1) 6'0 220lbs
2) moderately aggressive, will try anything once, like to wheely
3) 1/2 gnarly trails in Western Oregon - ruts, mud, evil rocks (thanks a lot OHV program); 1/4 Eastern Oregon desert - high speed puckerbush dodging, dry lakes, dirt roads; 1/4 dunes (I hope)
4) 30 years continuous riding experience?
5) Unrealized dreams of "Best in the Desert"
6) Perform basic maintanance and some small projects but can afford to take to shop for big stuff. Hate down time though either way.
7) Yamaha bigot. (KTMs of interest, but no experience w/)
8) All major brands have good dealers nearby.
9) Sell current dirtbike and buy new one.
10) Reviews of some previous DB I have owned:
60s and 70s: various smallish XRs and two strokes. Most memorable Suzuki 90cc 2 stroke. 5* for being young, care free and riding everywhere all the time w/o licenses or cares. (but we can't go back, can we, and the bikes were not very good compared to now)
Yamaha XT-350. OK for era, too heavy, Hard to start when hot. Street legal. 3*.
Kawi KLX-300: Underpowered, reliability issues, too small. But nimble on trails. 2*
Yamaha YZ-250: fun on trails and dunes. No maint. issues. Topped out in 5th on dry lakes and fire roads... 4*
Suzi DRZ-400S: bought for dual sport. by the time I put on decent tires, regeared for dirt so I can loft the front tire, pulled off useless crap I was left with a very tractable but way too heavy dirtbike I take everywhere in my truck !! (Tis the one to get chopped for the new guy). Battery is a disposable item, regardless of charging strategy used. 3*
SO: It's been a fun five years on the big DRZ but I'm ready and able to move up. I bought it around 2000 at the start of the "4 stroke boom". Things have moved on.
I'd have to say that for what I do it has worked fine, but all in all I wish I had kept the YZ-250, which did pretty much the same but weighed 80lbs less.
I've had good luck with Yami's. So it's down to one of the two in the title or perhaps the WR. While the WR seems in some ways the most practical I've come to appreciate that the less crap on a dirtbike the better. So the YZ-450F (no lights, don't need-em, no odo, no kickstand, no electric start - nice to have but a source of unreliability on the DR) appeals a bit more than the.
It maybe that I have never ridden a 'woods bike' enough to appreciate what I am missing, or else that being on the big side i drive the MX bike suspension hard enough, but I really haven't had trouble with the suspension of the YZ or DRZ on the trials, either way. (one theoretically being too stiff, and the other maybe too soft?)
The only other bike that has some attraction is the KTM-300 XC-W which seems to be the best large purpsoe built 2 stroke enduro, but I have little experience (either first hand or second hand) w/ the brand.
So: do I go w/ what I know (YZ-250) or move to the 4 stroke side? I think the big 450 would rule in the desert, more fun for high speed dry lake runs. The 2-T I know works great in the woods (for me, pretty much as is)?? Dunes? I've had success with the 2-T in the past, but see lots of people ripping it up w 450s now.
Help, opinions, guidance, insults are all welcome.
2) moderately aggressive, will try anything once, like to wheely
3) 1/2 gnarly trails in Western Oregon - ruts, mud, evil rocks (thanks a lot OHV program); 1/4 Eastern Oregon desert - high speed puckerbush dodging, dry lakes, dirt roads; 1/4 dunes (I hope)
4) 30 years continuous riding experience?
5) Unrealized dreams of "Best in the Desert"
6) Perform basic maintanance and some small projects but can afford to take to shop for big stuff. Hate down time though either way.
7) Yamaha bigot. (KTMs of interest, but no experience w/)
8) All major brands have good dealers nearby.
9) Sell current dirtbike and buy new one.
10) Reviews of some previous DB I have owned:
60s and 70s: various smallish XRs and two strokes. Most memorable Suzuki 90cc 2 stroke. 5* for being young, care free and riding everywhere all the time w/o licenses or cares. (but we can't go back, can we, and the bikes were not very good compared to now)
Yamaha XT-350. OK for era, too heavy, Hard to start when hot. Street legal. 3*.
Kawi KLX-300: Underpowered, reliability issues, too small. But nimble on trails. 2*
Yamaha YZ-250: fun on trails and dunes. No maint. issues. Topped out in 5th on dry lakes and fire roads... 4*
Suzi DRZ-400S: bought for dual sport. by the time I put on decent tires, regeared for dirt so I can loft the front tire, pulled off useless crap I was left with a very tractable but way too heavy dirtbike I take everywhere in my truck !! (Tis the one to get chopped for the new guy). Battery is a disposable item, regardless of charging strategy used. 3*
SO: It's been a fun five years on the big DRZ but I'm ready and able to move up. I bought it around 2000 at the start of the "4 stroke boom". Things have moved on.
I'd have to say that for what I do it has worked fine, but all in all I wish I had kept the YZ-250, which did pretty much the same but weighed 80lbs less.
I've had good luck with Yami's. So it's down to one of the two in the title or perhaps the WR. While the WR seems in some ways the most practical I've come to appreciate that the less crap on a dirtbike the better. So the YZ-450F (no lights, don't need-em, no odo, no kickstand, no electric start - nice to have but a source of unreliability on the DR) appeals a bit more than the.
It maybe that I have never ridden a 'woods bike' enough to appreciate what I am missing, or else that being on the big side i drive the MX bike suspension hard enough, but I really haven't had trouble with the suspension of the YZ or DRZ on the trials, either way. (one theoretically being too stiff, and the other maybe too soft?)
The only other bike that has some attraction is the KTM-300 XC-W which seems to be the best large purpsoe built 2 stroke enduro, but I have little experience (either first hand or second hand) w/ the brand.
So: do I go w/ what I know (YZ-250) or move to the 4 stroke side? I think the big 450 would rule in the desert, more fun for high speed dry lake runs. The 2-T I know works great in the woods (for me, pretty much as is)?? Dunes? I've had success with the 2-T in the past, but see lots of people ripping it up w 450s now.
Help, opinions, guidance, insults are all welcome.