New Bike, 250, 250f

[mjfenix]

Hey everybody.

So, I'm 22 years old and I'm 6' tall. I weigh 160 at the moment. I'm looking to get a new bike, that will last me for a while. The last bike I had was when I was younger, and it was an XR 100. I have ridden an XR 200, and my cousins YZ 250f for about 5 minutes.

I live in the middle of nowhere so I'd mostly be riding trail, but there are some motocross parks about 30 minutes away, and I'm definitely interested in visiting them. However, I'd say 70% of my time will be riding trail.

I've narrowed my search down to 2 bikes. I'm going Yamaha by the way. I've heard they are the most reliable and mechanically sound, as well as fast. I'm looking at a YZ 250 and a YZ 250F. Looking through articles on the net, I've seen posts about adding a FWW on a 2 stroke to make it adequate for trail riding. I understand that 2 strokes are real jerky at the throttle, meaning they have great acceleration from a stand-still. I like that. I want to be able to rip around the woods. However, I want a machine that I won't have to spend a ton of money repairing every few weeks/months. I am sure that I will be jumping hills and all kinds of stuff around my house, so acceleration is important to me. I don't really care about top-end, because I won't be dragging or anything like that.

Riding aggressive is not a problem with me, and I know what I'd be dealing with--- that these bikes are not toys =P My questions are: What would be better for me? Is there a certain year range I should look for used? Any mechanical tips or problems I should be aware of? Sorry for the wall of text, and thanks in advance for your replies. It's appreciated.

 

[jasonent0613]

well its really what you prefer. do you like the feel of a 2stroke or 4stroke?
my friend has a yz250f and it is snappy. i think the 4stroke would be better for the trails because less viabration and how smooth the powerband is.
my cr is horrific on the hills but still possible, so its really what you prefer.

 

[flying flea]

BOTH bikes are exceptionally good in trails and in motorcross. The four stroke you will have to keep vavles in check. Thats about the only huge mechanical difference. The 250f is close to a 125 2 stroke in power, but i will say the 250f is faster. The 250 is close to a 450f. I can see you not getting bored with the 2 storke anytime soon, but it isn't a play bike. You gotta hammer and commit to the line you ride. The 250f is going to be easier to get comfortable on. It comes down to which bike you get a better deal on.

P.S. The bikes today are getting competitive enough, you can just pick a color and ride.

 

[mjfenix]

Thank you for the replies guys. I think I'm leaning towards the 2 stroke, because I like the snappy reponse at the throttle. I'm not one of those who are frightened by power, because it is really all about the rider.

I understand that 4 strokes have many more mechanical parts that can break (obviously), while the 2 stroke has just a handful. How often will I need to replace the top end? Thanks much.

 

[CJR]

I'm a trail rider and ride a CR 250 2 stroke. It is a great trail bike for the correct rider. It is very snapp and the power is always there. As long as you are aggressive and know how to ride a 2 stroke you will be fine. As far as top end rebuild, you don't need to change it as frequently as you might think (or as others might make you think). Riding trails is less abusive to the bike and you can ride a long time on a top end. It all depends on how frequently you ride but I can go a couple seasons without a problem. I wouldn't worry about that because it is easy to do when you need it and relatively inexpensive. Good Luck

 

[_JOE_]

I've heard great things about the yz250f. I ride with a guy who put well over 100 hours on the stock valve train and it's still goin strong. I am a big fan of the power delivery of a 250f. They have good bottom end a very strong, linear midrange. They do not have the hit and top end horsepower of a 250 2 stroke, more like a 125. From what you said you plan to do with it, I would think the power and weight of the 250f would suit you a bit better. The added power and weight of the smoker will tire you out faster, and the more tired you get the more mistakes you'll make. Mistakes usually end worse on a more powerful bike. I spent more money replacing crash broken parts and tires on my 250 2t than I spend keeping my 250f running. But I am out of shape and don't get alot of seat time, so maybe that's just me?

 

[_JOE_]

Oh, and replacing the piston/rings on both bikes is about the same money. The 4t is obviously a bit more time consuming.

 

[sick 96 250]

I just transferred over from a RM250 woods bike to a 04 yz250f to see if I would like it and so far I really like this bike. Its quite surprising how much power the 250f has coming from a 250 2t bike. When riding trails I wasn't able to use the full range of power my RM had and especially when getting tired I seemed to get into more trouble with the 2 stroke. Got less predictable the more tired I got. I like both bikes a lot but right now my 250f has me converted over for the trails. My RM250 is now going to be mostly my bike for the dunes and the occasional trail ride. My 250f pulls hard from bottom all the way to top and always has the power when I need it. I ride anything from hard pack dirt, to very loose washy sand and its great.

 

[mjfenix]

Thanks for all the interest and replies. I'd really like some counter arguments if anybody can provide them, with facts... backing their support of the 2stroke or 4stroke. I still don't quite understand the acceleration difference. I'm not too familiar with terms such as powerband and torque. I'm having a hard time deciding because this is a very big choice for me. I might be purchasing a 2008 and making payments. If I do go used, any year model recommendations?

 

[_JOE_]

The newer the better. The 4t has smooth power while the 2t has a hit that can get you in trouble when you get tired. This hit is what you hear referred to as the "powerband". The 4t simply has a wider smoother power spread. Either of the bikes you're looking at would make a great bike for you. Just depends on if you want a more laid back tractor-like power spread, or a harder hitting motor with a bit more power in the top end.