7 of the Best XT250 Modifications

I always thought of the XT250 as a beginner dirt bike. It is an old-tech machine that hardly turns heads. I have owned several “real” dirt bikes, including a Honda CRF250X, DRz400, KDX200, KLX250s and KTM450 EXC. So, why is the only dirt bike in my garage a lowly XT?

Why an XT250?

Why would I go from a “real” dirtbike to what many would call a beginner’s bike? One reason is that I needed a bike that would fit in the 6.5 foot bed of my F150 with the tailgate closed. It turns out the XT is short enough when positioned at a slight angle.

Another reason is that as I hit my 60th birthday, I am tired of very tall bikes. The XT is quite low, almost too low for my 5′ 8″ height and 32″ inseam. But, it allows me the confidence to dab through the most challenging terrain.

Surprisingly, this simple bike is quite capable. I had no trouble whatsoever hanging with the big boys while riding at the West Virginian Hatfield McCoy trail system. See this video.

Of course, such a budget dirt bike benefits greatly by select modifications. The mods increase usability, durability and capability.

Notice that I didn’t say “performance”? That’s because I find the single cylinder air-cooled motor quite adequate for the type of riding we do here in the rocky, rooty and tight New England trails. But, the bike does just fine on faster two-track trails and dirt roads.

Modifications

Handlebar & Grips

The stock handlebars are too low for standing. Some riders install bar risers, but I opted for a taller bend handlebar from Mika. I’d never heard of Mika, but the $60.00 price point was hard to beat.

I ordered the “Mini Low” bar but discovered that it was no taller than the stock bar. So, the fine folks at MotoSport initiated a return and replacement for a “Mini High”. The extra 23mm is just the ticket for being able to stand comfortably without bending over. Here is the Mika bend fitment chart.

The handlebar is really nicely finished and I can attest to its durability. A pair of Pro Taper Pillow Top Grips improved comfort and feel.

Barkbusters Handguards

Protection is super important when attacking the gnar. Handguards protect the levers, but also your hands. The bike came with a flimsy pair of hinged Acerbic brush guards that were totally inadequate for hard duty.

The Barkbusters Jet guards have a sturdy, full wrap aluminum backbone with a color-matched plastic brush guard. Installation is simple enough, but there is some fiddling that needs to be done to position the inner mount.

These are some of the toughest guards around and are a must if you’re going to venture beyond the gravel roads.

See the installation video below.

Mirrors

If you’re planning on doing any real off-roading, you’re better off putting the stock mirrors away and mounting some good aftermarket units. I chose the Doubletake mirrors. These are mounted on a B349-U RAM ball and medium length RAM arm.

You’ll notice that I drilled three holes in the post of the mirror because I used the mirror on the racetrack when instructing and the mirror would fold at 100+ mph. This mod is not needed on the street or trails.

Skid Plate

The XT does not come with a skid plate off the showroom floor, which seems to be a big oversight in my eyes. I remedied the situation by installing a Moose skid plate to protect the underside of the engine and frame when surmounting rocks and other bits of nature.

The Moose plate is super sturdy and is reasonably priced at $130.00 US.

Suspension

The XT’s weakest link is the suspension, particularly the front forks. The problem is that the forks can’t keep up with choppy terrain at higher speeds.

So, I installed upgraded fork parts from Cogent Dynamics. The XT250 kit includes .40 or .44 fork springs, fork oil and their DDC cartridge valves that rest on top of the damper rod assembly.

At $376.95, the kit is reasonably affordable fork upgrade. Installation is easy for anyone who is reasonably comfortable with spinning wrenches.

The upgraded forks performed well, although at first I didn’t notice a whole lot of difference until I picked up the pace on the rocky, choppy terrain where the stock forks fell short. I also noticed a general sense of increased confidence climbing and descending more technical stuff. A good upgrade. Predictably, now the stock rear shock feels inadequate.

Check out the video.

Tires

The stock Bridgestone Trailwing tires are great if you pretty much ride pavement with some intermediate off road thrown in from time to time. But, for the gnarly New England trails, I needed something more aggressive.

Enter the venerable Dunlop 606 rear and Pirelli MT-21 combination. Word is that the Dunlop front and the Pirelli rear aren’t as good as this combo. And I must say that I’m quite pleased with the performance of these tires, both off and on road. Both tires are DOT legal, too.

Footpegs

The stock XT footpegs must have been made for little people. Standing for any period of time becomes uncomfortable, but these tiny pegs also inhibit control.

After some research, I found the DMO Specialties footpegs for the XT. Look at the photo to see the difference between stock and aftermarket. The sturdy construction is impressive and at $56.00, this mod is a great deal.

Installation is simple enough for anyone who can handle a pair of pliers.