Vet offroaders on 125'S

[showtime586]

Are there many vets competing in gncc/hare scrambles/enduro type races on 125's, or the new wave of 250f's?
With the "ride what you bring" designation in motocross, you are at a big disadvantage, and you see very few of the baby thumpers and no 125's. Just wondering how it is playing out in these other types of off racing. I used to love woods riding with a 125, but I would never mx with one.

 

[showtime586]

No comments?. Surely, there are some hardcore 125 folks still competing on this bike.

 

[Timr]

Yes, there are a lot of both. In order to do well at Enduros and tighter hare scrambles, you need to finish. Many people, vets included ride 125s, 250fs, and 200s because they are light and don't tire you out as much. In the tight woods, you aren't at as big of disadvantage on the smaller bikes. Shane Watts has overalled GNCCs on both the KTM 125 EXC and the 200 EXC.

 

[showtime586]

How would you say the 250F's generally fair?

 

[katoom125]

I can't say specifically about competition on the 125's and 250F's because I can no longer compete due to arthritus in the right wrist so bad I can no longer make a 100 mile enduro or 3 (or even 2) hour hare scramble but that doesn't mean I can't still enjoy trail riding - the tighter and nastier the better.

I own one of each - a 125SX and a CRF250R. I do not ride moto - exclusively woods, and both bikes are a blast. I've always preferred the lightest bike possible that still had enough beans to be fun to ride although I did compete on many 250cc's and even 300's, but nothing larger. To pick just one bike, my all time favorite would have to be the 200EXC with power of the 250's and weight of the 125's - best of both worlds.

timr pretty much 'hits the bullseye' with his comments: I find the lighter bikes tire you out less - contrary to what many believe that the bigger motor is easier to ride & while that may be well and good, personally, I'd rather not fight the weight (constantly) of the "bigger" ride, and unless it's pretty open conditions - the power of today's 125's and baby 4 strokes do not put you at any disadvantage at all.

I'm not a light weight rider either at 195#, and both bikes do just fine with the 125 perhaps being a little more difficult to ride (well) because it likes to be ridden more aggressively - the 250 4stroke is probably a bit more forgiving if/when you start to get tired and get a little "lazy" with throttle and shifting.

Bottom line is that I'd highly recommend either bike for woods duty although I'll admit I'd probably also still have a 200 if the vibration didn't bother my arthritus so much.

 

[angry jim]

I raced a 200exc in the Vet B class for a couple of years. I won my class last year, but switched to a 250 this year when I moved up to A. I wanted to get better starts and have more acceleration for passing. I still get lousy starts half the time.
This year there is a guy doing very well on a crf250r in Vet A. I think he is second in points, but he always seams to get a bad start, because he blows by me every race. I'm a firm believer that power isn't everything, and the right rider can win on a smaller bike. The guy on the crf is about 215lbs and I'm 160lbs and he still rails me. I think the little bikes would be even better for an enduro, where you don't have to pass as much and you're on the bike for hours.