New Yz 450f

[youngy]

yamaha reliability is 2nd to none. I raced four seasons on an 01 yz250f and didnt touch the spares kit. still on original rings and all, and I flogged the living daylights out of the thing from day 1. maintanance is the key. Although I now have an 06 525exc and I dont think I could go back... must be gettin old

[FPV TRANNY]

Oh I have now changed my mind.Keeping the WR 450F and buying this in 2 weeks

A raptor 700R SE.Its the special edition and it has different colour scheme then this one.Cant wait

[no turbo]

look no futher here is the winner......

http://www.aprilia.com.au/rxv550.html

[EZ2CME]

Hi guys,

First of all sorry for hijacking this thread a little. I'm toying with the idea of buying a second hand dirt bike as my mate lives on a farm near by and I can go riding pretty much every weekend. I am looking at spending at most $1000 hopefully less. I basically don't know anything about bikes but ever since a few months ago when I rode a dirt bike and had loads of fun want one. I am just looking for something reliable and that goes alright. What do you guys in the know recommend and wheres a good place to buy? ebay?

Am I asking too much for the price?

Edited 18/11/06 09:10 AM by XR6NA

[no turbo]

Hi guys,

First of all sorry for hijacking this thread a little. I'm toying with the idea of buying a second hand dirt bike as my mate lives on a farm near by and I can go riding pretty much every weekend. I am looking at spending at most $1000 hopefully less. I basically don't know anything about bikes but ever since a few months ago when I rode a dirt bike and had loads of fun want one. I am just looking for something reliable and that goes alright. What do you guys in the know recommend and wheres a good place to buy? ebay?

Am I asking too much for the price?

←

If I can offer any advice go buy a better one.... cheap $1000 bikes soon turn into $3500 bikes when the crank goes and the shock and suspension need rebuilding then when you sell it, its worth $500. An old bike will spit you off...a week of work could cost $1000.......new ones work like they should and are easyer to ride.

Edited 18/11/06 11:02 AM by no turbo

[tmac450]

Hi guys,

First of all sorry for hijacking this thread a little. I'm toying with the idea of buying a second hand dirt bike as my mate lives on a farm near by and I can go riding pretty much every weekend. I am looking at spending at most $1000 hopefully less. I basically don't know anything about bikes but ever since a few months ago when I rode a dirt bike and had loads of fun want one. I am just looking for something reliable and that goes alright. What do you guys in the know recommend and wheres a good place to buy? ebay?

Am I asking too much for the price?

←

For older 2nd hand bikes, you can't go past Honda's XR range, however, you won't get much for $1,000 and will surely spend more than that in parts and headaches.

[AceofSpades]

a mate of mine just sold an old 85 XR600RF and even thet still pulled $2500.

seriously, if you cant budget around $3500-$4000 for a bike and some gear, keep saving cause as mentioned the older/cheaper ones will cost you more anyway.

[F6 RAPID]

Hi guys,

←

If I can offer any advice go buy a better one.... cheap $1000 bikes soon turn into $3500 bikes when the crank goes and the shock and suspension need rebuilding then when you sell it, its worth $500. An old bike will spit you off...a week of work could cost $1000.......new ones work like they should and are easyer to ride.

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Couldn't have said it better myself.

[JB]

kttttttttttmmmmm the only way to go you get what you pay for!!!

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Typically on the KTM you pay an extra 20-30% to NOT have dual chamber forks, to NOT have the lastest model Keihen carby, to NOT have linkage suspenson that's is inherantly progressive, to NOT have DOHC, and to NOT have an alloy frame....

Sorry what was it you were paying for ?

sorry but I just love a ktm sledging !

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If you're going to KTM sledge, show some knowledge:

The KTM EXCs have won every 450cc enduro bike shootout on OZ, NZ, UK and USA since the 2004 model.

They are generally only about 5% dearer than a new jap equivalant.

The SOHC head on the 450 EXCcs (SX snd 250 models are twin cam) is more reliable, torquier and easier to maintain (important for enduro competition).

They dumped their dual chamber forks in 2005 for more advanced valving designs giving their forks better feel, progression and adjustment without the risk of fork bind.

They are the lightest enduro bikes on the market, their chromeolly frames are lighter and stronger than the trendy alloy frames which aren't easily repaired, are bulkier, crack easier and too rigid.

Last time I checked, they were running the same Kehin carby as the Jap bikes, but different motors benefir from different carbies.

Not having rear linkages is a bonus as you don't have to constantly adjust, grease or replace the bushes. The progression comes from their ingenious rear shock and progressive spring set-up. Your comment on this would indicate that you have never ridden one.

What you do get is WP suspension, decent bars, decent std exhaust system, quality chain and quality components you'd pay extra for on Jap bikes.

Maybe you got your 20-30% figure from resale where a KTM will generally sell for about 20% more than a Jap bike, easily offsetting the buy price.

KTM riders have taken out just about every enduro title all over the world in the last 3 years. Not bad from a small producer.

But, all of that aside, dirtbike riding is a skill sport. Unlike cars, only the best riders are able to extract everything out of a standard bike. It makes me laugh to hear guys crapping on about power, weight, etc. Chad Read actually detunes his bike to race it as he finds it too peaky from the factory, the Recent 4 day enduro was won ourtight on a 250cc 4 stroke, and Shane Watts won a World 6 day enduro outright on a 125cc.

Also, unlike cars, there are no bad bikes out there from the main players, you simply can't go wrong, even if you buy a bike by colour. If you ride for fun, then pick the bike you like and have fun on it. If you want to race, pick something that you can be competetive on, and something you feel comportable on, if that's something smaller that doesn't wear you out then pick that.

The dick size, V8, bigger better thing just doesn't apply in dirt bikes.

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Coul'nt agree more. I was on Yams for years changed to KTM's and have never looked back. For me the suspension is the reason I ride them, easy to set up and requires little maintanance as long as you service regulalry etc.

I compete (or should I say did compete) in the Yamaha off rode enduro series and no matter what I never had a failure of any sort on my KTM, hence why I am now looking for my 4th one. The only failure was me with a knee reco, so whether I compete again I'll see how I go in 07.

They are reliable, I believe a good build quality and as said if you set them up properly they will run without any issues. The only bike I have owned that something has'nt gone wrong every time I rode it.

For the guys on the Gas Gas, awesome bike, it's a shame they do not have the reputation in Aus that they do in europe. My cousin competes in the British enduro championship on a factory gas gas 300 and swears by them after coming over from Yam's. I rode one in a round of the british campionship a couple of years back and it scared the sh*t out of me, awesome bit of Kit. You are definitely right when you talk about power, it has nothing to do wth it, it all comes down to the rider. I ride a KTM 525EXC which is reasonably quick, but I was blown away by the Gas Gas 300, which was way to quick for me.

The way I look at it the Yam's and Hondas are great bikes, from my perspective and useage requirements, probably better suited for MX and are the ford or Expensive Daewoo of the bikes. The euro's are just that european bikes, I certainly would'nt consider riding anything else.

[tmac450]

The way I look at it the Yam's and Hondas are great bikes, from my perspective and useage requirements, probably better suited for MX and are the ford or Expensive Daewoo of the bikes. The euro's are just that european bikes, I certainly would'nt consider riding anything else.

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Hey, don't lower the Yammies and Hondas to Ford & Expensive Daewoo levels.

Seriously though, I know what you mean