2012 Yamaha XT250 highway ride - YIKES!!!
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- Today I took my 2012 Yamaha XT250 dual sport bike out for a ride. I've had this bike for years but don't ride it on the highway for the exact reasons I mention in the video. Don't get me wrong, it's a great bike, but it's NOT a great highway bike.
my first bike was an xt250. I regularly got it over 70. I didn't mind it at all.
LOL! I guess I'm used to the bigger, heavier bikes. It kinda freaked me out the way the front end "lightened up" above 65 mph. It's a fun little bike off-road but I'm not a fan of how it rides at higher speed.
If the speedo said 70 you were going 63. If there is any headwind, it can't pull 5th gear. Going up hill, it can't hold speed. If you need to accelerate, you can't. That is also dangerous. I have 10,000 miles on my xt250 and it is great, but it belongs on dirt and lonely roads. Definitely not good for highways and forget completely expressways.
@@finerbiner Thanks for the reply and I agree with you on it being best suited for the lonely country roads! Next spring I'm planning to do a GPS speed test of all my bikes to see how accurate the speedometers are. Judging from what I've seen on a couple of them, it seems like they're all just suggestions rather than true speed indications.
Knobbies are notoriously squirrely on pavement. It feels like riding too fast on a gravel road to me.
Excellent video, thanks for posting it.
Thanks for the comment! Glad you liked the video! 😊
Thanks for posting! I just got a 2012 XT250 and loving it so far!
Excellent, you’ll love it!
What are the best tire pressures on this bike? I've got a 2017 basically brand new and I have 21 in rear and 18 in front. Just feels too much and I also find it a bit scary at higher speeds.
@@TechStories79 I can't help you there, I don't really ride highways on mine and I haven't messed with the tire pressure since I bought it this summer
@@TechStories79 I took a look at the manual for mine and it shows 18 psi for the front and 22 psi for the rear so you're spot on. Yes, I agree it feels like they're a little firm. Feels like riding on marbles on pavement at highway speeds but the knobby tires are probably the culprit.
Thanks for making this video. The video and comments have been helpful.
Thanks for watching and commenting! It's a fun bike to ride but definitely not something I'd ever get on a freeway with. I'm glad you like the video.
Great video! Try a windshield. I installed one - and it's been a HUGE improvement. Like a different bike on highway: I could go all day at 68mph (110kmh). It's light off-road focused bike, so it's definitely way outside of its comfort zone on highway, but the simple fact that it can go there is amazing! Especially keeping in mind that it can handle trails that most other bikes won't.
2:23 - I agree, it's can be fast from stop signs or out of corners. Quick-shifting makes it even faster.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm not a fan of windshields but I could see how it would help. It's mid-winter here in MN but we're having a record low snowfall and warm weather. I took the XT250 out for a short ride at the end of January and again yesterday. It's a great bike for bumming around on the local roads when there's not much traffic. It's a keeper!
Shlnko 705 the bike is very stable
I agree, it's probably the tires that are making is squirrelly on asphalt.
Lol it was very stable bro hit it its fine ,😊 its a frikn 250 you gota hold on buddy on the highway or on the dirt elbos up knees tight an hit it.
Yeah, I hear you on that! Not the same at all as my FXDC. I guess I'm older (OK, old!) and not terribly interested in road rash anymore! :) I do like riding this bike though, just not above 60.
Mine will do 65mph all day. Around 70 it screams. I have barkbuster end bar weights and it really helps stabilize everything at the top end
Adding bar weights is a good idea. I haven't used them in the past but can see how it would make the front end feel more like a heavier bike.
I have a 2012 as well. I've had it over 70 to pass other vehicles. I just can't imagine doing 70 for long distances. Worry more about the motor then I would losing control. But, I've never really got used to heavier bikes. (Only owned dual sports)
70 is about all she's got on mine. I don't worry about the motor since it's still nearly new with only around 420 miles on it. Still, I won't hold anything at WOT for very long!
IT does so much better than a TW and way better than I would think it would do not bad at all on the slow freeway 55mph
Yup, all good at 55 but it's squirrely above about 65 mph. Next summer I'll use my phone GPS to get a more accurate speedometer comparison.
what is the bigger bike?
Honda CB750, Yamaha XS1100 or Harley-Davidson FXDC Super Glide.
Xt is way bedder than my Tdub! Get on it!
I've never been on a TW. I like the looks of them though.
@@gpx433racer it's a fun lil bike. I'm on it more than my 690 these days!😁
Don't do it. So gutless and uncomfortable to ride.@@gpx433racer
play with tire pressure then try it.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I'll mess around with tire pressure when I get a few warm days in a row. Do you recommend increasing or decreasing? I don't remember the pressure offhand but I think it was 28 PSI cold. I'll look at the manual and go from there.
@@gpx433racer Try high first, you can always let it out on the way back home
iv ridden mortorcycle all my life ,a 250 is not for highway driving.get a road bike.
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, I have 3 more larger bikes I ride on a regular basis. I like the 250 but agree it's not much fun above a certain speed!