Hello everyone, I just bought a 2006 EX250 last month.
I took a friend with me to look over and test ride the bike. After all was said and done, I rode it 12 miles from the sellers house to lunch, before letting my friend ride it back across the lake for me. Once it was home, I rode it a couple miles to the nearest Cyclegear for a couple of items. On the way home all was great until the turn onto my street. Was it gravel, a bad line and panic, or maybe gremlins? Whatever the cause, the rear tire washed out and I went flying.
If there were ever a question about ATGATT, it was answered that day. I was unscathed, but my beautiful bike was not. Bent left fork, bent right handlebar, broken front turn signals (both of them... it kinda fell over to the other side when I picked her up), cracked and scraped upper fairing, battle-damaged bar ends, and impressively scratched face shield. I've replaced the turn signals and face shield, flipped the right handlebar around so she will track straight, and repaired the fairing with fiberglass cloth and marine epoxy. She's back to pretty, but not running well.
I had borrowed a Rebel 250 many years ago (from that same friend) when the timing belt blew on the truck I was driving. My only training then was a familiarization ride behind Sears. This past January I took the MSF course and recently got my endorsement. I bought the EX250 so I could learn on it. I'm currently learning patience, and the wonder that is carburetors.
