Let’s see what the PE250 is all about back on the trails

Been itching to try this bike out back on my trails. My favorite part of the whole "bike revival" process is getting them back in their natural habitat once they are nursed back to health to see how they perform. This one doesn't disappoint!
Check out Cautrell Vintage Cycles:
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[@letsgo8941]

I had that exact bike. I bought it brand new 1980 as a leftover. It was a solid dependable motorcycle that needed very little maintenance. As reliable as any four stroke.

[@Garage2Trail]

I’m very quickly becoming attached to this bike. Getting the carb dialed in and it’s a blast in the woods. I will probably keep this for a while. I need to stop becoming so attached to bikes! I’m running out of room 😆

[@letsgo8941]

@@Garage2Trail Enjoy, I had to lean mine out a bit, but I am at 4000'.

[@mikemazz3377]

Had a 81 pe 175 loved it great bikes

[@ronwoudenberg5344]

Great bike to play in the woods and dirt. Enjoy!

[@Garage2Trail]

It’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine already! Thanks!

[@kevsawdon1420]

Cracked inlet manifolds use old inner tubes cut in strips and stretch over

[@Garage2Trail]

That’s a great idea, thank you!

[@joeysmith6154]

Hey Garage2trail I transitioned from a 79 RM125N to the 80 RM250 w/a kick of a mule but smoothed out that kick w/a flywheel weight. At first I thought it may be cheating but no sir. And it allowed me to race an occasional Hare N Hound Off-road w/.my more mellowed PE & IT riding buddies. The weighted flywheel can be replaced w/the stock unit. The nut, washer and shear key from the stock flywheel is used. No carb work, pipe replacement needed. It actually makes the power and much more linear . Which translates into more usable power from the bottom till she signs off on top. Maybe a stock pair of RM rear shocks (Showa) allows more adjustment settings and each shock has its own remote reservoir to keep the nitrogen inside cooler longer on extended rough rides through the pokies.

[@Garage2Trail]

That’s pretty cool Joey thank you for sharing! I remember back in the day my bud would put a heavier flywheel on his motocross YZs to be able to chug in the right woods better. I’ll have to keep my eye out for some Showas at mid Ohio this year! I seriously would like to race it next year after I get new tires and stuff dialed in and solid along with some seat time. I’m adapting to it pretty good over the past week of messing around on my trails with it.

[@GPgundude]

I’d fix any problems that the bike has, give it some new tires, freshen up the suspension and keep it!! Great video! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@Garage2Trail]

Thank you! Yup, I intend on getting new tires and swapping in that new intake boot and keeping it for a while to do some vintage hare scrambles.

[@lindasnook6735]

I d go thru the engine and make sure the crank bearings, piston , rings, etc were all within spec. Try to quiet the engine down some.

[@davet3947]

Dude that is a fantastic example of what the older bikes are capable of and you looked like you really had fun!!!

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks Dave! It will do even better with good tires lol. I got the carb dialed in pretty good now too. I’ll have to do a follow up ride video once I get everything dialed.

[@davet3947]

I can’t wait!!!!

[@Eric--zs6um]

Sweet time machine. Got some binge watching to do. The 250's look better than the PE 175s to me. Keep doing what you do to these old time pieces. 👍 👍 👍

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks! I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Having too much fun riding all these classics!

[@Eric--zs6um]

@@Garage2Trail hell yeah 😎

[@edwardkaminsky8142]

Dig watching that suzuki rip the trails!

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks Ed!

[@wvangus82]

I had an 82 rm250 that called for 20:1 fuel mix and it wasnt happy unless you ran 28:1. You could lug it around the woods on a long ride and as long as you ripped on it every little bit it never fouled plugs, but it spooged oil out the muffler a tiny bit. The throttle response was non existent you could pin it and a couple seconds later the rear tire would light up lol. I got used to it and actually liked the way you had to ride that bike in the woods.

[@Garage2Trail]

That’s good to know! Maybe I’ll try 35 or 30:1 to see how it behaves. Just replaced the plug with the NGK that is called for stock. It had a champion plug in it when I first got it.

[@RealHooksy]

Good old Suzukis just keep on going. I remember riding 78 models on a cattle station in the outback of Australia back in 79. I was on the edge of the Simpson desert. They were only a year old but looked like they’d been ridden for 20 years with no maintenance. The carby was held together with fencing wire on one of them but they still ran fine. The rubber Oring is the correct solution for holding the multi tool in place. FYI, back in the day you often needed a tool to adjust your chain during a long ride. Chains weren’t sealed like they are nowadays so they would wear pretty quickly and stretch. It looks like your bike may have lost the chain at one stage and that’s why the front sprocket guard is missing/ broken. Nice bike, thanks for the memories 🍻🦘

[@Garage2Trail]

That so awesome! Thanks for sharing 👍 and thanks for watching! 🍻

[@brianking1138]

Looks like a great woods bike. I always had Yamaha ITs. I've never rode a PE.

[@Garage2Trail]

I need to get an IT at some point to try. Friend of mine used to have an IT200 when we were in high school. Never had a chance to ride it.

[@cainbeeping8480]

You have a great place to ride. That is a cool bike.

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks! I’m lucky to still have all these trails

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks! I’m lucky to still have all these trails!

[@johnobrien8542]

Awesome! I had the old kawasaki kdx, but i love the suzuki PE and yamaha it. I want one of each. 😅. Fun video, thanks for your efforts.

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks for tuning in! I’d love to find a KDX but they are hard to come by nowadays for decent prices. I’d like to find one to fix up for the channel but even the dead ones are priced too high. Same with the IT’s.

[@andrewroberts8993]

My buddy had one of those with a RM motor. We called it the PERM hahaha

[@Garage2Trail]

😆 im sure that thing absolutely RIPPED

[@glennlynch9653]

Is that a19 teen inch rear wheel? Gnarley real tough trails.Proof positive you don't need a modern rocketship to go good on tough trails.Great rider!!

[@Garage2Trail]

Thank you Glenn, I appreciate that! This one has an 18” rear. When I get fresh rubber it will be even more capable!

[@daveypenn211]

I had a Honda CR125 then decided to change to a Suzuki RM250, scared myself to death on that thing so went back to a cr125 😂

[@Garage2Trail]

Lol nice…what year were those bikes?

[@daveypenn211]

@Garage2Trail at a guess the 1st CR was about a 1986, the RM was maybe a 1987 they both had single rear shock and "normal" forks, the last CR was approx 1990 with usd forks and white decals. Loved the last CR125 very rideable and fun

[@edwardkaminsky8142]

I had the 79 RM 125 rebuilt and bored out. Hold on if you can. The power ban on this thing was scary. We called it string bean because it was so thin. Great stuff.

[@DH-mf2lv]

Awesome!

[@user-ol5zr3pb9n]

For the air box perhaps with Gorilla clear adhesive with at least an hour drying time before placing the oiled air filter..

[@Garage2Trail]

That’s a good idea! It seems to be holding together just with the seat pressing down on it. I’ve been riding this bike quite a bit since recording that video.

[@user-ol5zr3pb9n]

Some new Bridgestone tires cleaning up the bike and good lube to the chain will make the bike sharp to ride again

[@Garage2Trail]

Yup…I’m already looking into new tires/chain/sprockets. I think I may race this one next year at Mid Ohio

[@user-ol5zr3pb9n]

@@Garage2Trail Sounds like a good deal. That Suzuki looks and sounds great. I have used and still use Maxima SC 1 and after pressure watching the bike and drying it well you can spray this great said product for a sharp good looking finish. Amazon has it ..

[@Garage2Trail]

@@user-ol5zr3pb9n thank you! And I’m very familiar with SC1! Love it. Smells good and mud won’t stick to the bike after. Makes old tires look new too lol

[@user-ol5zr3pb9n]

@@Garage2Trail You bet brother !

[@CraigSteinman-zt3vu]

The thing is you sit so far back on those old bikes the sweep on the bars becomes a real issue..the bars look like batwings.lol..cool old bike though

[@Garage2Trail]

Good point! It’s a treat to see how guys rode these back in the day.

[@benspeedschannel888]

I miss riding trail like that, trials only for me these days

[@Garage2Trail]

At least you are still riding something!

[@7272nighthawk]

I have a 1978 the gearing seams close to yours .

[@Garage2Trail]

Cool! This bike is a keeper for me. Since getting the air screw in, the throttle response has been greatly improved and it can lug a lot easier now. Perfect for my woods. I just need to find some wide open stuff and let it sing in that power band more

[@ibannymous]

There was a rubber o-ring that held the tool to the bottom catch

[@ibannymous]

You would figure 8 the o-ring to hold it tightly in place.

[@Garage2Trail]

Ahh good to know, thank you! I’ll have to come up with something…

[@alanparis7256]

Not in the power band once , not how these were meant to be ridden. It's a trials bike you need for that trail.

[@Garage2Trail]

Funny you should say that lol…my brother rides his trials bike back here as his normal bike! I will have to make a follow up video at some point with just this bike in the band! I only hit it a couple times and it was only for a second or two

[@steveh7823]

Pity there is no decent length of straight track where you can wring it out, was looking forward to hearing the PE scream.

[@Garage2Trail]

Yeah I hear you there…mostly tight trails and nearby homes kept me off the pipe a lot. When it hits that power band, it definitely screams!

[@scottlange4215]

@@steveh7823 ring that pingers neck going riding tomorrow first ride on my brand new 125 x Yamaha

[@ronlawson5819]

Try an o-ring on the multi tool

[@Garage2Trail]

Will do, thanks!

[@randywoodward9707]

Need to to up 1 size on the pilot jet

[@Garage2Trail]

Thanks! I think I’m gonna get a couple pilot and mains to play around with. The plug is showing a chocolate brown so maybe just the pilot as you said.

[@randywoodward9707]

Pretty sure its a 78

[@Garage2Trail]

At first glance I did too but the VIN places it as a ‘79 according to the range of the last 6 digits

[@richarddevaottien7724]

One mistake and a tree trunk puts you in a wheelchair😮 Open country riding is much safer

[@dylisa]

That bike is crunchy compression is low you kicked it over way to easy and that motor sounds like boocoxky

[@Garage2Trail]

She’s not perfect but runs pretty strong. Can’t expect it to sound like a new engine just yet. Maybe my leg is just used to kicking over my XR650R with very healthy compression 😝

[@user-ol5zr3pb9n]

Maybe the neighbors now 31 years later are well rested with their sleep as required by Joe Biden and the loud 2 stroke Suzuki will not bother the neighbors Lol ! 😅

[@Garage2Trail]

Haha if they are as sleepy as Biden then I should be ok to run this bike all day! 😂

[@user-ol5zr3pb9n]

@@Garage2Trail Exactly because any more sleepy and incoherent than the present president is quite alarming..!!

[@Garage2Trail]

@@user-ol5zr3pb9n he’s nothing but a meat puppet 😂

[@scottlange4215]

Crank seals are done.. hi idle ..I quit messing with old bikes

[@Garage2Trail]

The dry side is easy if that’s the case. I’ve been riding the bike since this video was put out and turning in the air screw on the carb pretty much solved the hanging idle. Not sure if the motor needs split on these years for the wet side crank seal but that wouldn’t cause hanging idle…just more smoke lol