method? I'm not asking for instruction, I am a pro at what I do and porting is not it. I'm just curious and want to know what something I can have done will do once it's been done. Shaving heads?
Hey, I am brand new to this and any forum ever. If I went on too long, don't be mad. I like to discuss at length that are worth it. 250cc 2-strokes are high on the list.