My 07 TE250 has gone back to the shop for the second time for motor work the first time was a issue with using oil (aprox 800 miles) valves and rings(top end) and now it's knocking at low RPM and some metal in the oil and filter (aprox 1600 miles). I have never ridden this bike hard and I have done the oil changes. I would like George to repair it but he will not do extended warrenty work so I dropped it off back at Malcoms. My first exeperience was not as good as I would have hoped, dented radiator fins, oil leak & timming chain had to be re-adjusted and I lost my bike for 4 weeks So heres my dilema. 1) MS has several 08 SM610 at low price of $5999 and then put some off raod rims,tires, breaks and sell the SM stuf? 2) Wait for the 09 TE510 or 610 to come in? I have had a blast on my TE250 on fire service roads, chasing my sons around and DS rides. Yet I would like a bigger bike for longer rides like the TAT. I just don't know which one. Opinions Welcome Dan L
That 250 bike is for the woods. You are possibly pushing it too much on the open stuff. Get the TE610. Buy a used '08 if you can find one for $6k, or find one on a dealers floor hold over from '08 brand new out of state. Its a 50 state bike. The motard option just wont cut it. Suspension isnt up to the chore. For the TAT a '08 TE 610 is as good as it gets. The '09 does have better forks, but its gonna be months till its here, and in VERY limited numbers, and an extra $3k when all is said and done. Get an '08 with the EFI.
If the price was right for a new 08 SM what is different about the suspension? The Dealer has several of the 08 SM610 in black and red and thay should work with me on the wheel swap because of all the issues. Note: My TE250 has seen verry little pavement, and for the most part slow FS roads. This was my first bike and it has been taken care of well. Perhaps I should have road the hell out of it and never changed the oil or checked the valves
I agree with Mike on everything except the SM suspension thing. I think that the Sm suspension will do just fine if you do some minor rework. You could sell the SM parts for enough to make a TE conversion but the front break is a bit of a challenge. I'ts much easier to turn a TE into a SM then the other way around. If you don't mind sporting a 320mm rotor on a dirt bike then there isn't a issue ,WoodsChick does it, as a matter of fact all she did was put knobbies on the SM wheels and I don't think she has any complaints. In any event, the 610 is probably more to you're liking for what you are doing and the ideal bike for the TAT.
I have not found a 08 TE610 out there, Can the rim/Brake change out be done with factory hubs? I do know the bike has less travel than the TE and that might be okay because I had my 250 lowered 1". The SM has aprox 2' in the Front and 1.2" in the rear less than the TE.
I think the problem going from SM to TE is going to be the front brake bracket on the lower fork leg. You would need to swap out the lower fork leg to run the smaller rotor. By the time your done swapping out all those parts you would be looking at a few more dollars. Of course this could be be offset by selling your SM stuff. There are guys that run SM bikes on dirt. You just can't expect to be able to run in the real nasty stuff. I would think that front rotor is pretty exposed to damage from rocks and such.
Would these wheels and brake set up work for a 2008 SM to TE Conv?http://www.thumpertalk.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=48587&cat=33
