Roadgoing Newbie

[pony]

Afternoon all,

just thought i'd say hello as i think i might become quite a regular. I've just purchased a CB250RS for whizzing around London on, really enjoying it so far.

However, it's not going to remain standard, i'll be creating a flat track/café racer hot rod thing out of it over the next few months and also doing an engine swap as and when i can afford it. This may come forward now i've noticed the top end rattle from my existing lump!!

So if anyone has any useful info on XL250/CB250 engines, particularly how they blow up, please get in touch!!

I'll be creating a photo diary of the mods...

cheers,

Tony

[AlanH]

Welcome to the site.

The top end is the weak point on the CB250RS motor - specifically the cam followers, camshaft and where the camshaft runs in the head. They use oil and need topping up regularly. They also need an oil change every 1000 miles and there is also an oil strainer gauze that needs to be kept clean otherwise the top end is starved of oil.

If yours has just started rattling, see to it before it gets too bad and you may be able to save it. They can also rattle from the cam chain which is far easier to fix than the other stuff.

Other than that, they are great little bikes and getting rare.

[StumpyFingers]

Hello and welcome to the forum, pony.
As mentioned above the heads wear rather quick if oil is left for too long, I think it has something to do with the fact the cam sits directly on the head with no hardened shells