I pose this question because I have noticed soooo much debate about what bike to get and this is my theory. At what point does the bike really matter? I ride with a group of about 8 riders. Two 02ish KX 250, a 04 CR250R "that is my baby", a late nineties YZ 400, I believe a midish 90's YZ 125, a Raptor 350 "yes that is a quad and their is a couple more", a 450R quad and a 400 EX quad. I am hands down the slowest of the group and I am fine with that, I am 30 yrs old, overwheight and ride for fun so I am pretty much eliminated from the "friendly racing we do". I will say that on any given day the guy on the 125 can outrun the guy on the 400 and even sometimes holeshot him. But somtimes my buddies on the 250 two bangers destroy everyone. I have seen the 125 outrun the 250 two strokes also. The guy on the 350 quad is a natural at it. He beats everyone occasionally too, although the stupid quad throws up so much dust that once you get behind him you are screwed. Do yall see what I am getting at? It is a coin toss as to who is having a better day. So what I am getting at is when do you think the equipment really matters. I think that most of these guys may win a C class race and probably would be competive in the B class. So when does the bike really matter, I know that sometimes you want certain characteristics and that is important but if a guy on a 125 holeshots everyone then isn't it really the rider? We have traded bikes around and it seems like no one is really faster on a certain model, they just like certain traits a little bit more. I will say I hate the quads though. They beat you to death, are heavy and I find only fun on trails. I guess my final point is that it really is all about the ability to pull the trigger untill???????????????????????????????????what riding level???????????????????????????????????????????????
At what point does the bike REALLY Matter?
- Thread starter tyesai
- Start date
for regular folks like us who just play ride, and maybe race some it don't matter what bike you've got... On my 125 I can keep up with my 250 friends on trails just fine, it's just that I have to hold it wide open the whole time... On long straights I have to let them go... Those what bike to buy threads, all those people know what they want pretty much, they just want someone to back them up a little bit...
I think this is a great question.
Logically, as soon as your using 100% of what you have, a newer/better bike will help you be faster.
The truth is that most competitions are won or lost mentally. Using equipment that is not "the best" plants that seed of doubt in your mind. Basically, your beaten before you start.
Logically, as soon as your using 100% of what you have, a newer/better bike will help you be faster.
The truth is that most competitions are won or lost mentally. Using equipment that is not "the best" plants that seed of doubt in your mind. Basically, your beaten before you start.
- Aug 29, 2004
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i think the bike can help a person realize their potential
i was an A rider as a kid til i was 18 had a nasty crash and quit for many reasons - money, beer , girls , etc. anyway when i came back to riding at 32 i was on the same exact model i left off riding ....an 88 cr250 i was a c rider at best now. til the next season when i EGayed a newer 03 cr250 and within weeks i was a contender for the B riding crowd and if i could ride everyday like i did as a kid id like to think the 03 would take me back to the A class . but the confidence inspiring and trustworthyness of the 03 is worlds ahead of the 88
in a flat out drag race or easy wide open trails the 88 was fast ......but the handling, suspension, throttle crispness, and surgical instruments the 03 has for brakes compared to the 88 is a far cry
not to mention when landing the 80' footer the linkage bolt is the last thing on my mind now :)
if you take any rider and put him on a better bike youll instantly have a better rider imho
i was an A rider as a kid til i was 18 had a nasty crash and quit for many reasons - money, beer , girls , etc. anyway when i came back to riding at 32 i was on the same exact model i left off riding ....an 88 cr250 i was a c rider at best now. til the next season when i EGayed a newer 03 cr250 and within weeks i was a contender for the B riding crowd and if i could ride everyday like i did as a kid id like to think the 03 would take me back to the A class . but the confidence inspiring and trustworthyness of the 03 is worlds ahead of the 88
in a flat out drag race or easy wide open trails the 88 was fast ......but the handling, suspension, throttle crispness, and surgical instruments the 03 has for brakes compared to the 88 is a far cry
not to mention when landing the 80' footer the linkage bolt is the last thing on my mind now :)
if you take any rider and put him on a better bike youll instantly have a better rider imho
- Aug 29, 2004
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tyesai said:
at least 1 if not both in no particular order have given me a lot of grief , so i decided i can only handle a specific amount of grief .........gave up the suds almost 7 yrs. ago , and that changed the type of young ladies im in cohoots with these days :) , the money situation is good , back to biking , quit smoking 6 mos. ago ,
LIFE KEEPS GETTING MUCH GOODER :)
xsnrg
Member
- Jul 20, 2004
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I went out to Devil's Ridge for the NC State Amateur Championship races (or something like that)...point is they had a Open class that ran concurrently with a schoolboy class. There were 4 adults out there in the open class, all on CRF450Rs and they had a good staggered head start before the schoolboys were let go... the top schoolboy kid on a 125 caught up to and passed three of the four guys on 450Rs. He did this for both the first and then the second motos. So obviously rider skill has a lot more to do with results than the bike. I personally timed Bubba last year at Budd's Creek when he was still on the 125s and he was coming within 2-3 seconds of RCs lap times during the 250 class motos...looking at the fastest times posted that day, his were about as fast as Reed or Windham's. I am pretty sure he would have placed top 5 in the 250 motos had he been racing in them on his 125. To answer your question, the better the riders are and the more evenly matched they are, the more the bike really matters.
Another, but similar point... it is always funny to me to see people spend huge bucks on exotic parts and materials to shed 5 pounds from their bike and they are 20+ lbs overweight. Sure it is different carrying weight on your person vs having a heavier machine, but at some point targeting the extra belly has to start making sense over buying a carbon fiber this or aluminum billet that.
Another, but similar point... it is always funny to me to see people spend huge bucks on exotic parts and materials to shed 5 pounds from their bike and they are 20+ lbs overweight. Sure it is different carrying weight on your person vs having a heavier machine, but at some point targeting the extra belly has to start making sense over buying a carbon fiber this or aluminum billet that.
- Nov 24, 2000
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ellandoh said:
yep, i've seen it happen many times, even to me. back in the 90's, i was racing a 93 cr250 (the one everybody loved). the bike just didn't suit me but i held on to it because of its reputation. i finally broke down and bought a new 98 cr250 when they came out. it was night and day difference. the bike suited me to a tee (even though everyone else hated it). overnight, i went from winning about once a year to winning about every other race. all because of the bike and because it worked for me.
xsnrg
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- Jul 20, 2004
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ellandoh said:
I don't know, he wasn't a very big kid, so the 450 might have been too big for him to ride as fast. If he would have been able to line up with them and start at the same time, he would have been able to smoke them on his 125 with no problem, but your point is well noted.
I've been riding a 2001 cr125 for just over 2 years. I find myself begging and pleading for more power all the time. I can keep up with my cousin who's been riding a '00 rm 125 for 4 years, but only when I'm pushing it almost over the edge.
When I get on my buddy's '00 rm250, I have no trouble staying ahead of my cousin. I just seem to go faster. I think a lot of it is the skills I've learned by keeping that 125 pinned all the time.
Ryan
When I get on my buddy's '00 rm250, I have no trouble staying ahead of my cousin. I just seem to go faster. I think a lot of it is the skills I've learned by keeping that 125 pinned all the time.
Ryan
The bike will definitely make a difference between riders in the same class. Machinery also plays a bigger role for motocross than play/trail riding IMHO.
I'm reminded of the difference between me and my moto riding buddy. He's always quicker, but he abruptly opened up the gap on me when he moved from his '00 KX250 to an '05. I went back and rode his old KX to compare with the new, and it was obvious that I had until recently held a pretty huge equipment advantage that was allowing me to run closer to his pace.
I'm reminded of the difference between me and my moto riding buddy. He's always quicker, but he abruptly opened up the gap on me when he moved from his '00 KX250 to an '05. I went back and rode his old KX to compare with the new, and it was obvious that I had until recently held a pretty huge equipment advantage that was allowing me to run closer to his pace.
B
biglou
I buy the "latest and greatest" because I want to and I can. Simple enough!
gwcrim
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- Oct 3, 2002
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The more I think about this question, the more I think there is no real hard answer. The variables are nearly infinite.
There are riders who are better in some conditions than others. There are riders of completely different skill levels. Then there are immediate conditions, like how much beer you drank the night before.
I'd say that the only answer you could get is that a different bike makes a difference when there are two people pretty closely matched in skill levels and one of them is on a bike that is completely wrong for them.
There are riders who are better in some conditions than others. There are riders of completely different skill levels. Then there are immediate conditions, like how much beer you drank the night before.
I'd say that the only answer you could get is that a different bike makes a difference when there are two people pretty closely matched in skill levels and one of them is on a bike that is completely wrong for them.
- Dec 1, 2004
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All bikes and bikers have different personalities. When two soul mates get together they will "make love" far longer than two drunks who stumbled on each other at closing time.
:laugh:
(I'll bet Vic will have a field day with this one!)
:laugh:
(I'll bet Vic will have a field day with this one!)
- Jun 29, 2005
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The real answer is this : if you feel fine on your old bike, keep it. If you feel better on one thats at least 5 years old, keep it. If you need a new one to feel better, get it. JUST KEEP ON RIDING
DONT WORRY, BE HAPPY, and riding makes me very very happy !!!
DONT WORRY, BE HAPPY, and riding makes me very very happy !!!
- Dec 1, 2004
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When a biker finds his(or her) soul mate as in bike thats suits them, its a done deal! TELL me I'm wrong! :fft:
Old frt 613 is real close to the truth!
Street or dirt!
Old frt 613 is real close to the truth!
Street or dirt!
