What first bike should i get?

[bblack-22]

1) your physical size (both height and weight are important) 5'8 140
2) How physical / aggressive are you ? On a scale 1-10... a 7
3) what do you plan to ride- Ride a little of everything, no racing though.
4) Do you have any riding experience? Just four wheelers
5) Do you think you will race ? No
6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work? Yes
7) Do You have a preference to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)? 2 Stroke
8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does they carry? Everything
9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike? $2,000
10) Do you live in California? No
11) Your age? 18
12) anything else that you think would help form an opinion. Really interested in the Yamaha Yz 125. And if im patient what could i get for 2k?

 

[YZ__rider]

Are you riding the trails or MX tracks? If both, which one do you ride the most?

 

[bblack-22]

I would ride trails more

 

[YZ__rider]

There arent very many 2 stroke bikes designed for the trail...especially in your budget. The only one that comes to mind would be a Kawasaki KDX200 or KDX220. You might consider a Honda CRF230/XR250(older model) or a Yamaha TTR230/250, which are both 4 stroke trail bikes.

 

[bblack-22]

What are the pros and cons of having a two stroke?

 

[YZ__rider]

First off, you have to understand that there are different types of 2 strokes. Most 2 strokes are motocross bikes which have peaky power, they are geared for the track, they have beefier suspension, smaller gas tanks, etc. The Kawasaki KDX or KTM EXC (200 or 300), for example, are a different breed of 2 strokes. They are designed to produce more power at lower RPMs and have a less peaky power band, they have wide ratio gearing, so they are more conducive for trail riding. There are many threads that cover this information.

The pros of a any 2 stroke is that they are easier to rebuild than any 4 stroke. They also produce alot of power for their weight and displacement (cc size)

The cons of a trail 2 stroke are that you have to mix the oil and gas and the oil is expensive. They use more fuel than the same displacement 4 stroke. Some riders dont like all of the smoke they produce. The cons of riding a 2 stroke MX bike on the trail is a longer list.

Its really a matter of opinion...some riders prefer 2 strokes, some prefer 4 strokes. I prefer 4 strokes.

 

[bblack-22]

What about the yz 250f?

 

[YZ__rider]

1) A YZ250F is a motocross bike, not a trail bike.
2) It may be difficult to find a nice YZ250F for $2K. If you did, I would be concerned about its history.
3) A 250 MX 4 stroke is one of the highest maintenance engines made...if not #1 on the list. They require frequent valve adjustments and fairly frequent top end rebuilds.

I would look elsewhere, such as stated above.

 

[CLUTCH444]

Dont go for a 2 stroke to ride trails. Ive been riding 2 strokes on trails all this season.riding them on trails can be bitch. Unless youve been riding for awhile(first bike for you, assuming not) your gonna have a hell of a time. Get a four stroke, their consistent torque and power.

 

[_JOE_]

A 125 2 stroke makes a great all around play bike for most people. Sure your clutch hand will be twice as strong as your throttle hand after a season of riding trails but they're a blast! A 4 stroke like the XR250 would probably be the easiest to learn on and more forgiving of mistakes you make. The suspension and seat are also much more comfortable than an MX bike. I would find the bike with the least amount of hours on it. A 10 year old XR250 with 1000 hours on it may be more expensive to keep up with than a 5 year old MX bike with 40 hours on it. Seems around here there's alot of next to new MX bikes and hardly any nice off road bikes. If you come across a nice clean XR type bike I'd probably suggest that, but I wouldn't say not to get a 125. You'll have tons of fun either way!

 

[CLUTCH444]

I agree. Im in the middle of rebuilding a 91 xr250 right now, which is why ive been riding the 2 stroke so far. my father rides an xr650r he just made street legal. xr's are the way to go for trails.

 

[mathd]

125 2 stroke are fun in trails.
But, maby thats because i have never sit on a 4 stroke.

 

[bblack-22]

Yeah the YZF 250s are more so if i were to decide on that i would spend closer to $3,500

 

[_JOE_]

A YZF250 isn't gonna be a whole lot better than a 125 2 stroke, just more expensive to buy and maintain. They stall pretty easy and can be a pain to start if not tuned spot on. You'll still be using the clutch alot on a 250f.

 

[CLUTCH444]

joes right. i rode a 2005 yzf250 on new years this year for a poker run on some single track. came around a corner and dipped into a little rut where the two valley walls hit and the bike stalled. took me forever to start the thing, however...i liked the consistency of torque of the thumpers instead of floating the clutch to hit some of the hill climbs.

 

[YZ__rider]

A 125 2t is a poor trail bike for a whole host of reasons. For one, they have very little low end power. The power of a 125 is like a light switch...on or off and not much in between. They also have close range gearing, like all MX bikes, that is not trail friendly. I owned an RM125 that I rode on the trail from time to time...its about the worst trail bike I have ever ridden. It was damn near impossible to ride for my beginner friend. An experienced rider can work around those issues. For you, it will make trail riding 10X more difficult, so why would you buy a 125 2t?

 

[mathd]

Mine is 6 gear with a bigger rear spocket jetted a little rich to make it more controlleable, its not reslly like a on/off power switch, it is a little but its easy to manage... at least to me.

I learned to ride bike on trail/technical stuff with a yz125 3 year ago(i was about 19 years old about hes size), it was my first time on a bike ever and i must admit it is not beginner friendly bike for trail. But we can get used to anything and it was well worth it.

at that price (2k) he cannot really get a well maintained 4 stroke MX
A heavy xr is not really the best for hes size and abilities
A KDX could be great i guess instead of a 2 stroke mx bike.
Or maby a trail bike but they are boring after a while.

 

[bblack-22]

Well i have more i was just hoping only to spend 2k if money wasn't an issue what would would be the ideal bike for me?

 

[YZ__rider]

If money wasnt an issue....KTM 200EXC hands down...they are nimble and quick. My second choice would be a very well maintained KDX200/220...they dont make those anymore.

 

[bblack-22]

Do they still make the KTMs EXC 200 i looked in 2010 but the only had 450 and 500

 

[YZ__rider]

They made the 200 EXC through 2009...apparently, for 2010, they are offering the 200 XCW. Im not sure of the exact differences...you can read about it on the website or maybe a KTM expert will chime in. Unless you plan on unloading $6 grand, it really doenst matter. If you are hoping to spend $2K...a KTM probably isnt your bike. You might find a decent used 200EXC for $3K..they arent cheap.

http://www.ktm.com/200-XC-W.185.20.html