Lowest maintenance 250cc+ street legal dirt bike?

[evermore]

sounds like a fun sesssion. I wonder how steep those hills are.
Btw, does Brian recommend the KLX300R as a starter? it seems like a good bike, except it weighs 290 lbs! same weight as a WR250R.

He did say it's a very forgiving bike and for the engine, I definitely agree. I did not realize it was this heavy though!

 

[evermore]

Was this you?

What can I say, burn fashion down.

 

[evermore]

Looks like a fun project! :thumbup

There is a specific forum for Yamaha two strokes over on Thumpertalk.

Figuring out what year bike can be helpful in ordering parts, not unusual for an old bike to have an engine in a frame of a different year. Been there...... Search for a vin/engine number decoder over on thumpertalk or elsewhere. Engine number should be on top of the case behind the kickstarter and vin on headstock for YZs.

Definitely a late 80's YZ of some year.

Reach out if you want any suggestions of what some of us old timers would do to get and keep an old two stroke running. :thumbup

Edit: Might even be fun whole new thread to let us follow along getting the bike running and your offroad riding experience.

We have narrowed it down to either a '86 or '87, with the frame color suggesting it's a '87. There are 2 blue tags attached but they are from the state of California so that has me at least confused:

Luckily for me, my friend Rick is a great mechanic and I'll help with grunt work where I can. I'll have to figure out how to get a green sticker for this thing...

 

[OaklandF4i]

We have narrowed it down to either a '86 or '87, with the frame color suggesting it's a '87. There are 2 blue tags attached but they are from the state of California so that has me at least confused:

Luckily for me, my friend Rick is a great mechanic and I'll help with grunt work where I can. I'll have to figure out how to get a green sticker for this thing...

Picture doesnt come up for me.... but I'll guess if there are just CA tags on it, the original numbers were removed at some point.

 

[evermore]

Picture doesnt come up for me.... but I'll guess if there are just CA tags on it, the original numbers were removed at some point.

I think I fixed the permissions for the photo now. I'll go see the bike tomorrow and hopefully get a better idea of what the story with the tags is.

 

[OaklandF4i]

I agree, its most likely an 87. Those tags are replacements, I believe, from CA when the original vin and engine numbers go missing. Don't lose or remove them, they are the link to its registration now. I assume there is one on the headstock as well.

Throw the number from the headstock into the DMV website for registration renewal, and if it comes up with nothing (ie not in the system anylonger), should be fairly straight forward to title and register with a statement of facts. Very important in the statement of facts, its been stored on private land and only ridden on private lands, or they will come at you with all kinds of back fees.

What are the plans for it? Fresh top end and just ride it?

Thanks for taking us along on this journey. Enjoying it. :thumbup

 

[Rudeojr]

Good morning!

After watching the Dakar, I'm inspired to see if I want to take up dirt biking and potentially enter a rally.

My background: In my 40s, riding for 19 years, I owned a DR650SE which I took down to Patagonia, and have even taken a KTM 1190 ADV R onto the rocks in Moab. Presently, I'm on a Brutale 800RR.

First step, I signed up for Garrahan's off road training to see if this is really the path i want to take.

Next though, bike: There are two aspects, the riding, and getting to know a bike well enough mechanically that I wont face surprises down the road/trail.

To gain more experience riding, I want a something with low maintenance that I can spend the maximum time riding and not wrenching on it. The obvious candidate seems to be a Yamaha WR250R but if there is a less work alternative, I would love to hear about it.

As for wrenching and next step, a KTM EXC-F 500 seems likely (I have owned 3 KTMs). Unless a Honda or Yamaha 450cc has significantly easier or lower maintenance?

Would love to hear thoughts and alternatives!

here is my two cents worth, i have owned a ktm 250 xcfw, honda crf250l, and a kawasaki klx250. my bet is the klx250 because it’s the least expensive and bullet proof. i have seen them listed for sale used at around $3000

 

[evermore]

I agree, its most likely an 87. Those tags are replacements, I believe, from CA when the original vin and engine numbers go missing. Don't lose or remove them, they are the link to its registration now. I assume there is one on the headstock as well.

Throw the number from the headstock into the DMV website for registration renewal, and if it comes up with nothing (ie not in the system anylonger), should be fairly straight forward to title and register with a statement of facts. Very important in the statement of facts, its been stored on private land and only ridden on private lands, or they will come at you with all kinds of back fees.

What are the plans for it? Fresh top end and just ride it?

Thanks for taking us along on this journey. Enjoying it. :thumbup

My friend stripped it down to a bare frame:

I figure once he's finished, it'll be one of the nicest YZ250s out there!

There is a 1996 KDX on cl for $900.. is this something I should consider as a short term option?

 

[OaklandF4i]

My friend stripped it down to a bare frame:

I figure once he's finished, it'll be one of the nicest YZ250s out there!

There is a 1996 KDX on cl for $900.. is this something I should consider as a short term option?

Do you want to ride, or restore an old bike? Do you want to ride, or wrench on an old bike bringing it up to snuff? Do you have the knowledge, mechanical skills, tools, and time to diagnose issues and/or rebuild motors? Do you have the budget to buy a modern bike?

That 1996 KDX200 could be a fun and completely capable trail bike. Perfect for building skills, gaining seat time, and having fun. Especially for someone that doesn't have a huge budget. Frankly, that bike is just about as capable as many modern bikes on the trail, as a single track trail bike. A top pick or even recommendation.

You might be extremely lucky and its ready to ride as is. That hasn't been my experience in bikes at that price point or age though. Sometimes you get lucky..... :dunno

Even if its not ride ready, rebuilding a two stroke motor and freshening up the suspension could be done for $1k or so in parts, all your labor. Then you would have a fresh, reliable, and capable bike at a budget level investment. :thumbup Do you have the knowledge, skill, tools, and time to do that? If not, its not bargain.

For someone that does (can answer yes to all those questions above), then its a great deal. If I were looking for me, I'd pick it up. Only you can answer that.

 

[evermore]

Do you want to ride, or restore an old bike? Do you want to ride, or wrench on an old bike bringing it up to snuff? Do you have the knowledge, mechanical skills, tools, and time to diagnose issues and/or rebuild motors? Do you have the budget to buy a modern bike?

That 1996 KDX200 could be a fun and completely capable trail bike. Perfect for building skills, gaining seat time, and having fun. Especially for someone that doesn't have a huge budget. Frankly, that bike is just about as capable as many modern bikes on the trail, as a single track trail bike. A top pick or even recommendation.

You might be extremely lucky and its ready to ride as is. That hasn't been my experience in bikes at that price point or age though. Sometimes you get lucky..... :dunno

Even if its not ride ready, rebuilding a two stroke motor and freshening up the suspension could be done for $1k or so in parts, all your labor. Then you would have a fresh, reliable, and capable bike at a budget level investment. :thumbup Do you have the knowledge, skill, tools, and time to do that? If not, its not bargain.

For someone that does (can answer yes to all those questions above), then its a great deal. If I were looking for me, I'd pick it up. Only you can answer that.

Unsurprisingly, that '96 KDX has now sold. There is a 1991 KX 250 now on cl for $1900, maybe that's something?

As for the YZ, my friend thinks this will take quite a bit longer than the original six weeks expected so finding a running bike that requires minimal work so I can ride for a few months to a year will be my focus while he'll do the YZ restoration right. You can follow his work here. =)

 

[OaklandF4i]

Unsurprisingly, that '96 KDX has now sold. There is a 1991 KX 250 now on cl for $1900, maybe that's something?

As for the YZ, my friend thinks this will take quite a bit longer than the original six weeks expected so finding a running bike that requires minimal work so I can ride for a few months to a year will be my focus while he'll do the YZ restoration right. You can follow his work here. =)

MX bikes, especially old MX bikes don't really make the best offroad bike for single track without a lot of mods. That KDX was an offroad bike, with the suspension, motor, and power delivery designed for off road.

MX bikes can be modified to make a decent offroad bike, like the popular YZ250 1999 on. But it takes money and time to do so.

A 1991 is a seriously old MX bike that will still be crap shoot on how much work it would need and even if all parts are still available for it. Then modifying it to be suitable for offroad... how much time and money is in it then?

Just my opinion, but in this market you are going to need to be spending $4-8K for any kind of turn key, sorted, reliable, off road bike, used. Unless you happen upon a KDX200/220.