Advice needed - which modern bike is best?

[Graeme M]

I am about to buy a modern MXer, second hand of course. I haven't owned a contemporary dirtbike since 1985, so have no idea what today's bikes are like to ride, but I am looking forward to finding out.

What do I want? A reliable easy to ride racer. I am fastidious with maintenance, but not interested in spending hours on suspension/jetting setup. I want to race Amcross, grasstrack and maybe some local MX. I want plush suspension, tight handling, and in particular a confidence inspiring front end. I am no great shakes as a rider, so easy power, but enough to be competitive, would be good. That sounds like a 250F. I know the 2 strokes are good too, but I want something with a long, linear powerband as I tend to ride the peak of the powerband and like to wind my engine out.

I've narrowed the choice down to either the CRF Honda or YZF Yamaha. For the money I have to spend, around $6000, I'd guess I can go for an '04 or '05. Any thoughts on which is better, or what the strong points are, from anyone who's ridden or owned either?

[DJRacing]

Graeme go for the YZ250 06/07. It pulls like a 4 stroke, the maintence is easy, the suspension is top of the line.
I have a YZF250. one of the yellow anniverary models and I like it but I did only buy it because it was yellow. If I was to buy a modern bike for the reasons you want one then I would buy the YZ250 2stroke. It got fanastic write ups in all the magazines. The only real draw back that I have heard of is that if you ride in really tight trails and its muddy then it can be a bit of a hand full to the inexperience.
Anyway thats my advice, take it or leave it

[Nathan S]

Have you looked at how cheaply you can get a brand new 2006 or 2007 YZ125? I've entertained a very similar idea in the semi-recent past, and while the 250Fs are faster, I know that the bike won't be the limiting factor...
I also know that a new 125 will be beautifully reliable, whereas I've been scared by the numerous stories of appauling reliablity of older 250Fs. And the cost of fixing them!

I rode the 07 RM125 at CD4, and it was great - a world ahead of my 94 TM125 (which I still love) and a galaxy ahead of my 84 YZ125. When the bike is so much better than this particular rider, it seemed stupid to spend more to add weight, reduce reliability, and increase maintenance.

[LWC82PE]

if you havent got the skills or money to pay some one to rebuild/maintain a modern 4 stroke engine, then go for a 2 stroke

[Hoony]

i hate to say this as a honda fan, but i have heard the valves wear way too quickly with the CRF250 so the yamaha may be a better choice.

 i have a mate who is returning from O/S in December (been away since May) and will sell his 2005 YZ250 (2 Stroke) it has done VERY little work since he got it new (i can vouch for this, a few trail rides only and a club MX) not sure what he wants for it though.

[evo550]

Graeme,
A little bit outside of the box, but I have ridden a '07 gas gas 300 2 stroke and it had power delivery of a fourstroke, absolutely awsome. From what I have read the new ktm 300's are the same and have an electric leg.
The bonus is they both can be rego'd for the odd trail ride when MX wears thin.
If I get my way (I always say that but never do) I will have one for christmas.
I would avoid a second hand 250 fourstroke like it had the plague, could be very expensive.

[dirttracker]

ktm 300

[Hoony]

Yeah, KTM300's are good i got one and shit they go when you nail them , but have heaps of low/mid when you need it. i love it.
They certaintly would do the MX job as well if you pull all the ADR stuff off.

[LWC82PE]

yeah KTM 300's are good but please dont go too lean on the premix, ive just seen a 300's big end go bang from 50 to 1 with not a good enough oil, would hate to see it happen to anyone else!

[mx250]

Hmmm, why don't you ask me something simple like 'which girl should I marry?'   

Yeah, it that kinda advice you ask. 

If  was gonna race as described I would choose a two stroke; cheap and easy to maintain, cheap and easy to modify and cheap and easy to rebuild if it comes down to it. All the other running costs are about the same.

If I was gonna go enduro racing the easier to use, more tractable and flexible in use (you can ride harder and longer for less concentration and physical effort) comes into it's own (but I would still worry about a 'blow up' - an expensive repair (e.g. valves kissing the piston). A 'blow up' that you curse on a two smoke can 'write off' a four stroke (a seized engine been too exensive to fix given the total value of the bike).

I don't think there is much between the brands in feel, performance or reliability. Which colour do you like? 

I would be think 250/300 but wouldn't rule out a Kattie 360 - has a violent kick in the arse to get your attention but a bit of tuning and heavier fdlywheel weights cnamake a BIG difference.

[Nathan S]

Do you want to borrow my WR360?
It fits your criteria well. 

[jimg1au]

TM300 en the best 300 2t great suspension and brakes i just sold mine due to injury(shoulder reco) or if you have a lot of money one of the new 144s that TM and ktm make.ktm200 is also a good trail bike as well as the gas gas 300
cheers
jim g

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[maicopunk]

Hi Graeme,  I've had the opportunity of riding a bunch of new bikes recently, all enduros except one. This is because I've been getting into trail riding this year in a big way... maybe I should explain in the 'Where are all the old boys' thread why I feel trail riding give me more 'bang for the buck' than racing these days.

Anyway, here's my impression of a bunch of modern bikes that I have ridden, smallest to largest:

2000 TM125 EN - typical 125 engine, keep it pinned and and it flies, great suspension and brakes, easy to flick aroung like a mountain bike (anyone want to buy it?)
2007 KTM200 EXC - plush ride, electric like power. Liked it so much I bought one.
2008 KTM200 EXC - not as plush, has an old fashioned powerband. Low end is like a 125 on 'roids then as the revs climb all hell breaks loose. Love it!
2006 CRF250X - Nice!  snappy power (not as snappy as the 200 2T though). Really easy to chuck around. The owner has done 1400 kms since new and just paid $1400 for a top end rebuild! That's $1 per kilometre - not real good economy.
2007 CR250R - Last of the species. If the new Honda two strokes are supposed to be soft than the other brands must be awesome. Would be good on a MX track but for tight bush single tracks it needs to be tamed down. I reckon I'd be quicker on a 125 than this thing - it's got a bad atitude.
2007 WR450F - easy to see why they're so popular. Kind of like a Camry, does everything well but not spectacular.
2008 KTM450 EXC - the 4 stroke you have when you really want a 2 stroke! Very snappy, just wants to go hard all the time.
2007 Husky TE510 - Nice, plush! Feels like an old style 4 stroke, like a big friendly labrador. Then just when you think it's about time to change up it really gets up and goes like a greyhound with a rocket up it's arse!
2008 KTM530 EXC - Like a rocket with a rocket up it's arse! On fire trails the trees flash past so fast you feel like you're in a tunnel, I don't know how the fast guys ride these things on tight trails.
2005 Yami Raptor 660 - Not a bike but... bloody hell what a weapon. I would love to ride one on a flat dirt track but in the bush it's a real handful.

I've always thought that bike set up was limited to tyre pressure and lever position but after having the chance to sample other bikes back to back it's amaxing how adjustable the new bikes are.

I'm not a good enough rider to get the maximum out of any of those bikes but it's interesting to feel the subtle differences between them. The new 4 strokes are great to ride but I'd always be worried maintenance and repair costs. My new 200 two stroke is very nice.

All of those bikes are great to ride but the two that really stood out for me were the KTM200 and the Husky 510. Both are fantastic.

[vmx42]

Hi Guys,
Has anybody else noticed that we old blokes all seem to recommend a 2-stroke as the bike to own.
Must be an age thing [and commonsense].
VMX42

By the way, I agree. YZ, KTM, GasGas or Husky - can't really go wrong with any of them. I would probably go with the YZ unless of course you need rego then…

[evo550]

vmx,
I was thinking about the same thing the other day, but to take the irony one step further, I have a fourstroke vintage bike. For me it's about reliability and smooth power.