Which bike for my stepdad?

How old are you?

The 125 two stroke would probably be a good bike for you so getting one under the pretense that it is for you step dad could be a good move!

A more suitable bike for dear old stepdad might be something like a Honda CRF230F or a Yamaha TT-R230. Electric start, real easy to ride, real easy on the maintenance. If your step dad is not really that interested in this sport then you will do a LOT better by making the introduction easy and avoiding as much frustration as possible. A two stroke is not an easy bike to learn on.

Rod

I learned on a YZ85 Rod.. Then I moved up to a 125.. The 125 was so much easier to ride than the 85... Looking back, I'm glad I did it that way. Then moving to the 450.. Everyone said it'd be a mistake to get a bike like that. For me the 450 was even easier to ride than the 125, as I had the power I needed to get me moving when I needed it.

I'm gonna also say a 125 would be good for pops.. He doesn't have to pin it all the time, he can baby it a bit..

And when he's over it, you have a bike to move up to.

A major determining factor that I use is the frame of mind of the intended rider.

Someone who really wants to start riding and is rearing to go will put up with a lot of frustration to accomplish their goal. A bike that is hard to start and easy to stall is just a minor bump in the road.

On the other hand, if the bike is for someone that is being coerced into the sport then it is essential to make that road as smooth as possible. Wives, girlfriends, step dads: If it really isn't their "thing" then a bad experience can seal your fate.

I learned on an old YZ-125 when I was 49 years old. But I am the type of guy that looks at a hill and says "I'll give it a shot!" If I wasn't even close to making it I will dust myself off and find an easier way around. If I made it most of the way up I will go back down and try again. Sometimes I am at the top of a hill looking down and say "this is going to hurt!" but go for it anyway.

If Step Dad rises to a challenge then get him the 125 two stroke.

Rod

I agree with Rods original post...something like a CRF or TTR would be ideal for your Dad. The 125 2 stroke will only lead to frustration...and a more than likely possibility that he will dislike the sport...especially riding "mostly trails and fields". A 125 2 stroke doesnt have the low end power to be an effective trail bike....especially for a beginner. I say it time and time again because it is true...a 125 2 stroke is not a good trail bike. Why not? I wrote 6 reasons why not a week or 2 ago on this forum...lack of low end power, gearing, range, suspension are a few.

How do you not "pin" a bike that makes its power at 8000-10000 rpm?

YZ__rider said:

I agree with Rods original post...something like a CRF or TTR would be ideal for your Dad. The 125 2 stroke will only lead to frustration...and a more than likely possibility that he will dislike the sport...especially riding "mostly trails and fields". A 125 2 stroke doesnt have the low end power to be an effective trail bike....especially for a beginner. I say it time and time again because it is true...a 125 2 stroke is not a good trail bike. Why not? I wrote 6 reasons why not a week or 2 ago on this forum...lack of low end power, gearing, range, suspension are a few.

How do you not "pin" a bike that makes its power at 8000-10000 rpm?

Click to expand...

A 125 2t is not an "ideal" trail bike, but they work just fine.

You can lug a 125 around the woods for hours on end - as long as it doesn't get really steep (in which case you will have to "pin it" in a manner of speaking).

But a beginner is not going to be climbing huge hills, anyway.

Personally, I'd much rather be on a 190 pound 125 than a 242 pound TTR 230.

Gearing can be changed. What's wrong with the suspension?

The only full size bikes easier to start than a properly jetted 125 2t are the electric start ones - and, again, they tend to weigh a lot more.

How about a KTM 200 - I've got one I'm trying to sell. That's a good woods and track bike. Not much more HP than a 125, but significantly more torque. Easy to start. Light.

All minor issues that are wrong with it will be resolved next week. Was trying to sell it cheap with minor issues. No takers, so I've been fixing it up.

Rob

That is a nice sales pitch on your KTM. With that being said, I agree with the KTM suggestion...a KTM 200 EXC is miles away from a 125 2t on low end torque. I owned an RM 125 and I have ridden a friends KTM 200 EXC...there is absolutely no comparison. The KTM EXCs are excellent trail bikes.

Back to the 125...I have never heard of anybody "lugging" a 125...maybe we have different definitions of lugging. I can "lug" my WR426 and my XR400..a 125 doesnt chug around.

Addressing your comment about the weight...you may be an experienced rider who can ride a 125 2t on the trail...many can...this guys Dad cant..that is the key point here. You may have the experience to keep the revs high enough not the stall the bike...a 41 year old with zero experience will just end up getting frustrated.

As far as a beginner climbing big hills (of course this is a matter if defining a "big hill") my green horn friends climb some pretty big hills on my XR...its not rocket science...keep your weight on the front, pick a line, and let the low end torque do the work.

When I say gearing, I mean transmission gearing. Changing sprocket size only gets you so far...I have been there. I rode a YZ400 that was geared down so low that its top end of about 40 mph....same scenario with any MX bike. First gear it too tall...gearing is spaced too closely...suspension can be softened, but it will never perform like a true trail bike.

I almost forgot...no night riding with an MX bike because you dont have a light. Also, your range on the trail is very limited due to the small gas tanks and bad milage of a MX bike. A guy I ride with has a KTM 250 SX who has to carry a quart of fuel in his backback to make the full loop...fun. His old man rides a KTM 520EXC...he has no problem with fuel.