yamaha xt225 reviews

I bought this bike used from a friend for $900 about 3 years ago and have changed and replaced the normal stuff (clutch, handlebars, oil, plugs)... The only persistent problem is the oil gets excessively dirty in a hurry and needs to be changed more often than it should. I took the baffle out of the exhaust which caused the machine to run hot and subsequently resulted in my having it jetted up to compensate for the lean-ness. The starter has been great and very reliable. The performace is good for a 225 (223, actually) with wheelies easily attainable in 3 gears (although you have to yank on it in 3rd). I wish there was a replacement exhaust for performance upgrade. The headlight sometimes flickers and stoppies are near impossible without pushing forward dangerously due to the skinny front tire. Top speed is 67 on mine so yeah, it leaves something to be desired in that arena, but it smokes from 0 to 67 (although I don't weigh very much either). Get someone riding on it with you and it's a different story though. Overall a great value with parts easily available from nearly any dealer, and most mechanics seems to be able to work on this bike without any problems. Highly recommended. Show less

I owned a 1973 Suzuki TS100 and a 1976 Suzuki RM125, and then went almost 25 years without a bike. I purchased my XT225 new in 2002. If you just want a light, fun to ride, reliable, and capable trail and dual sport bike, it is hard to do better. To me, this bike is the modern day version of the early seventies Japanese enduros (TS, DT, XL, etc.) except with better suspension. I ride on side streets in southeast Michigan, and have also had my bike in the trails of northern Michigan. I have climbed some pretty steep hills, and there was no drama involved--just sit a bit forward and twist the gas. The bike just scampered right up the hills. It is not a motocross bike and is not made for jumping or riding at speed through whoops, but for trail riding and dual sport riding, it is excellent. If you search the used bike ads, you will not find many XT225s for sale, and there is a reason that people tend to hold on to them. I have had many compliments on the appearance of my stock XT225, and the craftsmanship on the XT225 is excellent. The one upgrade that I am considering is a change to Pirelli MT21 tires, since northern Michigan is mostly sand. If you do a search on the Internet by typing "250 Serow", you will find that Yamaha has just updated the XT225 for the Japanese market. Not sure how long it will take for this new version to reach the U.S. market, but it will definitely have some big shoes to fill. Good luck in choosing a bike. Show less

I think yamaha made a winner, this 2006 model is excellent, it is a smooth and good running bike, and they made an improvement from the 2005 model,(color). I will enjoy this motorcycle for years to come, Thanks Yamaha. Show less

This is a great bike. After reading reviews and looking at all the options for a dual sport motorcycle, I decided on the XT. I am really glad I did. It has plenty of power for what I need. It's light weight,incredibly nimble on the trail and has a broad range of power that enables it to reach highway speeds (75 to 80). Although this is not a bike for highway travel. It's not as stable at high speeds as a heavier bike designed for the highway. It's better for someone who likes trail riding and enjoy's taking rides around town. You can hit a berm in the dirt and it's suspension soaks up pot holes and smaller jumps with ease. It handles well and is very reliable. Get the chromed out, show off, big $$ bike out of your head and have some fun. Rid yourself of the ego and get one. It's the most fun you can have on two wheels. Show less

I think it is a terrific bike. I am using it to get back and forth to work and if I see a trail I can just go. I get about 73 mpg and have run it 60-65 mph don't want to run it to hard until it is broken in but I think it is perfect!!!! Show less

Had the bike for a couple of years now and I must say that it has done everything I wanted it to. I wasn't sure which bike to pick as a beginner, and I feel I have made the right choice. It gets about 65 MPG & is great for putting around town. I've had it off road a few times & it works very well. Keep in mind that I'm not a pro rider. I had one problem the second time I took it offroad - I think it got too hot & it wouldnt start.(A friend had to bail me out!) That was probably due to my inexperience, since I haven't had a problem since. It's a fun bike to ride! I was wondering if anyone could tell me where to get some aftermarket parts - they seem to be hard to find! Show less

I love this bike. It is perfect for daily commute to work and weekend trail riding. It will go faster than 65 mph, and it will carry a 150 lb passenger very nicely. It gets me to work on twisty, two lane black top at speeds up to 70 mph, but it will only do so while cranking the heck out of the throttle. Maneuvering in city traffic is crazy fun. Fuel mileage has ranged from 89 mpg to 60 mpg. Hard riding in summer heat takes its toll on fuel economy. Learning to ride on this bike was a snap for the wife (5' 3" and 140 lb)--she now owns and rides a much bigger Kawasaki cruiser. This bike is utterly reliable and a joy to ride. By the way, I bought mine early in 2005 and paid $3,950. Show less

I took delivery on my new 05 XT225 this past Sat. July 2nd. I rode it the 90 mile trip home immediately. Enjoyed every minute of it, except for the seat. Monkey butt galore. I have already ordered a replacement seat. Its ok for around town, but not ok for anything over 50 miles or more. This XT is a keeper I believe. It has already opened up a whole new riding world and experience for me. Paved roads, dirt and gravel roads, grassy fields, this bike will do it all. I also ride a VStrom 650 and I love it, power through out all the gears, get about 125 mpg. But this little big XT will do everything with much more confidence than the VStrom except fly away from everyone with supersonic speed. The XT will run all day at 60-65 mph, get 80 mpg, will stop on a dime, and you can jump off the pavement to check out a trail. All I can say is if you have never ridden one of these type bikes, then you are missing a real eye opening experience. I am a new convert. Show less

I am very happy with the power of this bike. I didn't notice it until I bought the bike (I had only seen the picture and write ups on it)but the seat is very hard. The only other dislike is the mirrors should have longer arms on them, I have a hard time seeing past myself on the road. Other than that, this bike is finominal in every way. If the hard seat is the worst thing about a bike...you can't go wrong. Show less

Ok bike for the price, little cold blooded, starts hard. Decent power for the size, gets me where I want to go but could be more comfortable. Overall for a starter bike not bad. Having the option to go off road is nice. Show less