Templar X 250

[Mumen Rider]

Behind the sprocket cover is the gear position sensor, it shows your gear based off of where the metal nub behind the sensor is riding on the sensor itself.

[Still Riding]

Just returned from my first ride. Everything is stock. I'm impressed!


During assembly I removed the carb, pulled the plug off the low speed jet, found it to be 3/4 turns out. 120 main, 40 pilot, it started instantly and runs fantastic at 0-1500 ft, 70 degrees. That surprised me. As did the magnet in the drain plug, the need to remove the upper engine mount to remove the intake valve cover and battery removal to get at the air filter.


My left peg mount was welded on incorrectly resulting in the peg angled back a bit. A grinder took care of that.


During assembly I noticed the front wheel was out of round.



I rode a small combination of paved, gravel and single track today, only 40 miles, but enough to get an initial impression of the suspension and handling. She's a keeper for sure.

[CC-John]

Just got done taking my Templar for a short test ride around the neighborhood. The bike performed wonderfully even with the stock jetting, will still fatten it up a bit if my jet kit ever gets here. The only issue it had was a non functioning speedometer/odometer, went back thru all the connections and found nothing out of sorts. All the other functions of the display work fine (tach, shift indicator, voltmeter, etc.). I unplugged the wheel sensor and using a multi meter I looked for any kind of signal when I spun the front wheel and got nothing. Guess I have a dead speed sensor? Sent an email off to Zora at PSM, hope they come through on sending me the parts so I can get the speedometer working. Kinda need a working speedometer to pass inspection so I can get my registration.

[Texas Pete]

You might want to talk with DPS, there is a short window to register after purchase of vehicles and once that time lapses there might be a fine; it’s all based on the original paperwork date.

The speed sensor is a magnetic Hall effect type. A disc on the wheel and a sensor that you can screw in and out that will sense the disc passing underneath as the wheel as it rotates. You can inspect the wheel for the physical components being present. You can adjust the sensor closer to the wheel if needed; the idea being close enough to read the field during rotation but far enough away that any flex of the wheel during riding won’t allow physical contact to occur.

[CC-John]

Originally Posted by Texas Pete

You might want to talk with DPS, there is a short window to register after purchase of vehicles and once that time lapses there might be a fine; it’s all based on the original paperwork date.

The speed sensor is a magnetic Hall effect type. A disc on the wheel and a sensor that you can screw in and out that will sense the disc passing underneath as the wheel as it rotates. You can inspect the wheel for the physical components being present. You can adjust the sensor closer to the wheel if needed; the idea being close enough to read the field during rotation but far enough away that any flex of the wheel during riding won’t allow physical contact to occur.

I'm pretty familiar with the type of sensor that is installed on this bike. The air gap is within specs (2mm), magnets are clean. Using a multi meter connected to the pins in the sensor connector, I get no output from the sensor on either the AC or DC ranges when the wheel is spun. Checking with an ohmmeter shows an open circuit between the two pins. Pretty sure I just have a defective sensor right out of the box. Hoping PSM comes thru on a replacement sensor.

I still have a couple weeks to get the bike registered before any late penalties are applied. The shop I'm using for my initial safety inspection is a shop I've used for over 20 years for routine vehicle maintenance, and I'm pretty tight with the owner and manager. If needed, pretty sure I can get them to "overlook" a non functioning speedometer on the inspection. I would prefer to not have to resort to that, but it's available as an option.

[Thumper]

We are so lucky that MO doesn't require safety inspection on new vehicles. In fact the inspection free registration was extended to 150k miles

Proof of financial responsibility (liability only) is required, and must show personal property tax receipts. BOS isn't even required if it already has a MO title.

[CC-John]

Originally Posted by Thumper

We are so lucky that MO doesn't require safety inspection on new vehicles. In fact the inspection free registration was extended to 150k miles

Proof of financial responsibility (liability only) is required, and must show personal property tax receipts. BOS isn't even required if it already has a MO title.

Well, I'll only have to deal with the safety inspection once. Effective January 1, 2025 annual/new vehicle safety inspections for motor vehicles in Texas have been done away with. So next year all I'll have to pay for is just the registration fee to renew the registration. And, we don't have any personal property taxes here in Texas, you only pay property taxes on real property (real estate) to fund city/county governments & local school districts, the state runs off of sales tax revenue.

[Still Riding]

This morning there was a small puddle of oil near the rear tire, left side. Assuming an improperly installed gear selector shaft seal I inspected it. Nope. I had over oiled the air filter and oil dripped out of the air box onto the swingarm.

[CC-John]

Had some time today to really dig into the speedometer issue on my Templar X. Seems it's a combination of a sluggish sensor and weak magnets in the front brake rotor.

The speedometer display sends a 3.5VDC signal on the red wire to the sensor, the sensor is just a tiny reed switch that closes when the magnets pass in front of it. When the switch in the sensor closes, the low voltage signal is returned to the speedometer display on the green wire.

I adjusted the sensor to where it was almost rubbing the face of the magnets as they passed in front of it and got little to no reaction from the sensor on my multimeter. Pulled the sensor and took a strong parts retrieval magnet from my toolbox and tapped the face of the sensor with it, after a few taps the sensor came to life and would close the circuit when the magnet passed in front of it. Put everything back together, adjusted the sensor to about a .050" gap from the magnets and took the bike for a rip. Holding the bike at a steady speed , the speedometer would occasionally drop out and come back. Got back home and decided to check the magnets in the rotor and found that all three are very weak magnets, strong enough to attract metal but not strong enough to even hold a 4mm, 1/4" drive socket to the face of them.

Sent all my findings to PSM and we'll see what they'll do.. But, I got it working well enough to get this rascal thru a safety inspection.

[Crossbar]

@CC-John. Hope you like yours. Mine came in today. I'm wanting to put it on now but I guess I need to finish out the ole Dunlop first.

[CC-John]

Originally Posted by Crossbar

@CC-John. Hope you like yours. Mine came in today. I'm wanting to put it on now but I guess I need to finish out the ole Dunlop first.

I've been happy so far, only have about 20 miles on the bike so far. Just been riding the streets around the house since I won't get my plate for a couple of weeks. The K270's are really quiet and smooth on pavement, and seem to have good grip under hard acceleration and braking. I still need to play around with tire pressures to see how they behave, currently running 20PSI front and rear. Been mostly playing around with the rear shock getting the spring preload setup for my 235# carcass.

I also drilled another hole in the rear shock fork 3/4" up from the original to lower the bike some. Also bumped the forks up a couple rings in the triple trees. That got this steed a bit easier to throw a leg over. The first few times trying to mount or dismount at the stock height looked a bit like the flight of the stumblebum as I'm not as limber at 57 as I was 30 years ago when I last had a dirt bike.

[eatondirt]

So I've been told, once or twice now, NOT to buy the Templar X as a short rider who is just getting into dual sports. Instead, look up the regular templar or a bike from Xpro's competitors like the brozz as their seat height is shorter.

But it's so hard to not turn my head at this bike from every technical specific I can find. I mean, counterbalanced engine with six gears? for 2200? It seems like a steal.

That is, if I wasn't a short guy just above 29" inseam. Anyone in the mid five-foot range been riding one?

Originally Posted by CC-John

I also drilled another hole in the rear shock fork 3/4" up from the original to lower the bike some. Also bumped the forks up a couple rings in the triple trees. That got this steed a bit easier to throw a leg over. The first few times trying to mount or dismount at the stock height looked a bit like the flight of the stumblebum as I'm not as limber at 57 as I was 30 years ago when I last had a dirt bike.

This could be my answer, even if modifying a bike I haven't even seen yet as a purchase plan may not be the best idea.

[CC-John]

Spent this afternoon fitting a trunk to my Templar X. A couple weeks ago, Harbor Freight had all their Apache waterproof storage containers on sale for 20% off. I snagged a 3800 series case to mount on the rear rack for less than $30.

After pushing out the pins and removing the handle, I plopped it on the rack and marked where the rack's side rails laid along the bottom of the case. Ran over to Home Depot and picked up a pack of 1/2" EMT two hole straps, and some stainless fasteners. Covered the conduit straps in shrink wrap so they wouldn't mar the finish on the rack. Marked and drilled mounting holes thru the bottom of the case and used stainless fender washers and nylock nuts to secure it to the rack. Also placed a strip of camper shell weatherstripping between the rack and case to protect the rack's finish and to prevent squeaks.

Turned out pretty neat.. Now I have a secure place to carry a small tool kit, spare tube, and a small amount of cargo when I start running errands after getting my registration.

100_3333 by cc_john67, on Flickr

100_3334 by cc_john67, on Flickr

100_3335 by cc_john67, on Flickr

100_3336 by cc_john67, on Flickr

100_3337 by cc_john67, on Flickr

100_3338 by cc_john67, on Flickr

[eatondirt]

^ That is very smart. I don't know how sturdy those apache boxes are, are they entirely plastic or metal in a plastic shell?

[CC-John]

Originally Posted by eatondirt

So I've been told, once or twice now, NOT to buy the Templar X as a short rider who is just getting into dual sports. Instead, look up the regular templar or a bike from Xpro's competitors like the brozz as their seat height is shorter.

But it's so hard to not turn my head at this bike from every technical specific I can find. I mean, counterbalanced engine with six gears? for 2200? It seems like a steal.

That is, if I wasn't a short guy just above 29" inseam. Anyone in the mid five-foot range been riding one?



This could be my answer, even if modifying a bike I haven't even seen yet as a purchase plan may not be the best idea.

I'm 5'10" with a 30" inseam and doing the lowering mod to the shock and raising the forks dropped my Templar down to where I can just about flatfoot it at stop signs. At stock height, I was just on the balls of my feet when straddling the bike.

The best thing about this modification is it isn't permanent, the bike can be returned back to stock height in about 30 minutes or less.