creric

Member
May 25, 2001
11
0
I currently ride cr125. where I live its mostly, well, pretty much all woods. Have any of you guys converted from 2 strokes to 4 strokes? I was thinking about an XR400. How different will it be from my cr? It should have more bottom, right? I know more torque. How about acceleration? weight of bike? How do you like your xr400?
 

tm-enduro

Member
Mar 7, 2001
254
0
The difference will be very noticable. I've raced (and trail ridden) everything from a CR125 to a Husaberg 501FE. The two bikes you mentioned are bookends of the spectrum and hard to directly compare. Momentum is your friend if your want to ride either fast, but the similarities stop there. The Xr will accelerate slower, unless traction is an issue (slippery rocks, etc.). The XR is much less nimble as well, but a great trail bike (and can be ridden fast). The CR takes less effort to go fast and the XR takes less effort to go all day.
 

RM80kid

Member
Jan 2, 2001
53
0
I Just got a KLX 300 and I have also riden an XR 400. The KLX is close to your 125 and has grate power, but it has grate power down low. It feel s like a feather and i just came off an RM 80. So i wouild recomend the KLX 300 over the XR 400. Also the KLX handels much better.:cool:
 

John K

Member
Feb 22, 2000
117
0
If you are after something roughly comparable to your CR wait for the CRF450R (new MX 4 stroke from honda due soon) It is reportedly around 102Kg and 55Hp, if this is even close to being true it will blow your CR to the weeds. Exciting prospect is it not! :D
 

Mike Hubert

Member
Apr 22, 2001
164
0
I agree with an earlier post, you would like the KLX300. I have owned losts of different bikes and the KLX was a good all around bike. I would also recommend the KDX220, it combines the best attributes of 2 and 4 stroke bikes.
 

wrooster

Member
Feb 12, 2001
83
0
yama's yz250f (for mx) and wr250f (for trails) are the way to go. great suspenders, light weight, fantastic power, and super agility. the primary difference (besides the obvious headlight/tailight) is that the wrf has a lower first gear and higher 4th and 5th gears than the yzf. so you can crawl along in the knarly rocks in the wr's 1st gear, and then in the open (4th and 5th) it will be faster than the yzf. but for mx, the yzf's close ratios keep you way up in the powerband. and the yzf is designed to be a "big air" bike. so just figure out what you are going to do more of then lean towards either the yzf or wrf.

the crf450 and cr125 are not "roughly comparable". the crf will have much more power and the traction from the 4stroke will allow it hook up much better. so coming out of the turns you'll be going *a lot* faster once you get used to the ride. the xr400 is a completely different animal than the crf450; the xr is an older design especially suited for long desert rides, and the crf is honda's entry into the 4stroke mx racebike scene. also the xr is known to be super reliable, while the crf is new and unproven.

if you go from a cr125 to a yz426f or crf450, you should know that the words "scary fast" are going become part of your daily vocabulary. especially in tight trails. the tighter your trails are, the more nimble the bike you want. 426 or 450cc's is a bit much for the tight stuff, just too much to throw around, and they will tire you out. that's why kdx200/220's are so fast in the right hands-- good power and great agility. the klx300 is also a truly effective woods bike, but the design (esp. the suspension) is a bit dated. reliable though. so in my opinion, the best go-fast 4stroke trail bikes currently are the yama yz/wr250f and the midrange ktm's. there's rumour of a 250cc ktm 4stroke but who know's when it will show.

the wrooster
'01 wr250f
(160 miles so far and i'm averaging a crash per 20 miles...)
 

wrooster

Member
Feb 12, 2001
83
0
h-r, you ride in the woods with your 500?!?!? huevos grandes, mon!

when you are woods riding here in the east, about 0.1 seconds after you accidentally leave the trail you start looking for an escape route (with or without the bike) that doesn't involve a tree. people who ride without barkbusters must have a bone doctor in the familiy and not have a job that requires use of their hands.

the wrooster
 

Rodzilla

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 21, 1999
615
0
Ceric,

I've gotta give the nod to Wrooster. He's right. If you want to be close to the feel of the CR with the positive aspects of a thumper (mileage, no mixing, etc...) look at the WR250f or wait for Honda to do one (may be a while)

I love my XR4 but its gonna be about 75 heavier than your CR with roughly the same H.P. The XR is a fantastic trail bike and will go ANYWHERE you want it to go. I both trail ride and race it (not well). Ive logged over 5,000 miles in the last year and the bike still feels fresh. But I'm ready for something lighter and more updated. I'll keep my XR for things like Baja and those loooooong days in the saddle but I'd rather have a KTM400 or WR250 if I could.

Rod
 

John K

Member
Feb 22, 2000
117
0
Perhaps "vaguely comparable" may have been a more appropriate phrase.
Having said that, are there any other 4 strokes a CR125 could realistically
be compared to? Not really, and I agree that the 450 is more inline with
the CR250 as far as a comparrison is concerned. My point was however
that the XR400 wasn't really in the ball park for what I percieved as his
need.

;)
 

Hawaii-Rider

Member
Feb 24, 2001
210
0
WROOSTER (IMHO) Nailed it....

John:
Ive got two WRs (sons and mine) we have done the YZ timing etc.....
I would have to say that the WR is pretty close to a 125......if there is such a thing when you try to compare a two stroke racer to a four stroke, just the whole HP/Torque/weight on and on and on. Where I ride there isnt a 125 that can stay with my WR and no I am not that great of a rider (lots of learned dirty tricks maybe (did I say that?)...)......and really only a few 250 (two smokes). THe WRs have about the same HP as an XR 400 and quite a bit lighter (Rodzilla said it first!!!).
I moved "over" from a CR500......I can ride the WR in the woods and trails all day and not get beat and still go faster than someone my age should (how fast is that???......chase me!)
I digress. . . . . . . .
Dirt Bike just did a test of woods/play bikes......did a woods Modified YZ 125, KDX 220 and the KTM 200. Each of them had their own strengths and weaknesses....with the KTM coming out on top......then they did they ol......KTM 200 against the WR250f.....outcome.....well....given the source of the magazine and the writers......:confused: I would say the WR did.......
Find someone with a WR and give it a saddle rub in the woods.....my personal guess is that you will love it.......I fell in love with mine first ride....its awesome for the kind of riding I "try" to do!:eek:

And WROOSTER......a 500 in the woods......yes it is a religious event most of the time.....but heaven help you if you are behind me and I just touch that throttle......I have about a dozen "enduro headlight" stickers on the side of the tank (ala fighter ace)...and a few knuckle, nose and teeth ones for those that follow but dont pass!......rode the 500 for the first time in a loooooooong time this last weekend.......oh my......coming off of the WR to the 500........wooooooooooh:scream:
took me a while to peel the goggles off my eyeballs........I forgot just how much HP that thing makes.........(love it!)
HR
:cool:
 

John K

Member
Feb 22, 2000
117
0
Ummm... yeah, I was speaking with only Honda's in mind (massive bias :p )
I agree that the WR250F or YZ250F is probably the most obvious choice available currently, and I've heard endless good reports about it.

HOWEVER ..... :eek:
The CRF450R has many if not all Yamaha riders quaking in their boots!! After its imminent success I think it's more than probable there will be a CRF250R which will also smoke Yamaha's little blue beastie! This is all conjecture, and we are yet to see how good the 450 is, but based on honda's figures (taken loosely of course) the 450 shouldl have the goods. We all know that when Honda is dedicated to making A1 gear it happens. Doohan had to be riding something decent to get him all those titles, then again it may have just been the Aussie sitting on top ... ;)

cheers.
 
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wrooster

Member
Feb 12, 2001
83
0
"...quaking in their boots"? <-- i think not

johnk wrote:
> The CRF450R has many if not all Yamaha riders quaking in their boots!!

actually, the riders with yama's 250 and 400/426 four strokes are out riding around, ripping thru the whoops, jumping doubles & triples, winning races (mx+hs+gncc), and generally having a blast. what are the people with CRF450R's doing? the only one i know of can't seem to stay upright at national outdoor motocross events.

:*)

it's nice that you have 20-20 foresight, and are able to say that the crf450r will be a (insert yama/kawi/suzuki/ktm/etc. here) killer. i say that a) 90% of what honda knows about 4 stroke mx they learned from the yz400f & yz426f, and b) the crf450r will be a great bike -- someday. i'm not trying to get in your face here, just reminding everyone that right now there's just conjecture on the crf450r performance (weight/power/etc.) and that the crf250r is a long way off (read: you could win 1 or 2 seasons worth of races on a yz/wr250f before sitting on a crf250r). and as for mx racing, i think that ktm (i.e. langston) has really poked the collective japanese eye a bit. but bikes don't win races, riders do. shane watts could ride a sears mini-bike and crush all of us on yz250f's, crf450r's, or any other steed for that matter.

the wrooster
'01 wr250f
 

Hawaii-Rider

Member
Feb 24, 2001
210
0
Wrooooster. . . . .Crush???????

well with me, he would only need a poorly running riding lawnmower (in reverse) and that would be more than enough!......
Been passed by Roseler once when I "thought" I was ripping.......
:eek:
almost got off my bike to see why it wasnt running he went by me so quickly......
sigh.....
well I do it for fun, not $$$$$
(if that aint obvious!)
HR :cool:
 

John K

Member
Feb 22, 2000
117
0
Wrooster: It seems to me that you seem to have forgotten what preceded the WR400 & 426's. I seem to remember the top selling
bike in many countries before it's arrival was the XR400. While this is by no means an MX'er as the YZ400 / 426 obviously are, I think
you'd have to admit they owe a substantial amount of their heritage and concept from the XR4's success. I suppose if you want to get
real picky about the MX side of things you'd realistically have to look at Husky, Husaberg, & KTM in particular as being well infront of
Yamaha's currently popular offerings.

Also back to an earlier point, why are the CRF450R and the CR125 not "roughly comparable" when many would find the CR125 and CR250
"roughly comparable" If I'm not mistaken the 450 and 426's of this market are out there to delete 250 2 strokes from competition ? :confused:

Also, I'm not trying to get you riled by any means, I'm just quite passionate about my honda offroaders :D
 

wrooster

Member
Feb 12, 2001
83
0
johnk wrote:
> ...It seems to me that you seem to have forgotten what preceded the
> WR400 & 426's. I seem to remember the top selling
> bike in many countries before it's arrival was the XR400.

well, if i landed a 60+ foot jump on an xr400, i'd have to pull my ass out of my helmet afterwards. :*)

but i see and agree with your points. i think that honda will do well just by watching and listening-- every time they see fonseca take painfully long to restart his yz250f, they should say "note to self, this new bike better be easy to restart hot, and if it is that will be a major selling point and a huge race-day advantage."

i guess that when i said "not roughly comparable", i mean that if you are a 16 year old currently flicking around a cr125, well, a 50 crankshaft hp 426 or 450 that hooks up like a cat on carpet is going to be a handful. especially in the woods in 3rd gear. you'd have to smoke a lot of hawaiian mojo to ride a 426 or my god a 500 in tight woods... :*)

the wrooster
 

DougRoost

~SPONSOR~
May 3, 2001
720
0
Hawaii-Rider noted he was passed by Roeseler when he thought he was hauling. And we all know Larry Roeseler rides a KLX. It really is a good bike for trail riding and in fact the press was saying all the same things about the KLX 5 years ago that they're now saying about the YZF250 (see related thread titled KLX!). As has previously been mentioned, the KDX is an excellent 2 stroke trail bike.

That said, neither of these is a YZF250. That is really the closest bike you'll find to your CR125. However, back to your original question: is that what you really want? To be fast on this bike you have to ride it like your CR125, which it can do (redline is an amazing 13,500 RPM). If you get one of these, WROOSTER was right, get the WR so you at least get the wide ratio gear box and weighted flywheel (less stalling - you don't want to have to restart this thing).:cool:
 

Hawaii-Rider

Member
Feb 24, 2001
210
0
Doug...........Doug.......Doug.........

please.........I will admit to getting passed by the R man himself, but NEVER by a KLX:p
PLEASE.....................
gag
cough
chuck up "bright green" fleghm.......
aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh
he was on a KX-500.....
Flat River Grand Prix, Mo.
And for what it is worth, I passed him later that day.....in my truck, on the freeway going back up to St Louis :confused:
so there :D

and BTW regardless of what the press says or doesnt say.......I know one thing, I am very very very happy with my WR-250.........love it, it hauls, starts easy (now)
Go figure.......
When the magazines start buying my bikes for me to ride, then I will listen to them intently and with total respect..............

HR
:cool:

"Magazine opinions are like hemoroids, every a*%hole has one, just some are more painful than others"
 

ACS

Member
Apr 17, 2001
242
0
I like this thread. I think the new Honda CR450 will be a good bike like the Yamaha and KTM 4 strokes but I dont think it will be a world beater like the Yamahas were / are. I would never have brought another 4 stroke adult bike after my experiences with a XR250. I like Hondas minis but the TTR series seems to have dented Hondas sales here in Australia a lot.

I rode (borrowed) all sorts of 4 strokes on the trail and never thought that they could make a stock 400/426/250 MX bike that could run with a 2 stroke on a MX track let alone be half reliable and a great trail bike (WR).

Hondas bike will most likely be competitive but where is the 250 or 125 or enduro / trail version? Honda is dragging the chain................:p I suppose so is Suzuki, KTM, Kawasaki, TM, and all other brands are as well.
 

nkd

Member
Mar 3, 2000
66
0
I ride a 2000 CR125 and also have a 95 XR250, they
are both great for different things. My CR is great
in sand (which I do a lot of). The XR is perfect for rock/trail
riding. I wouldn't want to part with either bike!
Nancy
 

DougRoost

~SPONSOR~
May 3, 2001
720
0
Hawaii-rider, you're in MO?!! I grew up in St. Louis and go back to visit, though have never brought my bike back to ride.

Sorry to hear Larry's KLX365 wasn't the one passing you. No offense since I've considered a WR250F, but I've got buddies who have stomped 250F and 400F's with their stroked KLX's. Then again, they had to stroke them, add pumper carbs, and do lots of suspension work whereas the blue bikes (especially the 250F's) come pretty much ready to go.

A KX500 sounds like a bit of overkill but probably a much better choice if you were down in the chat piles -- 2 strokes, especially big ones, rock in sand type terrain.
 

ssuperbike

Member
Dec 5, 2000
70
0
I have to say the YZ set up with an oversize tank and hand gaurds would ripp geared down to a 51 tooth rear sprocket. I like the moto tranny in my Yz 426 much better than the WR (I.M.O.). If you plan to race or rage this would be fun. If you want to take a back pack and put along, stting down over the whoops--XR,Kdx,Klx ;) Seriosly the YZ/WR are great bikes, I like to enduroize a moto bike. I dont need a headlight exept when riding an enduro, plus would need to change that terrible seat/ tank. Your CR can be set up to chase down any bike in the woods! I have seen some really fast guys on CR 125s set up for the woods.
Why is a xr 400 a great woods bike and my YZ 444 is not? It weighs less than an XR 400. It has better suspension. It handles better. It is not a beginer bike. Set up is the key to a woods bike, you just need to know what you want it to do. Dont believe me? How does LR go fast on a KLX? Set up. Dont forget he gets payed to ride it and could ride that sears mini bike and still beat most of us! Oh, wait he is! It is painted green! If I ever get beat in the woods, it is me not the bike. ----Chase me, if you can stay close enough to see me! :D :eek:
 

Hawaii-Rider

Member
Feb 24, 2001
210
0
Doug. . . . Like Super Bike said..........

Doug:
Used to live at Fort Leonardwood......great friend of mine lives in Fenton MO, just outside St Louis.
Put your "friends" on the WR or YZ and those "other guys" on the Storked (ha ha) KLX and they will smoke em on their own bike. Bottom line, its the rider........my $.02
todays bikes are beyond incredible, with suspension, power, longevity, etc etc...........
just depends on whether or not you want to ride something "GreeN".......:scream:
personally I wear green every day (Army) and the last thing I would want is to ride it on the weekend.......
gross.........
:D
Be good........
I need to pull a grey wire under my gas tank.........
HR :cool:
 

wrooster

Member
Feb 12, 2001
83
0
h-r, let me know how you make out with your grey wire mod. unfortunately i haven't been able to ride since last week so i'm in the dark on the performance gain, so to speak. maybe i can get out on tue, we'll see what team blue sans the grey wire can do then.

ps, (real hush hush)
i heard honda is adding all kinds of extra grey wires onto the production version of the crf450f-- i guess they are hoping for a nice plecebo effect.

the wrooster
 
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