Difference riding a Hybrid 250/500 vs 250 and Zilla

Difference riding a Hybrid 250/500 vs 250 and Zilla
Posted by Rainman56 on 31 Oct, 2013 15:01
Just curious on hearing from the hybrid guys how the LT250/500 hybrids ride and feel compared to riding a regular 250 and 500?Obviously the 500 would be far different from the 250 engine but hows does it effect the handling?I,m assuming the hybrids feel far more nimble than the Zillas but does the extra weight of the 500 make them seem heavy say for MX?Just curious is all.

#1 Reply
Posted by Petenorth on 31 Oct, 2013 15:24
This is a good post. I'm curious also about how the same motor in a hybrid would run in a zilla.

#2 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 31 Oct, 2013 15:46
Never ridden a lt250 but my Zilla after being rebuilt and restored can't keep the front wheels down when it's dry. I'd imagine the hybrids are really hard to keep the nose down on without at least a 4"-6" stretch on the swinger and for handling wider a arms would be a must I would think along with beefier front shocks.

#3 Reply
Posted by Chuckie25 on 31 Oct, 2013 16:23
My 500 was +2 wide and -2 short and lowered (flat track bike) and only had cleaned up ports with an FMF. It was really quick steering and all compared to my 250. But it felt lazy power wise IMO. I wish I could ride a NICE 500 and compare to my 250 after I have the zilla arms squared away. I like my 250 better than the Zilla but I only rode the zilla once and not for a very long time.

#4 Reply
Posted by Rainman56 on 31 Oct, 2013 17:10
Absolutely love my 250.The Zilla I don,t have much ride time on as I,m fixing a clutch basket/plates issue but I can say it feels very clumbsy compared to the 250 on the track and even trail riding in general.Now if your out in the open or service/logging trails it never stops pulling.Also on the sand MX tracks its much nicer as the tourque of the 500 doesn,t bog or require constant shift to stay on the pipe.Through the whoops so far I,ll take the 250 hands down.In the short amount of seat time on the 500 I,m with Chuckie,give me the 250 all day as of right now.Once I get the clutch fixed and some more ride time my opinion may change.Likely won,t be till next season now though.Snomo season coming up so the quads will be collecting some dust.

#5 Reply
Posted by GrkGuy on 31 Oct, 2013 19:14
zilla is like a riding on the roof of a vw bug, i really dont care for the zillas, they are too big, seemes like you need more area to turn. you can really tell how wide they are when you ride one, and look out for tight spots, they dont fit. now if you are a plus size guy then the zilla is the bike for you. or maybe its just too much bike for me. haha

now the 250 with a 500 motor, shoot look out. i love the bird, fast and nimble. whip it around anywhere. but dont ask me why i have 3 zillas tho. guess i just liked the fact that i can say i own one of them, i mean 3 of them. lol
if i was to start over and know what i know now, there would be 3 bikes in my garage instead of 6. 1 250, 1 zilla, and a bird. i like to ride the 250 for a few min, then jump on the bird, and it is just crazy on the power difference. i think it really does stretch your arms. they pull very hard, want to climb a big hill, just hammer it at bottom and coast up the rest of the way. and if you have a zilla that feels lazy and does not freaking rip, then it needs work. better call jerry hall
there is nothing like a good running 500.

but this is just my feelings on this, take it as you want.

come over and take mine for a ride, it will make you jealous.

#6 Reply
Posted by Chuckie25 on 31 Oct, 2013 19:30
Well once my 265 is back on the ground me an Chevy is gunna go hit up local MX tracks and well lets just say we both wanna give both bikes a try

#7 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 31 Oct, 2013 19:42
If motoman ever decides to get his transmission straightened out I'm hoping he will swap my Zilla for his bird for a quick ride. I agree with grk though there is nothing like the power of the big single 2 stroke!

#8 Reply
Posted by LT500Kid on 31 Oct, 2013 19:48
I love my zilla in wide open spaces but the more i ride my hybrid the more my zilla sits. I like the small nimble 250 frame with the power of the 500. The zillas are big and bulky for trails compared to the 250's. I love big power and light weight especially in the tight trails with the hybrids. Id sell my zilla before my hybrid and I love them both for different reasons.

#9 Reply
Posted by All American on 01 Nov, 2013 01:15
How much heavier did you guys make the 250 by switching to the Zilla motor? I realize it's not really that big of a deal cause you get a whole bunch more power... It's just that I like being able to lift my 250 out of the mud or load it by hand in a truck bed when I'm riding by myself.

#10 Reply
Posted by LT500Kid on 01 Nov, 2013 05:23
My hybrid weighs in at 307 with full tank of gas

#11 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 01 Nov, 2013 05:30
Damn that's almost 100lbs lighter than a non dieted Zilla. Don't all the 250's use the dog leg style rear suspension except the 91 and 92 models?

#12 Reply
Posted by Dangerouspower on 01 Nov, 2013 05:38
Yea buck 85-90.

#13 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 01 Nov, 2013 05:44
Note to self if I build a hybrid find a 91 or 92 two fiddy!

#14 Reply
Posted by Dangerouspower on 01 Nov, 2013 05:52
Lol most like the 87-90 rear setups. If the shock isn't blown and all the linkage/bearings are good there fine buck.
Carl says he likes em.

#15 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 01 Nov, 2013 05:55
I just don't like the space limitations and I could use my Zilla airbox boot and fab up an airbox or eliminator bracket with a 91 or 92 rear setup.

#16 Reply
Posted by Motoman991 on 01 Nov, 2013 06:13
There aren't many 91-92 hybrids because of space limitations presented by the rear shock. The intake needs routed around it to fit.

I've ridden multiple Zillas and a few too fiddys.

I originally got a 91 LT250R. Wasn't enough power so I got a 500 engine and a 88' frame. Swapped over everything, but the rear suspension and engine. The power increase was awesome and that was with a basically stock 500 engine. The 250 frame handles much better than a zilla. The zilla is a large ATV and feels bulky when compared to the 250. The 60-90lbs difference between a hybrid and a zilla is noticeable too.

You won't notice the weight difference from swapping out the 250 engine for a 500. I think the weight difference between the two engines is less than 10lbs.

#17 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 01 Nov, 2013 06:17
Motoman that's what I'm talking about by using the original airbox boot off the Zilla airbox to route the intake around the suspension.

#18 Reply
Posted by Iceracer on 01 Nov, 2013 08:38
You have to notch the back bone for the carb, and a there a mother f'er to do any on the machine carb adjustments, have to pull airbox back and snake out the carb to do anything. the earlier ones are better if you run open filter. If you need a Airbox the Later and the earlier are way easier to do ride height and sock adjustments.
I will be doing a new hybrid with a later chassis here in the future just for the airbox reason. If I don't just do a whole frame.

#19 Reply
Posted by Rainman56 on 01 Nov, 2013 10:31
If I knew then what I know now and after reading the comments in here I should have built a hybrid.Time to start collecting parts for a new build.Sounds like I,m not the only one that feels the Zilla chassis is a tank.This Zilla may just be going up for sale.

#20 Reply
Posted by Buckeye513 on 01 Nov, 2013 10:37
I'm always on the look out for a z400 or ltr or yfz 450 rolling chassis to drop a Zilla motor in. IMO way better chassis set up and tons more aftermarket stuff for that type of hybrid.

#21 Reply
Posted by Chuckie25 on 01 Nov, 2013 11:01
I'm slowly (read that 'handicapped snails pace') piecing a 500 engine together to build a hybrid for after my Suzuki trike is built. It would be cool to have 2 hybrids but money money money money.

#22 Reply
Posted by Zukman88 on 02 Nov, 2013 08:57
How hard is it to do the swap. Any welding at all? I heard sb designs makes the mounts for the swap

#23 Reply
Posted by BadMoonRacing500 on 02 Nov, 2013 10:28
It requires welding, and some notching. Also for anything other than duning you will want some gussets on the 250 frame, or if your a big guy. As for riding a hybrid to a zilla and 250. Well basically its like riding a 250 with 25+ more HP and a lot more torque. The bigger guys I know prefer zillas because they are larger and more comfy. I'm 5'11' 210lbs and the 250 chassis fits me great. As for the difficulty of a hybrid build a lot depends on the year.

85-86 Lightest best duner, you have to weld in a 87-92 style front motor mount down tube, plus the mods to 87-90.

87-90 The easiest to do. Notch main rib for plug clearance, notch down tube for kicker clearance, The lower left frame rail gets notched at the motor mount. SBLT front mounts and an Hybrid pipe.

91-92 very similar to the 87-90 swap, but it's much more difficult to get air box clearance if you run one. 91-92 best rear supension.

Most hybrid pipes will require 2+1 A arms OR 10x6 wheels with a 2/4 offset, BUT I would only run that setup on a duner it puts extra stress on the lower ball joint. The wider arms or axle will require a 2+2 axle or some Gforce style hubs. DO NOT USE WHEEL SPACERS!!!

I love my hybrid, and my next one is being built from the first quadracer I ever owned a 90 250. The zilla and my other 87 250 mostly sit or are ridden by friends.