The previous owner kick starts the Honda XL250…
A while back, Kami expressed interest in learning to ride a bike. It never seemed appealing to her while in the city, but having the space in Vermont, and its relative safety, she seemed to change her tune. I didn’t hesitate for a second, and after some searching on Craigslist, I quickly headed down to southern New Hampshire to pick up this awesome 1972 Honda XL250…
The Honda XL250 gets a new home…
The Honda XL250 strapped and ready to return home for a refurb…
Richard, the guy I bought it from was super-cool. An older wrench who had barns full of amazing bikes. He was in the process of fixing a bunch of them, and some sitting dormant, for what seemed like years.
A deal was struck, after I took the little firecracker for a ride. This bike is going to be the perfect ‘learner’s bike’ for Kami, and after some online ordering, we have the parts necessary to bring ther back to some previous glory.
Kami sits atop the new ride…The 1972 Honda XL250 has character…
One of the features that makes this a great first bike, especially for a smaller rider, is that almost anyone can sit flat-footed on the bike. Low seat height, relatively light (especially for the era), and an upright, standard-style riding position. The only challenge might be the larger, 21″ wheel up front, but with new, more street-savvy tires, I am hoping to mitigate any difficulties in navigating the bike.
This bike promises to be a fun ride on the back roads of Vermont, where pavement quickly turns to gravel. Fortunately, there are some real enthusiasts out there for this model, especially David over at XLintperformance. He has been very cool in getting us some of the parts we’ve needed.
Next up, cleaning the entire bike, head-to-toe, and installing some of the fresh parts we grabbed for her.
Stay tuned…
thanks for the plug. Nice looking bike for a barn find. If you take the top end off be sure to use lots of penetrating fluid on the 2 long cyl. studs that are exposed to the elements.
Dave
Of course! You don’t know how happy we were to find your site. A home away from home for this old gal (the ’72 XL, not my girlfriend! 🙂
Thanks for the tip. Looks like this will not need a top end tear down. Ran nice just the way she is. Fun as hell….
I have owned a number of bikes over the years, I am now 70 years old but the Honda XL250 has always been my favourite. I bought mine brand new in the 70’s I just wished I kept it… If you have half of much fun riding it as I did, you will fall in love with it.. If not, let me know and I will take it off your hands..
It’s a ton of fun for sure!