1969 Ossa Pioneer 250 - 4-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article

Description

1969 Ossa Pioneer 250 - 4-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
OSSA
PIONEER 250
A Lightweight, Slim and
Nimble, Good Just
About Anywhere,
But Happiest In The
Boondocks.
SO WHAT’S SO BAD with duding up a workhorse? You’ve
seen those big, hairy-hocked Clydesdale horses with
feathers and plumes on them. Nothing fruity about that.
And they pull those big beer wagons around rather well. So
just because the Pioneer has some style, don’t think it hasn’t
got what it takes. The engine’s a little bigger now, and
stronger. It’s one of the ruggedest bikes made. A CW staff
member was so impressed with the test bike, he bought an
identical Ossa of his own.
Resplendent in orange and black high impact fiberglass, the
Pioneer looks more like a one-off custom than a thoroughbred
enduro bike. Glasswork is neat and smooth, devoid of rough
spots or irregularities. Paintwork is similarly professional with
a tough chip-resisting finish. While chrome is scarce on the
Ossa, polished aluminum abounds, including the wheels, hubs
and engine cases.
Ossa suspension is excellent. The front fork is from Telesco
and provides consistent, predictable damping throughout its
7-in. travel. To ensure long life, bearing insert material in the
slider legs is not bronze but babbit metal, which will embed
foreign matter creeping in past the seal. The rear spring/
dampers allow 3.75 in. travel and are five-way adjustable.
The Ossa frame is conventional and strong, in keeping with
the bike’s tenor. It is a duplex configuration with a large
diameter backbone and made of seamless steel tubing. The
stoutly gusseted steering head accommodates the fork stem
with a pair of Timken tapered roller bearings, while at the
other end, rubber bushings support the oval section swinging
arm. In spite of some dreadful pounding, the frame refused to
flex. The frame is the same as that of the Stiletto scrambler
and the geometry is also identical. The Pioneer shows a slight
reluctance to steer away from a straight line, and the steering
is desirably slow. This actually is beneficial during high speed
stints over rough terrain, as it enhances stability. CW testers
Banzaied the bike at 40 mph over a series of one-foot high
hoop-de-hoos with nary an errant waggle. Its light 242-lb. curb
weight makes the Pioneer extremely nimble in tight going.
The seat is of ample width, but the frame and fiberglass
work amidships is trim enough to allow a comfortable standing
position with snug knee grip and feet secure on the pegs.
Handlebar position and width allow good rider posture and
good weight distribution.
The Ossa’s muffling system is quite effective. It silences the
bike very well for street riding, even though it doesn’t look so
sharp hung out there at the end of the expansion chamber. But
for off-road riding, the small chrome, bulbous muffler can be...
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