Guys, after reading the mototune "Break-In Secrets" article I'm wondering if I should not buy a used 250s? I'd really like to know the opinion here, do you really think it makes 'that' much of a difference if the bike was old-school babied for break in as opposed to the the recent school of thought i.e. the mototune method.. I know where there is a 2009 with only 1000ml on it in my area I've been eyeing.

I'd sure like to save some $$ but I want the bike to be "right" from the get-go.

Opinions?? Thanks!

 

Buy used. I bought a closeout new, put upgrades on it, broke it in like i ride. I am now selling the bike with 415 miles on it. Bought it for one trip to Colorado and now am getting rid of it. Taking a pretty good hit on it by selling it, but i don't want it anymore. I suggest you get a used one.

 

My '07 had 483 miles on it when I bought it in May '08. Guy I bought it from was an old MX racer. Don't know if he followed any particular break in method but do know he scoffed at the factory instructions and had wound the bike out over 10k on more than one occasion.

I'm convinced that the owners manual instructions are designed solely to minimize warranty claims by babying a motor. Years ago a life long auto mechanic told me the proper way to break in a car was to "run the **** out of it", the theory being that if it broke it would be under warranty, and if you didn't follow that method your car would be a "dog" performance wise for the rest of it's life.

My bike now has 2800 mile on the clock. After buying the bike I could tell the break in period continued to about 1500 miles. Just kept getting more legs and lungs to that point, and for a stocker it's definitely not a doggie. Now for those mods....

One thing about buying used. How will you know what kind of break in was used? To me, saving 30-40 per cent from retail for a good used unit is worth the risk

 

imho, unless your going 10/10ths all the time, your never going to notice a diffrence. and if there is even one, its only going to be a 1/4 hp anyways. definally buy used if thats what you want.

 

Honestly, these bikes don't have much "pop" when they are new and in stock condition. Most people just ride them and don't hot rod them. I wouldn't hesitate at all to buy the bike. They last over 25K miles routinely and thats with flogging them.

If it was a KTM, I might have my doubts.

 

I bought new and in hindsight regret doing so. The bike is very dissappointing when new as the engine is so tight and strangled. It's been fun seeing and feeling it develop, but it would have been nice to go straight to a broken in bike (at a much lower price).

 

Now now

I bought my 06 KLX brand new and had no problems with it. I was in the middle of babying it and running it hard IE: i'd go on a ride and take it easy, but if I had to get through some stuff, well I had to get through it!

I bought my 08 KTM used (barely, had less than 1000km on it) from a repo auction for nearly as much as what I sold the KLX for!!!

Even if something serious broke, I'd still be ahead. The bike runs great and other than a possible oil burning problem (factory defect potentially, that is easily fixed) I am 100% satisfied. I'll never buy new again, let someone else pay the depreciation.

 

Ha ha, don't get me wrong, KTM's are pretty bad a** and a blast to ride. We all know how people ride them though, and for what is essentially a race engine, the durability and longevity can come into question on a used bike.

Now I have seen some go some long hours and miles without much problem but I have also seen quite a few break down pretty quick.

In your situation though, I would have done the same thing.

 

Buy used it you can- I bought mine new- put 3-4k in mods in to it. Then sold it for less then blue book! Any way if you keep the bike you will most likely put a big bore kit on it. Then you can break that in the way you want.

Look on here at Thumper Talk you may find your dream bike.

 

All good food for thought!