My friend is in the same boat, he has a ttr125 and has found that it is not enough bike for him. He has ridden my KX250 but doesn't feel that he is ready for so much bike yet. He has ridden the TTR on 3 of our local tracks and survived, but it's harsh. If you have a brand preference, go with it. If you have a favorite color, buy that color. If you want new, Kawasaki is out. Also, don't fear the 250 thumpers, they are easier to ride, just more difficult and expensive to maintain. If you can get a good deal on a late model smoker, go for it, but giv the bike a good look over. take a good look at the sprockets (excessive wear is a sign of poor maintenance habits) as well as the air filter, if it's dirty, why wasn't it cleaned?