XL 250 S

1978 Honda XL 250 S Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

At the heart of the 1978 Honda XL 250 S enduro - offroad motorcycle, Honda pairs a 248 cc (15.1 cu in) air-cooled single cylinder, four-stroke architecture with road-focused gearing. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 17 HP (12.4 kW) at 7,000 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 5-speed gearbox and chain final drive. With a specific output of 68.5 HP per liter, the engine character is indicating a tractable, stress-free state of tune focused on everyday usability and broad torque delivery.

On the scales, the XL 250 S measures 132 kg (291 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.13 HP/kg (7.76 kg per horsepower). The 9.5-liter (2.5 US gal) fuel tank supports practical everyday commuting and weekend road stints, while factory top speed is listed at 111 km/h (69 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's Honda archive, this model family spans 5 indexed model years from 1978 to 1982, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.