First ride was on the rough and rocky trails around my house. The forks are very stiff for woods riding. My arms pumped up REALLY fast, but that's probably tied more to the fact that I hadn't ridden in 5 years. The shock felt fine. The power of the engine suprised me, since it's WAY more powerful than a 125 (my last bike was a '93 CR125). The low-end acceleration and throttle response is easily equal to a good 250 2-stroke. Actually, this goes against most of the things I've read, but the bike feels much more like a 250 than a 125 to me in both engine power and weight. First gear is a bit high for tight woods riding. I stalled it once.
At the MX track, the suspension was excellent! I may go with slightly stiffer fork springs, but it's not mandatory. The engine worked great, but it still didn't feel like a 125. I found that it had a very even spread of power, and that if I revved it too high, power would taper off. I definitely spent more time in the low-end and midrange than I do on a 125. I don't feel like you have to (or should) ride it like a 125. Maybe that will change in the future? I wasn't using the clutch nearly as much as I would on a 125.
I haven't had any major problems starting the bike hot or cold. I did stall it on the trail once, and that time it took about 6-7 kicks.
Bottom line is that, for me, it's a very good bike. In my case, it's not the dream bike that others have made it out to be. I plan to enjoy the bike for the year, then decide if I'm a 2 or 4 stroke guy. Right now, I'd probably still prefer a strong 125 (especially considering the price difference). Time will tell...
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[This message has been edited by TriPower (edited 04-20-2001).]
At the MX track, the suspension was excellent! I may go with slightly stiffer fork springs, but it's not mandatory. The engine worked great, but it still didn't feel like a 125. I found that it had a very even spread of power, and that if I revved it too high, power would taper off. I definitely spent more time in the low-end and midrange than I do on a 125. I don't feel like you have to (or should) ride it like a 125. Maybe that will change in the future? I wasn't using the clutch nearly as much as I would on a 125.
I haven't had any major problems starting the bike hot or cold. I did stall it on the trail once, and that time it took about 6-7 kicks.
Bottom line is that, for me, it's a very good bike. In my case, it's not the dream bike that others have made it out to be. I plan to enjoy the bike for the year, then decide if I'm a 2 or 4 stroke guy. Right now, I'd probably still prefer a strong 125 (especially considering the price difference). Time will tell...
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[This message has been edited by TriPower (edited 04-20-2001).]