2002 Yamaha XT225 Dual Sport reviews

I have 20 years experience as a motorcycle rider and I must say that this bike is the one I enjoyed the most. Got it used in spring 2005. Reliability has been excellent. Only problem with this bike is starting it in cold condition but can be cured with some work on the carburetor. Performance is good, you have to recall that it is still only a 225cc engine, it's not a 650cc. Comfort is okay for a dual purpose bike, but on the long runs, your butt will hurt. Quality overall of the bike is excellent. Maintenance is very easy to do also. For me it is one of the best "bang for the buck" bikes out there. Very fun to drive, either on the streets or dirt. Life is all about compromise and the XT225 is one of the best in this department. 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