Anyone here know anything about dirt bikes?

[1bush2hog]

Judging from your pic, It looks to me like you still have a good reason to get a dirt bike. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

When my kids were younger we would go riding as a family - My wife had a 200XR, son on a 80XR, daughter on a 250ex, and pop on a KTM - great clean fun together

 

[Silver_Knight]

Two main issues to think about when buying this type of toy:
1. Places to Ride
2. Someone to Ride With (No Fun Alone)

 

[pekabu]

Just ran across a site called Thumpertalk . Might be of interest to you.

 

[scesnick]

I race GNCC's and i have a fairly good knowledge of dirt bikes. First off Honda does in fact make a CRF 250x ( i think you just forgot the "F" in your original question) No Biggie....Anyhoo,,, it is an offroad version of the crf250r. the only differences are it has the magic button, 18" rear wheel,wider gear ratio and a headlight. along with some other minor things.
I have owned and raced 2 of the new generation 4 strokes ( a KTM 450X and a YZ 426) I will tell you if you are used to riding the old XR model four strokes and think this bike will be the same you could not be more wrong. They are totally different. Example: an old XR 400 could not even get a whiff of a CR250 two stroke in any type of racing. Now the CR 250 two stroke is getting smoked by the CRF 450 four stroke. Just check out the pro supercross riders this year. Every single one of them went to the 4 strokes this year.

PROS: They are great bikes with outstanding low end grunt, and blazing top end speed. No longer have to mix the gas ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

CONS: LOUD !!! hard to start once they are hot ( unless you have the magic button) heavier than a 2 stroke. Easily floods if tipped over. Top end rebuilds are costly !!

I personally still ride a KTM 250 EXC two stroke for their power delivery and suspension but I know I am at a disadvantage when the race track hits an open fast section.

Most Hondas are bullet proof but you might want to keep an eye on the valves on the new 4 strokes and be sure to keep them in specs.
If you are ever in the Western Md. area we will have to go riding !! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I will tell you if you are used to riding the old XR model four strokes and think this bike will be the same you could not be more wrong. They are totally different. Example: an old XR 400 could not even get a whiff of a CR250 two stroke in any type of racing. Now the CR 250 two stroke is getting smoked by the CRF 450 four stroke. Just check out the pro supercross riders this year. Every single one of them went to the 4 strokes this year.)</font>

That's what I hear and would love to ride one of the new 4 strokes. It may give my age a bit, but I began racing on an XR75 Honda when they first came out. A couple of years later Yamaha went to something completely new called a 'monoshock' rear suspension and changed the color of their racing bikes from gray to yellow. I then went to a 2 stroke YZ125 in that 'new' configuration. I then raced several different classes and also ran some Honda CR's, Suzuki RM's and even some Kawasaki KTM (I think) bikes. The thing back then was that nobody competitive ran a 4 stroke.

I did run flat track a few times and used a friend's BSA 500 thumper. It was pretty fast, but flat track does not require the same snap as motocross. Anyway, I've been watching the supercross races for the last few years and have been amazed to hear 4 strokes out front. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif No doubt, they have come a long way since they were totally dominated by the 2 strokes.

Oh yeah, back then, only street bikes had the magic button. I was shocked a couple of years ago to see a guy start his bike, that I would consider an enduro bike (I wonder what bikes like that are called now?), with a magic button. Heck, when I got out of racing, I was one of the only guys to be running the new fangled liquid cooled head, and I only was able to do that because I had a sponsor. It looks like everything is liquid cooled now.

 

[scesnick]

Good to hear from an previous racer. The new dirt bikes with he magic button are usually referred to as either enduro, offroad or woods bikes.
A KTM is not a Kawasaki, it is a KTM a whole different brand ( the orange bikes) They are outstanding woods bikes that are made in Austria. they are also starting to look good on the motocross track also.
Everything that is even casually considered a race bike is liquid cooled. Some "play bikes" and smaller bore starter bikes are still air cooled. The new 4 strokes ZRun extrememley hot even though they are water cooled.
BUT, back to the reason for this thread, I would not hesitate to recommend the CRF 250 X to anyone. But as stated before. Do not expect it to be like an old XR. If you are looking for that kind of 4 stroke I would look into the Yamaha TT-R 250

 

[inseeme]

THanks everyone for your advice, Rogator I am 6ft1in and 220lbs and am looking at just trail riding with my brother that is why I want the CRF250x. Being as you own one do you think this would be a good choice my last dirtbike was a 1989 cr125 2 stroke and I loved it, but that was several years ago. For my size do you thinke the 250 is big enough or should I be looking more closely at the 450?? THanks