2000 RM 250 Ongoing restoration: RM 265 power up

[saiyajinali]

I have posted various mods to my pet project, my 2000 RM 250.

I can honestly say that I have gone through nearly every part of this bike & replaced & rebuilt it. I race hare scrambles & all of my friends with the exception of a few run ktms. One day I will end up getting a ktm woods bike. But not now. Especially not now. Because I am lucky to have an Eric Gorr rebuilt RM 265 kit. I sent the cylinder to him to have it bored, replated, polished & ported.

Eric offers 3 different porting options. I opted for the broad powerband choice that gives a two stroke the feeling of a four stroke. I made this decision because the particular model RM that I have never really had sick top end to begin with, & because I know running woods races a snappy powerband will either make you lose your back end over some roots or rocks or send you into some trees.

I just took it out this past weekend and I can honestly say that I am very happy with the results. I just put a new set of Boyesen Rad Valves on it. I am running a Pro circuit Pipe with the R 304 silencer. I am running a 5 gallon fuel mix consisting of 111 octane race fuel for two gallons & 93 octane fule for the other three. With the compression set up for this cylinder this doesnt cause any issues. Surprisingly I havent had to make any jetting changes at all.

The compression is sick as I could hardly turn it over the first day.

Felt like a 500cc engine. Once I got it running I immediately noticed that the bike had much more torque. I would say like it had a flywheel weight, but that thought disappeared when I stabbed the throttle & it responded sharply. I noticed that 1st gear felt VERY short. 2nd gear felt like first & I mostly ran 3rd gear on trails that I previously ran 1st & 2nd on. When in the lower revs in 3rd gear the throttle response was pretty quick which will come in handy in my next race on the section of the course where I am in 3rd where I should have been in 2nd and it would hesitate & bog. I am considering dropping a tooth on the rear sprocket because I feel like I can do this to gain a little bit of the edge in the straights when winding out the gears. Not to mention the rear tire spinning alot more than before.

Hill climbs are VERY easy now. No bogging out at all. Like I said earlier it pulls like a tractor.

[jhatfie4]

That's awesome. I really want the 295 kit!

what was your turnaround time on this? As in, when did you send your cylinder off and when did you get it back?

[djsather]

I also have the EG 265 in my 2005 and I can't say enough good things about it. absolutely love it for both Harescrambles and MX.

[saiyajinali]

That's awesome. I really want the 295 kit!

what was your turnaround time on this? As in, when did you send your cylinder off and when did you get it back?

Not counting the week it took for him to get it, four weeks. But two business days for thanksgiving were in there also. I have heard mixed reviews about doing a 295 kit. I heard cylinders dont hold up as long. Whether that's true, I don't know.

[saiyajinali]

I also have the EG 265 in my 2005 and I can't say enough good things about it. absolutely love it for both Harescrambles and MX.

Cool! What porting package did you get & what did you think of it?

[djsather]

Cool! What porting package did you get & what did you think of it?

I got the " more power everywhere" porting. And I think it's great. I'm able to lug it when I want to and still have ample power or I can let it scream and take off like a rocket. I really love the power I get from it.

[saiyajinali]

I got the " more power everywhere" porting. And I think it's great. I'm able to lug it when I want to and still have ample power or I can let it scream and take off like a rocket. I really love the power I get from it.

great minds

I think for harescrambles, the RM 250 is one of the best japanese mx converts to woods bikes ever made. It's light, has excellent USEABLE power in the woods & I dont know if its just me, but it turns on a dime in the tight stuff. My friend has a ktm SX 250 woods set up that doesnt turn as good as my RM.

Too bad they dont make them anymore, or at least sell them over here in the states.

[tribalbc]

great minds

I think for harescrambles, the RM 250 is one of the best japanese mx converts to woods bikes ever made. It's light, has excellent USEABLE power in the woods & I dont know if its just me, but it turns on a dime in the tight stuff. My friend has a ktm SX 250 woods set up that doesnt turn as good as my RM.

Too bad they dont make them anymore, or at least sell them over here in the states.

X2

Handling wise and especially cornering I don't know of another bike I would rather be on in the woods. I plan to keep mine going for at least another couple racing seasons. Hopefully by then DI will be established and the 2 stroke domination will return ?

[djsather]

great minds

I think for harescrambles, the RM 250 is one of the best japanese mx converts to woods bikes ever made. It's light, has excellent USEABLE power in the woods & I dont know if its just me, but it turns on a dime in the tight stuff. My friend has a ktm SX 250 woods set up that doesnt turn as good as my RM.

Too bad they dont make them anymore, or at least sell them over here in the states.

yes, the KTMs have many great things on them, hydrolic clutches, brembo breaks, etc and the new ones even make more power than the RMs... But nothing turns like a Suzuki, Nothing. and as everyone knows, it's the corners where races are won or lost... and few things feel as cool as tuning under someone in a tight corner and blowing past them...... That feeling is exactly why i race....

[tribalbc]

But nothing turns like a Suzuki, Nothing. and as everyone knows, it's the corners where races are won or lost... and few things feel as cool as tuning under someone in a tight corner and blowing past them...... That feeling is exactly why i race....

KTM's ergos are much to wide for my liking as well. If I was buying a new bike at this moment it would most likely be a GAS GAS. Closest ergos and handling to a Japanese 250 MX bike.