XR400 vs. KDX220 or KTM200EX/C

To XR or CRFX? That is THE question.

Finally! I found a forum with actual dirt riders.

To those fellow dirt riders I am in a pinch. First I'll give a run down, and then maybe you all will help me decide.

I grew up riding 4 strokes, always owned 4 strokes, and dearly love 4 strokes. I never even rode a 2 stroke until about 4 months ago. As much fun as it is, I still love to ride like the 4 strokers do so well. I'll be 34 in July, am a short 5'6" and a hefty 180 lbs. (mostly gut unfortunatally). I currently do not own a bike and haven't for about 4 years. The last bike I had was a dual carb.(pain in the neck) 86 XR250R. I grew up riding the fine forests of the Pacific Northwest, but now live in the Florida Panhandle. The trails are so tight here that, as my KDX owning friend often jokes, you need to mount chain saws to your bars.

Anyways, my pinch is this. I'm looking at buying another thumper, but don't know which to get. The old XR250 wasn't exactly a speed demon, but I don't plan on racing anymore (although it would be nice). I looked at the '03 XR250 and like it , but at the same time I'm worried that it wont be enough. Looking at the '03 XR400, and worried that it will be to big and heavy (260 dry).
Or should I wait until the CRF250X comes out?
I have two problems with this. 1) I don't care for the way the CR styled seat sits, nor am I excited about the extra inch in seat height. As I said, the trails here are so tight that even the best riders out here occaionally have to put afoot down here and there. 2) After reading the new reviews of the WR250F (based off of the YZ250F), everyone seems to say that to enjoy it you hae to ride it aggressively like a MXer. I'm afraid the CRFX is going to be the same way.

So, is it XR250? Why? Is it XR400? Why? And why over the 250? Or is it the CRF250X? Why not an XR?

I do know the XR's suspensions are soft. Is the 250 going to be too soft for 180 lbs. (god I wish I were back at 140)?

Thanks for any input and please feel free to suggest any other bike, just remember my pockets are only so deep (KTM, GAS GAS, Husky......Too much)

I say thank you to all that replied.
I think you have all helped me make a decision.
I'm definately going to get an XR. And it will probably be the 400. The 250 might be an excellent choice too, but a couple of you said something about changing or replacing this and that. I'm looking for a bike that will suit a hefty short guy wthout paying more change for upgrades just to tote the weight.
If I misunderstood what you were saying about the suspension and weight, please tell me. Any more advice will be liked.
Thanks again.

Thank you guys for the input. I hope I didn't confuse you, but someone mentioned about if I was questioning the XR's to the 230 CRF. I wasn't. I'm questioning about th NEW CRF250X that is supposed to be coming in December. The new one that is to replace the XR250 (at least I think its going to). They are supposed to design it with the CRF250 in mind (much like the YZF and WRF).

From XR to 2 Stroke?

O.K., just when I thought I was about to buy the XR400, a friend totally messed it up.
He is a bike salesman and rides an '03 KDX200 (his personal preference over the 220, although the220 was his recommendation for me). He met me out here for three days straight and let me ride his KDX (although its far fom stock) while he'd follow me on his wifes TTR125L giving advice on this and that. At first I didn't like his bike from another friends KDX. It was set up for alot of down low power that seemed to come on rather uncontrollable for woods riding, but after the first days six hours I think it was set pretty darn good.
After three days (about 6 hrs. a day) of riding his KDX, I just might have changed my mind. So I went down to his shop yesterday to kind of price compare the XR400 and KDX220 (with a few mods. like different sproket, bars, chain, pipe, ect.). He then suggested that I drive about an hour west to this other dealer to check out some other bikes. He wouldn't tell me what kind, but said I couldn't go wrong and everybody would look at me and say "cool".
So of course, like a puppet, off I go. To my suprise, I walk in to this watercraft store, and there sits several KTM's. At first I about walk out because 6-7 thousand was a little much for my pockets, but thought that I drove this hour, at least I'll look.
Being that I still have a 4 stroke mind, the first bike I saw caught my eye. A 450RFS EXC. The mechanic that also was selling (its in hicktown) let me sit on it. After talking with him and telling him my story, he said he would feel uncomfortable even selling me the bike and since I didn't want to spend a lot to come with him to the back. There sat several '02 models. A 200EXC, 200MXC, 250EXC, and a 300EXC.. After looking at all four bikes, he said for the type of riding I was going to be doing, forget the MXC. And since I'm pretty new to 2 strokes, the best recommendation was the 200EXC. It was priced about 4900 out the door. About the same for the KDX with all the trimmings (although, the EXC wasn't the best looking bike, it was still a KTM).

So my question is this, since I don't know anyone with a 200EXC, would you go with the KDX line or the 200EXC??? If anyone out there has a 200EXC, it would be great to hear from you. Please tell me why you would choose one from the other.
I put this same question to another friend who has an '03 KDX200 and he said that right now he'd keep his KDX because its set up like he wants, but if he didn't have it and was looking at the two, then the EXC would be it.

Thanks in advance to all riders.


So, being new to 2 strokes and not ever

Thank you for all that replied to my last thread, "To XR or CRF? That is THE Question".
I put this new thread out there because I feel that most two stroke riders wont want to read the other.
So here it is. I'm a short 5'6" and 180 lbs.. I just about bought the XR400, when I spent a few days on a friends KDX200 (far from stock though). He is a dealer at a local shop and suggested that I go with the KDX220 (with some mods.). Being a long time friend though, he wasn't pushing for the sale and knew that this would be a bike I'd have to have for a while and knowing that I didn't have a lot of cash. He suggested a drive to another dealer out of town.
To make a long story short, it was a KTM dealer with a 2002 200EX/C and 250 EX/C. The 200 he would let me have for $4900 (about the same I'd spend for the KDX with mods.) out the door and suggested that for the little 2 stroke experience I had it would be the best one for me.

Here is the question.
Knowing quite a few riders thate KDX's they say the KDX, except 1 said he would go KTM for the price. Should I get the KTM200 or the KDX220?

Thanks in advance.

I really don't want to put money into the bike, since the KDX220 is about $4700 and the KTM is $4900, I think I'll spring the $200 and get the KTM.

Any advice about the seat??? It's hard as a brick!

Thanks for helping me out.