Help me find the right bike for technical single-track

KWeezyXB12

KWeezyXB12

SKRRRRRRRRRRRT!!!!!!
cant believe this hasnt been said but the perfect bike for this is obviously a honda CR500. youre welcome. end thread
 
ScottRNelson

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
ScottRNelson said:
Gonna try out a CRF230 tomorrow. A guy that I like to ride with has a whole garage full of bikes and wanted to do some more serious off road riding than I can handle with an adventure bike. I think we'll be riding around at this place (Overhead shot).

One step at a time...
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Okay, I think I've figured out that I could live with a 250 four-stroke, but it would have to be a more serious bike than the CRF230. The place where we rode was mostly sand, rocks, and whoops. My legs and arms both got a good workout after only a couple of hours of riding that stuff. The CRF230 steered way better in the sand than either of my heavy bikes would have. But it didn't have enough suspension and I want more power too. But I don't think I need a 450.

I expect to go visit the Yamaha dealer to see what they have in a 250 off road bike.

zJi3FaT.jpg
 
1962siia

1962siia

Well-known member
Excellent! Glad you got out and rode something. I suspected the suspension on the 230 would be lacking for you.

Have fun narrowing it down!
 
ScottRNelson

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
So I visited the local Yamaha Dealer - Snake River Yamaha. Should have just stuck with internet searches for what that was worth. No bikes in stock that I'm interested in and the guy at the front desk didn't really know much either. I always feel way better when I visit Carl's Cycle Sales, which sells everything BUT Yamaha. How important is the dealer?

A little research says the CRF230F weighs about 250 pounds and has about 9 inches of suspension travel. The WR250R is around 295 pounds wet with about 10.6. The WR250F is around 256 pounds wet, but with around 12 inches of suspension. I need those extra inches of suspension travel.

I'm going to do a lot of studying over the next few months, since I don't intend to buy a bike of this type until I have something to haul it with and that won't happen during this calendar year.
 
KWeezyXB12

KWeezyXB12

SKRRRRRRRRRRRT!!!!!!
man i would for sure try out a two stroke though. you can get one on fb market place under 3 grand and sell it just as easy here or back on marketplace if it doesnt work for you if you cant find a bike to borrow.
 
1962siia

1962siia

Well-known member
I forgot to mention I rode a friends honda crf250x the other day. It was a hoot and felt really solid. Might be a great bike to try too. It would be completely different from the 230. Real showa suspension, aluminum frame, proper dirt bike.
 
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OaklandF4i

OaklandF4i

Darwin's exception
Welcome to COvid sub economies..... some things like dirt bikes sales are at record highs, other industries dying or closed.

The CRF230F you rode is at 11hp, and the WR250F or CRF250X should have around 30hp, but taller and full suspension. Scratch the WR250R off your list. Its a 300lb dual sport. The WR250F is a bit more modern design than the CRF250X as it shares its engine architecture with the new YZ Fs and fuel injected where the CRF hasnt changed in over a decade. But honestly both are solid trail bikes.

Might be worth a search on cycle trader to see who has stock on the floor.

And welcome back to the real dirty world! :laughing :thumbup
 
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OaklandF4i

OaklandF4i

Darwin's exception
ScottRNelson said:
I'm not really back until I actually buy one. I just need to convince my wife that I need a vehicle to haul dirt bikes with AND a new dirt bike to haul. :laughing
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There are a lot of bumper carry options that will work with a wide variety of vehicles. Some carriers are better than others and some vehicles better suited than others.

Or even folding trailers that take very little shop floor space when not in use, from the budget Harbor Freight (in my garage) to the pimp daddy Kendon. Just about ANY car can pull a lightweight trailer and dirtbike if loaded properly and driven with care.

Not all of us own super crew long bed trucks, my primary hauler is the Land Rover with a MxHauler on the hitch. As my Land Rover is down, I've been transporting my YZ250 on the folding trailer pulled by my Mini Cooper. :laughing

Just to help in the conversation with your wife. :teeth:thumbup:ride
 

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OaklandF4i

OaklandF4i

Darwin's exception
And one last suggestion if you are looking at the WR250F or CRF250X. While many bikes are sold out, I have been seeing a few left over KTM 250 EXC-F plated bikes still being sold on cycle trader at very good prices by dealers (ie much lower than the normal KTM premium.) KTM is discontinuing it in the US, but might just fit your needs.

No need for trailer or truck, but trails would need to be close.
 
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augustiron

augustiron

2fast 2live 2young 2die
You buy any brand new excf and you will have to add $1k on top to make it a real dirtbike

Real knobbies
Offroad gearing
Desmog/derestrict
Armor and protection
Fueling fix (jd tuner or voetex ecu)

Then maybe you want to respring/revalve unless you weigh close to 160# which is who these seem to be setup for from the factory.
 
ScottRNelson

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
I was out looking at a dealer I've never been to and found what may be the bike I've been looking for, a Beta Xtrainer.

It's a 300cc 2-stroke that can be made street legal in Idaho. The controls on the left even include buttons for signals, horn, and high/low beam. A new one is $800 cheaper than a Yamaha WR250F and it weighs about 20 pounds less.

I'm studying up on this bike right now, but it has moved to the top of my list.

Anybody familiar with it?
 
Rudeojr

Rudeojr

Well-known member
ScottRNelson said:
I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of good single-track riding since my smallest bike is a 350 pound XR650L. I'm expecting, sometime in the next year, to have a way to haul a bike to the hills, at which point I could get a more serious dirt bike. And living in Idaho, I could license it for street use in case I have to ride a few miles of highway here and there. There's always the KTM 500 EXC, which is about 90 pounds lighter and can be made to have similar range. If I got one of those, I'm not sure I would need to keep the Honda.

I'm tempted by the KTM two strokes, like the 250 and 300 XC or XC-W models. If they have a model named for the Erzberg Rodeo, it's probably pretty good at technical off road riding. I kind of like the new 2-stroke TPI models because they're a little bit lighter than the 4-stroke models of similar power and other than keeping the oil tank filled they're pretty easy to live with - electric start and all that. I think I would really enjoy a 220 pound dirt bike.

Are there any models from the four Japanese makers that would behave similarly?

I'm not interested in some under-powered beginner bike like some of the Yamaha XT and Honda CRF models from 250cc on down. But I don't really want something that requires an expert rider either. I have a lot of dirt experience, but am no expert by any means.

What suggestions can you dirty BARFers offer?
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KTM, Husqvarna, Beta are what comes to mind
 
E

elemetal

3 pings and a zing
Just about any real dirt bike will beat the xr in every way on the trails. As you go lighter the lines are easier to pick and follow, exploring completely unknown trails becomes more fun and less tiring. The trade off is the lighter bikes need to rev higher with more peaky power so a little harder to pilot.

The xtrainer is a good balance, 300 motor with a designed peak in the mid range is light and agile with the main drawback being the sof suspension. Toe Cutter on here has one and loves it, I'm very tempted to get one.

KTM 200 is another, very light (220) with excellent trail characteristics and good suspension. Not such a good choice if you are at elevation and/or above 190 lbs or so.

Any 4t will be a little heavier and the smaller motors need more maintenance (250). The 500 is a great all around bike but too much for lots of tight stuff, I can ride it on about 90% of what I take my 2t on but it tires me out more.

I love my Husky 300 tx; te or the EXC (ktm equivalent) are good choices too but expensive. Beta 300rr is a great bike, smaller cockpit (like the Gasgas and TM) with excellent suspension upgrades. You pay for it though.

Most of the Japanese stuff I'm clueless on and is 4t now. YZ 250x would be a good choice; has the 6th gear and a better mid range tune.
 
OaklandF4i

OaklandF4i

Darwin's exception
OaklandF4i said:
While we all will be riding e bikes in our lifetime, they don't do it for me at the moment. Cool technology, but I wouldn't choose to ride for now.

I agree with the YZ250, mine is modded to all the YZ250X specs. While I can't speak for Scott, I assume he is looking at new or nearer to new bikes.

I just rode 2020 350 with the ECU done last weekend and a modded 450 right after. For me at my skill and conditioning level, the 250-350 4t or 250-300 2t are just perfect for single track. While light on paper, the 450 and 500 just have too much grunt, and wear me out in short order on single track. For me its the HP, and I can go faster for longer on smaller displacement bikes. It was the same impression I had of the Husqvarna 501 when I rode it. For a dualsport or the desert they would be perfect (or young guys on the track.)

When I went away from the big 450 to the two stroke, I really started enjoying the tight technical stuff again. That's just me, everyone is different of course. :thumbup

Perfect world I'd have Husqvarna TE300, FE350S, and a FE501S. If I could have just two, the TE300 and FE501S. Just one, FE350S for the plate. If I ever got serious about racing off road, I'd be looking hard at that YZ250FX too. Or a friend getting back into riding single track, the WR250F. Or any of the Beta, KTM, Husky equivelants. Lots of great offroad specific bikes these days. :ride

As a pure single track toy, can't believe there would be a better bike than the Beta Xtrainer if you wanted something to try real technical riding without the big intimidation factor short of a trials bike and still be able to ride the trails.
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My thoughts on the Xtrainer from last year bolded above. :thumbup :laughing

I'd have zero qualms about buying a Beta Xtrainer. A number of modern Beta's within our riding group, including a few of the two strokes. Just as reliable and no more issues than any other two stroke brand/model bike.

Jealous of your plating ability up there Scott. Set your expectations of a two stroke on road lower than a fourstroke. Riding it 45 minutes or an hour down the freeway would not be a great experience or even advisable. Connecting riding areas within the Ntl Forest on rds requiring a plate or shorter jaunts on a country two lane rd at 55 mph would be well within it's wheelhouse.

It's definitely going to be in a trailer to the riding area category.
 
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ScottRNelson

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
HadesOmega said:
I've ridden a couple of the Beta dual sports and they're pretty good, it's like a dirt bike with a plate pretty much. The cross trainer is like an crosstraining enduro (combination enduro and trials) bike.
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Thanks for the video links. I'm expecting to be one of the 99% that doesn't have a bearing failure. It's becoming clear that I will need to put dielectric grease on all electrical connections and safety wire a bunch of hoses and stuff before use.

OaklandF4i said:
Jealous of your plating ability up there Scott. Set your expectations of a two stroke on road lower than a fourstroke. Riding it 45 minutes or an hour down the freeway would not be a great experience or even advisable. Connecting riding areas within the Ntl Forest on rds requiring a plate or shorter jaunts on a country two lane rd at 55 mph would be well within it's wheelhouse.

It's definitely going to be in a trailer to the riding area category.
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I can get the dealer to install all lights, signals, horn, etc. before purchase. It's unclear if it has to be inspected by the DMV before getting a plate, but if I just haul it over there to get it registered, I should be good.

The only reason I'm looking at getting a plate is when I come out on the highway ten miles from Idaho City, where my vehicle would be parked, I can legally ride the shorter route back. I don't intend to ever ride from my house to the dirt or to get on a freeway. The reason that I don't already have a dirt bike is because I have no way to haul it currently. Sometime in the next year I expect to have a new Ford Bronco and I'll put one of those hitch carriers on it to haul the bike to the trails.

I'll be keeping an eye on the used market in case the right bike comes available, but if nothing shows up in time, I will buy new. Hate to spend the money, but I already told all of my kids not to expect to inherit anything from me, my goal is to spend it all. :laughing
 
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