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Hi, I am Going to look at a Xlr 250R tomorrow and i was wondering if anybody could give me any points what to look for? This is my first step into the enduro style bike I have recently sold my cbr600. I travel 13 miles a day to work and back all year round so i am hoping this bike would be for me. Does anybody recommend the xlr? its a 1991 model and info would be great

 
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i hope you are getting a really good deal, because its a very old bike...















might want to look at something a little more recent.

 
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Sounds good......Go for it....

 
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I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, there are plenty of other enduro's out there with more power and comfort, here's a list:















http://www.bikez.com/category/index.php?category=6































But if you ride it and like it, that's your choice.































I ride a Suzi SV650 and a Yami WR426F for when I feel like off roading, it's lighter than your bike and has much more power. I tried an XL650V Transalp once and found it seriously heavy and under powered, a bit like riding a bus with a limiter on, very comfortable if I wanted to go long distances on a motorway though I would think. IMHO Honda make great sport bikes, great cruisers but really poor off roaders, they're heavy and slow. I've tried every jap model I can find when I was looking for an off roader, I live in Switzerland and wanted something for forest trailing, and after trying 10 bikes, I ended up at the WR, which looks almost exactly like the DT125 I learned to drive on! There are versions of the DT that go up to 250, might be worth a glance at.































If you are intending to drive on the road, you should look for a SuperMotard model (I'm not sure if it's the same in English), the one with the road wheels, knobbly tires are noisy, slow you down, and you get less grip on tarmac with them because the knobbly ones are designed to dig into whatever you're driving over.































As with all bikes, check for wear on the rear cog, check the tightness of the chain.. Enduros will have more movement than your average chain when they have no load because the suspension travels further so get the guy selling it to sit on the bike while you do it. You want 2-3cm movement, much more than that and you're lookong at a new chain.































Check the level of the brake fluid.. If it's down and hasn't been refilled, it could indicate worn pads.. Check the Brake disks for wear..































The model you're talking about is prone to pinking (a knocking sound) so rev the engine in neutral to 6-7k or more and see what it sounds like. While you're at it, make sure that any smoke coming out of the back is white.. Any other colour indicates problems. With high revs on a cold engine, you're liable to produce a lot of smoke, so do this in the open.. Don't worry, lots of white smoke is normal.































Check the front forks for rust and corrosion.. And also leaking suspension.. You shold be able to bounce up and down on the handlebars with all your weight without going near the full travel, although they will feel springier than a sport bike.































Check the front forks are straight and true, both wheels for signs of accident damage, and the general wear and tear on the bike.. It's bound to be worn, it's an off road bike, but cracks and dents and worn cogs and chains etc can become bartering points when it comes to price.































Finally, take the thing out for a test ride, make sure you do the 13 miles to work you would normally do if you can, if not, do a similar route with similar kinds of traffic (dual carriage way, towns etc.) and also take the thing over a little rough ground..































If after all this you still want to buy it, pick the lowest price you think the guy will take, drop it by about 10%-20% or more and make an offer.. If he takes your offer straight away without a fight, walk away, it's too easy, he's after your cash so the bike's probably a lemon. If he walks off, tell him why you offered him such a crazy price and start bartering..































Good luck.. And by the way, if you're going to buy an enduro, don't waste your life in traffic queues going to work.. See if you can find a few back roads and tracks and take the bike off road where it belongs.. You may arrive at work looking like you were following a slurry truck, but I guarantee you'll have a grin on your face.. Don't forget to wash the bike down when you get home! :-)