Buccaneer SRT250 Classic or Cafe Purchase - Page 17

ChopperCharles · 05-26-2019, 01:01 PM

MWA-HAHAHAHAHA!!

I got the EJK fuel controller working with the Buccaneer!

I set everything at +2 across the board and took it for a spin. Top speed doesn't appear to be affected whatsoever, BUT the motor spins up faster into the upper rev range. 3rd and 4th gear hit the limiter while pulling hard, before I'd feel the power taper off and the vibration increase, which was my signal to shift. That vibration is gone now, and the motor spins up to the rev limiter (at 9000 rpm) without a sag in power.

The vibration that I've always felt between 5000 and 6000rpm has also greatly diminished, and I had noticed in the past when starting the bike cold, I'd have to wait for a minute or two before taking off, or it would cough a bit. Now I can take off immediately.

It's definitely not a night-and-day difference, it's subtle, but the overall smoothness of the bike and the willingness to rev is definitely improved.

For a stock bike, it's probably not worth the cost. Especially since you need to mod it to work at the moment. But if you want an aftermarket exhaust it's going to be necessary I think, as stock the buck runs very lean.

Charles.

ChopperCharles · 05-28-2019, 09:06 AM

+2 was the wrong setting. Torque for going up hills was reduced and fuel consumption increased. I'm not sure the EJK can make much of a difference on a stock bike, but I need to find a dyno to be sure. BUT for future modification, such as aftermarket exhaust or the 314cc big bore kit, this will be essential.

Charles.

ChopperCharles · 06-03-2019, 11:20 AM

Nearly 4000 miles on the bike and .... well, I've run into some reliability issues. Two turn signals have failed, and I've been waiting on parts to arrive from China. Apparently turn signals are failing pretty consistently, because SSR was out of stock on them. Long-term, that's not a big deal. If signals fail out of warranty I'll put aftermarket signals on.

However... the other day the LED lighting on the left-half of my tachometer face failed. This is a huge bummer. If I get the speedometer replaced all my hard-earned mileage will disappear. I do not like that idea.

Otherwise, I'm running lower gearing and spinning the engine to 8500rpm pretty regularly, and nothing mechanical has broken. The bike is very smooth and vibration has slowly lessened as it has broken in, and the engine revs far more freely in the upper rpm range now. Mechanically the bike is solid, but the speedo and signals are unreliable unfortunately.

Charles.

ChopperCharles · 06-05-2019, 10:52 PM

Last post was a bit of a downer but I am still enjoying riding this bike every single day. I love it, I love the way it runs and I especially love the way it handles.

Today I finished my custom seat. It’s based off of a seat from a classic, but the foam is cut down and reshaped to have a more forward lean, and then built up with more seat foam. It’s taller than stock, but also narrower st the front, so my legs can easily hug the tank. The stock seat splayed my legs apart and made it uncomfortable to hug the tank with my knees.

I also love the brown cover with the lighter grab strap accent. The bike looks more like a scrambler than a cafe with this flat seat and luggage rack, and I like that.

jthewood · 07-11-2019, 07:11 PM

"Yeah, I plan to. Going to go with the bolt-on/clamp-on support so as not to mess with my beautiful frame powdercoat. While I'm building my braces I'm also going to add mounting tabs for some custom saddlebag brackets I'm bending up."

Hi Charles,

I've read this entire thread and have had a lot of interest in your build. More importantly, I'm interested in your current feelings about the Buccaneer. You mentioned that you are making braces for the rear frame? Have you completed that yet? Care to post a pic or two? I too, would put a rack and would want to put a little weight on it, but am concerned about upsetting the geometry and steering on such a light bike.

Your thoughts?

Jason

ChopperCharles · 07-16-2019, 11:41 AM

I haven't built it yet, but I did just buy the clamps and have them delivered.

My thoughts are... well, I'm glad I bought the bike. I have 5300 miles on it, and other than dealer assembly issues at the beginning, my only problems have been the turn signals. And those were replaced under warranty. It's a very easy bike to work on, and a very easy bike to ride. I ride it almost every day, I frequently take it on the highway, my tach needle is often at 8000rpm and the engine seems to love it there. I get 57-58mpg no matter how I ride, even with highway thrown into the mix.

I do wish it had another 50cc... but then, I'm 250 lbs. I'd probably get more performance out of losing 50 lbs than 50cc would provide.

BUT do remember I'm pretty close to sea level with reasonably flat roads between Raleigh and Durham (which is where most of my Freeway riding takes place). Elevation robs horsepower like nothing else, and a 250cc bike isn't going to perform as well in the mountains. Just keep that in mind, your location may effect how happy you are with the bike's performance.

Charles.

ChopperCharles · 07-16-2019, 11:43 AM

Buccaneer, I talked with SSR last week, and they have new updated speedometers in stock. These speedometers fix the loose, vibrating tach needle problem permanently.

Charles.

jthewood · 07-17-2019, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChopperCharles

I haven't built it yet, but I did just buy the clamps and have them delivered.

My thoughts are... well, I'm glad I bought the bike. I have 5300 miles on it, and other than dealer assembly issues at the beginning, my only problems have been the turn signals. And those were replaced under warranty. It's a very easy bike to work on, and a very easy bike to ride. I ride it almost every day, I frequently take it on the highway, my tach needle is often at 8000rpm and the engine seems to love it there. I get 57-58mpg no matter how I ride, even with highway thrown into the mix.

I do wish it had another 50cc... but then, I'm 250 lbs. I'd probably get more performance out of losing 50 lbs than 50cc would provide.

BUT do remember I'm pretty close to sea level with reasonably flat roads between Raleigh and Durham (which is where most of my Freeway riding takes place). Elevation robs horsepower like nothing else, and a 250cc bike isn't going to perform as well in the mountains. Just keep that in mind, your location may effect how happy you are with the bike's performance.

Charles.

Thanks Charles, I appreciate the feedback. I agree, my elevation is an issue, but I'm not looking for a world tourer, just a fun bike for riding around. I would like to be able to hit the highway and thats an issue where I live. We have lots of long steep uphills that can suck if you don't have enough power to keep up with traffic. I also have a long commute that I wouldn't want to do on a bike thats wrung out for the entire trip. If I can cruise at 75, that would work, but I have some concerns that I could keep that up.

ChopperCharles · 07-17-2019, 01:26 PM

In the mountains, going uphill, you'll be at 65mph going uphill. Even geared down a bit.

This bike is happiest between 7000rpm and 8000rpm. That's where it makes the most power, and that's where it feels the most responsive and comfortable. It vibrates more at 6000rpm, and smooths out by 7000rpm. 8500rpm is what I'd consider redline - it's 500rpm before the 9000rpm ignition cutoff. But, after 8000rpm power drops off, so that's when I shift.

This bike will do all day at 8000rpm. I know, I've done it for 5300 miles. I've done long days on the highway with the throttle pinned, and depending on hills and headwinds, was going anywhere from 65mph to 80mph. But mostly right around 73-75.

If you have cars to break the wind, you can do 80 easy. The bike does highway better when the traffic is heavier. Empty highways you're at the mercy of aerodynamics... and the bike has none.

This is all at sea level though. And 75mph is not an easy "cruising" speed unless you're behind traffic. It's a "throttle pinned" speed. And you'll still slow down going uphill, even behind traffic. (But not as much)

It's a fun bike, but anything this small is going to struggle to do high speeds in the mountains.

You're basically buying an XV250 Virago with better styling, better suspension, better cornering clearance, full sized ergonomics, and half the price. But the engine is still a 250 virago. There's only so much power you can get out of a 249cc air-cooled twin designed in the mid 80s.

If you want a fast 250, your only option is a ex250 ninja. If you want a fast small bike there are a myriad of options in the 300cc range right now. If you want Chinese/Italian... the TNT300 is an amazing little bike, and will cruise at 80 without drama.

Charles.

Charles

ChopperCharles · 08-06-2019, 09:16 AM

Sunpie daymaker clone and a new headlight bucket for it. 30 watts low beam 45 high, and the lighting is absolutely stunning. It’s better than any of the lighting on any other motorcycle I’ve ever owned. It’s comparable to a new Volvo. Hard cutoff beam and no extraneous light leakage above the beam. Much, much better than an h4 LED bulb in the stock reflector.

Charles.

**JerryHawk250** · 08-06-2019, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChopperCharles

Sunpie daymaker clone and a new headlight bucket for it. 30 watts low beam 45 high, and the lighting is absolutely stunning. It’s better than any of the lighting on any other motorcycle I’ve ever owned. It’s comparable to a new Volvo. Hard cutoff beam and no extraneous light leakage above the beam. Much, much better than an h4 LED bulb in the stock reflector.

Charles.

I like it.

racerrrx · 08-06-2019, 05:56 PM

Picked up my Cafe 2.5 weeks ago, now at 700 miles. Charles' enthusiasm in his ADVrider thread and a price I couldn't refuse led me to buy the thing at a dealer 200 miles away never having seen one in person. After reading thru that and this thread I have a couple conclusions- there are some common issues, but there's also enough slop in the quality (and build quality) that we all have some unique issues/experiences. My gearbox is very clunky. I don't notice hardly any vibes in the bars (with stock mirrors or bar end cheapos) but feel a lot of vibes thru the pegs. Lastly, just to add fuel to the (pointless) break-in debate... I changed my oil at around 130 and 300 miles, and had not a speck of metal swarf to clean out (changed to the Yamaha filter at first change). During that time I used the bike to commute on the freeway, revving to 8500 rpm often.
My first ride home from work with maybe 30 miles on the bike, I wrung it out to a top speed of 89 in a tuck. Since then I've seen 91. GPS shows speed is off by about 6 mph at top speeds.

ChopperCharles · 09-30-2019, 12:15 AM

Just installed a Barnett Kevlar clutch in my Buccaneer. Huge, huge difference! It’s a great upgrade! My stock clutch was fine, but the stock springs were too weak. Upgrading the springs alone would probably be worth it for the $13 plus $15 for the gasket, but I went the full shabang with the Barnett fiber and steel plates. Just order the clutch and springs for a 2017 xv250 v star.

Charles.

ChopperCharles · 09-30-2019, 08:55 PM

It’s truly a performance upgrade. Feels so much different, no slip at all when banging through the gears.

I detail the installation in episode 4 of ChopperCharles and his Dirty Garage, right here:

Charles.

ChopperCharles · 10-07-2019, 06:11 PM

Note that I can now pop the front wheel up on command in 1st gear. I'm too big for that in 2nd gear, but a lighter rider should be able to do it in 2nd.

Long an short of it, if you don't want to watch the video, is that the stock plates were still within wear specs. The stock clutch springs are optimized for a light lever pull, not for performance. Simply swapping barnett springs with a stock clutch costs under $40 and should give you most of the benefits of a completely new clutch, especially if you do it with low miles on the bike.

Clutch pull increases, but it's no worse than a vintage CB750 or CX500.

The engagement zone is now quite narrow. For larger engagement zone or less lever pull, you can use two OEM springs and two Barnett springs. You can also try using EBC springs, which are not as stiff as the Barnett springs.

This is a great mod, and cheap. Parts list follows:

Barnett Clutch Parts for a 2010-2019 Yamaha XV250 "V-Star 250".
401-90-078015 - Steel Clutch Drive Plate - x4
301-90-10025 - Clutch Friction Plate- Kevlar - x1
301-90-10825 - Clutch Friction B Plate- Kevlar - x4
501-57-04046 - Clutch Spring Kit - x1

SSR Parts List:
3160095 - Clutch Cover Gasket (x1)
BIA15131 - O-Ring 9.7mm x 2.4mm (x1)

Charles.

05-26-2019, 01:01 PM	#241
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	MWA-HAHAHAHAHA!! I got the EJK fuel controller working with the Buccaneer! I set everything at +2 across the board and took it for a spin. Top speed doesn't appear to be affected whatsoever, BUT the motor spins up faster into the upper rev range. 3rd and 4th gear hit the limiter while pulling hard, before I'd feel the power taper off and the vibration increase, which was my signal to shift. That vibration is gone now, and the motor spins up to the rev limiter (at 9000 rpm) without a sag in power. The vibration that I've always felt between 5000 and 6000rpm has also greatly diminished, and I had noticed in the past when starting the bike cold, I'd have to wait for a minute or two before taking off, or it would cough a bit. Now I can take off immediately. It's definitely not a night-and-day difference, it's subtle, but the overall smoothness of the bike and the willingness to rev is definitely improved. For a stock bike, it's probably not worth the cost. Especially since you need to mod it to work at the moment. But if you want an aftermarket exhaust it's going to be necessary I think, as stock the buck runs very lean. Charles.
	2

05-28-2019, 09:06 AM	#242
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	+2 was the wrong setting. Torque for going up hills was reduced and fuel consumption increased. I'm not sure the EJK can make much of a difference on a stock bike, but I need to find a dyno to be sure. BUT for future modification, such as aftermarket exhaust or the 314cc big bore kit, this will be essential. Charles.
	0

06-03-2019, 11:20 AM	#243
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	Nearly 4000 miles on the bike and .... well, I've run into some reliability issues. Two turn signals have failed, and I've been waiting on parts to arrive from China. Apparently turn signals are failing pretty consistently, because SSR was out of stock on them. Long-term, that's not a big deal. If signals fail out of warranty I'll put aftermarket signals on. However... the other day the LED lighting on the left-half of my tachometer face failed. This is a huge bummer. If I get the speedometer replaced all my hard-earned mileage will disappear. I do not like that idea. Otherwise, I'm running lower gearing and spinning the engine to 8500rpm pretty regularly, and nothing mechanical has broken. The bike is very smooth and vibration has slowly lessened as it has broken in, and the engine revs far more freely in the upper rpm range now. Mechanically the bike is solid, but the speedo and signals are unreliable unfortunately. Charles.
	1

07-11-2019, 07:11 PM	#245
jthewood Join Date: May 2016 Location: Southwestern US Posts: 7	"Yeah, I plan to. Going to go with the bolt-on/clamp-on support so as not to mess with my beautiful frame powdercoat. While I'm building my braces I'm also going to add mounting tabs for some custom saddlebag brackets I'm bending up." Hi Charles, I've read this entire thread and have had a lot of interest in your build. More importantly, I'm interested in your current feelings about the Buccaneer. You mentioned that you are making braces for the rear frame? Have you completed that yet? Care to post a pic or two? I too, would put a rack and would want to put a little weight on it, but am concerned about upsetting the geometry and steering on such a light bike. Your thoughts? Jason
	0

07-16-2019, 11:41 AM	#246
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	I haven't built it yet, but I did just buy the clamps and have them delivered. My thoughts are... well, I'm glad I bought the bike. I have 5300 miles on it, and other than dealer assembly issues at the beginning, my only problems have been the turn signals. And those were replaced under warranty. It's a very easy bike to work on, and a very easy bike to ride. I ride it almost every day, I frequently take it on the highway, my tach needle is often at 8000rpm and the engine seems to love it there. I get 57-58mpg no matter how I ride, even with highway thrown into the mix. I do wish it had another 50cc... but then, I'm 250 lbs. I'd probably get more performance out of losing 50 lbs than 50cc would provide. BUT do remember I'm pretty close to sea level with reasonably flat roads between Raleigh and Durham (which is where most of my Freeway riding takes place). Elevation robs horsepower like nothing else, and a 250cc bike isn't going to perform as well in the mountains. Just keep that in mind, your location may effect how happy you are with the bike's performance. Charles.
	1

07-16-2019, 11:43 AM	#247
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	Buccaneer, I talked with SSR last week, and they have new updated speedometers in stock. These speedometers fix the loose, vibrating tach needle problem permanently. Charles.
	0

07-17-2019, 01:26 PM	#249
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	In the mountains, going uphill, you'll be at 65mph going uphill. Even geared down a bit. This bike is happiest between 7000rpm and 8000rpm. That's where it makes the most power, and that's where it feels the most responsive and comfortable. It vibrates more at 6000rpm, and smooths out by 7000rpm. 8500rpm is what I'd consider redline - it's 500rpm before the 9000rpm ignition cutoff. But, after 8000rpm power drops off, so that's when I shift. This bike will do all day at 8000rpm. I know, I've done it for 5300 miles. I've done long days on the highway with the throttle pinned, and depending on hills and headwinds, was going anywhere from 65mph to 80mph. But mostly right around 73-75. If you have cars to break the wind, you can do 80 easy. The bike does highway better when the traffic is heavier. Empty highways you're at the mercy of aerodynamics... and the bike has none. This is all at sea level though. And 75mph is not an easy "cruising" speed unless you're behind traffic. It's a "throttle pinned" speed. And you'll still slow down going uphill, even behind traffic. (But not as much) It's a fun bike, but anything this small is going to struggle to do high speeds in the mountains. You're basically buying an XV250 Virago with better styling, better suspension, better cornering clearance, full sized ergonomics, and half the price. But the engine is still a 250 virago. There's only so much power you can get out of a 249cc air-cooled twin designed in the mid 80s. If you want a fast 250, your only option is a ex250 ninja. If you want a fast small bike there are a myriad of options in the 300cc range right now. If you want Chinese/Italian... the TNT300 is an amazing little bike, and will cruise at 80 without drama. Charles. Charles
	2

08-06-2019, 05:56 PM	#252
racerrrx Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 1	Picked up my Cafe 2.5 weeks ago, now at 700 miles. Charles' enthusiasm in his ADVrider thread and a price I couldn't refuse led me to buy the thing at a dealer 200 miles away never having seen one in person. After reading thru that and this thread I have a couple conclusions- there are some common issues, but there's also enough slop in the quality (and build quality) that we all have some unique issues/experiences. My gearbox is very clunky. I don't notice hardly any vibes in the bars (with stock mirrors or bar end cheapos) but feel a lot of vibes thru the pegs. Lastly, just to add fuel to the (pointless) break-in debate... I changed my oil at around 130 and 300 miles, and had not a speck of metal swarf to clean out (changed to the Yamaha filter at first change). During that time I used the bike to commute on the freeway, revving to 8500 rpm often. My first ride home from work with maybe 30 miles on the bike, I wrung it out to a top speed of 89 in a tuck. Since then I've seen 91. GPS shows speed is off by about 6 mph at top speeds.
	2

09-30-2019, 12:15 AM	#253
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	Just installed a Barnett Kevlar clutch in my Buccaneer. Huge, huge difference! It’s a great upgrade! My stock clutch was fine, but the stock springs were too weak. Upgrading the springs alone would probably be worth it for the $13 plus $15 for the gasket, but I went the full shabang with the Barnett fiber and steel plates. Just order the clutch and springs for a 2017 xv250 v star. Charles.
	2

09-30-2019, 08:55 PM	#254
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	It’s truly a performance upgrade. Feels so much different, no slip at all when banging through the gears. I detail the installation in episode 4 of ChopperCharles and his Dirty Garage, right here: Charles.
	3

10-07-2019, 06:11 PM	#255
ChopperCharles Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: RDU, NC Posts: 677	Note that I can now pop the front wheel up on command in 1st gear. I'm too big for that in 2nd gear, but a lighter rider should be able to do it in 2nd. Long an short of it, if you don't want to watch the video, is that the stock plates were still within wear specs. The stock clutch springs are optimized for a light lever pull, not for performance. Simply swapping barnett springs with a stock clutch costs under $40 and should give you most of the benefits of a completely new clutch, especially if you do it with low miles on the bike. Clutch pull increases, but it's no worse than a vintage CB750 or CX500. The engagement zone is now quite narrow. For larger engagement zone or less lever pull, you can use two OEM springs and two Barnett springs. You can also try using EBC springs, which are not as stiff as the Barnett springs. This is a great mod, and cheap. Parts list follows: Barnett Clutch Parts for a 2010-2019 Yamaha XV250 "V-Star 250". 401-90-078015 - Steel Clutch Drive Plate - x4 301-90-10025 - Clutch Friction Plate- Kevlar - x1 301-90-10825 - Clutch Friction B Plate- Kevlar - x4 501-57-04046 - Clutch Spring Kit - x1 SSR Parts List: 3160095 - Clutch Cover Gasket (x1) BIA15131 - O-Ring 9.7mm x 2.4mm (x1) Charles.
	2