Good bike for off season skills, experienced racer but not a dirt rider

[Paul_E_D]

Ask yourself, what do they ride at professional riding schools? Colin's? Rich Oliver's? Supercamp? Then ask yourself why you are even considering full sized MX and enduro bikes.

[MarkMarine]

Ask yourself, what do they ride at professional riding schools? Colin's? Rich Oliver's? Supercamp? Then ask yourself why you are even considering full sized MX and enduro bikes.

I've never heard of these. Are they pro dirt schools or pro road race? Could you elaborate?

[Paul_E_D]

Colin Edward's bootcamp and Rich Oliver's Mystery School are geared towards roadracers. Danny walkers supercam is more a flattrack thing, but many roadracers attend. They all use XR/ttr 100-225 type bikes.

[MarkMarine]

Colin Edward's bootcamp and Rich Oliver's Mystery School are geared towards roadracers. Danny walkers supercam is more a flattrack thing, but many roadracers attend. They all use XR/ttr 100-225 type bikes.

So is the take away that the 220 Kawi is " too much bike"

[tls25rs]

Ask yourself, what do they ride at professional riding schools? Colin's? Rich Oliver's? Supercamp? Then ask yourself why you are even considering full sized MX and enduro bikes.

Paul, I'm curious if the OP is going to have a riding area set up like any of those schools would, in order to utilize a play bike in the method that they would, to learn the things they are trying to teach.


MarkMarine, The places listed are riding schools that typically focus on the flat track and TT style riding on smaller bikes.

http://texastornadobootcamp.com/

http://richoliver.net/

http://www.americansupercamp.com/

They will teach you how to ride the smaller bikes around oval and TT style tracks sliding both ends of the bike under somewhat controlled conditions. As far as a learning tool I can only imagine that they are great for learning to better control a sliding motorcycle. I have never been. I would love to go to the Texas Tornado Boot Camp though if anyone is interested.

My concern would be that even if a play bike was purchased would you have an oval/TT style riding area where you could ride for hours on end repeating the excercises over and over again.

Or are you more interested in getting out in the woods and riding for fun with the benefit of learning how bikes slide around underneath you with the added benefit of being used to it when you get back to the racetrack next year?

A playbike wouldn't have the suspension needed for a majority of the people out there to rip through the woods where a full size bike would, or could be made to, have a suspension capable of riding in the NE woods.

Joel

[Paul_E_D]

It is my humble opinion that you learn a little, but not much about sliding and controlling it on full sized dirtbikes. They are too tall, heavy and powerful. You can't use momentum to get it sliding the way you do on a playbike (or a roadracer for that matter) until you are an expert!!!

It's easy to find a pit and set up a TT track.

If you want a woods bike, get one, but don't expect it to teach you anything about roadracing.

[gixxer72]

Ask yourself, what do they ride at professional riding schools? Colin's? Rich Oliver's? Supercamp? Then ask yourself why you are even considering full sized MX and enduro bikes.

Good advice. Get an MX bike if you are going ride/race MX. I have a TTR125 "dirt bike" for the purpose the OP asked about. Very different machines.

[tls25rs]

It is my humble opinion that you learn a little, but not much about sliding and controlling it on full sized dirtbikes. They are too tall, heavy and powerful. You can't use momentum to get it sliding the way you do on a playbike (or a roadracer for that matter) until you are an expert!!!

It's easy to find a pit and set up a TT track.

If you want a woods bike, get one, but don't expect it to teach you anything about roadracing.

Understood and thanks for explaining your viewpoint/reasoning.

I would absolutely love to find a local pit where I could go out and run around on an XR80 (I have one at my disposal) or another similar type play bike but up here on the North Shore things are a little tight in that regard.

Joel

[MarkMarine]

Or are you more interested in getting out in the woods and riding for fun with the benefit of learning how bikes slide around underneath you with the added benefit of being used to it when you get back to the racetrack next year?

A playbike wouldn't have the suspension needed for a majority of the people out there to rip through the woods where a full size bike would, or could be made to, have a suspension capable of riding in the NE woods.

Joel

This. I'm interested in getting on a dirt bike, in the woods for fun, fitness, and with the added bonus of now I can control the front in a slide, and I'm more comfortable at the limit (and past it)
This was a recommendation from a fast fast racer in how to spend my off season(s) and I think the spirit of the recommendation was to get me out on a inexpensive dirtbike on days I wouldn't typically ride, build some skills I don't have, and keep my riding fitness up. I don't envision that happening on some kind of TT track like these courses have, since I live in brighton and have a postage stamp for a yard that I couldn't do a single turn in with a dirt bike.

[MarkMarine]

It is my humble opinion that you learn a little, but not much about sliding and controlling it on full sized dirtbikes. They are too tall, heavy and powerful. You can't use momentum to get it sliding the way you do on a playbike (or a roadracer for that matter) until you are an expert!!!

It's easy to find a pit and set up a TT track.

If you want a woods bike, get one, but don't expect it to teach you anything about roadracing.

Hmm. crap.

[Kurlon]

I'm trying to find where, I know someone in the area is selling a TTR125 LE with a sportsman sumo setup (stock rims, sticky street rubber) for a decent deal but I can't put my browser on the listing at the moment. My wife has a 2012 TTR125 LE, great little machine, unless you're sitting on it for extended periods and aren't a midget. If you're going to RIDE it get a proper sized chassis, if you're going to use it for drills, they're awesome.

On the full size front:

02 YZ250 - http://nhf-racing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=488
07 RM-Z 250 Sumo - http://nhf-racing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=524

[Paul_E_D]

Hmm. crap.

Don't get me wrong, trail riding is fun, and you'll learn a few things and get exercise. It's just not the same as training for high performance riding at the limit. I thought that's what you were asking about. Bottom line is you need more bikes!!!

[MarkMarine]

I checked, for what I'm trying to do a full size bike would be perfect.

[Sheppo]

The bike Sheppo mentioned is the same as the last of the three I mentioned and it is up for sale again if you go to the end of the thread, see post #41 in that thread. Unless of course the cryptic messages after that mean it is sold but I don't think so. Wouldn't hurt to ask Gino and find out for sure. nt650hawk is his screen name.

Joel

It is the same bike and it is for sale.. Ask Gino. If I had the $ it would be in my garage!

[maxim_X]

If you want a woods bike, get one, but don't expect it to teach you anything about roadracing.

Generally I agree with Paul. But, in this case I would say any time spent on two wheels is going to make you a better rider. I picked up dirty racing after track riding and it has helped me ride like I do now, even with all of it being on a big heavy woods bike.

[MarkMarine]

While I agree that the TT drills are probably great, I don't want to blow my RR budget money on a practice bike that I can't really have fun on. I want to WANT to ride. That will get me out there all the time, and that's what I need to stay in shape and not get rusty.

[typeone]

maybe i missed it but... where do you think you'll ride most often?

EDIT: now i see that you're not sure where to ride. i would come up with realistic estimates for places you're willing to drive to, what terrain is there, then start a focused bike search.

if you know it's going to be a state forest or tolerated trail system, and based on what you just said above, i would go full size bike for sure.

[Pigman]

Here is a good starter bike FS..............PM me if you want his contact info.


http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...-125-Low-Hours

[nt650hawk]

hey Mark. I still have it. and it is still up for grabs. I can bring it up to Loudon...

[gregp]

What are the year ranges for "E" series and such? How do I tell these bikes apart?

The "H" series was the last and latest. 1995-2007, perimeter frame. The "E" series is was much wider, with a single backbone frame. 1989-1994.

[TheIglu]

How much do you weigh?

If you are a smaller guy, that YZ125 would be a good option. I have never wanted for more power out of my 125 once I learned how to ride it. It is 95% woods for me but I can still take it to an MX track and ride quite poorly around with the best of them.

I've ridden a couple 4 strokes and while I do love the power and low end, they just don't feel as nimble and light as my 2 stroke. For the record on engine maintenance, I've only changed oil, air filter and two spark plugs on mine in something like 8 years.

[MarkMarine]

How much do you weigh?

If you are a smaller guy, that YZ125 would be a good option. I have never wanted for more power out of my 125 once I learned how to ride it. It is 95% woods for me but I can still take it to an MX track and ride quite poorly around with the best of them.

I've ridden a couple 4 strokes and while I do love the power and low end, they just don't feel as nimble and light as my 2 stroke. For the record on engine maintenance, I've only changed oil, air filter and two spark plugs on mine in something like 8 years.

I weigh 180. I'm picking up Gino's KDX220R this weekend on the advice of a lot of the people on this tread. The suggestion to me was get a 250 4 stroke, they can do everything well, but I don't see one in my price range that's available and Gino's is more in my price range than anything else. If nothing else I can sell it if the right 250 comes along, but reading about the KDX everyone seems to love them or lament selling them, so I'll probably keep it for a long time.

[TheIglu]

That's a good call. You are going to learn a lot about traction no matter what bike you ride, provided it is in a low traction environment. Those KDX's are the wise mans secret to a solid quick reliable and cheap woods bike.

[Tas]

Where do you guys ride around here?

[MarkMarine]

Where do you guys ride around here?

Jay has a post about this, they seem keep the nearby areas close to the vest so I doubt you'll get it posted in open forums, but you can arrange to go on a ride with them (us? Prob only counts once I actually own the bike)