1978 Hodaka 250SL

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  • JCSkokos
    • Feb 2026
    #1

    1978 Hodaka 250SL

    Picked it up a couple months ago, completely rebuilt, have all the receipts from where the seller had it 'fixed'. He was able to kick and start it a couple times. recently I have had some time to get a look at it and I feel so totally lost. 2 strokes don't tune like a 4 stroke...
    Wondering if it was a mistake or maybe it could turn into a decent off road only bike.
    camera is being stupid, will post pics later if I can.
    Tags: None
    • 850 Combat
      Forum Guru
      Past Site Supporter
      • Sep 2006
      • 6018
      • Spokane, WA, and Hampden, ME
      #2
      Are there parts for those? The PABATCO story is an interesting one, in my opinion. The motors are Fuji I think. They made the motors in my three Polaris snow machines. I think they make Subaru too. Could be wrong.
      sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

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        • JCSkokos
          #3
          Well, they definitely are 'fun' to search for. luckily the bike is mostly complete, but the wiring is really goofy, and I am pretty sure the battery is shot. how necessary is a battery for a kick start bike, we also have a '85 Honda atc250r that doesnt even have a battery?

            Comment

            • kirkn
              #4
              Ohhhh Man! A 250SL (for Stanley Lipschitz)

              I had one a few years back and fully resurrected it from nasty barn find to beautifull! They're nice bikes (if a bit heavy compared to the Big 4 Japanese offerings of the day). Mine was the rarer '78 'white tank' model, as compared to the less rare 'red tank' one. But, in either case, they only made 2000 of 'em, so they're ALL kinda rare. The non-street-legal, dirt-only model was the 250 Thunderdog! Hodaka went toes-up after 1978, so you've got the last of 'em...

              You can find all you need (including my own rebuild thread) on http://strictlyhodaka.com/cgi-bin/forum3/YaBB.pl

              The Hodaka community there is every bit as rabid as this GS community is, and it actually includes a number of former Hodaka company executives as active contributors.

              All the parts and know-how you could ever need are there and available.

              Good luck! (When you get there, search out my thread - it's the longest (most views) thread on the whole forum... )

              Kirk
              Last edited by Guest; 03-21-2013, 05:04 PM.

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                • mcycle-nut
                  Forum Guru
                  Charter Member
                  Past Site Supporter
                  • May 2002
                  • 8382
                  • Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA
                  #5
                  Hodaka 250. Was that the Road Toad? Combat Wombat, or was that a 175? I know it wasn't the Dirt Squirt.
                  Kevin
                  E-Bay: gsmcyclenut
                  "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff." Frank Zappa

                  1978 GS750(x2 "projects"), 1983 GS1100ED (slowly becoming a parts bike), 1982 GS1100EZ,
                  Now joined the 21st century, 2013 Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Tenere.

                    Comment

                    • Big T
                      Forum LongTimer
                      Past Site Supporter
                      Super Site Supporter
                      • Mar 2005
                      • 12392
                      • West Slope, OR
                      #6
                      2 strokes need perfect ignition timing

                      Tuning the carb is easy

                      Good luck with your project
                      1978 GS 1000 (since new)
                      1979 GS 1000 (The Fridge, superbike replica project)
                      1978 GS 1000 (parts)
                      1981 GS 850 (anyone want a project?)
                      1981 GPZ 550 (backroad screamer)
                      1970 450 Mk IIID (THUMP!)
                      2007 DRz 400S
                      1999 ATK 490ES
                      1994 DR 350SES

                        Comment

                        • kirkn
                          #7
                          Originally posted by mcycle-nut
                          Hodaka 250. Was that the Road Toad? Combat Wombat, or was that a 175? I know it wasn't the Dirt Squirt.

                          Road Toad was a 100cc dual-sport.

                          IIRC, the Combat Wombat was a 125cc motocrosser.

                          The 175 was a dual-sport like the Road Toad and the 250SL, but, IIRC, it was just "the 175".


                          What's the latest from the orig poster?

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