please help, ready to throw money

[craig scott]

I am about to sink some money into my '00 KLX250, I'm losing sleep. Thinking pumpercarb, big-bore maybe, about 1500Aus $, can anyone either smack me around a bit , or encourage me.I'm 188cm(6'1"ish) 90kg(200) and capable of thrashing my Kwaka fairly well, I'm after more bottom and mid range, but love the nimbleness and smooooothness of this beast. I'm leaning 200-250exc or wrf250, I'm probably more interested in wether the aftermarket trail is the right one. I hope someone can help.

 

[kciH]

I don't know what bikes cost in Oz. I would save the money for a new bike you want. The aftermarket parts don't increase the resale, sometimes it hurts resale. Which really sucks when you sell it to get the bike you really wanted in the first place! I've got a YZ426, and I'd really like to try a WR250F also.

 

[Boozer]

i used to own a KLX300, and was faced with the same problem as you: spend money making it faster, or putting that money towards a WR250F. i bought the 250F, and totally love the bike.
i was happy spending $1500 on the KLX, but i was worried the brakes would no longer be up to scratch, and that the suspension wouldn't handle MX tracks. hey, i'm a poet!
the main issue was that any money spend on mods would be dead money, and i didn't want to go down that route. Backward is right, sometimes mods actually hurt resale value.
so it's up to you. i'm not totally sure, but i think a jetted 250F would eat a KLX250 any Sunday, regardless of power mods. like a great REM song from a while ago, 'it's crazy what you could have had........'.

 

[mtngoat]

If you're out to compete, then it's not likely those mods will make the bike competitive with your alternative bike choices.

However, if you're out for trail-riding enjoyment and value, I think the KLX is a great platform for your modifications.

I just bought a very modified 95 KLX250. What attracted me is the bike's geometry, suspension and light weight, all of which make for a nimble, quick turning trail bike. I don't know how a stock one runs, but I'm very happy with its power. With the bore & stroke kit (and the basic mods), it makes around 35HP, which for its weight is more than adequate for aggressive trail-riding.

If you like the bike's handling characteristics (top on my list) and think that some power refinement would make it a keeper for awhile, then the value is there.

Personally, I'm very impressed with all the new bikes coming out, but I really like tinkering and refining something arguably obsolete into something capable by current standards. Then, it's not homogeneous, it's "tailored" and has your "fingerprint".

 

[craig scott]

Thanx muchly for the replies gennilmans, I REALLY dig the fisrt two responses and if I were maybe fitter and a deal more fearless on the trail then I would have gone that path. But I have to say that after a bit of hard thinking I have come up with the end result that I actually like the greeny. Mountaingoats reply felt good , I'm sure If I ride a blue bike I will suffer regret but , to be honest , I already go as fast as I'm comfortable with(Ican still hammer her though), all I really need is a bit of low end boost, and I ordered a pumper yesterday, header comes in two weeks. Thank you dudes for the words(hope you dont think I was just wastin your time) I think about this sh%t all day and now I have finally done something I feel pretty good. Happy trails gennilmans.