I got a 87 lt250r in excellent condition a few months ago, the quads that I ride with are not really true sport quads (blaster,300ex,worrier) so i'm just wondering how my quad would compare to true sport quads since i never get to ride with any.

 

If you're referring to the R's and the Zilla and banshees, then you're quad will be able to hang alright. Is it bone stock? My mod '87 hangs with my buddy's stock Zilla, my brothers' banshee and Tecate4 and Atc250 all modified. The Lt is a very good reliable bike, the only thing I would fault it with is that Suzuki made a junk frame to go with it. You should have no problems doing the same hills and jumps all these other sport quads tackle.
.....Freddie

 

Hi, I've got a friend that is thinkin about buyin an LT250, but I know very little about the bike, so I'm doing a little research to help him make a good buying decision. Whad did you mean they have a junk frame? Do they crack/break easily? I need to find out what to look for when checking out a used LT250, to make sure he doesn't get one that's gonna break in half or grenade the engine as soon as he gets it. Thanks for the help.

 

The lt should blow right past the 300 blaster and the warrior if they are stock machines. As far as hanging with anything it runs excellent with other 250 sport quads and in trails will even hang if not surpase the quadzilla (only because the zilla is so much wider then most and some trails are harder to ride one in also it sucks replacing rear axles from blasting a tree). but if your running with mod. bikes you'll have trouble hanging with them. I have an 86 lt250 with fmf pipe silencer rejetted carb and well I've only meet up with a few bikes I couldn't stay with. Well till recently when my tranny exploded causing mucho dinero worth of damage. Anybody know were I can get a motor or a good center casing??

 

Just like purchasing any used bike. Go thru all the gears make shure there all there. Look at the frame closely for none factory welds thier usually easy to spot if done by an amatuer (no offense to anyone learning how to weld). The frame is infamous for cracking infront of the motor but before the front suspension. Put the bike on level concrete if you can look for uneven caster/camber in the front wheels this is sometimes signs of a bent frame also stand the bike on end on it's wheelie bar and stand back and look at the frame. Check the shocks make shure they don't sink way down when you get on it or that you can easily push the suspension to it's max. thats a sign of weak or worn shocks which can get pricey. The usual things check for oil leaks, welds on the motor casings. I also check on all the controls I've managed to get a few hundred dropped on the price of a bike because the electrics were messed up. Also check for damaged or leaking coolant system. Theres alot of things to watch for when buying a used bike just look it over carefully. Oh ya and ride it, jump it, wind it up see what it does. Some guys buy after market bolt ons and don't do things right and screw up the perfomance of the bike.

 

Thanks for the info.. we're headed to the guy's place tomorrow to buy it (if it passes inspection , you brought up some good things that I would have not thought of checking. Thanks.

 

What you have heard from others already is true, like the frame cracking and the speed of the bike. I have an 86 LT250 and have had to weld the frame in two places because of cracks, but I put a hurtin on the bike when I did it. I was following behind my cousin down a fast, dusty, dirt road, and I couldn't see, so I decided to pass him. Just as I did he slams his brakes on and I emerge from the cloud of dust and see that the road is not there anymore, needless to say I was running about 70mph and flying through space, I landed about thirty feet down, and probably close to 150' out from this drop off, slamming the suspension completly. When I hit the ground my cousin got hit by a few stones getting thrown from my bike! Well, I didn't wreck, but I did crack the frame, welded it up with a mig and good as new. The speed of the bikes will deceive you though, I usually ride with two 400ex's and a Banshee. The Banshee has pipes, jet kit and a K&N, one 400ex has a pipe, jet kit, K&N, and new CDI box, the other 400 is stock. In a drag race, if I can hook up, I can beat or tie the Banshee in a 300 yard run. When my brother (owner of the Banshee) rode my bike he said it feels no where near as fast as his, but in the runs I was right there everytime. I attribute this to the way you sit in the LT compared to the other bikes. It holds you on the bike alot better than the others. Oh yeah, the 400's couldn't touch us. If the bike is in good running condition, snag it up, he won't be sorry. Later...