I originally posted this in the Beginner's Forum, but it was suggested that I re-post it here, so here goes:
My son (now age 11) and I are new to the sport of trail riding. We bought bikes back in October of 2000 and have been out about a half dozen times both at home in Michigan and down in Florida (Croom). We are having a great time and my initial prejudices/fears about the sport were way off base. My son has clearly outgrown his 2000 Honda XR100R already, so this past weekend he started riding my 1991 Yamaha RT180 (a nice bike that runs perfectly, but clearly too small for me). We are going to sell his XR100R and he will keep the RT180 (hopefully for a couple of years, anyway). He is probably 4 inches taller now that when we bought the Honda in October, so who knows how long the RT 180 will do for him, but at least for now he is happy.
Now I need to buy a replacement bike for myself. I am about 6 feet tall and close to 290 lbs, so the RT180 really was straining getting me uphill and through deep sand. I have considered a Honda XR400, but there seem to be alot more XR 600's and 650's available used right now in my geographic area and they are in the same price range as the 400's. Would the 600/650 be too much bike for a relative beginner? I have also found a couple of used Suzuki DR350's in the right price range. What else should I be looking at? I don't race and (as far as I can tell at this point) will not be doing any competitive enduro or scramble riding, just riding the trails with my son.
My son (now age 11) and I are new to the sport of trail riding. We bought bikes back in October of 2000 and have been out about a half dozen times both at home in Michigan and down in Florida (Croom). We are having a great time and my initial prejudices/fears about the sport were way off base. My son has clearly outgrown his 2000 Honda XR100R already, so this past weekend he started riding my 1991 Yamaha RT180 (a nice bike that runs perfectly, but clearly too small for me). We are going to sell his XR100R and he will keep the RT180 (hopefully for a couple of years, anyway). He is probably 4 inches taller now that when we bought the Honda in October, so who knows how long the RT 180 will do for him, but at least for now he is happy.
Now I need to buy a replacement bike for myself. I am about 6 feet tall and close to 290 lbs, so the RT180 really was straining getting me uphill and through deep sand. I have considered a Honda XR400, but there seem to be alot more XR 600's and 650's available used right now in my geographic area and they are in the same price range as the 400's. Would the 600/650 be too much bike for a relative beginner? I have also found a couple of used Suzuki DR350's in the right price range. What else should I be looking at? I don't race and (as far as I can tell at this point) will not be doing any competitive enduro or scramble riding, just riding the trails with my son.