'87 Honda XR200, Good First Bike?

[Brian Scott]

I've wanted to get into trail riding for years. So, I decided to
bite the bullet and get my first bike. I'm about 6' 180lb's. Found an
add for an XR200 for about $600. What do you think? Any suggestions on
another bike? I live and go to college in western Mass.
-Brian

[Ryan H.]

a friend of mine just got an XR 200, and he's very happy with it. it's got
lots of power for the trails. he has a 1994. they're a pretty good all-round
bike. It has a very reliable engine aswell.

ryan

Brian Scott wrote in message <3718B2FA...@biochem.umass.edu>...

[Dude]

Great starter bike. You'll love it. Easy as heck to ride. At 180 lb you may
find that the springs are too soft. Once you start getting good you may want
to change the springs for some stiffer ones. Only one caveat: don't try to
be a jumper on this bike. Once you're ready for big air, move to something
with more suspension travel and a taller frame.

John Browne
99 KTM 300 EXC
96 XR 200R

[Ray]

Check it out closely before you buy.
Check:
Motor mount bolts tight and none missing.
Air filter clean, dirty or missing?
Oil clean, dirty or missing?
Does the bike look cared for or is there signs of jury rig repairs.
Check the cases around the front sprocket for damage from the chain coming
off.
If the oil is low then the cyl head may be damaged.

If everything checks out then buy it and have a blast.

If any of the above are evident then be careful as you can spend a lot of
money repairing the mistakes of the previous owner.

Ray

Brian Scott <bsc...@biochem.umass.edu> wrote in article

[TrailByker]

Brian;

Great bike for starting off. Heed Ray's advice about how it's been cared for;
XR Honda's are pretty bullet proof but do require at least some minor
maintenance. You may find that it's a little on the small side for you both in
the H.P. and seat height specs. Might want to explore getting an XR 250....
Mike

anti-spamming: delete NOS from address

[Joe Dowd]

>Great starter bike. You'll love it. Easy as heck to ride. At 180 lb you may
>find that the springs are too soft. Once you start getting good you may want
>to change the springs for some stiffer ones.

I have a pair of XR200R's ('93 & '90) and have been searching for years for a
source of stiffer springs. All I've found is progressively wound springs that
are just barely stiffer than the stockers, too soft even for my novice 125lb
wife.

If someone *knows* of a source for stiffer XR200R springs, I'd really
appreciate it if they'd post it.

Thanks,

-Joe Dowd
je...@psu.edu

> Only one caveat: don't try to
>be a jumper on this bike. Once you're ready for big air, move to something
>with more suspension travel and a taller frame.
>
>John Browne
>99 KTM 300 EXC
>96 XR 200R
>

>Brian Scott wrote in message <3718B2FA...@biochem.umass.edu>...

[Richard Pierce]

I'm 6 foot 200# and ride an older xr200r....I love it! I had an xr250l and
sold it. The 200 rips in the tight stuff.
$600 is cheap if it's in decent shape.
Radical

[The 'Endo' King]

I had one and did some work to it like high comp piston, race cam, YZ
front and rear ends, supertrapp exhaust and shaved head.
I was 15 when I was racing this (It was a 95) and I was lighter than you
but the same height.... You soon get sick of them.
For someone your 'dimensions' they're just too small.
Look for a XR250.

In article <3718B2FA...@biochem.umass.edu>, Brian Scott
<bsc...@biochem.umass.edu> wrote:

> I've wanted to get into trail riding for years. So, I decided to
> bite the bullet and get my first bike. I'm about 6' 180lb's. Found an
> add for an XR200 for about $600. What do you think? Any suggestions on
> another bike? I live and go to college in western Mass.
> -Brian

--
Matt
YZ 250 'Special'
Thanks to Jeff at MXSouth
www.mxsouth.com m...@pipeline.com

[Scott Aldrich]

Brian Scott (bsc...@biochem.umass.edu) wrote:
: I've wanted to get into trail riding for years. So, I decided to
: bite the bullet and get my first bike. I'm about 6' 180lb's. Found an
: add for an XR200 for about $600. What do you think?

You've found an excellent bike to start out "trail riding" with. My
friend is starting out with an older XL185S. Pretty similiar bikes.
The motor wil normally start in one or two kicks and has plenty of
horsepower to do most trail riding.

It is not an MX bike, so I wouldn't recommend any jumping, but for
learning how to trail ride, it's a very good choice.

--
Scott Aldrich / UN*X System Administrator

[M. Williams]

Hi Brian,

I live in W Mass too and would be up for a ride sometime too. I used to
teach there and I tell you... there's this dean I'd *really* like to get
some traction off of if I can catch her in the open crossing campus just
once... but I digress... email me if your're up for a ride. Sounds like
a great bike too.

Regards,
Mike W.
'96 XR400

Brian Scott wrote:
>
> I've wanted to get into trail riding for years. So, I decided to
> bite the bullet and get my first bike. I'm about 6' 180lb's. Found an

[Joe Dowd]

> It is not an MX bike, so I wouldn't recommend any jumping, but for
>learning how to trail ride, it's a very good choice.

I don't understand this perspective ("I wouldn't recommend any jumping.").
These XR200's have better suspension than my '76 Husky and about the same as
my '83 KDX both of which could be safely jumped with the bikes of their time.

Perhaps what folks mean is:

With the stock springs, it isn't prudent for a guy your size to try the same
jumps that current motocrossers can because the XR will bottom hard and the
resulting flex will eventually start breaking things like motor mounts and
footpeg bolts and stretch the frame tubes.

A son of a co-worker raced a stock XR200R for about a half-dozen MX's until he
started snapping the motormount bolts. I've bottomed mine hard a bunch of
times (from jumps on the trail) and I suspect this led to the footpeg bolts
snapping.

To keep from posting without asking for something in return: Does anyone know
the name of the bend of the stock XR200R bars? They're not the same as on the
XR250's and they're much higher than CR-HI and straighter than the stock XR250
bars.

-Joe Dowd
je...@psu.edu

[KawBoy]

Joe pens,

>I don't understand this perspective ("I wouldn't recommend any jumping.").
>These XR200's have better suspension than my '76 Husky and about the same as
>my '83 KDX both of which could be safely jumped with the bikes of their time.

Thank you for finally saying what's been on the tip of my tongue
regarding play bikes. You are so right, the suspension of even the
Big Suzuki DR650 is on par if not better than anything that came stock
on any 70's model RM - and people thrashed the heck out of bikes back
then.

The rule of jumping: Land rear wheel first with front end several
inches off the ground.

Running a XR100/200, RT180, TT225, (and so on) at race speeds may not
be pleasant compared to modernized motocross machines, but not
impossible.

Check out any old footage of MX - bikes back then were heavy and had
no travel to absorb the bumps and jumps, yet a large amount of people
from all over the world raced them and went very fast.

Good point, Joe.

KawBoy

'88 KX500: Project Basketcase
'85 WRX250 (for sale - it runs!)

Georgia Off Road
http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/~mstembri

[scott and barb]

you are too big in my opinion, unless it a long travel version
go for an xr-250 you'll be glad you did.but if you already bought it, it is
a great little bike easy to resell...good luck sounds like a pretty good
deal though. Brian Scott
<bsc...@biochem.umass.edu> wrote in message
news:3718B2FA...@biochem.umass.edu...

[Brian Scott]

Hye Mike email me your real e-mail addrese, the one listed was returned.
-Brian

"M. Williams" wrote:

> Hi Brian,
>
> I live in W Mass too and would be up for a ride sometime too. I used to
> teach there and I tell you... there's this dean I'd *really* like to get
> some traction off of if I can catch her in the open crossing campus just
> once... but I digress... email me if your're up for a ride. Sounds like
> a great bike too.
>
> Regards,
> Mike W.
> '96 XR400
>
> Brian Scott wrote:
> >

[Brian Scott]

Nevermind, I got it to work.

[Squeky]

>You may find that it's a little on the small side for you both in
>the H.P. and seat height specs.

No way. The '87 had the longer travel suspension than the newer ones.
I have ridden an '87 XR200 and it is a very nice bike. I owned a '90
XR200 and never bogged it down. They have tons of torque for being so
small. It would pull up anything. It isn't too slow either. The
older XR200's are much better than the new ones. I never once was
dissatisfied with that bike. I never once didn't make it up a hill
because of lack of power. It is also a great woods bike.

------------------------------
Squeky
1986 XR600R
http://www.netcom.com/~squeky1
squ...@ix.netcom.com
------------------------------

[Squeky]

On Sat, 17 Apr 1999 12:12:42 -0400, Brian Scott
<bsc...@biochem.umass.edu> wrote:

> I've wanted to get into trail riding for years. So, I decided to
>bite the bullet and get my first bike. I'm about 6' 180lb's. Found an
>add for an XR200 for about $600. What do you think? Any suggestions on
>another bike? I live and go to college in western Mass.
> -Brian
>

The perfect bike!!! The perfect year!!! That is one awesome
beginner/intermediate/expert bike. It is so light, so dependable, so
awesome. Get it!!!