Thoughts for newbie MotorBike

Folks,

Just got my license @35yo - want to get into dirt bikes - but something
that I can register and ride on the road. 250CC - any thoughts on a
good reliable all rounder - wont be racing or hooning?

I ahve heard that Honda CR250's might be a good option?

4stroke or 2 stroke?

Planning on spending about $2500 - is this realistic?

Thanks Zane

 

You might get a mid 90's Honda XL 250S for that money, which is a nice easy
bike to ride on and off road. My wife learned on one. Little to no chance of
getting a CR for that money.

Krazykol
ZZR 600

 

Is it better to spend a little more - to get something better. A new
bike for $8000 is out of the question, and given it will have little
road use and perhaps 2 weekends a month dirt use - where is the best
age for price ratio?

thoughts? Also how many Km's on a bike before the engine is geting
tired?

Cheers

Old Newbie

 

It's always a good idea to spend more and get a better bike, IF you can
afford it... if you can't then you work out your budget and work hard to
get the best bike you can for the bucks, a quick trawl through the
trading post just then showed heaps of 250 dirt bikes in the 2K-3K price
range so I can't see why you couldn't find something adequate in your
budget range.

For light use I'd get something older, to me there's not much point
spending a lot of money to have it depreciate on you if you're only
going to ride occasionally. I can't comment specifically on dirt bikes
(it's 20 years or more since I owned one) but I can't see why a mid 90s
bike would be too clagged to be usable

2 strokes wear quicker than 4 strokes, more race oriented bikes wear
quicker than softer less capable ones - ie a CR250 is going to be tired
in a lot fewer kms than say a DT175

JL

 

If you're a beginner, go 4 stroke. Smooth power delivery, low
maintenance (as long as you buy a trail bike, not a 4-stroke built for
racing). Honda XRs are great, but more dirt than road in my opinion.
Also hard to find a good secondhand one.

For that price, I'd look for a Kawasaki KLR. Good mix of road/offroad
capabilities and seem to have pretty poor resale value, which obviously
helps you (as a buyer).

 

Don't get a KLR 250, the fronts too heavy and the backs too light, handles
really really badly. At high speeds the rear end fish tales. When you take
a corner on the dirt at a reasonable pace the back also has a tendency too
come around on you if you don't watch it.

On a brighter note the engine is pretty good and will outlast the rest of
the bike. If your not planning on jumping it and taking it easy around fast
corner it should be fine.

 

I suggest your KLR was not setup correctly, suspension-wise. With the
correct fork oil up front, and perhaps some preload adjustment at both
ends, you should be fine. A good mate of mine (who could really ride),
had one as a hack bike and could do almost anything on his once he'd
tinkered with it a little.