Looking for a Playbike

[Cman250]

Hey all,

1) your physical size (both height and weight are important) -5"8 150lbs
2) How physical / aggressive are you ? -
-8/10
3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ?????
- field, woods, trailing
4) Do you have any riding experience?
Yes,
5) Do you think you will race ?
No
6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work?
Yes
7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)?
either or
8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry?
Yes, but im buying used
9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike?
bank account says no more than 1800
10) Do you live in California?
Not exactly
11) Your age?
16

12) anything else that you think would help form an opinion

Well I have owned a racing bike in the past and it was an experience but now im looking for a smaller play bike just for riding around and trailing. The 2 strokes seem like a good option but is a yz 85 or something similiar going to pull around a big kid like me? The 2 strokes are cheap and are for sale everywhere locally. How often am i going to be doing the top end on these little screamers? Not racing.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Buy an 85 and build a 105 big bore version. You'll have a ton of fun.

 

[_JOE_]

Buy an 85 and build a 105 big bore version. You'll have a ton of fun.

+1!

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

-1 !

I disagree.

The frame/wheel size of an 85 is too small for a full size rider. At 5'8" you are not exactly short and at 16 years old you may still grow.

Having the center of gravity that high above a short wheel base is just asking for a short flight over the handlbars. Yeah, there are a lot of guys messing around on bikes that are too small for them but I sure wouldn't recommend it for a "play bike". A "pit bike" maybe but not for something that you would take out on a trail.

I am also surprised that the 85s are cheap in your area. My experience has been that the 50 to 85 bikes have held their value really well because they are bought for kids that outgrow them fairly quickly.

I would think that something like a YZ-125 would be perfect for you.

Rod

 

[Cman250]

Well anything under 1800 is considered cheap for me just because thats all i got. Im not looking for the perfect trail machine or motorcroser. You think an 85 is small you should get a load of me riding on a crf50 pinned through everything in its way. Im more concerned about the power output as I know 2 strokes have a lack of bottom end power particularly an 85. Are you saying i should get a 125 four banger instead? I fell that I don't need a 125 2 stroke just because a full size bike demands more out of me when riding , so much so that it kind of takes away from the loose and free feeling I get on a smaller bike. Its also not going to be a long term bike just something for a couple summers of screwing around, later when I have a steady income I will invest in a better suited bike for trails and offroad. For the money Im talking about its easier to find an excellent condition mini playbike than a crap condition speedster. Also for the area I ride its funner to rip through the gears in a small field than to whack the throttle and be at the end of the field. BTW, how much life can I get out of an 85 engine before maintenance?

 

[flying flea]

The 04 kx85 i had had some bottom end on it one we put an fmf pipe system on it, but 125's have almost none. I think the 85's are blasts to ride, but they aren't made for big kids. crf 150's are pretty fun, the xr line of bikes, ( 200, 250) are supposed to be bulletproof. I would suggest going out and looking and sitting and checking out bikes until you find one that you like.

 

[_JOE_]

I guess after reading what you last posted I would probly recommend a ttr125. It's not the king of power, but will surely go anywhere you point it. I have made some fairly big hillclimbs on the wifey's ttr. Maintenance? What's that? Lol. A couple oil changes a year, a few air filter cleanings and a few cans of chain lube is about it. Ours has been pretty reliable once I got it jetted right, she had trouble starting it stock. Just don't plan on jumping it unless you get heavier springs. I think they make a fine play/trail bike for someone under 5' 10". Shaving some mass from the flywheel helps alot. For 1800 bucks you can get an almost new ttr125.

 

[kschilk]

Not big on 4s but the Honda CRF150 is a cool li'l ride and as I understand, quite "buildable". My son just picked up a slightly used one, for $1700. If you gotta' go smaller, the KLX110 seems popular with the "midget militia"...pit bikers.

 

[Cman250]

Got It!

04 CRF230 picked it up today for 1800. Not bad huh.

 

[_JOE_]

Cool. Probly alot easier to ride than the cr, huh?

 

[schmanman]

my friend has one of those. nice bike.