Which bike for single track trails?

Tight trails, my favorite! And we ride tons of it. The KDX motor in a 125 frame sounds perfect. Fredette did just that a few years ago. I raced a 200 for a couple years, and for the real nasty stuff, it's the perfect motor. But a 250 MXer handles like a KDX never could. I'm a brake-slide, bounce off stuff kind of rider...always trying to stand up, and the KDX feels like a sit down bike to me. The KDX is kind of heavy, and just dosen't like to turn like an MXer. After owning many different bikes... I found a home with Suzuki's. Any MXer will need suspension work and all the accessories. The YZ has a good motor out of the box. For me though, the RM250 just handles like a dream! Some motor work is needed to tone down the RM's NASTY hit. Varner Motorstorts worked like magic...torquey and lugable now. Works for me!

2-Strokes 4-ever said:

Tight trails, my favorite! And we ride tons of it. The KDX motor in a 125 frame sounds perfect. Fredette did just that a few years ago. I raced a 200 for a couple years, and for the real nasty stuff, it's the perfect motor. But a 250 MXer handles like a KDX never could. I'm a brake-slide, bounce off stuff kind of rider...always trying to stand up, and the KDX feels like a sit down bike to me. The KDX is kind of heavy, and just dosen't like to turn like an MXer. After owning many different bikes... I found a home with Suzuki's. Any MXer will need suspension work and all the accessories. The YZ has a good motor out of the box. For me though, the RM250 just handles like a dream! Some motor work is needed to tone down the RM's NASTY hit. Varner Motorstorts worked like magic...torquey and lugable now. Works for me!

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Good POST!!! You put into words what I was trying to get across. I see how different bikes suit different people, I am primarily a "sit down" rider, even when I am racing, I dont get off the seat too much(other than for obvious reasons). I think that is why I like the KX chassis better. You are right about the KDX, it is starting to show it's age, but for trail riding, it is great!!

Yamadad: Where are you along the coast? You're welcome to try my KX-framed KDX, but seeing you want snap and low-end roll on, it may not have enough power for you. I can get by with it, though it doesn't do it for me, nor those two things you spelled out.

Thumbs was gracious enough to let me race his 200m/xc, and other than the gearing - I'd like a wider spread found in the e/xc - methinks it was as near a perfect blend between my two bikes (the power of my 250 with the lightness of my 200) as one could get, though I see KTMs are on the out for you. Is a Gas Gas out too? I rode CPTJack's 250, and for a box-stocker, thought the world of it.

We don't know if you're a big fella or not, moreover purchase budget. My inclination is a KDX would leave you wanting, especially judging from what you've had in the past, in the engine, suspension, and cockpit departments - you could spend $ to fix that and still have a moderate performer as it was not intended to be a torquer nor snappy. With all the mods, mine does not light my fire nor give that sometimes (fun-factor) scare like the 250 does, although it can be ridden comfortably all day. They are very linear in the power delivery department, and fairly mild off of the bottom; great for tight trails but not for spirited trailing, so I'd recommend a 250 along with the others, as long as you can deal with the modifications and a close-ratio gearbox; it is better to detune/setup an MXer than pump up a trail bike. May I suggest a YZ250 with a WR400 trans? Dirt Bike Dave's CRE is an outrageous ride. Or a Gas Gas?

Yeah, the only thing I wish the KX had is that wide ratio tranny. I really like the way a wide ratio tranny works in the woods. Lot less shifting. You really notice it when you hit a fire road for a few miles at speed. I would just say that if you trail ride for fun, the KDX would work wonderfully, at a good price too. If you are going to race, then pick up an 2 stroke mx bike and set it up for woods or a used GasGas EC250/300. The GasGas are some really nice woods bikes. They are purpose built for tight technical single track. I believe the frames are actually KX frames or exact copies. The 05/06 Marzzochi? Shiver forks are awesome and the bikes handle no like no other on single track.

The only thing my KX250 needs is a 6th gear, other than that, it a great bike for my riding style.

FWIW, I have an 03 KX250 and love it but for tight woods riding, it can at times tire my clutch hand. Early next year I'm going to solve the problem by buying a rekluse auto clutch. After much reading and hearing others tell how much they like theirs I am sold. If you go to the rekluse website, there's a lot of info about how they make it much easier to ride a 250 mx'er in tight woods. If you ride really tight single track in first gear, the rekluse actually lets you ride a gear or 2 higher without shifting all the time.

IMHO, if it was me, I'd buy the 250 mx'er and put a rekluse on it since you've had a 250 before because once you get used to the power, a KDX220 may not be enough.

I also ride a KX250 in tight Idaho woods and love it too. I have done so many things to this bike, mostly for my own entertainment, but the best mod for me was a 13oz flywheel weight. I have two motors a 250 and a 310 I use the weight on both. As for a wide ratio trans in my 310 I have a 98 1'st and 2'nd gear and a 02 3'rd 4'th and 5'th gear, almost as wide as a 300EXC. I got most of my stuff of E-gay. I love this bike and it will do anything, deasert, trails or moto. KX 250 my choice. Ed

EFM Auto Clutch here. I love it.

I was thinking about buying another cylinder to run the 250 set up in my 310. How much did all that run you?

Bandit9 I got a good used stock cylinder off E-gay for $65 it was bare but in great shape. I also got a bad one with a head and a power valve in it off E-gay for $60 and sent it to Eric for the 310. The nice thing about the 99-02 KX is there is alot of stuff you can do to it cheaply. They are great bikes that IMO are under rated. I plan to ride this bike for many more years. Yamadad the KX is great, your mods are good. In a 99-01 I also recomend a 98 1'st gear, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. Also a 98KX is a great bike, I sometimes run a 98 ignition on mine, nice trail power. Ed

trail bike

You can modify almost any 2 stroke bike to make a good trail bike. However, a properly tuned YZ 250 ('01 and later) have proven to be the most reliable. We ride in the Tahoe-Reno area, and these bikes are awsome. The right amount of money will make any bike work, but my yz, even with the wrong jetting, beats all of my friends.

That is what I am talking about! Thanks KXtrailrider.