Which Bike To Get?

[Chooka]

I am not knocking KTM in general I guess it's just my mates and I have had a bad rum with them, I had a KTM 300, got it as it was pretty much a race bike I could register and ride down the the main street to the bush if you know what I mean? It was quite possibly the worst bike I have owned in my 17 odd years or riding and Racing, may have been a lemon I don't know but seemed to blow up whenever it was the least conveniant compared to the Jap 2 strokers. It was also not my ideal handling bike but this may have been cause I did all my racing on CR's and RM's and was just used to them????

Then just 2 weeks ago my best mate picked up a brand new 525, we went for a ride after a bit of a run in and with just 50km on the clock spits the gearbox out the side of the case..... like I said mayde we are in the minority of riders with KTM's but I'm not a fan.

They do come with more equipment than the Jap bikes IE pipes, disks suspension etc, but you pay for it..... I would sooner buy the jap bike and go out and get aftermarket gear like I have done now, Pro cuirct pipe, afam bars, excel rims, new rotors, cruise tune suspension etc as I beleive these are better than the KTM gear anyway.

But like you said, it is hard to pick a bad bike,............. unless you go chiense... hey Jordak...

Chooka

[XR6T8080]

Sorry Tmac, don't share your sentaments on the KTM's, I think they have gone down hill the last few years.........

I would not be recomending a YZ 250F for the riding he would be doing, he is also on a budget buy sounds of it so I would not touch a KTM that fell into his price range.

best advise is ride as many as you can and talk to a many different people as possible as almost every person differs in what they want to be doing on a trail bike and what they think is the most fun!!

Enjoy!

Chooka

I appreciate what your saying, but im pretty sure I'll outgrow a 250F in about 1 week. the last bike I had was a 350 4 stroke and I got sick of that in a few months.

Cheers anyways, I had been looking at the 250F's but I dont think they'll cut it for me.

[XR6T8080]

Dirt biking is a great sport to get into.

You are right that 2 strokes need more regular maintenance than a 4 stroke, but 2 stroke motors a basice and generally need rings and pistons every now and then. They are easy to self maintain and cheap. A complete 2 stroke rebuild would be a few hundred dollars.

While the new 4 strokes are reliable and don't need maintenance as often, when they do they are complicated and expensive with the most common being valve replacements etc. A fourstroke rebuild will almost always be in excess of $1,000.

With trail acess these days, whatever you get, aim for a registered bike. You'll have so many mor places to go, and if you get the right one, they are good enough for track work as well.

The Yamahas are good with the 450 or 250 fs being the pick of the lot. With dirt bikes, bigger isn't better and at your skill level you'll go better on something that's easier to ride. Look at the type of riding you want to do. If it's tight trails or track work then a 250 f is the go. More open trails then look at a 450. Electric start is also a must.

Also, don't be scared of enduro 2 strokes, they have heavier flyweels and are much milder to rider than a MX bike, but that said, you'll be able to relax more on a 4 stroke.

Don't limit yourself to one brand. KTM has been making bullet proof enduro bikes for years and tend to come with better components than the Jap machines, such as better exhaust systems, bars, chains, hydrulic clutches, etc.

The best advice I always give is to ride as many different bikes you can before you jump in and but something you don't like or aren't suited to.

What KTMS would you recommend, I have heard good things about KTMS and there a good looking machine, as with the yami's, my cousin had a 125SX I think, and he was a big lad.

one of the main reasons I was going for a yamaha, is as one bloke said the resale is sh*t, which is good for me coz I dont want to spend much.

[Chooka]

I appreciate what your saying, but im pretty sure I'll outgrow a 250F in about 1 week. the last bike I had was a 350 4 stroke and I got sick of that in a few months.

Cheers anyways, I had been looking at the 250F's but I dont think they'll cut it for me.

I think you misread my post, I said I WOULD'T go a 250F

DRZ 400 would be a good bike

Chooka

[tmac450]

What KTMS would you recommend, I have heard good things about KTMS and there a good looking machine, as with the yami's, my cousin had a 125SX I think, and he was a big lad.

one of the main reasons I was going for a yamaha, is as one bloke said the resale is sh*t, which is good for me coz I dont want to spend much.

It depends on what you want to spend. If you're after a 450, then from 2004 is the pick of the bunch.

There was one for sale on here a little while ago.

You're right about the resale of the Yamahas and you should be able to pick up a later one for less than an equal KTM. Then, on the other hand if you're after something more exotic with poor resale, that is also reliable, etc then look at a Husqvana or Hussaberg. Both better bush bikes than the Yamahas, both have been reliable for years and both have low resale value because they're not as well known as the others.

As with everything 2nd hand, buyer beware. Make sure its cheap for the right reason and not because it's about to fall apart.

If you want a super reliable, resaonably priced bush thumper, the XR400 is king. The only disadvantage is they don't have electric start. Failing that the DRZ is good, but heavy and not as nimble as the XR.

[tmac450]

I am not knocking KTM in general I guess it's just my mates and I have had a bad rum with them, I had a KTM 300, got it as it was pretty much a race bike I could register and ride down the the main street to the bush if you know what I mean? It was quite possibly the worst bike I have owned in my 17 odd years or riding and Racing, may have been a lemon I don't know but seemed to blow up whenever it was the least conveniant compared to the Jap 2 strokers. It was also not my ideal handling bike but this may have been cause I did all my racing on CR's and RM's and was just used to them????

Then just 2 weeks ago my best mate picked up a brand new 525, we went for a ride after a bit of a run in and with just 50km on the clock spits the gearbox out the side of the case..... like I said mayde we are in the minority of riders with KTM's but I'm not a fan.

They do come with more equipment than the Jap bikes IE pipes, disks suspension etc, but you pay for it..... I would sooner buy the jap bike and go out and get aftermarket gear like I have done now, Pro cuirct pipe, afam bars, excel rims, new rotors, cruise tune suspension etc as I beleive these are better than the KTM gear anyway.

But like you said, it is hard to pick a bad bike,............. unless you go chiense... hey Jordak...

Chooka

I also had an XR400 that lunched it's gearbox when it was almost new (and these have the reputation of being the toughest bikes going). I've also seen pleanty of new Hondas and Yamies die straight out of the box (you only have to go back 4 years where every 4 stroke in the Australian Four Day Enduro failed to finish except the KTMs and Yamahas. I've had 4 KTMs now and never had an issue. It's just luck of the draw I guess.

As far as the modifing goes, I am in the camp that doesn't beleive dirt bikes should need modifying so I look for what needs the least. The KTMs pride themselves as being ready to race. Also, on your paying comment, in the last few years this has become a myth and the Jap bikes have caugh up in pricing. The WR450 is only around $200 cheaper than the KTM, the KTM250 is about $800 cheaper. As you would know, $200 would barely buy you a decent set of bars.

Those Chinese bikes are just top notch arent they.

[Chooka]

I also had an XR400 that lunched it's gearbox when it was almost new (and these have the reputation of being the toughest bikes going). I've also seen pleanty of new Hondas and Yamies die straight out of the box (you only have to go back 4 years where every 4 stroke in the Australian Four Day Enduro failed to finish except the KTMs and Yamahas. I've had 4 KTMs now and never had an issue. It's just luck of the draw I guess.

As far as the modifing goes, I am in the camp that doesn't beleive dirt bikes should need modifying so I look for what needs the least. The KTMs pride themselves as being ready to race. Also, on your paying comment, in the last few years this has become a myth and the Jap bikes have caugh up in pricing. The WR450 is only around $200 cheaper than the KTM, the KTM250 is about $800 cheaper. As you would know, $200 would barely buy you a decent set of bars.

Those Chinese bikes are just top notch arent they.

Yep, luck of the draw, but you know how it is once you have been bitten, your brain tells you that it was a one off but you can't get it out of the back of your mind! LOL

I am actually a little interested in the Gas Gas's now, heard a few good reports so might check them out.....

Thought I would of got a bite from Jordak by now........ oh well

Chooka

[XR6T8080]

well looks like I found the miss's a sh*tty bike to ride, one of those import 80cc things, it will do for her, now to find my bike...

cant stop thinking about it now, its all happening again, im getting flashbacks and everything - anybody else had this problem? once you get the idea in your head its all you can think about, and I wont be happy till its in my garage.

I think I'll get a WR400 or 450, that seems like the bike to get from what ive read.

yz426 sounds too aggressive for me at my current skill level.

[jordak]

Yep, luck of the draw, but you know how it is once you have been bitten, your brain tells you that it was a one off but you can't get it out of the back of your mind! LOL

I am actually a little interested in the Gas Gas's now, heard a few good reports so might check them out.....

Thought I would of got a bite from Jordak by now........ oh well

Chooka

No arguments here Chinese POS.

Moved on from that little piece of dark history. Avatar shows my 8 y/o doing on his Raptor 80 what would have caused somewhere between malfunction & desintegration of the pretend version.

[Trough Lolly]

seems youve made up your minds on the yammy...

despite what u hear the yammys and most new-gen 4 strokes cost ALOT more in the longrun than a 2stroke.

id get a nice 250 2-stroke for what your doing. if you know anybody that's good with some spanners it costs all of about $300 to do a decent rebuild on a top end every year. compare that to stupidly short interval oil changes, valve tolerance checks, DOUGHY POWER.

upto you, but personally I think you got the whole 2 stroke scene viewed as 15 years ago when 4strokes truely were almost maintenance free.

be it a yammy 4 stroke or honda/ktm/yammy/kawasaki 2 stroke youll end up with a good bike either way if u keep maintenance upto it.