Dirtbike

[tsorfas]

For myself. Nothing crazy. Turns out since my dirt riding level is below novice I can have fun with anything.

I would like to get something that will give me a better understanding of what trail riding or MX is and what the difference are.
Something that would be easy to wrench so I don't have to call Christian 100 times a day.
Maybe something that can be converter to a motard too?
And on top of everything keep the cost low!

Ya I know keep dreaming... Anyways I'm open to suggestion. There is no time frame.
Budget is $2000 or less. Preferably less. The CRF150 was fun. Now I want something bigger.
This idea will idea if I end up buying a motard. But I don't even know where to start here.
250?450? YZ? CRF? 2st?4st?

[hondarider102]

Wirelessly posted

Christians 125 is probably one of the best cheap options available right now

[tsorfas]

Wirelessly posted

Christians 125 is probably one of the best cheap options available right now

fact! only concern there, might be too much for me

[Kurlon]

I'll second that. Put a BIG flywheel on it to numb it up.

Unfortunately, there are two options with dirtbikes. The no wrenching, just keep them up on gas and oil machines are trail only aircooled thumpers that are heavy and have limited suspensions such that they won't take to much MX abuse. The machines that require slightly more active maint are FAR more capable. Two strokes are easier to work on in my opinion, but a non-thrashed modern MX four stroke isn't impossible either. When I drag my WR250ZD out to the track this year you're more than welcome to give it a try.

[hondarider102]

Wirelessly posted

I don't think the 125 would be to much and I don't think I would throw much of a weight on a 125.
My little brother went from a klx110 to a rm125 with no issues

[Chippertheripper]

You'll be fine on preteens 125. It's a learning curve, but it's not the same as a noob getting on a gsxr1000.
Fuck the flywheel. Learn how to use the clutch for a spell, then cheat and get a rekluse after.

[nt650hawk]

CRAPTASTIC!!!

[slowkermit]

Dude get the 125. It will be harder to ride at times, but it will teach you good habits from the beginning. Plus it'll be the most fun bike to ride as your skills improve.

[R7]

I agree, buy smutty's 125.
If you want to try a 200 smoker woods bike, you're welcomed to try mine sometime. If you actually want the bike after you try it and decide you can't live another day without it, you'll have to double your budget

[McBiggity]

I love my kdx200. I did put a kx125 front end on it. All together was still under $1500. Lot of low end for crawling over stuff and gets up and goes fairly well too.

[k_cotter]

No bike exists that is mild mannered yet sumo convertible. If you want a capable motard that is.

[odduc]

I have a 2005 Suzuki RMZ 450/490, a 2006 Husqvarna TC450 or a 2006 Kawasaki KX450.
Take your pick. I'll sell any of them to you for $2200.
Nevermind the naysayers. Go big or go home!
You'll be an expert MX or trailrider in no time.

[tsorfas]

Well since I love suzuki talk to me abhor the RMZ a little.
Which one requires less work?

[hondarider102]

Well since I love suzuki talk to me abhor the RMZ a little.
Which one requires less work?

Your worried about a 125 being to much but now your looking at a 450 with a 490 kit? lol

[tsorfas]

Your worried about a 125 being to much but now your looking at a 450 with a 490 kit? lol

A 4st I consider more predictable. And that's also something I could make a motard in the future

[maxim_X]

I made the decision of going to big on my first dirtbike (bought it to turn into a sumo and didn't) , and second, and third. Get the 125 or a ktm 200 with a plate and love it for years. 2 strokes are cheaper to fix, lighter, start more easy, don't overheat as quick, and are quieter that 4 strokes in general.

[tsorfas]

Sumo is something actually I want. I will be testing the DRZ soon too but I'm exploring other options too

[breakdirt916]

the 134 is a bitchin bike for the money, but they're a lot of work to ride and pretty violent...and it won't make a sumo at all

why don't you go nhbubba's route?

he got a klx400 (same thing as a drz...but rebadged)...street plated, and I've seen them for around $1,500...then he bought sumo wheels after

if you do this, you can spend the first 6-8 months just riding it as a dirtbike...you will learn dirt, figure out what kind of dirt you'll like (mx vs. trails vs. fire roads), and see if you want to do dirt at all. The street plate allows you to take it down the street and fool around locally (= ride it 2-3x/week vs. once/month), then if you figure out dirt is not your thing, add the sumo wheels and start slaying liter bikes in the turns

plus power delivery wise - the drz power is sufficient for all of the above, and MUCH easier to ride than the 134...if you want the 134, try it after you've done the drz for a few months...2-stroke is like whiskey - it bites, will make a noobie sick, and is an acquired taste

heck - here's a plated klx300 right now...offer him $1,600...but do your research on the sumo conversion (and the power adequacy of a 300) before you buy

http://newlondon.craigslist.org/mcy/4463373733.html

[typeone]

grab a cheap, older Husqvarna WR125 and throw a sumo wheel set on it. they sell the WRE in Europe this way.

there are a few cheap WR/CRs on CraigsList all the time in the ~$1500 range. stout bottom end so it can take some road abuse (if you know it's tight to begin with, big question with any dirt bike doing road duty)

simple to work on, way fun on trails or track. most older ones are not very pretty though, older plastics are kinda ugly.

[Chippertheripper]

You're all over the map kid. You say in one breath you're buying a motard and now want a dirtbike. Next you're saying you want a convertible bike...
Buy a street tard, a race tard, a woods bike, and a mx bike and be done with it.
None of this fucking around.

[tsorfas]

Oh I should say. No kawasakis. Anything else I'm open to

[tsorfas]

You're all over the map kid. You say in one breath you're buying a motard and now want a dirtbike. Next you're saying you want a convertible bike...
Buy a street tard, a race tard, a woods bike, and a mx bike and be done with it.
None of this fucking around.

Well he's there thing. If I buy a dirtbike I want to spend under 2k. Preferably $1500.
If I buy a motard it ll be obviously more. I'm hoping to be around 3k but seems like it ll be more.

I'm all over the place because I will decide on how good the deal
Is and whatever comes first. And I'm also very indecisive You should know that by now lol

[Chippertheripper]

Yet you know nothing about kawi thumpers/smokers.
It's completely ridiculous.
What you should be saying is give me the best tool for the job.
If you're gonna have 1 bike to screw around half assedly with all the above, get a ktm 350.
Then when you've bought 5-6 more orange bikes, thank me.

[tls25rs]

Sav,

I was in the same boat as you are and wound up buying an old clapped out CR125 for a couple of hundred dollars and learned to ride in the woods on that. When I blew the motor up due to lack of maintenance and a tiny little 125 pulling my 300lb ass around the woods I wound up buying a YZ450. I know you are in decent shape but hustling a 450 around in the woods trails of New England can be a handful.

It seems like you want to do a lot of different things with a single bike that may and or may not be possible with a single bike.

For the woods of New England a 125-200 two stroke is the bomb.

For an MX track a lot of people like the 250 four strokes but they are maintenance whores and not cheap to stay on top of. A 450 four stroke can be a fun tool at the MX track but it is a lot of bike too.

As a motard you are looking for 450 or maybe bigger in order to be competitive unless you go the route that Kurtz did and get the 250 to enter that race class with.

I guess the question really is what type of riding are you most interested in this bike being good for and that decision can sway which way you go. Any way it works out, have fun and we'll have to ride together someplace.

Joel

[nhbubba]

why don't you go nhbubba's route?

he got a klx400 (same thing as a drz...but rebadged)...street plated, and I've seen them for around $1,500...then he bought sumo wheels after

I feel like we've been over this.

The DRZ is a pretty nice little motorcycle. But converting a E or S model to SM is probably above Sav's give-a-shit-o-meter. The guy is many things, but not a wrencher. The conversion is easy, but not trivial. You'll make a couple mistakes, be waiting for some parts, and ultimately probably have to reach for the grinder or BFH once or twice. I did.

And wholey crap is the DRZ heavy off-road. It is a lot of work. It does tractor, I'll give it that. But it is a compromise. On the track and/or flogged on the street in SM trim it is slow as balls, but light and handles quickly. Off road it is plenty powerful enough, but heavy as hell and a lot of work. I really think the DRZ is a fire-road kind of bike. It is honestly way more of an "adventure" bike than my V-Strom is.

Dual purpose motorcycles are compromises. Cheap(er) dual purpose motorcycles are even bigger compromises. The DRZ is a cheap(er) dual sport.

Most of this post is stating the obvious.

If you want a real dirt-bike, get a real dirt bike.
If you want a fun street bike to rip around on.. you can still think about the DRZ. But prepare yourself to be underwhelmed.

I seem to remember you making comments about the Hawk being okay, but something you'd never settle for on the street.


Doing it over, I'd do it all the same. But my needs 'n wants are not your needs.


I have no idea wtf smutties 125 is.. but I'd get it.