Dirt Bike Advice

[kylegentz]

Ok so i have a buddy who wants to get a 450 Dirt Bike 4 Stroke. He rides his buddies yzf450 and he has no brand preference. He wants to spend about 2,500 bucks. I have found plenty 03's and 04's for that price in my area. I want to know is there any bikes to stay away from. Also i want him to get something green sticker, what classifies a bike red vs green?Please advise.

-Kyle

EDIT:

This is for a freind

1) your physical size (both height and weight are important) 5'10 180lbs
2) How physical / aggressive are you ? very aggressive
3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ????? MX/SX Tracks
4) Do you have any riding experience? yes but no money for a bike untill now
5) Do you think you will race ? some day
6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work i could clean the carbs and change out a clutch but thats about it.
7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)? 4 stroke and no brand preference also he wants a 450.
8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry? Yamaha, Honda, Kawi, Suzuki, KTM, Can Am, Polaris (everything basically)
9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike? 2,500
10) Do you live in California? YES
11) Your age? 25
12) anything else that you think would help form an opinion. He rides a YZF450 alot and now wants his own bike.

Please Advise


Edit/Delete Message

 

[kylegentz]

I personly am a quad guy but and have worked on motors a little so i can help him do what ever work that should be done on it. Whats the difference between WR450 and a YZF450? Remember I'm a QUAD guy.

-Kyle

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

The wr450:

Has electrical system, head lights, tail light, battery. Suitable for night rides
Has an electric starter
Has a speedometer - odometer is useful for enduros
Has a kickstand
Has some EPA emissions control, although that can be defeated easily.
It has basically the same engine and suspension as the YZ-450F except it is heavier, primarialy due to the battery.
Gear box is reportedly "wide ratio" when compared to the YZ.



If he buys a 2005 or later model WR-450 it will qualify for the California green sticker. Watch out, as the earlier models were NOT eligible for the green sticker. A YZ-450, any year, is not green sticker eligible.

I expect he will have a real tough time finding a WR-450 for under $2500. I highly recommend buying a bike that is already properly registered for California as it can be a major hassle to get obtain title for a used bike that was never registered.

Rod

 

[jackflack44]

Ew! Quads!

 

[flyingfuzzball]

yea and i would be wary of any used 4 strokes (motocross bikes at least) because the engines are cranking out serious power and thus need a lot of maintenance that is often neglected.

so you could be buying a timebomb or you could be buying a bike that is as good as new from someone who was meticulous about maintenance.

 

[Cman250]

450 4 stroke for $2500...? Well thats what I would stay away from right from the get go. I mean its not like its impossible to find that deal of a lifetime where the owner is selling his beautiful 450 4 banger that has been maintained meticulously (which for these bikes is the minimum) and he feels like giving it away to Joe somebody for heck, only 2500 dollars. However its also not impossible to win the lottery either, so if I were your buddy then i might change my mind set on the bike of choice. However, ask to look at the air filter, if he didn't clean it when trying to sell it, he probably didn't clean it when he rode it around either. Which leads you to think of all the other possible neglected maintenance he could of forgot to do on the bike. So in laymen's terms Dirty Filterad Deal. Has your buddy even ridden a two stroke, does he have a reason why not to get one?

 

[Deadohiosky39]

I fully agree with the air filter statement. I thought i got a pretty good deal on my last bike until I got it home and the airfilter looked like he threw it in the dirt before putting it back in the bike. The ring around the edge fell off when i cleaned it and the rest of the bike has just been one thing after another ever since.

As young as i am, i will say i'm pretty old school and am still pretty leary of the new fourstrokes. They seem great and are fun to ride but i've just heard too many stories of blown motors and expensive repair bills. If hes going to take care of it like he should then they are great bikes. It all really depends on him.