Suzuki guys, please help me. LT250 EF Q's.

[3 on the Tree]

Hi everyone, here's the story. I am considering buying a mid 80's Suzuki LT250 EF quad that I found on Craig’s list. It's pretty cheap ($250) so that's why I am considering it. Anyhow since Honda's are my niche and I know virtually nothing about Suzuki's I was wondering if someone can tell me if these units have a lot of problems and if it is a good investment.

The owner says that it runs via the pull start, but the electric start needs addressing (something along the lines of he cut some wires because something was shorting out and causing sparks). I did hear it run over the phone and it does ride, it just needs the carb cleaned and rear brake shoes. It is a 5 speed chain drive w/reverse. The only thing it is missing is the front fenders, other than that it looks nice.

This is not the actual bike, but this is what it looks like minus the racks and front fenders. It still has the plastic that covers the gas tank.




So is this a good buy?

[3 on the Tree]

All I really want to know is A.) is this a POS to start with? B.) is it hard to work on/come by parts for? and C.) do you think it is worth $250 based off my description? I am more than likely going to fix and sell it after using it for a few months, so I'd like to make some kind of profit.

[ktmbk]

Hi, I can't be too specific on your exact model, but I am also a Honda guy playing with a Suzuki quad. Unfortunately your on a three wheeler forum, but I won't hold it ageist you.
I'm working on a 89 250s and once you get through the Suzuki specific stuff there not that bad to work on. As far as their quality, it seems their 80's 230-250 quads either are bullet proof or are total turds, with not much in between. I'm dealing with the second situation. Parts did seem to be more available for that quad then mine back when i was looking. Remember that I was looking for another bike and got results including yours so you really should look around on your own to judge.
As a running drivable bike 250 sounds pretty good, the wire issues would be my concern. A carb rebuild and brakes are not that hard or costly to do, I'm not sure on the plastics. As far as an investment, if you don't go crazy on it and fall into that money pit, you should at least get what you put into it if you sell it. As an investment to sell, with all the low cc quads over the years, and now all the china quads, i don't see much there.

[fabiodriven]

All those 80's Suzuki's are junk in my experience with the exception of the 185. Quadsport/Quadrunner 230's are total garbage, that 250 is garbage, and the Quadracers are garbage. I do know two guys (from this site) that have beautiful Quadracer 500's, but they seem to be the exception. Every Quadracer that rode with me when I was a kid got towed in more than it got ridden. I owned a mint 86 Quadrunner 230. This thing was beautiful, and it sucked. They're slow, they don't steer, and they suck to work on. You don't have to take my advice, but if you do buy it I'd like to know how it goes.

P.S.- Sorry to Matt and Shawn. I really do like your quads, they are mint!

[gsw902]

Its hard to tell anyone what a good deal is. We all have different opinions about what is good and bad when it comes to atvs or trikes. I rode with alot of guys that had suzuki quads in the 80's and they never broke down, but they did tow my kawasaki home more than once. so now the only quads or trikes I want for myself are honda or suzuki. the main thing that would scare me off from the 250 is the missing plastics, I am sure they will be hard to find.

[3 on the Tree]

Well I really appreciate all the input guys. I was concerned because I own 4 Honda trikes and I have yet to own any other make (other than a Kaw KD80 I had as a pit bike at one time). Anyways, it doesnt even matter at this point because I didn't act fast enough; it was sold this afternoon before I got home from work. I guess I'll stick with 3 wheels like I always have. That must have been a sign

[Mr_RPM]

my buddy had an 86 230 quad sport that was awesome and pretty reliable except for a feel hard starts. my dad had an 86 250 quad racer about 12-14 years ago and he rebuilt it all (after blowing up 1 hour after buying it) and loved the thing for what happend.
a guy my dad does alot of work for just built (well my dad did the actual building lol) an all out quad racer 250. its been done above and beyond and is pretty quick at the dunes he says.

so out of all my experience with old suzukis they were all pretty good. i still say better than a yamaha, fabio above expresses some torture he has been threw with some Suzukis and i know exactly where he comes from. just for me it was with some yamahas. we all get good/bad luck with different machines.