Alright everyone on the board helped out a lot for my first bike purchase. After racing my 1990 CR250 a few times I've come to the realization that I kinda need a newer bike in order to be competitive :) I will list the usual stuff first, then go over some specific requirements.
I'm 6'0" 167lbs. This is my first year racing, been riding for a while. I am already set on a 250 2-stroke.
I'm going to disregard the outline, cause I'm looking for some specific things.
I'm looking for a good bike for woods racing, mainly Hare Scrambles. I will probably take the bike to an open MX practice or two, but woods racing is #1 priority. I am a "C" class rider right now, but pretty ambitious, hopefully in a few years I will be moving up.
My main concerns are:
1. suspension
2. braking
3. weight
4. reliability
My CR already has more power than I can fully utilize. I like riding in the lower range of RPMs, but I can adapt if need be.
I want something with a strong motor that "just works." My current plan is to spend the bulk of my extra $$ dialing in the suspension and upgrading the brakes. I have 2 years of college left so I will probably be buying a new bike in 2-3 years. Therefore I want a bike that will be competitive for that long.
My budget is right around $2500. I prefer buying from a private party, I'm not a fan of dealerships for new or used things.
I had my heart set on a newer CR, but after reading it seems that probably isn't in my best interest.
Am I better off buying a 2000-2002 era bike, and spending $$ on suspension / brake upgrades, or do I go all out for a 2004-2005 and ride it as is? It seems that manufacturers redesign the bikes every 4-5 years. Is my money better spent buying the 1st year of a new design (like a 00-01 YZ) and putting money into upgrades, or just get the newest bike I can...
Any insight y'all can provide will be helpful.
P.S. I am in the Minneapolis area, if you have a bike for sale that meets the above, please contact me.
I'm 6'0" 167lbs. This is my first year racing, been riding for a while. I am already set on a 250 2-stroke.
I'm going to disregard the outline, cause I'm looking for some specific things.
I'm looking for a good bike for woods racing, mainly Hare Scrambles. I will probably take the bike to an open MX practice or two, but woods racing is #1 priority. I am a "C" class rider right now, but pretty ambitious, hopefully in a few years I will be moving up.
My main concerns are:
1. suspension
2. braking
3. weight
4. reliability
My CR already has more power than I can fully utilize. I like riding in the lower range of RPMs, but I can adapt if need be.
I want something with a strong motor that "just works." My current plan is to spend the bulk of my extra $$ dialing in the suspension and upgrading the brakes. I have 2 years of college left so I will probably be buying a new bike in 2-3 years. Therefore I want a bike that will be competitive for that long.
My budget is right around $2500. I prefer buying from a private party, I'm not a fan of dealerships for new or used things.
I had my heart set on a newer CR, but after reading it seems that probably isn't in my best interest.
Am I better off buying a 2000-2002 era bike, and spending $$ on suspension / brake upgrades, or do I go all out for a 2004-2005 and ride it as is? It seems that manufacturers redesign the bikes every 4-5 years. Is my money better spent buying the 1st year of a new design (like a 00-01 YZ) and putting money into upgrades, or just get the newest bike I can...
Any insight y'all can provide will be helpful.
P.S. I am in the Minneapolis area, if you have a bike for sale that meets the above, please contact me.