Know the feeling DE. Took a long time and a lot of encouragement from my wife to decide to sell the last XT225 I had. I’ve ridden the XT225s I've owned hard without any of them failing me. Their near bullet proof reliability and outstanding ride-ability always impressed me.
Every time one of these bikes turns up for sale, I find myself still wanting to buy it. Today’s EFI and ABS equipped XT250s may be technically superior in certain ways, but I don’t think today's 250s are the equal for the majority of us to the easy to ride and simple to service XT225 - not even Yamaha's XT250 which replaced the 225 in 2008.
I used my XT225s for camping and hunting, rode local forest trails through summer months, took back roads to the grocery or hardware store, and rode them places you'd never see other vehicles go. A lot of people feel the way I did and still do about them. As a result you'll find good condition XT225s that show up for sale cost more than many expect a used bike to cost.
For example my last XT225, a cherry 2002 model that I bought for $2100 a few years back, sold for $3100 late last summer. That price may seem high to some, but it isn’t out of line considering today's sky high bike prices. The fellow who bought it drove 6 hours one way from New Mexico with cash in hand and was delighted with his purchase!
If someone's in the market and comes across an XT225 they like, for example yours DE if you do decide to sell, all I'd say is don't walk away from it to 'mull it over a while'. These light weight old school Yamaha XT225s aren't the high-tech heavier modern bikes that are available today, but they have rider friendly old school features you can’t buy on any bike for any price today, and having been out of production since 2007 they’re increasingly rare on the used market, especially in top notch condition.
Someone who turns their back on one of these they've come across and decides later that day to buy it, will likely find it's long gone. I've see it happen all too often not to sound a word of caution for potential buyers.
If it's the XT225 they've been looking for and the price isn't out of line for today's market, just buy it! They'll be glad they did, guaranteed!
Keeping an XT225 in good condition means a buyer won't lose a nickle on it should the day ever come they decide to sell - which does happen, especially with those like us getting a bit 'long in the tooth' age wise!..
