YZ 250 too much!

[AliGee]

Alright guys, I need your help making my boyfriend swallow his pride!

We are both in the market for dirtbikes, although I have experience riding and he doesn't. We are both small and around the same size (5'4" and 130lbs.)

My two friends who are brothers are both selling their YZ250's and my boyfriend wants to buy them for us because they're cheap. We live in Breckenridge at 9,600 feet, so the powerband will suffer slightly, but I feel like this is too much power for both of us... especially him as a beginner.

I try telling him this and he just goes, "Nahh, they'll be fine." I told him to give it a test ride and he says no, which makes me think he's nervous to even get on it the first time and crash it in front of my friends. GAH!


So I need to hear opinions and your explanations along with it. If he won't listen to me maybe he'll listen to you guys.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

The issue is all the mx bikes are basically the same size. I believe the Yamaha the best bike to lower. But, a 250 mx bike is not a learner bike plain and simple. Your answer may reside at Service Honda and check out their jr race bikes. Vintage Bob

 

[IndyMX]

While you can lug a YZ250 around and all, it's really not good on the motor. Once you get into the power, I hope you know how to hold on! And you better have some experience, or you will soon find yourself on your ass and looking for a buyer.

 

[wake_rider]

I think your best options considering your height and riding experience might be more in ttr230 range. I've had friends with no prior off-road experience (outside of quads) that purchased 250 smokers and, even at heights closer to 6', they had tough times getting used to those bikes. It was just too much motor, and too racy (more hit and less bottom end like they needed).

I would just really attempt to get him to talk to some people who ride a bit and they could probably steer him away from making that type of decision. Btw, for a lady of your height, I know a lot of gals that really like riding ttr125's as they are hard to break, have very predictable power delivery, are easy to maneuver, and have a pretty low stand-over height. Most new riders will have the tendency to be riding at slow enough paces to, at times, need to put both of their feet down (particularly in trail-riding situations). A taller, heavier bike will be hard for a petite person to be able to do that with, and will end up in needless tip-overs and such, and will only push you away from having any desire to ever ride again.

 

[jb_dallas]

A YZ250 is NOT a beginners bike, not even for a beginner motocross rider...it gets worse on the trail. Those bikes have snappy power that hits like a ton of bricks...not trail friendly for a beginner. They also dont have lights or a kickstand and they are geared all wrong for the trail. I like the TTR230 suggestion above...or maybe a CRF230 or XR250. I kept an XR400 as a spare bike for my friends to ride for a while. 6 or 7 of my beginner friends have ridden the XR. They were all complete green horns. Of course, some were better than others, but they all had their hands full on beginner to intermediate level trails on the XR...and it is about as mild mannered as it gets....aside from the 230 suggestions above. Im certain they would have had gotten busted up good if the bike was a YZ250.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Have you tried sitting on those bikes?

You said he has none, what is your experience? What bike(s) have you ridden before?

You are talking about the tallest bike of the bunch (Seat height of over 39 inches). You won't be able to put both feet on the ground at the same time, and that can end up being a major PITA. It's not too bad when you are in the parking lot on flat ground but when you fall on a hill and have to get going again you may find that to be a really BIG deal.

You should go to your friends and throw your leg over the bike. Try to start it. I bet that you have to lean the bike over so far to kick it that the angle will be very awkward. Keep in mind that as a beginner on a 2 stroke you/he will be kicking the bike a lot, generally in very non-flat situations.

As others said, a 250 two stroke is not a good choice for beginners. However, if you were 4 inches taller and really aggressive in your activities then I wouldn't worry about it too much. It can be very frustrating at first as you will stall the bike a bunch and the power band can get you into trouble really quick. If the frustration doesn't sour you to the whole idea and you survive the first few rides then they can be a great bike for you, IF you were 4 inches taller.

I doubt that you will ever enjoy the bike unless you shorten it. That can be done, but it is some work and expense. I suspect that your money would be better invested in a beginner's bike (like the TT-R230, seat height of 34 inches). Learn to ride on that, then upgrade later. You should be able to recoup most of your investment in the 230. If you buy the YZ, and then shave the seat and change the rear linkage to drop the height a few inches you aren't likely to recoup that expense.

Rod

 

[Okiewan]

Excellent advice all...

 

[FNG]

Being 40 years old and snowmobiling since I was 4 including 24years of mountain riding. Since my early 20's I have a Tri-Z 250 3 wheeler, 3 Yamaha warrior 4 wheelers, a 2wd and a 4wd Polaris ATV along with a Hurricane 1000 street bike and a mustang that ran high 13's on DOT's I figured it was time for a dirtbike to round out my toys before I get too old to start.

Being 6'4 and 225#'s I figured a 250 was the place to start so I picked up a decent 1995 YZ250 and went through it. After 3 seasons of tuning, flywheel weights and head mods to soften the hit I sold it. Why? I could not hang on to the damn thing for more than 3 laps barely using the power it had. I was constantly aware of the fact that the bike can bitch slap me anytime I let my guard down. Sure it was fun out in the open where I could use the power without consequence but I came to the conclusion I had no need for a bike that I could never be able to use the power it had.

At your elevation you will be down about 30% on power so your boyfriend may have a point. It might be a bit much at first, but if he has some kind of skills, like what I listed, he might be OK.


I am now on a 01' YZ125 and love every second of it. I am in control and can make the bike do what I want without it having any surprises waiting for me.