hi everyone just joined the forum and for good reason. recently i've had reason to look at getting a road bike. more specifically a 250 four banger im eying up a cbr250rr mc22 and a 3ln3 fzr 250r. otherwise a more general 250 i4 and well. i need information i have never owned a bike this old nor worked on one this complicated but i do have experience wrenching for myself. and i would like to know some tips and tricks, any common issues i need to look out for, and any mods, upgrades or repairs i might need to do so far i'm thinking either a suspension rebuild or a swap with another bike. brake pads and rotors. and bodywork especially for the fzr because i'm quite the fan of the double headlights of the cbr. thanks in advance.
Welcome A User Both bikes you picked are great fun, however I would suggest you include the ZXR250 in your scope, GSXR's are quite rare so I am not sure you will find one. MC22's are a awesome bike, super strong motor and go like a cut snake, there is heaps of support and spares around. Weak points are carb insulators that go hard, petcocks fail if they have sat for a while. use OEM air filters, carb insulators, petcocks, otherwise you are asking for trouble. FZR's and me don't get along, I have had a few and they are known for carb issues (worn emulsion tubes) and big end bearing failures, if you go an FZR, make sure you hear it running. Part supply is thinning out , a well sorted FZR will blow your mind . The FZR250 3ln1 had twin headlights as did the earlier 2kr. ZXR250's are another excellent bike, they come standard with USD forks and are a bit bigger than the others, weak points is the cam chain and tensioner , 18in rear wheel (limits tyre choice) , all easy fixes and will last ages if properly maintained, there is still plenty of parts around if you know where to look. We have an incredible brains trust here on the forum, so no matter what you choose to buy, we can certainly help you out. All these bikes have a 18000 - 20000 redline, you have hit peak power at 16000 so shift then, they are getting older and need to be treated with a bit of respect Kiff
thanks for the timely reply. i'm not unfamiliar with picky carbs as i do currently own a 2t dirt bike as long as its not a ticking time bomb im fine as i'd be looking at that sort of thing anyway. the reason i did not mention the zxr (or zzr/gsx-r/f as there are a couple in the price range. (are they similar to the spirit of the others?) is that there is an mc22 and 3ln3 that better suit my needs and wants. my main issue is being able to find parts for these bikes if the fzr is going to be a hard bike for parts then i might go for the cbr. how is aftermarket support for these bikes and for that matter oem support? also what are my options for suspension improvements as im not unfamiliar with old suspension either. would i be looking at rebuilds, replacements or swaps or are there aftermarket suspension options that are a decent improvement over the stock, aging, forks and shocks also are there big brake kits or upgrades that i could get to put the stock set out of their misery.
I've had a few FZR's, a ZXR, a GSXR (briefly) along with a Bandit and a Zeal. GSXR and FZR are more comfortable than the ZXR, I haven't owned a CBR yet so I can't comment, but I do love the gear driven camshaft sounds they make.
if you go an FZR, make sure you hear it running. what sounds should i be looking for? other than knocking, pinging and i would assume some grinding sounds and do these apply to any of the other 250 i4's thanks in advance
Xcitebikes.com.au good for mc22 spares https://greyimportspares.com/ Zxr spares As per your fzr comment , just listen to the motor for knocks
G'day A User I am a first timer also & have found 2FiftyCC great for info. To get the most out of this site become a paid user & you have access to technical manuals etc. I have a ZXR250 & was suprised at how many genuine parts are still available for my little rocket. The only parts I could not get so far was replacement cylinders but everything else OK. It's a great Forum...