New rider question: are all '02's the same?

[millenko]

Ok guys, I've been lurking here at the site for around 2 months now. I haven't really seen this question answered so I would appreciate some intelligent input.

My friend and I decided a while back to get into dirt bikes, mainly for play riding and maybe amatuer racing later on. He bought a '00 yz125 and has thus far been extremely satisfied. I am going to buy a new bike and need some input on the different brands.

I am 25 yrs old, and have experience riding motorcycles going way back. However, I don't have a lot of experience with dirt bikes. I am 6'1" and 250lbs, so I definately think I need a 250cc bike. My friend's 125 definately will pull me around, but I have to wind the snot out of it to make power.

Having read all of the reviews, it appears that the majority of magazines favor either the suzuki or yamaha. However, from reading, it seems that all the bikes are very close in performance.
In my way of thinking, a novice would probably not be able to tell the difference between the nuances of each bike, so the decision should go to ergonomics, styling, etc...is this correct?

Let me put it this way, say suzuki is the best rated...the yamaha is number 2 and the kawasaki is 3...but the reviewers said that they are within a hair of each other, should I buy the one that I think looks the best? hehe, seriously, I hate yellow! I really don't think that I would be able to ride any of the bikes to their potential so why should I care about a .10 lap difference

I personally like the yamaha and the kawasaki. the yamaha is in the lead right now, but the prices are quite a bit higher (due to overwhelming demand?) the kawasaki has the lowest performing engine of all the 250cc class bikes(44 for kawa, 49 for ktm...the rest inbetween) would I be able to notice the difference? or like I said earlie, would I not be able to ride to that degree anyway?

I would really appreciate any help or insight you might be able to offer here.
and no, I don't want a 4-stroke! the 426f and 450r are muey expensive!

 

[millenko]

sorry, thought of a few more questions.

What should I expect to pay for a '02 bike? the yamaha has a MSRP of 5899, do dealers come off of this? I looked at a 02 kawasaki and it had a sticker of ~5000 about right?

I will be buying within approx. 2 weeks so i can hopefully cash in on the pre-xmas promotions.

I forgot to mention that one of the reasons I want to stick with yamaha or kawasaki is that there are dealers representing both within a reasonable distance.

 

[Big Tuna]

What about Honda? I just got the '02 CR250 this year, went from '98 YZ250, and I love it! There was some talk of air filter probs., not mine, but an easy fix none the less. Ergos are IMO the best there is, suspension is great, and the motor has more than enough juice.:cool:

 

[Marklx]

I think you answered your question yourself. What feels best to you. I too read all the tests, read between the lines as much as possible, and ended up yellow. Yeah, I had to buy all new clothes to match, coming from green, but am very happy. I had ridden a Honda and Kawi previously, and something didn't quite feel right. Sitting on the zuke just felt better, so I should theoretically ride better (less slow).

You should try to ride each of the bikes, if possible. They are all incredibly capable machines, with different personalities. The power delivery and ergo's are all different, but one should suit you best. For your size, it sounds like the Yamaha motor would be the most enjoyable, and I don't know of anyone unhappy with the Yamaha. They're just too big for me.

As for price, you might see if anyone in Canada can get you a better deal. Paid $4300 for mine, which leaves lots of $ for mods. Not that it needs any, so far.

Have fun shopping, and know that whatever you buy will be an excellent bike.

Mark

 

[millenko]

It was my understanding that Honda's were the most expensive, that may or may not be the case.

What you said is exactly my question, Honda was ranked fourth in engine horsepower, but you said it's strong. Does that mean that I would really be happy with the power output of any of the major bikes and thus should make my decsion based on how comfortable I feel with the bike?

BTW-I love Honda's reliablity, I had a 84 honda 200x 3wheeler when I was a kid that was a rock for reliability...however there are no honda dealers close and I want to have a dealer nearby for parts/service

 

[millenko]

$4300? wow!

is that normal? The Yamaha dealer I stopped in at wouldn't get real exact with the price he wanted, but he said "around $5600" for 1300 I'll ride yellow! hehe

thanks for the input, I really need help on what I should expect to pay for a new 250...does it really matter that much across brands?

 

[keith500r]

they are all good bikes, they will all rip it up. maybe you should find out common problems about each bike, and choose the bike with the problems that piss you off the least.

 

[Marklx]

$4300. Yeah, that's what the bike cost. Fine print......shipping $150. If you choose to register it in Tx, you may pay sales tax, but that one is up to you. Many people don't register them. I did here in California as I wanted my green sticker for trail riding, etc. I would imagine the guy who got me mine can still do it. He runs his ad on www.cycletrader.com phone # 360 398-1260, name Marcus. Very nice guy, and he might be able to find a blue bike or whatever.I drove him crazy with questions, doubts about the deal, etc and he was very cool about it, and got me my bike. Tell him Mark G. sent you.

btw, local shops are not happy about this going on, so don't expect them to be real happy to hear how you got it. They can't match these kind of prices, as their costs are higher. Due to the Canadian economy and weak $ there, we can benefit if you don't mind a little extra legwork.

Mark

 

[a454elk]

Go yellow! I'm happy with mine and I've ridden the Kawy and Yamy. It was just personal prefference, with the experience you have, I doubt you'll be able to tell the difference. Go sit on one and see which one feels good. There really isn't a bad dirt bike, as long as it goes in the dirt and has only 2 strokes!

 

[millenko]

First let me thank everyone for the input, I would love to go the canadian route, but I doubt I could get financing through them. I'm counting onthe awesome financing deals going on right now.
what about KTM? I figured the parts would be extremely expensive in comparison to the Japanese bikes, but I noticed that there is a KTM dealership very close to my house. so I thought that that might be an option.

I'll have to do a little more looking at the suzuki's, I haven't found a close enough dealership yet though.

can someone give me some idea onthe average price per bike that I should expect? or maybe there is a website.

 

[a454elk]

I paid $5000 out the door for mine but I bought the 01 in July when they were getting ready to bring in the 02's. I think they are up around $5800 or so. Good luck

 

[dheard4992]

excellent idea

buy my 99 rm250 in great shape for $2700 and make sure you enjoy the dirt.p.s. this bike was brand new at one time.

 

[MX-727]

Don't overlook the value of a good dealer. Friend of mine was shopping much as you are. Everyone around here warned him about one of the shops. That shop gave him a deal that saved him about $100. Now, he has found that they do nothing to help after the sale. No discounts on parts, no help on setup or jetting.

The other shop (South Valley Motorsports) is outstanding. Service, support and the parts guys are great. They usually try and give you a break on parts too.

Anyway, not to be an add for them, but you should keep that in mind. You'll probably save more in the long run if you can hook up with a good shop.

 

[millenko]

That makes sense KX, does anyone have any recommendations for shops in the Houston, TX area?
I think that I have the bike selection narrowed to probably being a Yamaha YZ250 or maybe a KX250...

 

[Anssi]

There might not be that much of a difference in riding experience, but when I look at a new Yamaha, a new Honda and a new Kawasaki, I can see the difference in the love with which they were designed. The honda seems built like a tank, the Yamaha like a race machine that it is and the Kawasaki just seems, well, crude. I haven't seen any new Suzukis, they're not real popular around here.

Still, go with the one you can get a good price and dealer support on.

 

[FLYIN_KAW]

I paid 6500 CAN$ for mine down from 6900. KX250 2002.
I like the feel and like you won't really notice the difference in power that much from other bike. I can whip the Kawi around, it is really slim and not a heavy bike. It sits up too which is nice. taxes and all came to 7400 CAN$.
If you decide to buy in Canada, I can send you to a place to get a better deal than that. YOUR EXCHANGE ON THE DOLLAR KICKS ASS, wish I had that option.
good luck.
All the bikes look good.
cr is pretty sweet, couple guys around here bought new ones.
but if i didn't like the kawi so much, it would have been a toss between the cr and the rm.
:)

 

[HiG4s]

Any one of the 6 major manufactures make good bikes. Check around and see if any have 2001s left over, you will certianly get a deal that way.
And yes I said 6. Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, KTM, and Husqvarna. Summit Husky in MO, has been advertising 2001s left over for $1000 under MSRP. Not sure what they have left. Also I often see Kaws with left over bikes, sometimes 2 or three years. You could get a real deal there and a new 2000 would still be in the hunt.

 

[davehonda]

Honda was ranked 2nd in engine hp behind the ktm in the 250 class. I think the ktm made 49 and the cr 47hp. I paid 5,500 for my cr250. I think its a great bike.

 

[a454elk]

Just got the new DirtRider and they have an excellent review of the 2002's, check it out.

 

[Marklx]

Why does my Dirt Rider arrive after the stores already have 'em?:think

Impatient and needing to read,

Mark

 

[millenko]

thanks for the tip on the review, I'll have to go and check it out.

I'll keep you guys posted on what I decide to to do. Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[a454elk]

Hey Marklx, always look to the neighbors, they say they hate dirtbikes but they secretly read your magazine and then put it back!

 

[mxbundy]

I would say check out the KTM dealership a little more. You see he is there to sell DIRTBIKES. Not 4 wheelers or road queens.
This is really a benifit for a beginner rider. Why? Because He is usually a small dealer who rides himself. Usually has gobs of experiance, and will always be ther for advice on setup to riding tips.
The KTM brand in general are bullet proof. Have way better detailing. with better bars ( with a begginer, thats falling alot, this is great, as stock jap bars are butter), rims, everything. Just the better fasteners will be a plus to you, no butter soft bolts that will strip like the jap. brands.
Plus they have a bike that will fit you. They have ergo`s that are ideal for the bigger taller rider.And they have an engine size in every class.
If you like your friends 125, maybe a KTM 200 would work for you. I have just taken one for a spin and it has plenty of power, but iy wont intimadate.
Even the less powerful 250 has a lot of power that will be hard for a beginner to master.

well thats my 2c
mxbundy