Beginning a Search for the Right Bike.

[Andrew Leigh]

Just some quick specs.

1) 5'6" | 168 pounds (probably will drop to 160). Have good arm strength, incredible leg strength.

2) How physical / aggressive are you? I run about three miles everyday and don't really feel tired at the end of the run. I play tennis regularly as well as ski every season. I take pain decently as well.

3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ????? Some of it would be woods, dirt roads, as well as terrain with wood/debris/rocks in the way. We would head up to Vermont for some trips - but there is a nice place in Massachussettes we may check out. Besides that sort of terrain - i'd also like to ride on dirt and catch some air. I'm really interested in learning how to jump. I'd be doing this with friends.

4) Do you have any riding experience? No. I'm currently seeing if I can find a local place where I can ride a bit to get a feel for it.

5) Do you think you will race? No, primarily looking for messing around one terrain - if I did race, it wouldn't be a serious competition.


6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work? I'm not really mechanically inclined, but my friend is really into working on his car and has experience with machinery (he's an engineering major). I want to be able to learn how to properly use parts and maintain my bike though.

7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)? It depends. I'm not exactly sure which would be better for my style of riding. The 2 stroke supposedly eats gas, the engine has a shorter life-span, and it requires oil every time you fill the tank. However, it's stronger, easier to maintain, and is less expensive than the four-stroke. I'm sort of torn in this regard.

8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry? Not sure of this - looking around for a dealer at the moment. I see plenty of used ones in the paper though (I should be wary of that though).

9) How much do you plan to spend on a bike? Between 2,000 and 4,000 dollars. I sort of expect them to cost around that much for a decent starting bike.

10) anything else that you think would help form an opinion I love speed, but control comes first. I don't want to hit a jump/rock/log and go flying off of my bike because it's excessively difficult to control, but I don't want it to struggle/reduce in speed dramatically when climbing.

Anyone have suggestions/resources of information?

 

[CaptainObvious]

3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ????? Some of it would be woods, dirt roads, as well as terrain with wood/debris/rocks in the way. We would head up to Vermont for some trips - but there is a nice place in Massachussettes we may check out. Besides that sort of terrain - i'd also like to ride on dirt and catch some air. I'm really interested in learning how to jump. I'd be doing this with friends.

So, you want a bike that does EVERYTHING :)

The problem of getting one bike that does everything is that they tend not to do anything well. But there are exceptions.

Honda's CRF250X is a bike that can do it all. I would also suggest a look at the Yamaha WR250F. Both of these bikes are modern 4 strokes that have great power and suspensions. You will be able to find a WR in your price range. The 250X is new to the market and I don't think you will have any luck finding one below $4,000.

A few things to consider too:

Put $500 aside for riding gear. You will need a helmet, boots, goggles, gloves and a chest protector as a minimum. Riding gear (pants and jersey) are good to have to because they will protect your skin if (when) you fall. Jeans and cotton shirts will tear.

If you do buy a used 4-stroke, have the valves checked by a mechanic. Heck, If you find a bike at a good price, just have a valve job done. Cheap insurance.

I saw your other "new to dirtbikes" post. You're gonna love this sport!

 

[Andrew Leigh]

So, you want a bike that does EVERYTHING :)

The problem of getting one bike that does everything is that they tend not to do anything well. But there are exceptions.

Honda's CRF250X is a bike that can do it all. I would also suggest a look at the Yamaha WR250F. Both of these bikes are modern 4 strokes that have great power and suspensions. You will be able to find a WR in your price range. The 250X is new to the market and I don't think you will have any luck finding one below $4,000.

A few things to consider too:

Put $500 aside for riding gear. You will need a helmet, boots, goggles, gloves and a chest protector as a minimum. Riding gear (pants and jersey) are good to have to because they will protect your skin if (when) you fall. Jeans and cotton shirts will tear.

If you do buy a used 4-stroke, have the valves checked by a mechanic. Heck, If you find a bike at a good price, just have a valve job done. Cheap insurance.

I saw your other "new to dirtbikes" post. You're gonna love this sport!

Is there a specific year on the WR250F that you recommend? I'm looking at a few write ups and it appears that the 2001 model has some issues but with others, it seems like a solid bike. The guy at http://www.motorcycledaily.com/04march01wr250freview2.html seems to complain about the ergonomics a bit, but I'm wondering about how much of an issue that'll be.

So you think it'll turn out to be a decent motorcross/trail bike? If not - maybe I should really look into what I'll enjoy a lot more as well as what I can do locally. Also - thanks for mentioning the gear - gotta take that into account (knew about it in the back of my head, but it should be a priority).

Thanks for replying and helping me out - can't wait!

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Also - do you guys have a reliable site for gear? I wanna start shopping around/looking for stuff. Right now I'm trying to find a local dealer that sells bikes - but so far i've only been able to find one in massachussettes.

*edit*

might check this place out. http://www.strictlydirt.com/support/shop.htm

Also - do you think I should shoot for a used bike (so that I can get something cheaper) with a low riding time or just go all out and get a new bike from a dealer? The WR250F 2003 looks awesome - electric start may make things easier :D

 

[YZ125jk]

www.denniskirk.com or www.motosport.com and www.rockymoutainatv.com

 

[Andrew Leigh]

www.denniskirk.com or www.motosport.com and www.rockymoutainatv.com

Thank you for the urls.

 

[CaptainObvious]

I like RM Cycle too. But I have found good deals here too:

www.mxsouth.com
www.bobscycle.com/
www.motosportoutlet.com/
www.newenough.com/

Getting back to your question...I'd buy used for a first bike. If you buy new and for some reason decide it isn't for you...you'll be out $1,000+. However, if you buy used and find that you like MX over Trails (or vice versa) you'll have a lot of money left over to upgrade your bike to the riding that suits you most.

Try to find as new of a bike as you can. A clean, adult ridden bike would be my first choice.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

I like RM Cycle too. But I have found good deals here too:

www.mxsouth.com
www.bobscycle.com/
www.motosportoutlet.com/
www.newenough.com/

Getting back to your question...I'd buy used for a first bike. If you buy new and for some reason decide it isn't for you...you'll be out $1,000+. However, if you buy used and find that you like MX over Trails (or vice versa) you'll have a lot of money left over to upgrade your bike to the riding that suits you most.

Try to find as new of a bike as you can. A clean, adult ridden bike would be my first choice.

Is there anything in particular I should be wary of/haggling techniques? I know the YZ line is good for MX and the WR you mentioned for trail riding - but is there any bike that has some issues/problems with control/suspension/engine? Same questions regarding gear - any brand that is poor in performance? Thanks again for providing some great information.

And I'm really considering a two stroke. Heard they won't be making them anymore - why is that?

 

[Ruff Rider]

And I'm really considering a two stroke. Heard they won't be making them anymore - why is that?

Well in California, government agencys and wackos are cracking down on noise and emissions caused by dirtbikes. Nothing is banned but theyre putting regulations on certain aspects (IE no louder than 93 dBs).

The only way 2strokes will 'go away' is if manufactures stop production but all bikes already sold will most likely still be legal.

Im not concerned about it too much and neither should you - just keep watch to see if any bills are created and write to your senator

 

[kdx220freak]

well, i think a perfect bike for you is a kawasaki kdx220. i LOVE mine. It will definatley have enough power to last you a while. It is also one of the best trail bikes ever. Although it is 2-stroke they really dont eat up gas. I mix mine 42:1 but it can be mixed 52:1 with the right stuff. I get very good mileage with my bike. They are also very cheap to maintain and run excellent. I got mine from a guy for $1300, and it only needed wheel bearings and tires. I cleaned the airfliter which was covered in sludge and it still started on the first kick. O ya my bike is a 2001. I think you could get a 2003 or 2004 for about $3000 or a 2002 for about $2500 in perfect condtion and then you could spend the rest on gear and later on upgrades if you like the bike. You could probably find a 2001 for about $1900 in perfect condition.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Is there anything in particular I should be wary of/haggling techniques? I know the YZ line is good for MX and the WR you mentioned for trail riding - but is there any bike that has some issues/problems with control/suspension/engine? Same questions regarding gear - any brand that is poor in performance? Thanks again for providing some great information.

And I'm really considering a two stroke. Heard they won't be making them anymore - why is that?

The YZ250F and the WR250F are virtually the same bike, the difference being the electric start on the WR and suspension tuning. The WR is sold in a "restricted" form, but can bring it up to its full performance potential for free.

The Honda CFR250R and CFR250X are also basically the same except for the e-start on the X. The 250X is not de-tuned in any way.

As kdx220freak mentioned, the KDX line is a great starter bike for "play riding". However, if you plan on riding MX tracks, don't consider a KDX. They are just brutal on an MX track. They are a lot of fun on a trail though.

 

[Masterphil]

You want a bike that does it all. You sound like you are in great shape, and could handle some power. Check out KTM's MXC line. How old are you? Another thing to consider is what you want your bike to be most capable at doing, and where you are willing to compromise some rider comfort..

If you were to buy a MX/SX dirtbike (yz,rm,kx,cr,sx) It would be at home on a motocross track or a supercross track, but in the trails, it's power deliverey could be a little too much for you.

If you were to buy a trail bike (kdx,xr,exc,wr) it would rock on the trails, but on a motocross track, the softer suspension is going to kick you in the arse.

My first dirtbike was a 2002 yz426, and I learned to ride it in the trails. You just can't be stupid with it.

I'd just get a 250motocrosser in your favorite flavor: YZ, KX, RM, CR, SX

 

[bnichols70]

Another Opinion...

I was in the same boat as you. Fit, and had rode street all my riding time. My son (5 at the time) wanted a bike, so I bought him a 50, and then started looking myself. I picked the WR250F, since it was a 4 stroke. Easier maintenance, I could take my training slower, and chase him too, at slower speeds, without fouling plugs, etc. I also know I can modify later, by cutting or actually unplugging a wire, changing to a YZ muffler, and doing some other really simple mods, that most anyone can do, due to the people here readily sharing their help. And I am not really mechanical, but can do most of the simple stuff. I bought an 04, and each year they upgrade in some fashion. 05 brought heavier made front ends. Check online auctions, as you can find really good deals, especially between Thanksgiving and Christmas, since some figure out they had forgot about that particular holiday, and have to have some cash from somewhere. I am about ready to "uncork" mine, having been riding it for about a year, and have been told that doing some of the "free" mods will make my bike equal almost to the YZ250F, since it is basically the same bike, just with a headlight, and electric start, which I LOVE...

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Thank you for the awesome help guys. While I'm more interested in MX, it appears that my friend really wants to do trail riding and I'm willing to do that as well. I think I'll shoot for a WR250F or YZ, and probably recommend the KDX to my friend and see where this goes. Although, a question before I do something stupid. Can I hit jumps with this bike? Or is that out of the question?

 

[Andrew Leigh]

You want a bike that does it all. You sound like you are in great shape, and could handle some power. Check out KTM's MXC line. How old are you? Another thing to consider is what you want your bike to be most capable at doing, and where you are willing to compromise some rider comfort..

If you were to buy a MX/SX dirtbike (yz,rm,kx,cr,sx) It would be at home on a motocross track or a supercross track, but in the trails, it's power deliverey could be a little too much for you.

If you were to buy a trail bike (kdx,xr,exc,wr) it would rock on the trails, but on a motocross track, the softer suspension is going to kick you in the arse.

My first dirtbike was a 2002 yz426, and I learned to ride it in the trails. You just can't be stupid with it.

I'd just get a 250motocrosser in your favorite flavor: YZ, KX, RM, CR, SX

I'm 19 years old and live in CT. If I can I want to mod the bike so that it's street legal as well. I'll do some research on that MXC line you were talking about. With the bike, I want to be able to hit a decent top speed and be able to hit jumps comfortably (which is why MX was appealing to me). If I can find a bike that can do trail riding with my friend, but also can satisfy my wants I'll be really happy. Either way, if I get into it and really enjoy the trail riding, i'll probably shoot for an MX bike as my second.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Also - what exactly makes a bike street legal? Reading around makes me believe that there would be a decent amount of limitations if I made the bike street legal with a kit.