Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

I purchased a 1976 Elsinore MT250 this last weekend from a old guy in Utah. I had been sitting covered in his garage for 10 years and he had purchased it from the original owner who only put 500 miles on it. Everything looks to be factory original. It look so clean I bought it but know very little about the history of this bike. After looking online I thought this bike might be to vintage to let my wife learn to ride on. If anyone knows what the value might be I would appreciate it. I have read that honda only made this MT250 model for one year is this correct. Thanks for anything you may have to offer.

I don't know what the prices are like in Utah but I would place the value between $1,500 and $2,600. Maybe a bit more if it is currently registered and you have the pink slip. Getting a pink and registration is a real hassle when a bike is off the books in California so it has a tendency to make a bike more attractive to buyers.

The MT was made for 3 years, 1974, 1975, and 1976, with ~the only difference being the way the tank is painted.

Your bike is in such fine condition, it wouldn't be my first choice to teach someone how to ride. The seat height is rather high so unless your wife is ~5'8" or so and very athletic, she may have trouble touching down. First time it gets dropped, knock a grand off its value. The MT produces enough hp to get someone in serious trouble too.

Understand I've been there, done that. I was going to recommend you use an scooter with automatic transmission but my S.O. even managed to run one of those into a fence. It was hard for her to get the whole "one down four up" scheme of a dual sport transmission, she would often pull up in 3rd or 4th and bog the engine. Slipping the clutch by hand? Forget it!

Rick