Dirt bikes

I have both setups. If I am going to the MX track I use the protector, elbow pads, etc. If I am riding hare scrambles type stuff I have an Alpinestars Bionic jacket I wear under the jersey. The jacket is a bit warmer but if trees are involved I like the extra padding.

 

This is what I have....http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...nYNK3fZYMCoU0darXbpAoMwoclTMjjd_enRoCKZnw_wcB

 

Need some advice!

I have recently sold my '06 450EXC, I think it was a mistake to have ever bought that bike to begin with, it was heavier and probably more powerful than I should have gone for since I hadn't been off road in 30+ yrs.

I wanna do it smarter this time, thinking 250-350ish max. NNJ has very technical, single track, rocky terrain and again tighter trails, which begs the question, WTH was I ever on a 450 to begin with? Yea I know....

With that said, I've always been a 4T kinda guy but I think I REALLY wanna try a 2T woods bike this go around. I like the idea of doing my own maintenance and it's my understanding tear downs are a lot simpler.

Here are a few questions if you guys don't mind answering I'd love to get your perspective:
- I've been seeing a lot, in sale ads, top end just redone/refreshened/etc....and the bike is only 1, 2 or 3 yrs old....exactly how often do 2T top end's require a tear down? What about bottom ends?

- Any preference on finding one with F.I. or is carbureted ones fine?

- Is there really a big difference, weight wise, between say a 250 2T vs a 250 4T, I see they're roughly 10-12#'s apart but does one inherent design feel much lighter than the other???

- Is there such thing as a quieter pipe you can run on these things? (Honestly, I've always hated the 2T racket, can't believe I'm really wanting one....lol....the only good thing is, mostly due to the terrain we ride in, I certainly will NOT have the thing wide open often if at all.

-Lastly, I'm going to go look at a '13 GasGas XC250Racing tomorrow....are Gasgas bikes decent/reliable? I'm not aware of any local dealers, will parts be tough to get since their dealer network is non existent here?


Shoot away!

 

thought gas gas was out of business ? so parts could be an issue. (but not 100%onthat)

2 stroke FI ? don't think that has come out yet.

yamaha yz250 or any cr250.. A TON of power (think 450 4 stroke power when wound up). but amazing bikes in terms of cost, reliability.. gonna need to revalve suspension for offroad as they are mx'ers or be prepared for rougher rides.

i would seriously consider 4 stroke wr250's or crf250x bikes. Tamer cams, good longevity, electric start is a dream i will never get tired of. Same with any ktm 250-350f. (but avoid the early ktm 350's before 2013)

 

Been looking at a '11 and '12 CRF450 for awhile now. More money than I was planning to spend ($3k-ish), but both very much appear to be those bikes that were bought by an older guy and not really ridden.

Something tells me throwing a Rukluse clutch in a FI bike, and it'd be pretty fucking hard to stall, and a hoot to ride.

 

I've been looking hard at a few wr250r on advrider. Seems like nicely modded, you're looking at about $4k. A lot of fun for that little money and maintenance.

 

How do you like the CRF250X's? Would they suffice for a 80% trail bike/20% MX? I know you can't have the best of both worlds in the same bike, but surely has to be better than something like a CRF230 or TTR230?

 

Interesting, so would you say the weight difference between the two in the same displacement is negligible?

My biggest gripe, I think, with my 450 was the weight......a few of the 4T's I came across were almost as heavy if not the same as my 450...and they're just 250's so I was hesitant in even giving it any consideration....am I over analyzing? LOL!

Also thanks for the heads up on the pre '13 350's, does that warning extend to the Husabergs and Husky's???

 

i have owned and offroad raced (not mx) crf450r's for a number of years.. there are way better alternatives. Besides way too much useable power for woods, you still have the intake valve issues. It's gonna need revalved (rough for trails/woods), cranks need replaced every 200-300 hrs even with moderate abuse, pistons must be replaced regularly (100hrs or so minimum) etc.

yes. A rekluse makes this bike way more manageable in the woods, along with a 13oz flywheel weight, better suspension, bigger radiators, etc.

price isn't bad, if really clean, just there may be better alternatives out there if you are looking for a woods/trail bike.

 

the curb weight of my 2014 350xcf, and my 2008 crf450r, are almost identical (estart, battery/starter). The 450 just "feels" heavier due to the power difference. The 450 just wears you down in the tighter stuff. I can ride the 350 WAY harder, faster, longer... near the end of a 2 hour harescramble, especially if it's a sandy course or lots of technical stuff, the 450 wipes me out. And the clutch pull is silly for 2 hours. Even with the rekluse auto clutch (i would never DREAM of offroading a 450 without one).

So i wouldn't worry about curb weight.. the power is what makes the 450 "feel" heavier. A 250 can be flicked around in the woods. A good analogy is a 600cc bike, vs a fire breathing 1000. weight difference? minimal.. but the 600 is way easier to ride fast for most riders.

the ktm 350's went to a plain bearing crank in 2013.. from roller bearing. so WAY more reliable (and big boost in power for 2013). If you are fast, do not even consider the 2011-2012 350's. They were blowing up every which way. I don't know about the Husa or Husky. i THINK they shared ktm
motors, but don't quote me.
But, you won't find a 2013-current ktm 350 for $3500 ..

 

great f-ing bike.. no doubt. I can't stress how nice electric start is unless you are only riding motos at your local track.

 

Depends on how hard ya ride it. When I raced MX, we changed the rings 3x a season and piston/rings yearly. Replaced the bikes every two years, but during that time, never had to mess with a bottom end. Have had my KDX for about 6 yrs now and have not redone top end yet. Yeah, it could probably use it, but it rides the same today as the day I got it.

Don't know of a 2T dirty bike that is FI, but I could be wrong. Never had any problems with carbs though.

Like Melka said, similar to difference in modern 1k vs 600. Not that much on the scales, but you'll notice it riding all day.

Don't think you'll notice. Still have the stock pipe/silencer/spark-arrestor on my KDX. My friends KTM 450 with big gun pipe is way louder.

Yeah, pretty reliable as far as I know. Have a couple of riding buds that have the Gas Gas and Beta. No problems I've heard them nag about. That said, check your parts availability. My local KTM dealer also sells/services the Gas Gas. You just don't want to get in a spot where you're waiting on some back-ordered part. That said, if I ever decide to replace the old KDX, or add another dirty bike to the garage, it will be a KTM 250 or 300 2T.

 

Thanks for all the replies gentlemen, much appreciated!

 

Woods riding it'll take you a lot of hours before you need to do a top end on a 2s. You aren't revving the piss out of it unless on wide open trails. MX is a different story for sure.

 

1. Any MX bike plan on putting a good lump of cash to make it woods friendly. Flywheel weight, suspension revalve, sidestand, spark arrestor if your state requires that, 18" rear wheel, etc. And it will always be geared too narrow -- either rev out or stall out. Rekluse fixes that though, can run taller gearing and let it do its thing in slow going. I ride a CRF250R but I had to get a lot done to it to make it work well for me (B vet pace).

2. Big bore bikes are not much heavier but they feel a lot heavier because of the rotating mass inside the motor. A lot more effort to get them to change direction. So don't be fooled, a 300 2-stroke is not much less of a beast to wrestle with than a 450 4-stroke. 125 2-stroke will feel like a mountain bike after either of those.

3. crf250x/wr250f are awesome but they feel a bit agricultural stock. WR is a bit more top heavy but more reliable. Totally appropriate for beginners and longer rides. If you're over ~170lbs to yourself a favor and spring the suspension for your weight.

4. You'll be spending many hours on those bikes so invest into ergonomics if you're outside of design envelope. Say I'm fairly tall with long legs so I have to get super tall handlebars so I don't waste energy while standing.

5. E-start IMHO isn't that big of a deal if you have auto-clutch. And you should.

 

I'm surprised how many guys are recommending 4-strokes. In my series it's probably 75% 2-stroke. I demo'd a KTM 350 back to back with a 250xc 2-stroke and the 250 felt 40 lbs lighter the moment I hopped on it. The weight is almost identical but the motor really makes a big difference in how it feels. I ended up buying one at the beginning of the year and it's really an amazing bike. Tons of bottom end power but will rip when you really need it to.

 

Depends on terrain, skill, fitness level and maybe even rider size. I can go pretty fast even on a 125 smoker and it's fun as all get out but I can't maintain the minimum pace that 125 wants to be ridden at for 3+ hours straight over the goat trails we got here. 200 2-stroke with a very mellow tune and heavy flywheel to me is about equivalent with a 250f motocrosser motor. But still can't get lazy or too tired with that one. If we had more open terrain with better traction that might be different.

 

To refresh my memory I went back and read the original post which says he plans to do a little bit of MX and Hare scrambles and some goat trail riding. so just like a street legal endure which really does nothing good, woods or roads he will be faced with this issue. My final words of advice would be to buy a 2 stroke MX or EX bike between 200-300cc and ride the heck out of it. After riding for a few months you can customize it to the riding style you like whether that is MX or Hare scrambles. For years I had two bikes the WR 400 for racing and the XR 250-280 for play riding. XR I could ride all day and not get tired, the WR I could ride faster but required more fitness. Buy something and enjoy it.

 

And just a random thought for those dirt riders in the South East, Mid Central region. If you've never gone to the Loretta Lynn's fall trail ride it makes for a wonderful weekend. Bad thing is it's usually scheduled around the same time as the GNF but the wife and I did it for a couple of years and had a blast. They also do a Winter trail ride which is less crowded and normally a little more difficult as the terrain gets slick in TN in December.

 

Hey anyone familiar with the WR250F's?

I came across two of them, 2007 & 2013, they're only $800 apart, '07 has only 300 miles and the '13 less than a 50 miles.

Were there any substantial upgrades worth having between these two bikes?

Are the F's any worse/better than the R models?

Any years to avoid?


Thnx!