I wanted a super lightweight bike to go on the back of my Ford Transit, with my Dave Cooper bike rack.
So I didn't have to use my Motolug trailer.
It needed to be a tall bike, because of my pinned legs.
So I bought an XT 125, cracking bike but just not enough power..
After much research I narrowed it down to a Beta Alp 200, serow 225 or Serow 250.
The Beta Alp is a good bike but a tiny fuel tank 6 ltr. And no luck with finding a larger one.
The XT 250 is too heavy at 123KG dry weight.
So the XT225 it was then. 108KG dry weight.
Trouble is there rare and darn expensive, especially given there age..
So I asked on here & got a non runner for way under 1/2 the price of any others that were for sale in the UK at the time.
August 2021.
It had ran a few years earlier, but was a nightmare to start.
Only 37k miles & generally scruffy..
( still is , but won't be )
My riding buddy is a fantastic mechanic & said he wasn't worried about it not running.
So I bought it 16 August 2021..
Delivered it to him the next morning and as I was packing away my Motolug trailer I could hear his pressure washing going.
I look around his hedge, he'd stripped the plastics off & was washing my bike..feck I thought...
But he said as he was going to go through everything not to worry....
That was at 13:28pm.
At 14.59pm he had it running, perfectly.
Starting everytime.
The carberation was way out & the carburetor was full of cack.
First start up - https://youtu.be/YBJLN0rvuY0
I had it MOT'd on the Wednesday ( passed )..
We had a tour of Scotland booked for the 3rd of September 2021 and I was hoping to use it then..
Rather than the XT125X
Nothing like cutting it fine...
As it was going to be purely a road bike, new Avon trailrider tyres were ordered.
When I took the wheels off i noticed it had a heavy a duty chain on it.
Totally over the top & the front sprocket was far to big & grinding on the gearbox casing..' fuck '.
.
So I ordered the correct chain size 428 pitch & 45 total rear sprocket, 17 tooth front sprocket +2.
( it had 42t / 15t on it ) Super low geared.
Which had made it a much better road bike.
B4 I changed the chain & sprockets 45 / 50 MPH was absolute flat out.
Now it will Cruise at 60+ & downhill 75 MPH.
Fitted some 1150GS bar risers..
new cables.
Oil & filter.
Group puppies
Disc pads & brake shoes.
Battery.
Spark plug.
Coil.
Rectifier.
Used handguards.
Denali LED spots. ( standard headlight, kin awful )
A screen I had on my Guzzi 1000 Strada.
Clarke 4.1 US Gallon gas tank.
And a homemade rear top box rack..
Used DELKEVIC exhaust system ( £50 eBay ).
Made to Scotland, it was a pleasure to ride & have covered over 1500 miles through this winter, first time I've ridden through a winter in years.
I certainly would not use my shiny new KTM 390ADV with salt on the road or through the winter for that matter as I just can't clean it everytime I use a bike in winter.
But the Serow is as tuff as old boots..
JB & BHT recommended to let the bike run out of fuel everytime by turning the fuel tap off.
I didn't at first but soon learnt their advice was spot on after a couple of non starts...
Fanks guys
All in all it's turned out to be a cracking wee bike.
More than fit for purpose.
And by changing the fuel tank & exhaust system I've shed 6KG off its base weight..
I pump out the fuel tank everytime I put it on the bike rack, so it's sub 100KG on the nose weight of my Transit.
So I didn't have to use my Motolug trailer.
It needed to be a tall bike, because of my pinned legs.
So I bought an XT 125, cracking bike but just not enough power..
After much research I narrowed it down to a Beta Alp 200, serow 225 or Serow 250.
The Beta Alp is a good bike but a tiny fuel tank 6 ltr. And no luck with finding a larger one.
The XT 250 is too heavy at 123KG dry weight.
So the XT225 it was then. 108KG dry weight.
Trouble is there rare and darn expensive, especially given there age..
So I asked on here & got a non runner for way under 1/2 the price of any others that were for sale in the UK at the time.
August 2021.
It had ran a few years earlier, but was a nightmare to start.
Only 37k miles & generally scruffy..
( still is , but won't be )
My riding buddy is a fantastic mechanic & said he wasn't worried about it not running.
So I bought it 16 August 2021..
Delivered it to him the next morning and as I was packing away my Motolug trailer I could hear his pressure washing going.
I look around his hedge, he'd stripped the plastics off & was washing my bike..feck I thought...
But he said as he was going to go through everything not to worry....
That was at 13:28pm.
At 14.59pm he had it running, perfectly.
Starting everytime.
The carberation was way out & the carburetor was full of cack.
First start up - https://youtu.be/YBJLN0rvuY0
I had it MOT'd on the Wednesday ( passed )..
We had a tour of Scotland booked for the 3rd of September 2021 and I was hoping to use it then..
Rather than the XT125X
Nothing like cutting it fine...
As it was going to be purely a road bike, new Avon trailrider tyres were ordered.
When I took the wheels off i noticed it had a heavy a duty chain on it.
Totally over the top & the front sprocket was far to big & grinding on the gearbox casing..' fuck '.
.
So I ordered the correct chain size 428 pitch & 45 total rear sprocket, 17 tooth front sprocket +2.
( it had 42t / 15t on it ) Super low geared.
Which had made it a much better road bike.
B4 I changed the chain & sprockets 45 / 50 MPH was absolute flat out.
Now it will Cruise at 60+ & downhill 75 MPH.
Fitted some 1150GS bar risers..
new cables.
Oil & filter.
Group puppies
Disc pads & brake shoes.
Battery.
Spark plug.
Coil.
Rectifier.
Used handguards.
Denali LED spots. ( standard headlight, kin awful )
A screen I had on my Guzzi 1000 Strada.
Clarke 4.1 US Gallon gas tank.
And a homemade rear top box rack..
Used DELKEVIC exhaust system ( £50 eBay ).
Made to Scotland, it was a pleasure to ride & have covered over 1500 miles through this winter, first time I've ridden through a winter in years.
I certainly would not use my shiny new KTM 390ADV with salt on the road or through the winter for that matter as I just can't clean it everytime I use a bike in winter.
But the Serow is as tuff as old boots..
JB & BHT recommended to let the bike run out of fuel everytime by turning the fuel tap off.
I didn't at first but soon learnt their advice was spot on after a couple of non starts...
Fanks guys
All in all it's turned out to be a cracking wee bike.
More than fit for purpose.
And by changing the fuel tank & exhaust system I've shed 6KG off its base weight..
I pump out the fuel tank everytime I put it on the bike rack, so it's sub 100KG on the nose weight of my Transit.