True Green Newbie, needs bike advice

itscrazydick

Member
Oct 9, 2007
7
0
1) your physical size (both height and weight are important)
6'0 200lbs
2) How physical / aggressive are you ?
Pretty agressive
3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ?????
Plan to ride trails and desert dunes with friends or groups
4) Do you have any riding experience?
Very little...taking a few courses this week. Then will tinker on my own.
5) Do you think you will race ?
No
6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work?
No
7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)?
No...not savy enough to really know better. Pretty open
8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry?
Yes..yamaha, honda, suzuki, KTM (out of price range prob)
9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike?
If I can find used 4-5k
10) Do you live in California?
Yes
11) Your age?
35
12) anything else that you think would help form an opinion

I will be riding a 250 in classes I will be taking. I've had some friends say that my size I should get the yamaha yzf450 and some say I will be fine on the 250. Ones that suggest the 450 also say that I will outgrow the 250 so best to just pass on it.

Opinons and suggestions appreciated.
 

Hughes 097

Member
Jun 10, 2007
75
0
im 5'4 125pds and ride a 400 so i think you should get a yzf 450 its a great bike i'll prob get a 450 in a month or so
and yes the 250 doen't have enough power. the 450 would be a better choice
 

SpeedyManiac

Member
Aug 8, 2000
2,378
0
(Refering to post above) Realize that a 250F (motocross bike) makes the same power as an XR400R.

That said, I think a 250F might be a little on the small side for you, but a 450F is a hell of a starter bike. What about a 250 two-stroke?
 

itscrazydick

Member
Oct 9, 2007
7
0
SpeedyManiac said:
(Refering to post above) Realize that a 250F (motocross bike) makes the same power as an XR400R.

That said, I think a 250F might be a little on the small side for you, but a 450F is a hell of a starter bike. What about a 250 two-stroke?

Again I'm still new to this, but correct me if I'm wrong....A 250 two stroke has a quicker acceleration but the 450 has a higher overall topend power? Also read that with a 2stroke you need to mix the gas and oil together when fueling?? What is the advantage of a 250 two stroke vs a 450yzf. Also how does the yzf450 compare to the Honda crf450?
 

SpeedyManiac

Member
Aug 8, 2000
2,378
0
250 two-stroke versus 450F:
-the 450 will be *slightly* smoother overall, but produces more peak power and more torque
-because of the insane power, 450's can get you in trouble in a big hurry (beginners tend to lack throttle control)
-yes, you do need to mix oil and gas for two-strokes
-two strokes are lighter and easier to start

YZF versus WRF
-WR has electric start, headlight and taillight
-WR has larger flywheel which smooths out the power and makes it harder to stall
-WR weighs more
-YZ is a motocross bike, WR is an enduro bike
-YZ has stiffer suspension
 

itscrazydick

Member
Oct 9, 2007
7
0
Great info...thank you. So what is the general consensus for a beginner? 250 2-stroke or 450? There are so many pros and cons. I guess i could debate it for ever and a day. But would love to hear peoples input.

Thanks
 

jaco12

Member
Mar 11, 2006
47
0
Im somewhat in the same Boat as you, I have been hearing from all the people i ask get a 250 2 stroke!.... Yes the 450 would be out the picture right now LOL
 
May 5, 2007
102
0
Two stroke matinence is easier than a motocross four stroke.
And valve adjustments from what i heard are needed frequently(for fourstrokes).Also the topend on a four stroke is very expensive in comparison to a 2 strokes.
 

soloman69

Member
Feb 27, 2007
5
0
This sounds familiar as I was just in this situation last spring. I'll tell you what I've done and let you go from there. Being similar in age and size, I longed for a 2 stroke to make a connection with my youth. I picked up a 2002 CR250R from a buddy and have enjoyed it every second that I've ridden it, but I've always been honest with myself and wether I was running a scramble, on a moto track or on a supercross track, I wasn't completely comfortable with its power curve and never felt I was using the bike to its fullest. So this past weekend I went to a new track and after a few laps I was accelerating, cornering and jumping better than I ever have, but at the end of the day a friend I met at the track let me put in a few laps on his KX250F. I was immediately faster, smoother and more confident than I thought possible. Today, I traded the trusty CR in on an '08 KX250F and am thrilled! Will a 450F be in my future? Someday, but I'm in no hurry. Again, just my experience... read into it as you will. Good luck. All roads will lead you to a whole lotta fun!

Ken
 
Feb 26, 2006
85
0
I have a 250 two-stoke Kawi that I bought for $1800. I'm 6'3'' and around 180 pounds and that 250 pulls me as hard as I want it to. I'd suggest a YZ250(two-stroke) or KX250 with a pipe or flywheel weight. They are easy to ride, cheap when used, easier to work on, and have power when you need it. 450's tend to be complex, hard to get used to, and expencive. After you get a little riding in, it would be a great idea to switch to a 450, but as far as getting a cheap, easy to learn bike, a 250 two-stoke is the way to go.
 

itscrazydick

Member
Oct 9, 2007
7
0
Thanks for the inputs guys.....I will be riding a Honda crf250 in my class this weekend. I will gauge and get the feel for it on Saturday. :ride: :whoa:
 

_JOE_

~SPONSOR~
May 10, 2007
4,697
3
A 250f is more than enough bike for any size beginner. They are much lighter feeling than a 450, and easier to control. A 250 2 stroke is alot of bike on a track, but they aren't bad out in the open. I don't think you will disappointed in any bike you get, you will just be more apt to get injured on a faster bike.
 

itscrazydick

Member
Oct 9, 2007
7
0
I got a crf 250x.....took my first class this week considering the only riding expierence I have was 15 yrs ago on a street bike. I like the 250x and think it's enough bike for me on the trails and hard dirt. Thanks for all your input.
 

MXrider27

Member
Jan 20, 2006
50
0
go with the two stroke. i have ridden two strokes my whole life, just got an 01 cr125r...my buddy rides 4-strokes all though...personally i think the two stroke will make you an all around better rider. if you haven't been on bikes alot either, believe me, it will still have enough power to pull you..and won't dissapoint you. don't be surprised if that 250 still pulls your front tire up 1st through 4th on you even with you being 200lbs. my friend rode my cousins 250 and he ways 220 and that tire came up like it was nothing. be careful.. either way both bikes are alot of bike and you won't be dissapointed with either. (maintenance is going to be more exspensive for the 4 stroke, also the bike will prob be more expsensive)
 

itscrazydick

Member
Oct 9, 2007
7
0
I read that most 2 strokes are not green stickered but get the red sticker? True? I'm in So Cal...makes a huge difference to me due to where I will be doing most my riding. Anyone know?
 

m4i2k2e2

Member
Oct 8, 2007
344
0
i have a 1999 2 stroke cr250r. right now my clutch is slipping. its still very fast its going in tomorow(monday) and will be worked on tuesday. but, the bike has a ton of power. it can be jumpy at times. tons of power. just think if you need all that power. also, my cousin has an xr400 and, once you flood that, its all over. it takes a while fot it to start up. mine, i just open it up and, kick it. from what i understand stand the engines on 2 strokes are very simple. my 250 is alot lighter than his xr400. look at weights to.
 

teamgreendad

Member
Oct 29, 2007
35
0
the 4 stroke has way many more moving parts in the engine which means more parts can break. It will also be alot cheaper to pick a good used 2 stroke. Although i am partial to 2 stroke i could not decide if my 11 year old could ride his kx 80 big wheel or needed a smaller bike. Now he blows away his friends 4 strokes and makes 4 stroke jokes with me.
 

ropethebike

Member
Oct 24, 2006
54
0
hey man, I am 32 yrs old, 6'0" and weigh 205 lbs. I am in pretty good shape. Last year I bought a '05 YZ 250. Fun bike, very quick, out in the open. As a beginner its pretty tricky on a tighter set up MX track. I don't get to ride alot, maybe 2-4 times per month, so that lengthens my learning curve. I went with the 2-stroke because its easier to work on, cheaper to work on and cheaper to purchase. However, as a beginner, on MX tracks, I really can't reccommend a YZ 250, cause I think I am pretty tough and that thing gets on top of me too much, its a little too bad a$$ for a starter bike, if you ask me, who is a starter and has one. In fact, it got away from me last week, hit a fence and broke off the foot brake pedal.......anyway, I am kinda shopping for a good condition 125 2-stroke to hone my skills on, and keep my 250 for open riding and when I am a better track rider.
There are many, many 2-strokes for sale, the good part is its a buyers market and you can get some good deals, bad part is it prob. will be even harder to sell a 2-stroke a few more years down the road.
Of course, because of the maintenance, that Should be involved, I would be afraid to buy a used 4-stroke MX bike unless I knew the seller VERY WELL.

Anyway, I am only a yearling beginner, so you can take my experience for what its worth.
rtb
 
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