Honda XR250 Can it do a Transafrica trip
 

Planning a trip up West Africa and am looking at the XR250 would rather not take a bigger bike. Is The XR up to it?

FOR sure!
 

It's a definite that a Honda XR 250 is capable of doing it, it's actually a great bike to take, although you have to pack pretty light and yoru fuel range obviuosly isn't as good as a bigger bike. (and admittedly I had some help with carrying equipment as we had two bikes)

It's great on Fuel, fantastic in sand!!! but a bit slower on the tarmac.

We managed from London to South Africa, covering over 50, 000km with no major problems... let me know if you want more in depth details or check out the site below

Amy's Right!
 

Mugs,

Amy's right. My son (17) and I just did over 10,000 km (not as long as Amy's trip, but we did cross the Andes 3 times up to 16,000 ft) on Brazilian made XR250s and never had a hitch (except changing chains and sprockets) Around the Block 2007 | The 250 is a great size because it can haul you, it fits in your room and/or in a canoe if necesary! Ours, with standard tanks gave us 170 km range we could count on regardless of the terrain.

Toby

Very capable bike.

Too right! Go for it!

Good roads!

Brazilian XR250 Tornado
 

Mollydog,

Here is the Brazilian made XR250. Same engine with a steel tank and frame. 300 lbs, but it doesn't break! And steel is alot easier to weld in the bush!:thumbup1:
http://%3Cimg%20style=%22width:%2042...der=%220%22%3E
Climbing above Cuzco Peru to almost 16,000 ft
http://%3Cimg%20style=%22padding-lef...der=%220%22%3E
Central Brazil, sunflowers to the horizon
http://%3Cimg%20style=%22padding-lef...der=%220%22%3E
Brazil-Argentina bridge over the Iguazu (waterfall) River
http://%3Cimg%20style=%22padding-rig...der=%220%22%3E
Near La Oroya (Lima-Pucallpa) crossing the Andes
http://%3Cimg%20style=%22padding-rig...der=%220%22%3E


Toby Around the Block 2007 |

Lois Pryce (Lois on The Loose) rode Top modern 250cc dual sport bike at present, IMO.

Thanks. Would I need to reinforce the subframe so as to be able to carry a small load or would the bike be able to cope allright with the stock subframe.

African odyssey: Four Whakatane Fellas embark on a simple motorcycle adventure from South Africa to England Four Kiwi lads - one on a XR250!

Mugs,

My DR650 is my travel bike for now.

yeeeeees!!!
 

I'm traveling for a 7 months acros southamerica width a XR 250 brasilean...Now i've made 24000 km width a lot of ripio and no problem at all; just now I've change transmission kid.

good luck!!!!

Granote,

Finally someone riding the same moto!!

http://www.freewebs.com/shanperu/200...50RTornado.jpg

Where have your travels taken you?

This last summer my son (17) and I went from the Peruvian Amazon (Pucallpa) to Cuzco, then to Brazil all the way to Iguazu, then back to Peru via the length of Bolivia. This pix is at "Sete Quedas" in Rio Verde do Mato Grosso, Brazil in July 2007.

http://www.freewebs.com/shanperu/DSC00108.JPG

The only trouble was getting at the carburetor to change the jets every time we had to go over he Andes (pix 2 : at "Ticlio, Peru" 15,800' above sea level)

http://www.freewebs.com/shanperu/DSC00186.JPG

We started with saddle bags, but ended up throwing those away after they ripped so many times and changing to these hard cases on a rear rack (pix 3 : at the high pass over 15,000' between Abancay and Cuzco, Peru).

http://www.freewebs.com/shanperu/DSCF0149.JPG

Where are you now? What tire did you use? Am anxious to chat w/ you..

Toby (charapa) Around the Block 2007 |

XR250's are the best little bikes on the road and I will swear by them. We just did London-CT on them: Buya Ikhaya

I had one of these for a little while for trail riding in the UK.
I did have to keep on top of the valve clearances though otherwise it was a pig to start. It was a kickstart only model.
Is this normal or was I simply a bit unlucky with mine ?

They would come and go, sometimes I would have to check the valves every 1000km then only every 5000km. In north africa I tightened the locknuts at titghtly as posisble and then they stayed there all the way down to CT. My wifes bike all stayed in place except for the right exhasut valve that kept loosening every 5,000km or so.