My 250X/Christini AWD project

I have been itching for something new but really didn't need to add 2 more wheels to my shop. Since I got my 450 EXC I have noticed that my 250X has been ignored quite a bit. I'll bring it out for other friends to ride, but most of the time it has been sitting in my shop. On my last trip up to DurhamTown, in GA. , I had taken both bikes up to ride with a buddy of mine. While we were riding some of the many single track trails that Mike has on the property I noticed how easy my buddy was riding my 250X. I had researched Christini AWD bikes some time ago and all of that tight single track made me think of it again....... So fast forward a few months and the frame is already at Christini's shop in PA, and the forks , fresh out of WMR1"s suspension shop, are heading to PA as well. I'd love to hear from anyone who has a Christini bike or who converted one of their own. I'll keep you posted as this project goes along.


Here is a pic of it in one piece with my buddy riding.




Here are a few pics of the tear down.

I'm gonna keep up with this one. I'm fascinated with this 2WD system.

I've lusted after one of his mtn bikes for years.
I'd love to do that to my KLX, so I can ride more confidently in Winter on studded tires.
What kinda dough we talking here, if you don' mind?

They only make frame kits for a handfull of Honda's and a few KTM's. Sorry no Kawi's.....
The frame kit for my 250X is listed at $3600
Here is a link to thier site......http://www.christini.com

I'm even interested in their own Chinese clone CRF450X version that's street legal. Regardless, it's a pretty neat system.

Is it too late to send your 450 frame instead? You will have way more options with the KTM platform as far as hopping the thing up if you need to down the line. The 250 might be overwhelmed.

Regardless, a christini bike is the ultimate cheater bike. How much better it makes things depends on the terrain. Strictly speaking, if the terrain is fairly flat but very tight and technical in that sense, its added weight is actually a minus. Its not going to dance through the woods better than a normal bike. The other negative is that it robs a bit of power (or demands more power due to the traction). I have a 300 ktm and the AWD bogged it down on a huge coal pile. A normal 450 could climb higher because it could pull third gear.

If you are talking technical obstacles though, xtini is the cat's meow. Downed trees, trail trash, wheel-stalling rock piles, muddy hillclimbs etc. I laugh in my helmet every time it growls over a log instead of jerking and spinning. It saves so much energy if you don't get trapped in a trail snarl, wrestling the bike through. That's the main advantage for me.

I give the system 2 thumbs up overall.

Thanks for your advise. I'm planning on using this one for single track in the Mtns. I love my 450EXC so much I was afraid to change it. I also do more long range dualsport ride with it. But you never know, if I love the Christini that much I could convert it also.

Did you convert your 300 yourself or have a shop convert it for you?

Again, thanks for your advise. I might meed a 280 kit soon......Oh No....lol

I bought mine used recently. I was only looking for an estart 300 but this one happened to come with the Bonus Christini Package

I took it camping last week and had a blast. There was one rock I got stuck on and for some reason the front wasn't engaged. There is a lever to engage the front wheel drive and I must not have shifted it properly? Other than that, it worked very well.

This is a lame video I posted in the 300 thread but it shows a muddy hill snarl that the boys wanted to play on. See if you can ID the cheater bike:




The normal bikes were a handful but the Xtini claws its way out like it was no big deal

mining pile

Perhaps the FWD Clutch needs adjustment?

The black thing to the front of the gear box...


Not my photo

Is this a pic from CJ Designs 950? That guy is amazing!

I got my frame and forks back and now the real fun begins.......













From the above pic you can see just how rough the finish is on the frame. Somehow I didn't get a pic of the whole frame???? I knew that they beadblasted the frame after the welding and heat treating, I just didn't know how rough it would be. Being a clean FREAK about my bikes I knew that this finish would never do for me. I decided to get it powdercoated before I went any further. I'll post up some more pics soon.

I'm surprised that's just not an extra $100 option.

Yea it would be a great option. I'll know better next time.....lol

Here are a few pics, after I got the frame back from powdercoat.







Here is a pic showing the gear box mounted up to the frame







This one shows the gears on the end of the drive shaft as you are looking into the neck of the bike from the front.







More pics later.........

More to follow........

Here are a few more.
















More pics later

That's sweet!

Beatiful build, I really like the black frame. I've got to ask though... why so many hammers!

That's really funny. I didn't notice how many were on the table till you said this....lol
My dad always said "There's always a perfect tool for every job".
Still funny I didn't realize how many I had out...