Lowest maintenance 250cc+ street legal dirt bike?
- Thread starter evermore
- Start date
MotoJack Rack is pretty good for one bike no trailer needed.
I would say an old xr400 plated would be a good choice or a drz400. Or something smaller. You can resell easily and branch off from there. I learned on a dt175 1978 and it was short and light enough to learn some skills. Rode it to college and a lot of new development sites in Fremont, Union city Hayward just trying to get better on the way home. Fun stuff don’t overhink it!
I would say an old xr400 plated would be a good choice or a drz400. Or something smaller. You can resell easily and branch off from there. I learned on a dt175 1978 and it was short and light enough to learn some skills. Rode it to college and a lot of new development sites in Fremont, Union city Hayward just trying to get better on the way home. Fun stuff don’t overhink it!
ooh, that is tempting but I figure that might be a year or two from now at the earliest for me =)
When you say learn on a small cc dirt bike do you mean that it really is easier to learn on a less powerful bike OR because of the lighter weight?
All the 4-strokes 250cc bikes seem to weigh the same as the EXC-F 350 so if it's really the weight, I would likely be better off with the 350.
OaklandF4i
Darwin's exception
Less powerful.
Heck if you were really aggressive and serious about becoming a master of dirt skills, I'd suggest a 150 two stroke like the KTM 150 XC-W or trials bike, even at your size and weight.
Takes more skill to ride than even a 250 4 stroke and forces you to learn a lot of the important dirt skills many folks never do as the bike (more power) lets them be lazy or makes up for less skill.
Frankly, I'm over 220lbs and would enjoy riding a KTM 150 XC-W. It would make me work and not forgive mistakes. But I could do everything I can do on my 300 smokers. Would I be as competitive racing on one, maybe, maybe not. But we are talking about gaining and mastering skills.
That said, the 250F's (f = 4 stroke) seem to be the consensus bikes to learn on for adults. I've seen more than a couple of adult learners who are accomplished street, track, even road racers struggle learning dirt skills.
Talk to Brian Garrahan about it when you take the class. I'd trust his opinion over mine or anyone posting randomly on the internet. :thumbup
If the goal really is to race, and race big bikes like a Rally bike, you will want to master dirt skills. You will learn and master those skills on smaller cc less powerful bikes....
I'm not claiming to be an "A" level rider, but have been riding for decades. This is just my experience and opinion, others will vary.
Edit: Remember, we aren't talking about forever bikes. But bikes to gain advanced skills fast.
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WoodsChick
I Don't Do GPS
I agree with everything OaklandF4I is telling you. I'm not an A rider or a know it all, either, but I have been riding 30+ years and a lot of those years were spent on small-bore 2-strokes. My current dirt bike is a Husky WR125 which eventually got turned into a 165. If you want to build real skills, a small-bore 2-stroke is the ticket. There's no faking it on one, that's for sure. A KDX200 would be a great bike to hone skills, too. If you build a solid foundation of dirt skills then the sky is the limit for you...you can rally to your heart's content, or get yourself a big ADV bike and ride it with authority wherever you want.
Good luck in your quest, and please do keep us apprised of your choice and your journey! :thumbup
Good luck in your quest, and please do keep us apprised of your choice and your journey! :thumbup
OaklandF4i
Darwin's exception
Outside the Bay Area, many places are legal to ride red sticker year round on National Forest and BLM land. Cow Mtn, Penny Pines, Stonyford, and much of the Sierras. When it’s not legal to ride red sticker bikes at the local OHV parks like Carnegie, Metcalf, and Hollister... it’s also the hottest time of the year when folks head to the Sierras to ride anyways escaping the heat.
The red sticker program will be going over a transition in the next year or so and who knows what’s going to happen with it. Red Stickers may become legal to ride year round at the restricted areas, or not. I’m not willing bet either way on that yet.
Many folks have multiple bikes to deal with this OR just drive further during the hot months to escape the heat AND ride where it’s legal to ride a red sticker year round.
If your intention is to have only one bike and want to ride locally in the Bay Area year round, then yes you need a green sticker bike for time being. Then CRF250X, WR250F, or 250XCF-W might be the best option. You could also consider a used 2002 or older model year two stroke that is still green sticker.
Enjoy your class and ask Garrahan plenty of questions.
The red sticker program will be going over a transition in the next year or so and who knows what’s going to happen with it. Red Stickers may become legal to ride year round at the restricted areas, or not. I’m not willing bet either way on that yet.
Many folks have multiple bikes to deal with this OR just drive further during the hot months to escape the heat AND ride where it’s legal to ride a red sticker year round.
If your intention is to have only one bike and want to ride locally in the Bay Area year round, then yes you need a green sticker bike for time being. Then CRF250X, WR250F, or 250XCF-W might be the best option. You could also consider a used 2002 or older model year two stroke that is still green sticker.
Enjoy your class and ask Garrahan plenty of questions.
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banshee01
Well-known member
Well for riding Hollister and metcalf you wont be able to ride when it is hot dry, dusty, and the trails are beat up (June, july, August, sept)
There are places you can still ride a red sticker bike during those months.
Ps do you know about the upcoming red sticker ban? It applies to brand new bikes model year 2022 and newer. If they dont pass green sticker emissions they will not issue you a red sticker. You will get no sticker at all so you can't ride public land that requires a sticker
Dirtbikes model year 2021 and older will continue to get a green sticker or red sticker
I am in my 30s so the part that interested me is starting in Jan 2026 all red sticker bikes model year 2021 and older will be treated as a green sticker and allowed to ride all year round.
I have a red sticker 2 stroke and two green sticker 2 strokes. My wife also has a red sticker 2 stroke and a green sticker 4 stroke. That way we can ride all year round currently
HadesOmega
Well-known member
Why don't you just get a green sticker bike such a hassle. I have a green sticker bike, moped, and 2 plated dualsports. I can ride them anytime I want.
augustiron
2fast 2live 2young 2die
Shocked to see people recommending the crf250x.
In theory a good starter bike, but the last two folks i know who bought used ones had to rebuild the top end right away due to shot valves and one needed a new rear wheel ( and a lot of other little wear items not specific to the model
Caveat emptor.
250x has crappy valves ( at least the older ones in the price point for a starter bike)
In theory a good starter bike, but the last two folks i know who bought used ones had to rebuild the top end right away due to shot valves and one needed a new rear wheel ( and a lot of other little wear items not specific to the model
Caveat emptor.
250x has crappy valves ( at least the older ones in the price point for a starter bike)
OaklandF4i
Darwin's exception
Assuming the OP is looking at new or very late model bikes.
From my experience with folks who own(ed)later model CRF250Xs, the valves are much improved. Agree that that early model year valves were junk, but doesn't seem to be the case now. I don't remember which year Honda was supposed to have made the change, but the folks I know who own later model year ones have not experienced the low hour valve failures like the first ones.
Anecdotal evidence and my gut might lead me to believe the WR250F is still the longer lasting of the two, but I have no evidence to back it up.
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Spitfire44
Well-known member
Honda fixed the valve issue in 2007. I upgraded my 2004 and it has been trouble free since.
banshee01
Well-known member
Damn! Major bummer! I say Garrahan posting pictures and was hoping you were in there.
It looks like he posted pictures of the intro class from last week. No actual replacement class on the schedule yet and with the rain for the next 8-9 days, it will be a while. In the meantime, I'm entertaining myself watching videos on valve adjustments and top end rebuilds...
The class has now been rescheduled to Sunday February 21st. I hope it will be dry enough to take place.
Watching lots of videos, it looks like 2 strokes are a lot of fun with a distinct advantage with power being delivered continuously and less likely to stall but given my objective (rally prep), I am probably better off sticking to 4 strokes. the wait continues....
Watching lots of videos, it looks like 2 strokes are a lot of fun with a distinct advantage with power being delivered continuously and less likely to stall but given my objective (rally prep), I am probably better off sticking to 4 strokes. the wait continues....