:think The 200 is okay after "truely" proper jetting(42p/180m/DDK or CEK needle). 160 lbs is ideal, I go 190, btw. I've stuck with mine, but have tinkered with mods. from day one. The bike has great potential. The 250 may be a bit much for tight woods. Jetting, a re-valve and your set though.
That being said.
Come on guys! Upon first ride he will understand how amazing Shane Watts must be to do what he does. His bikes never see grunt. If you stay stock, start riding like a 125 MX pro(not easy). Stock roll-on power under a load is weaker than the KDX or XR250 and no where near a 250 2 smoke. True the motor keeps chugging way down, but no real torque to quickly get back up to speed. If you lose momentum you'll have riders on your arse so fast and you can't get out of their way. Bog and spin, 'til trail levels off . That was tiring, even though I'm in pretty good shape.
Upon purchase I went from among fastest in my riding group to keeping an eye on the straglers. Grunt has been the thorn in my side. Yes, there is hope. To date I have unreal power(FMF CDI magic), but it is mostly hp not torque, the torque is closer to being acceptable though. Oh yeah, the turning and suspension were also a factor in slowing me down. Very significant, almost evil at slow or fast pace. Again, tinkering(oil,springs,settings) has made it tolerable 'til I re-valving.
What terrain and your ability really may determine which size is best for you. I ride socal mountain trails and am pretty aggressive. 250's are the logical for me, but where's the fun in that. I've stayed with my 200MX/C for the light weight(250's feel heavy now). I also like the new challenge of being the underdog. With current mods. life is much better(10 times faster), but if I hop on a re-valved MX 250... forget about it! I totally relax, they're just so easy to go fast on.
Not trying to be negative here, I just want Buckwheat to be prepared. He should be prepared to spend more money/tinker to get it set-up for his liking. True, I"ve only come across a small number of individuals that have similar issues(may have to due w/weight?). :confused:
Good luck