first month with old bike

[rjh357]

Well had my new 2 me 1985 Yamaha XS 250 for 4 weeks now almost 1000 miles later and here is the good and the bad form my perspective.

Bad.

1. Brakes, stop stooooooop stooooooooooooooooooooooooop, forgot just how hard you have to pull on 80s single disk brake to make an impact on slowing down. Not really a problem just something you have to get re-used to a few near misses and your there.

1. Oil leak from final drive shaft, not a bad one haven’t needed to top op oil yet and don’t expect to before oil change. Actually a double edge sword. It is working as a very effective inbuilt Scot oiler; the drip runs down drive sprocket and lubricates the chain lovely. Problem is it also drips on drive; I like the inbuilt chain oiler part but can’t live with putting the drip tray under it every time I come home. Will have to look into replacing seals next oil change and hope it is the seals worn not the spindles.

1. Rubber mounted handle bars; nothing wrong just took some getting used to under braking having the handle bars flex felt a bit weird at first.

1. Frame rusty in all the imposable to access places, only real answer is to strip and have swinging arm, frame, side and centre stands powder coated, it will never happen I brought it to ride not spend forever in bits in the shed.

That’s about it really not too shabby for a 30 year old machine, paint and chrome aren’t too good but really can’t expect it and this is a road bike not a garage squatter.

Good

1. Starts first flick of the button, better still first Kick of the kick-start, any younger readers reading this it is a quaint old idea a sticky out thing on the side of your engine, you flick out and use you foot to start the bike with. A strange concept today I know but very handy if your battery is flat, or even if it is knackered you can still get your bike going and use alternator to run lights etc.
2. Fuel consumption, 65 plus MPG not as good as a modern fuel injected machine but for what I paid very pleased.
3. Ride position, this is just right for me, bugged my shoulder about 20 years ago at work, my last 2 bikes have been faired, after 20 or 30 miles shoulder starts to burn. On the XS though a steady 65 and can feel the wind holding be up taking pressure of wrists and shoulder. Whatever I won’t be going back to faired bike and will go for the wider bars higher riding position. It is a slower way to ride but far more comfortable for me.
4. Eye catching, it is scabby in places but lots of people want to look and chat about it going back to their youth. I couldn’t afford one when I was 18 and a lot of ex and current riders were in same boat. Get far more looks and chats when I park than I did on modern bike.

So far I am dead chuffed with it only problem is 18 year old girls bottoms look just as good in tight jeans now as they did when this bile was new but they look on me as a farther or even grand farther figure now LOL

Keep on riding

Roy