XT250: KipMoto SherpaX trailer shakedown ride on the 2008 Yamaha XT250
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- Опубликовано: 16 июл 2024
- Today is Monday, April 26, 2021. I'm riding my Yamaha XT250 for my work commute and to road test my new KipMoto SherpaX single-wheel adventure trailer. Skip to the end of this description for clickable time indexes.
KipMoto SherpaX trailer: kipmoto.com/pages/sherpax
I did a full maintenance on the XT250, including a carburetor overhaul, valve maintenance, oil change, and other road prep before my 2000-mile road trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas.
I installed the trailer a few days before this video, but I hadn't ridden with it on the highway or pulled any heavy weight with it yet. The SherpaX trailer pulls very well behind the XT250 and doesn't cause any new or unexpected handling quirks.
My XT250 already has a slight tendency toward headshake above 65 mph, and the trailer doesn't seem to exaggerate that effect so far. I don't intend to pull the trailer faster than 60 mph during my long roadtrips.
Time indexes:
0:00 Quick look at the KipMoto SherpaX trailer
2:11 XT250 maintenance, road prep, and trip plans
10:00 Pulling the SherpaX trailer on the highway is no problem!
13:50 The SherpaX is more aerodynamic than box panniers
17:55 The XT250 is a great commuter bike
20:24 Closer look at the XT250 and SherpaX trailer mount
24:27 Resuming on my commute home, running errands with the trailer
--
QM
quasimotard@gmail.com
#xt250 #kipmoto #advmoto
2008 Yamaha XT250
dual sport
adv motorcycle
motorcycle camping
motocamping 
Авто/Мото
Interesting real world test on the aero of the SherpaX I always wondered about that but never hooked it up to a small enough bike to test is like you did. Thanks for that!
The SherpaX trailers did great on the 10k mile Scooter Cannonball Run trip behind the Super Cubs. The aerodynamics would have certainly been worse with my big panniers hanging off the sides of the bike.
Another interesting thing was that the added mass behind the bike made riding hands-free on long stretches of highway super easy. I actually needed to transfer more of my weight to butt-steer the bike than I normally would without the trailer. It still carved corners like crazy, though. There were a few downhill mountain passes where I was smoking past cagers and big touring bikes... dragged my Rotopax's a few times and even touched the left leg down a couple of times. 😉👍 --QM
Love your channel. You provide a lot of great information for newer riders. I just picked up a DR200s today and a Super Cub a few months back all because of your channel.
-Thank you
🙏 Thanks for the feedback, Stephen, and congrats on your new DR200S and Super Cub! I'm glad that I could c̶o̶r̶r̶u̶p̶t̶ help your motorcycle decisions! I'm not a good financial influence for most people because I tend to buy most of the toys that interest me! 🤣👍 --QM
The smaller bikes intrigue me the older I get ! They do what u need to do a lot easier
I recently bought an XT250 and kind of have been heading down the ADV path with it - luggage rack, wolfram tank bag and rack bag, a similar windscreen as yours, a USB connection and phone mount.
Although I bought it with an eye toward trail riding I’ve found myself mostly on the street - I’ve even mounted some more streetable tires on it and have taken it to a track day where I wailed on it all day and surprised a few sport bikes in the corners LOL…
I’m really liking that trailer and have added it to my wish list.
I just discovered your channel and subscribed - I like what you are doing with the XT!
Thanks for the feedback and the sub! The XT250 is a great machine, and it carves corners surprisingly well when it has a decent set of shoes on it. I've been running the Avon TrailRiders (AV53 front, AV54 rear) on it for a few years, and I've been very impressed overall.
I took it to Austin, TX a few years ago for the July 4th holiday and wailed it through twisties in the Hill Country around Bee Caves (FM2222 and FM2244 area). I ended up dragging the footpegs a few times in off-camber corners by accident! I couldn't believe that the XT cornered that well and without any fuss... I didn't realize that I was that low until I felt the ground come up to say, "Howdy!" 🤣👍 --QM
nice bike and setup ! thanks for the video
I want one of these trailers soooo bad!
Nice review of the SherpaX and the XT250 . I was looking for info on the SherpaX as I may get one for a TDUB . Thank you ! Subed in .
Thanks for the sub and leaving feedback! I've pulled that SherpaX trailer over 20K miles around the USA so far. It performed decently behind this XT250 for ~1600 miles during our roadtrip a few days after this initial video:
- Days 1-2: ruclips.net/video/uwWALS1uoEU/видео.html
- Days 3-6: ruclips.net/video/13pev6RcOrg/видео.html
The XT250 has a steep steering rake, and it exhibits some annoying head shake above 65 MPH. That tendency was exaggerated by the trailer weight behind the bike, along with the fact that I had it SEVERELY overloaded (85+ lbs of gear, with 25 lbs sitting on top of the box). I learned to keep the total cargo weight under 50 lbs, and the load needs to be situated as low as possible in the box. When the total trailer weight is below 75-80 lbs, you barely feel it behind the bike. However, you'll quickly remember that it's back there when you make a fast steering transition or when backing up in parking lots, though!
I also experimented with tire pressures to keep my little road train tracking straight and behaving itself. The bike and trailer felt very unsettled when all of the tires were at normal highway pressures (upper range of manufacturer recommendations or tire wall specs). I started that trip running at full pressure (36, 38, and 33 PSI for front/rear/trailer), but I eventually found that 28/30/24 PSI tracked straighter and felt more stable without adding too much rolling resistance (added heat and lower economy).
The SherpaX also performed perfectly behind my little Honda Super Cub C125. My buddy, Adrian, and I pulled our trailers 10K miles around the country during the 2021 Scooter Cannonball. We started our journey with the trailers overloaded (as usual), but we ended up shipping about 25 lbs of junk back home. We never had a single mechanical failure of the motorcycles or the trailers during that torture! Here is the playlist, if you're interested: ruclips.net/p/PLLXxDh3JumLnSK37lF4AcrF28frAIfLfA
Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Thank you very very much !@@QuasiMotard
mr. father ,give your daughter a hug and a kiss goodbye.
No... she's a teenager now, and that's embarrassing in front of other kids! 🤣👍
riding 75 mph on an XT250! wow!
Looking forward to more videos with XT250 ridding around ... so few of those....
Howdy, Peter! I still haven't resolved my XT250's charging system problems that started during my Arkansas road trip a couple of years ago ( ruclips.net/video/uwWALS1uoEU/видео.html ). The XT has been waiting patiently in my warehouse for me to replace the voltage regulator/recifier or whatever else died at the beginning of that trip.
I hope to get back into that project when I return from my Scooter Cannonball Run in late June. My plan is to get the XT250 running again, and then I'll buy a new 2023 Honda XR150L to play with at the same time. I'll do some back-to-back comparisons of those "entry-level" dual-purpose bikes to see how they stack up both on and off road. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
@@QuasiMotard I was thinking of XR150L but since I have Grom 2023 ( not first bike.. but I like them small ) atm... decided on XT250.
That XT250 is probably a smarter move. The XR150L only makes sense if the process point is low enough to be a bargain buy under the XT's price.
These two bikes are nearly identical in terms of seat height, weight, and capacity. However, the XT250 has a lot more power and torque to pull its weight, more suspension, more ground clearance, fuel injection (for newer models), and it's made in Japan instead of China. If the OTD price for the XR creeps up too much due to dealer mark-ups, then the XT is a better purchase in every aspect.
I'm planning to buy a XR150L so I can compare it against my 2008 XT250 (carbureted version) to see how they stack up. Hopefully, I'll have time to delve into that project in July after I return from the Scooter Cannonball Run. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
my 1979 Honda XL185 had a top speed of 64 mph. Honda's motors have come a long way.
a 360 camera on the cooler in the back would have been a neat little view.
I have to tell you that I am amazed at what your 2 small bikes can do. They are impressive. I have a few questions. What kind of mileage do you get with the Yamaha? Also, I wonder do you even own a large motorcycle? I say probably not your doing it all with the 2 smaller ones you have, Good for you.
Thanks for watching and leaving feedback! Yes, I own and ride lots of motorcycles and scooters... ranging from 50cc scooters to 1100cc super sports. I am definitely a Honda fan, so most of my stable of bikes wear the big "H" badge. I was up to 26 bikes in the stable last year, but I'm down to 15 metal steeds right now.
This 2008 Yamaha XT250 (carbureted model) usually gets around 55-60 MPG on most of my rides and commutes. I've seen as high as 75 MPG out of it on rare occasions when I'm toodling along on back roads below 50 MPH. The newer 2013+ models are fuel injected, so they are a bit more frugal on gas. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Looking to get a combo like this. Curious though, to me it looks like the little fender on the trailer wheel doesn't extend far enough back. I wonder if it would create a little vertical geyser in the rain. How did it work out for your long trip?
Thank for the content.
Thanks for the feedback, Bill! The trailer has worked out very well for me on both the Yamaha XT250 and also my Honda Super Cub C125. I didn't notice any problems with overspray from the trailer's rear tire, but the XT250's rear tire absolutely blasted the whole trailer in the rain and mud! 🤣
My Arkansas trip with the XT250 and the SherpaX trailer fared well. My XT250 has a tendency to head-shake slightly above 60 MPH, so that was exaggerated a bit with the trailer behind the bike. I had the trailer overloaded on that trip, so I learned a few lessons there. As long as I kept my speed below 60 MPH, then I didn't have any problems with "tail wag".
I pulled the SherpaX trailer behind my Super Cub for nearly 10K miles in July 2021 for the Scooter Cannonball Run. Both the Cub and the trailer performed flawlessly throughout the trip! The Super Cub never had any tendency to "tail wag" with the trailer. I discovered that keeping the trailer's cargo weight under 50 pounds is critical to sane handling, as is keeping the weight as low as possible in the box. I had to ship some stuff back home during my Cannonball Run trip because I had too much weight (easily 75+ pounds) inside and on top of the box... that didn't work very well. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Wow ! That’s a sweet set up ! Nice bike 👍 what kind of rear rack pannier is that ?
Thanks! The pannier mounts that I have on here the "SU side racks" from Happy-Trail.com. I have the Teton aluminum panniers that mount on these racks, and they have served me very well. I discuss that setup briefly in this video: ruclips.net/video/CCSsegIqxR8/видео.html . The tail rack is also from Happy-Trail.com ... it's a fantastic setup! Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
@@QuasiMotard thank you so much for the information ! Happy trails and be safe out there !
Yea but does she know the legendary status of her ole dad..lol
Not famous... infamous! 🤣👍 --QM
Hello. Nice video ! Could you please tell me what type of shock absorber you have there? And the lenght of the absorber ? Thank you
It's a generic shock absorber that was included with the KipMoto SherpaX trailer. I haven't measured the eye-to-eye length or spring rates on it. The next time that I pull it out of the trailer, I will take measurements for you! 😉👍 --QM
What’s the backstory on the XT 250? Do you like it? Many years ago I had a Yamaha Exciter 250. An ok street bike but not great.
I purchased this 2008 XT250 back in 2011 (used) from a local rider in Houston that only put about 1200 miles on it. I've been very pleased with this little mule over the past decade, and it's actually my RUclips channel's namesake. I put street radials on it for commuting and touring, so it was almost a "motard" bike. However, the front wheel was still too large (21" instead of 17") to be a true super-motard. So, it's almost a motard... quasi motard... à la "QuasiMotard"! 😁
If you're interested, you can watch my long-term owner's review video here: ruclips.net/video/CCSsegIqxR8/видео.html . Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Nice vid mate. That was my duel sport bike but l know it was low on power and l understand that. But l always feared cars would run over the top of me on the main road. I had many 125 scooters leave me for dead. On the trails it in its element………….. but still underpowered. For a first bike yes it would be good for beginner’s. Riding around Town was fine……….but on the highway it’s top speed for me was 115…………..and l never felt safe with traffic. Yes l realise its a bike pitched for beginner’s and it does a great job. But for anyone with any experience this bike would disappoint you.
I got a 2008 crf230L, I was looking at something like this to put a push mower on and weedeater to do some of my smaller yards. Do they make a flat bed version?
KipMoto isn't taking orders or pre-orders anymore. I really like the idea of this trailer for dual sport camping. Do you know of any quality alternatives?
I'm sorry to hear that! I know that Joel at KipMoto has been extremely busy with pre-orders and his production schedule for a while. My Scooter Cannonball Run videos probably added a lot of exposure and demand, so he might just be taking a break for a while.
I'm not aware of any other decently-priced single-wheel trailers on the market. There are a few expensive ones in the EU market, but I can't see spending $3K+ on something like that. Several riders have resorted to making their own trailers (my buddy, Neil, for example), so it can be done with trial and error... and lots of spare time to practice welding. I can't weld, so I was fortunate to snag my trailer from KipMoto before the Cannonball Run! Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
I’ve always pull trailers with bikes bigger than 1100 cc. My friend and I are buying to KL are 650’s when they come out in 2024. Now that I see you can tow that trailer with something smaller. My only fear is, Will I be able to travel with it on the Tat.
Does that windscreen get the wind off of your helmet to prevent that loud buffeting noise some windscreens produce? I ordered it for my CRF250L but my bike's stock handlebars don't have room for the mounting points.
Yes, this National Cycle Deflector screen is AMAZING on the XT250. I was very surprised how well it works considering the close seating position between the screen and the rider's pocket. I'm 5'7" (170cm) tall, and there is almost zero buffeting and wind at my helmet. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
@@QuasiMotard I might have to get different bars then to make room for that windscreen.
Sorry if you covered this already but is a longer axle be needed for the trailer or will the stock axle work? And if a longer one is needed where would one get it?
Great question! The Yamaha XT250's hitch kit didn't require a longer rear axle. KipMoto created a set of replacement axle adjuster "snails" that have the trailer's coupler bolts welded onto those adjusters. I just pulled the rear axle and replaced those adjusters in order to make the XT250 SherpaX ready!
However, my hitch kit for the Honda Super Cub did require a longer rear axle by a few centimeters. KipMoto provided a longer axle with the mounting kit for that application. I was the first customer crazy enough to mount the SherpaX on the Super Cub, so Joel at KipMoto made those hitches/hoops specifically for us. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
@@QuasiMotard awesome! Thank you! I might have to look into one of those little trailers if they're still being made/sold
@@QuasiMotard looked on the website recently for the trailers. I guess they're sold out and by the looks they may not be making more
Did you install that running light on the trailer? interested to see how that works. I have a TW200 and wondering if this would work well for me on that bike. Or my BMW 650 X Challegne?
Yes, I had a custom lighting plate fabricated by a local shop in Houston. I mounted an Admore LED light bar and an amber LED warning strobe on that plate for rearward indictaions and visibility. I fabricated a universal quick-disconnect wiring harness for the trailer so I can quickly connect or disconnect it from each of my motorcycles that I use to pull this trailer (2008 Yamaha XT250, 2014 Honda CB500X, 2019 Honda Super Cub C125, 2021 Honda Trail 125).
You can see the final results of the trailer and lighting solution in my 2021 Scooter Cannonball Run video series: ruclips.net/p/PLLXxDh3JumLnSK37lF4AcrF28frAIfLfA . You can also see a great nighttime shot of it in the beginning of this road trip video on my Honda Trail 125: ruclips.net/video/xItNMZ--qSc/видео.html .
The links for the lighting products are here for reference:
- AdMore 8" LED light bar: admorelighting.com/product/admore-light-bar-8
- SpeedTechLights Z-3 TIR strobe: www.speedtechlights.com/LED-Grille-Surface-Mount-Lights/z-3-tir-led-surface-mount-warning-light-head
Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Thanks!
What did you get for a tubeless tire-rim combination and can the tire run all day at freeway (80-85) speeds?
The bike and trailer in this setup are running tubes inside the tires. I have AVON TrailRider tires on the XT250, and a Michelin CityGrip on the trailer for mostly on-road touring. It's acceptable to run tubes inside of tubeless tires if the weight loads are light and speeds are relatively low.
My little XT250 can't run any faster than ~75 MPH with the trailer attached, but the trailer does have high-speed wheel bearings. However, all of the tires are DOT-rated for 112 MPH.
The highest sustained speed that I've pulled the SherpaX trailer is about 75 MPH, and I've noticed a bit of tail wag or sway in the trailer above those speeds. The bikes that I've pulled the trailer with so far have all had a tendency toward high-speed headshake anyway, so I don't know if the trailer's tail wag is due to the bike's steering geometry or the trailer itself. A steering damper on either (or both) ends would probably eliminate the problem entirely. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
If I go over 50 my sherpa x wobbles really bad it's to scary for me. Any suggestions? Is the skewer tightened completely against the rear axle or is there supposed to be space... I'd appreciate any insight..
You didn't mention what bike you're riding, but I experienced that with my trailer when I was pulling it with the XT250. We also had the issues pop up again near the beginning of our Scooter Cannonball Run trip on our Super Cubs. I fixed the wobble and tail wag with a few simple adjustments.
The first and most important thing is to not overload the trailer. I found that it's happiest with under 40 pounds of weight in the cargo box. The weight needs to be as low and forward as possible to minimize flex in the trailer hitch. Early in the Cannonball trip, we had too much weight piled on top of the box (over 80 lbs total), so that made the trailer wobble and weave at higher speeds. Things immediately improved when we reduced the box weight under 45 pounds. We also repacked our load to reduce weight above the trailer's pivot pin... lower center of gravity made huge improvements.
The second tweak was adjusting the pressures up and down in bike's rear tire and the trailer tire until I found a good combination that minimized "tail wag". The best feel for the bike's rear tire pressure varied depending on load and road conditions, but it was usually a few pounds below the manufacturer's recommend pressure on the swingarm tag. The trailer's tire always seemed to work best around 20-22 PSI (I'm running a Michelin Pilot scooter tire instead of the off-road knobby).
Beyond that, just make sure that the center pin (pivot bolt) is torqued enough to introduce a slight amount of friction to left/right movement. Another thing to check is the spoke tightness on the trailer's wheel.
Both of the SherpaX's that I received had loose wheel spokes. My first one only had a couple of loose spokes, but the wheel ran true. The second trailer's wheel had over a dozen loose spokes and was completely out of true. I put the wheel on my truing stand and got it back into shape with about an hour of fiddling around. I'm glad that I noticed how loose those spokes were before we started our 10K mile road trip!
Let me know if you need pictures or measurements from my bikes or trailers, and I'll be happy to send them to you. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Awesome thank you yea im able to go 60mph with minimal oscillation now. Im still looking into the othee tips you've suggested like packing the wieght forward and low. It's getting better. I was extremely disappointed at first but I can see it being manageable now thank you 😊. I have a Kawasaki klx300 dualsport by the way.
Thinking of getting the XT250. How tall are you?
I'm 5'6" (170cm) tall with a 29" inseam (74cm). The XT250 has a low seat height, and it's very narrow at the front of the seat so it's easy to reach ground. 😉👍 --QM
I’m 5’8” and these smaller bikes appeal to me
Where did you get the trailer that way someone else can look at them
You can find the details in the video description. Here is the manufacturer's website: KipMoto SherpaX trailer: kipmoto.com/pages/sherpax . Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
If your low beams shorted out how did you fix that?
I cleaned the high/low switch and replaced the LED bulb because it was acting strange. Unfortunately, my electrical system was on the fritz just after this video, and it completely failed when I took it on the 2K+ mile ride to Arkansas.
The voltage regulator/rectifier failed, and I still haven't revisited that project. Hopefully, I'll have time to dig into that project after I return from the Scooter Cannonball Run in late June. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
I live up by Conroe and just got an xt250 what wind screen do you have and do you have a seat concepts seat i want to do a road trip on the bike but will need to do those things to make it tolerable for a road trip
Howdy, neighbor! I have the National Cycle Deflector with the universal 7/8" U-clamp mounts: amzn.to/3RJsJaN . I also have the Seat Concepts kit on my XT250. I bought a salvage seat on Ebay and sent it to SC to have them rebuild it. That way I can swap back to the OEM seat if necessary. I haven't put the OEM seat back on the bike because the SC unit is much better. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
@@QuasiMotard Thanks for the response im enjoying the bike a lot except for the uncomfortable seat so looking forward to that mod i really enjoy your content and would love to start doing the type of trips you do it look like a total blast
hi, what do you eat?
What front tire you running, people have mentioned a wobble in the front wheel over 60 mph.
I have the Avon Trail RIders (AV53 front and AV54 rear) on this bike right now because it was used primarily on paved roads and for commuting duties. I'll be swapping back a fresh set of IRC GP1's or Shinko 244's for more trail riding later this fall.
The XT250 has a tendency toward head shake (wobble) above 63-65 MPH. This is due to the large diameter front wheel (tall and skinny) combined with short wheelbase and steep steering rake. It's designed to be a trail bike with a quick turning radius, so fast highway runs aren't its strong point. You can see the effect in my video here: ruclips.net/video/CCSsegIqxR8/видео.html
It's not unusual for motorcycles with large/skinny front tires to exhibit head shake like this. My Kawasaki KLR 650's had the same problem above 65 MPH as well. My 2021 Rebel 1100 also does this above 85 MPH if I'm accelrating and lightening the front end. It's not unmanageable, but it can be annoying sometimes. I just try to keep the speeds below 65 MPH on my XT250 so it doesn't bother me. Cheers! 😉👍
@@QuasiMotard What speed can the XT250 do with the extra tooth flat out.
I'm just trying to find out if it will sit between 100 kmh to 110 kmh on a open highway 🛣
Here in Australia 🇦🇺
110 is the speed limit on the open road
@@deanmanly7622 You can see the top speed runs at the end of this video: ruclips.net/video/CCSsegIqxR8/видео.html . My XT250 can reach 79-82 MPH (127-132 km/h) top speed, but it's more comfortable and more efficient around 60-65 MPH (96-105 km/h). 😉👍 --QM
Is this more comfortable than the trail 125?
Yes, the XT250 is marginally more comfortable than the CT125, and it's definitely more capable both on-road and off-road. The seating position on the XT250 is a bit cramped because of the low seat height and relatively high footpegs, but it offers more room than the CT125's rider triangle.
The factory Yamaha seat isn't good for any long-distance work, so I upgraded it with a Seat Concepts kit that is flatter and wider to give more support. It's still not "comfortable" by most riders' definitions, but it's light years better than the factory seat. I've done multiple 700-mile days on that seat without serious regret. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
Nice bike, lean on power for a tourer.
Agreed! The little XT250 only makes ~18 HP, and its meager 2.6 gallon tank don't lend well to long highway trips. I don't mind though... I just stick to the back roads and rural highways as much as possible. I towed this rig ~2000 miles on a trip to OK and AR just after this video was recorded.
The trailer did well up to 65 MPH but the combo developed a tail-wag above 65 MPH. My XT250 has a tendency to head shake above 65 MPH, so the extra trailer inertia didn't help that situation. I had to keep my speeds around 60 MPH for the best behavior. Unfortunately, my XT's rectifier/regulator fried itself on the first day just outside of Houston, so I ended up push-starting the bike for the entire 6-day, 2000-mile trip... that sucked! 🤣👍 --QM
That trailer ain't nothing. I hooked 18-wheeler trailer to my 250
wouldnt you need a license plate on any trailer just like you do with a car? my car trailer has its own registration and license plate.
I was concerned about the legalities at first, but it turned out to be a non-issue. Texas doesn't require registration or plates on trailers of the gross weight is below 350 lbs. I checked a few other adjacent states for their rules, but I couldn't find anything at all regarding small trailers.
I've pulled this one behind my mini-motos for over 15K miles so far, and I haven't had any issues with the police. We got several waves and thumbs-up from law enforcement across the USA during our 10K-mile Scooter Cannonball Run adventure. Mini-moto's are "innocent" enough that they can probably get away with more things than full-size motorcycles. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM