SSR XF250 Enduro
 

Contemplating picking up the SSR XF250 right now. Question is what is this a clone of?

I'm curious as to what parts will be able to swap over. Is it the CRF250 parts for things like the seat/plastics/fuel tank/etc?

Curious because that would be a nice little carb'ed bike to own that finding parts would be easy.

I'm assuming the engine is based on the Honda CG250?

The engine is based off the CB250. It has the OHC. Not sure what bike the plastics will swap with.
Have you looked at the Orion RXB-250L ? https://www.orionpowersports.com/ori...embled-tested/

Sorry to correct you but it's based on the Suzuki 250 rather than a Honda. If it's fuel injected, then it would be the TU250. These have the same frames as the Suzukis and the motor bits will probably interchange but that's about it.

Ok, something weird is going on. There seems to be a "new" XF250 shown here;
http://www.ssrmotorsports.com/store/enduro/xf250.php

That one does look Honda based. But, look at the cylinder head. There is no way that is a 250. More like a 125. What's up with that?

I too was looking at the XF250 over a year ago but my understanding was that while it’s a super reliable dual sport, parts could be hard to come by. This fellow is a member here and did some great videos and a 15K mile review on this bike:

https://youtu.be/cPlXjqCK1gw

He said he thought the engine was based on a Suzuki TU250.

Here’s a video of the same gentleman riding the XF as it reached @ 22K miles earlier this year: https://youtu.be/C_G_5nvtYW8

Looks like the Orion is out of stock now. Is the Orion noticably faster than the 229cc OHV dual sports?

Dusman thanks for the positive review on the videos!

Wlfpk, the Xf250 uses the same 249cc engine (GS250) as the Suzuki TU250x in carb'd form. The company that makes it claims to have some strong ties to Suzuki. Engine and trans parts are interchangeable. Plastics, tank, seat, etc might be interchangeable with DR stuff but I'm not really sure. There are a ton of sources for parts though, but lately SSR has improved their parts inventory and I'm getting parts in 5 business days from my local parts store/shop and I feel better supporting them.

I need to do another vid soon since I just added an Amazon pipe which sounds pretty cool and gave me a little bump in power I was able to set a new record of 83 mph last week which was sketchy! The Shinkos I have like to follow the ice grooves big time. I'm going to be hitting 25,000 miles in the next month or two at the rate I'm going.

Update: Just did a long overdue valve adjustment (7,000 miles yikes) and little to no adjustment needed. Still does 70 all day long and doesn't burn oil.

I would buy one again in a heartbeat assuming I can get the price under the 3 grand mark.

David unless I missed something on the SSR site, the only difference in this "New" one and my 2013 is the addition of the gas gauge.

Also I should add that I hit 83 mph on the highway with a tailwind so that's not the norm.

Qingqi who makes these is dead in China
All local sales of all their models are gone burgers
Maybe they still export under their sister company brand “Pioneer”

I stand corrected. :tup: That's what happens when you looking at this stuff on your phone. lol

Yes these are manufactured under the Pioneer brand. I'm very happy with the quality.

Qingqi's website says they are now focusing on retro bikes. I have also read that around 2017 the big EU distributor of their off-road bikes dumped the XF models in favor of some new Zongshen products like a 125cc RX1 Cyclone, maybe due to emissions and/or ABS stuff. Shortly before that Qingqi developed an EFI version of this bike, but apparently it wasn't good enough. Their EU distributor still sells parts for this bike on their website and on Amazon which is nice.

Take a look at the cylinder head on the new 250, dh, and compare it to yours. Even if it is now Honda based, the engine's head is way too small to be 249cc as they state in the specs. What is a customer really going to get if they order one?

David it looks identical to mine and mine is a 249cc. The engine goes right up to the bottom of the tank and it doesn't look small in person.

On the latest EPA certification list, these are still listed as manufactured by Pioneer, and since it is such a pain to put a brand new engine/bike through testing, not to mention time, so there would most certainly be a gap between bikes had there been a new engine. SSR has been getting these certified year after year for a few years now (it is easier to keep renewing the certificate annually than having a gap in production), so these would be the tried and true XF250 we all know and love!

dh--if you have time, call Kronik Racing. He has an interesting opinion on the quality of the engines in spite of what I mentioned about you and your bike.

The motor is now different, at least according to the website picture.
http://www.ssrmotorsports.com/store/enduro/xf250.php

But Culcune says the certification is the same. DH, you said it matches yours. Are you looking at the website above? That engine is not the same as what has been coming in the XF250.

I hope these stick around. Best China bike I've owned. Q has been flawless since I got it in '09. Excellent quality.

That's good to hear. What's your youtube? I started looking for a Carb'ed bike again and figured I'd get something that I can use for slight off-road usage.

What pipe did you get?

Oh dang... :(

That actually looks pretty cool. They say it's a KTM styled bike. Does the KTM plastics and stuff swap over? Or Honda, kawasaki, suzuki?

Reason I ask is with the grom clones it was super easy to find replacement parts. Just had to buy grom plastics and what not. Stuff like seat, plastics, etc.

And what about this one. Seems like this one is CARB street legal.

https://www.orionpowersports.com/apo...embled-tested/

That i'm not sure of but replacement parts and plastics can be bought from Orion Powersports.

The Apollo DB-36 RX250cc DELUXE is another nice bike too. Orion carries the part for it too.

That's good to hear. Seems like Orion is a better dealer.

But let's say we you need parts asap. Do you know if these are clones of other bikes? Like say you ripped the seat open and you needed a new one... could you run to Honda and grab one for a CRF250? Or Kawasaki and grab one from a KLX250? Yamaha? Suzuki?

Just kind of curious as that's what a lot of people do with the Grom clones. Something breaks... honda dealership.

More importantly, this means the aftermarket parts like upgraded skid plates, upgraded shocks, upgraded forks, etc will all swap as well.

Suggestione for carb and muffler
 

dh,
On your XF250 bike, what brand and stock number of carb did you purchase to replace the stock carb, and what size jets did you buy to replace the jets in your replacement carb?
And what replacement muffler do you recommend to replace the stock muffler?
I hope you are the correct person I remember from earlier posts regarding the modifications to the XF250 bike and how to improve power and performance.
Thanks, :hi:
PCG

Here is a photo of my 2013 and the newest model on the SSR site. Looks identical to me. Maybe you were looking at their SR250 moto X? They also have a new 300 which looks pretty nice.

Culcune I'm glad to hear this is still coming from Pioneer. I have talked to Kronik recently, and he isn't a huge fan. He sold the first batch of XF 250's and had a few lemons; I think he got burnt out with the way SSR handled warranty/parts issues which made unhappy customers (including me at times). SSR has gotten much better from what my local shop/dealer keeps telling me, and parts are no problem. Either way, I still like Kronik Racing.

The carb is a Teikei MV 30; different variations have been used on Zongshen, Yamaha (tw200), and other models so there is lots of info. Spudrider posted a ton of stuff as his Zong Sierra 200 used a nearly identical carb. This is a very easy carb to work on.


I haven't replaced my carb yet, but did some mods using a jet kit from Sigma. The kit included instructions and an assortment of jets/materials to do several mods to the carb. Replacement carbs are available on Amazon for under $50. Parts are available through Rockymountain ATV if you tell them you own a 2005 Tw200.


FYI, if interested there is an XF250 on Santa Barbara Craigslist for $1,500. It looks like it's seen a bit of abuse so I imagine the price will be very negotiable.

(https://www.amazon.com/XF-250-Pionee...gateway&sr=8-1)

Wlfpk I just posted a vid of the pipe here: Motor and trans are interchangeable with Suzuki and the carb is share with early 2000's Yamaha TW200. At the bottom is a cool review some guy did on the supermoto version of this bike. He seemed to like it but knocked it for the high MSRP and made comparisons to used Japanese bikes for the $$. I agree, except I didn't pay anywhere near MSRP for my SSR.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fREA6gsMEt8

Here is the pipe:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCVvHthJ_SY&t=320s

I think what I'm noticing is that there are subtle changes in the motor. The side cover is flatter in spots. The previous one was more rounded. The oil fill hole is moved slightly, also. It's still Suzuki based, which is great because you'd get a true 250 (249cc).

I see what you mean now. The side cover looks like the one on the late model tu250x. Might mean the bike is now compatible with oil coolers available for this motor.

Not a very flattering video but typical from a Japanese bike rider. They have a tendency to get that "Harley mentality".

Nice! Good to hear. Thanks for the youtube links. This is good news for me. :D

Recommended carburetor & jet sizes
 

dh,
I’m considering purchasing a new 2018-19 SSR XF-250 motorcycle from the dealer in Paso Robles, but I know I’ll need a carburetor replacement and/or carb jet replacements, or both.
I know you have been very successful modifying the fuel system on your XF-250 bike, so I’m hopeful that you can pass along your knowledge to me so I can get a nice performing XF-250 and enjoy riding both motorcycles on road and off road.
I live in Pismo Beach about 400 feet above sea level.
Would you mind sharing what your XF-250’s comfortable cruising speed, and top speed is while cruising on paved highways?
By the way, I have already purchased and reviewed a Haynes Service & Repair Manual, #5750 for model years ‘07 to ‘14. Is their anything in this manual that I should just over look?
Are there anymore modifications or replacement items you’d recommend for me to do?
Thanks for your help, :thanks:
PCG

When does “dh” respond to questions?
 

When will he respond to questions regarding the XF250?
His last post said if you have any questions regarding the SSR XF-250 feel free to ask him! So I did.

Sorry I missed this. Regarding the carb, I still have the stock carb and I love it. It runs a bit on the lean side stock but that's because of the Air injection smog system. If you remove that and uncover the idle mixture screw you will be pretty happy. I only found modifications to the carb really necessary after making air filter or exhaust modifications. As upgrades are made, the carb can be worked on easily without removal from the bike and the carburator vacuum system can be modified slightly for more responsiveness.

I cruise right at or below 70 and 7k Rpms. Much faster than that and my DS tires like to wander into the ice grooves which is no fun. I have done extended rides at 75+ but I notice fuel economy and range really goes down.

There are a few things that come to mind as far as upgrades for this bike go, but none are urgent or even necessary. The bike works just fine as is and I have seen several bone stock Xf250s on craigslist with high mileage.

Issues I wish my dealer had caught during assembly included low or poor quality front fork fluid and brake fluid contamination on the front rotor which soon became warped. A swing-arm chain guard came loose after purchase but otherwise no issues with loose nuts and bolts like heard of with other china bikes.


I have pulled out the manual as needed and it is very thorough. It contains a lot of info about the 125cc and 200cc in the engine and specification sections but otherwise lots of good info and it makes service very simple and low stress. I actually enjoy working on this bike a lot.

This bike will really benefit from a long break in period. It runs better and better as you put the miles on it. When the time comes, I would highly recommend replacing the stock air cleaner and muffler however. The stock air box is a pain to service and is a little restrictive. The stock muffler is a heavy piece of junk, weighs more than some car mufflers and again, very restrictive.

You may want to research the oil cooler if Highway riding is on your agenda.

The gauge cluster is useable but I wish I upgraded it sooner. It lacked a trip meter and the tach bounced around at times it was useless.

It would be great to see more Xf250 owners on here so I hope your dealer can get you one for a good price. One thing to keep in mind is that the dealer should be able to promise you a street or DS version. When I bought mine, the street version came with aluminum passenger grab handles (Which look and feel sturdy but shatter if you actually pull on them)whereas the DS includes a luggage rack. I went for the DS which currently has Shinko 700's.

Thanks for the reply.
 

dh,
Thanks for the informative information. Makes the bike sound likes it’s pretty close to being completely ready to travel when purchased.
I’ll follow your suggestions.
I’m currently searching for a good selling price from a dealer.
PCG
:thanks:

The only issue I see getting one is that they are somewhat rare. Dealers don't generally stock them, so if they have to order one, they will expect MSRP. There was a place in Van Nuys who had a leftover one brand new; I believe it was the fat-tired dual-sport version. The dealer used to be out in the El Monte area, and had a professional dealership selling primarily SSR bikes, but moved to Van Nuys several months ago. He was sharing a warehouse with some other business , and it did not look well organized, BUT he had an unsold XF250; it might have been a 2016. Let me track down the dealership if it is still open. I have since moved out of the L.A. area last week, so cannot go there in person, as it wasn't too far from Northridge.

This year's bikes, it appears that SSR considers them separate models; before it seemed like wheel/tire option but same model, but now they consider the fat-tired one a dual-sport, and the street-tired version a street model. It looks like they both have the rack, something that I recall the older one in Van Nuys did NOT have.

http://www.ssrmotorsports.com/store/...duro-index.php

Edit: this is the place that had the XF250 as of last November https://powersportsgonewild.com/

Thanks for the information.
 

Culcune,
Thanks for sending the two attachments for locating an SSR XF250 bike.
I’ll try and reach the dealer in the L.A. area tomorrow to see if he has, or will get, an XF250 bike, and sell it at a good price. I’ll also contact SSR company and see if he can hook me up with a dealership that regularly obtains XF250 bike’s.
:thanks:
PCG

Indeed. Of all the China Bikes I've owned, the Qingqi (Qlink XP200) product is by far, superior regarding quality of build. I like the quality of Q better than the TT250, X-moto or Hensims I've owned. The bike has been flawless since 2009.

Hell, even my RX3's. I've adjusted Q's valves twice in 10 years just out of maintenance. It fires right up without fail, like any Japanese bike I've owned. I just sold the TT250 last month and the white RX3 this evening. Q will never be on the chopping block. My "go to" little get-around.

You don't compare the SSR XF250 to the Hawk or Bashan or Tao Tao. You compare it to the Suzuki DR200 and what you get for the money.

No need to upgrade a bunch of stuff. Mine's stock with the exception of the FMF exhaust. Just ride it other than stuff like tires, tubes and fuel line and filter change.

That video earlier was a joke. Typical Japanese snobbery. Yes, Q will wheelie, if you know how to ride one. Hell, I used to wheelie my CT70 for as long as the rode allowed when I was a kid. It's not the bike, its the rider.

I would not think twice about buying an SSR XF250.....and no, I've never had plastic parts fall or vibrate off Q. What an asshat.

Good points on the XF250, 2LZ! I think with the Hondnoid bikes at or exceeding the $2k mark, the XF could be considered a solid deal at $3k. This is based on reported ownership by current members here. If they were available locally in Yuma once again, I would seriously consider one.