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which bike for me?

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Posted by: dirt4life---------------------

hey there everyone. im kinda new to mx in the terms of riding, although i have watched it on t.v. and read the mags since before i can remember. about the only offroad experience i have is mountain biking and a little playing around on atv's and gokarts. anyway, back to the point, im 16, about 5'11, and 150lbs. my bro is 11, around 5'1 and 80 lbs. we each need bikes to learn on, yt be able to ride for more than a few months. we are mostly gonna be riding trails, but im interested in riding some mx, but not racing anytime soon. right now we are leaning toward 4 stroke b.c of mantinence and price(which is very important btw). the bikes we have in mind are the CRF150F and CRF100F/80F.Any help would be awesome. thanks.


Posted by: the trail rider---------------------

for you i would recomend something bigger you would get board really quick plus you are just way to big for something like a 150, since you are new i would say a 250f, which is really a lot of maintenance, or a 2 stroke, but if you are going to be riding only trails and very light mx, i would say a kdx 200, this bike is a 2 stroke and very easy to get used to scary at first, but then it is the most versatile bike and practically maintenance free, except for changing tranny oil every 150 miles or so. for your little brother i would recomend a kx 100, just sort of restrict the power until he gets used to it and then he can ride it normal once he masters clutch balance etc... by the way a kx 100 is about 2000 for 2000-2003 and a kdx you can pick up a late 90's through 2004 from 1500-2500. have fun tr


Posted by: robwbright---------------------

Your bro would probably be great on the CRF100 (get it rather than the 80 - a bit taller and more room to grow along with a bit more power), but I would think at your height you'd probably want something bigger than a 150. How about a CRF230?

You're right, maintenance on those trail bike 4 strokes will be minimal. However, they are not really suitable for MX at all - the weight is high and the suspension is low (i.e. there's not a lot of suspension "travel" compared to an MX bike - thus you will probably bottom it on all but the smallest jumps).

A 2 stroke MX bike would be a good choice as well, but somewhat more difficult to learn to ride. Unless you're racing a lot, you could probably get by with one top end rebuild per year or two at most on a 2 stroke MX bike.

Also might want to consider an enduro 2 stroke such as a KDX 200.

4 stroke MX bikes are easier to ride than the 2 strokes, but maintenance tends to be much more involved. . . Perhaps not more often, but more involved.


Posted by: xsnrg---------------------

ditto - - - the trail rider, especially on the KDX


Posted by: HajiWasAPunk---------------------

You can pretty well forget MX on the CRF150 or 100. My son is 10 and started on a CRF80 and it only took him about 6 weeks to start bottoming it out on the jumps. He rides a CR85 now.


Posted by: SpeedyManiac---------------------

For you: Kawasaki KDX200. You should be able to find a used one in good shape.

Your brother: Honda XR100R or CRF100F. These two are the same bike, the CRF100F is just a newer version.


Posted by: dirt4life---------------------

First off, thank you guys for the help. we stopped by the local dealer today and not to my surprise u guys were right about to 150.....way to small. my brother fell in love with the CRF100F, which gives him plenty of room to grow. he is happy riding trails, but now im looking more into the realm of a 125cc, 2-stroke mx bike. i didnt get a chance to talk to a salesman, but how does the maintenance compare b.w 2 and 4 strokes? i want to learn how to keep up with it(itll be a great way to spend my free time), but i dont want to have to get to far over my head. thanks in advance for any replies


Posted by: fox racer---------------------

i am 12 5'2 and i ride a 95 rm 125


Posted by: robwbright---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by dirt4life
First off, thank you guys for the help. we stopped by the local dealer today and not to my surprise u guys were right about to 150.....way to small. my brother fell in love with the CRF100F, which gives him plenty of room to grow. he is happy riding trails, but now im looking more into the realm of a 125cc, 2-stroke mx bike. i didnt get a chance to talk to a salesman, but how does the maintenance compare b.w 2 and 4 strokes? i want to learn how to keep up with it(itll be a great way to spend my free time), but i dont want to have to get to far over my head. thanks in advance for any replies


As I said, if you're just trial riding, you can probably get by on one top end rebuild per year on a 2 stroke MX125 - this is assuming maybe 2-3 2 hours rides a week. However, I wouldn't recommend just "getting by" - it can get quite expensive if you blow the motor.

If you're trail riding and practicing on a track a couple or three times a week, you probably should AT LEAST change the ring once in the summer and the piston and ring in the winter.

If you have never changed a ring or piston and ring, then you need to buy a service manual for your bike. If you have any mechanical ability at all, you should be able to do the whole thing in 4-5 hours the first time. Guys who are good can do it in an hour to an hour and a half.

I'm racing every weekend or every other weekend from late March to Early November. My approximate plan is to change my ring in late May, piston and Ring in July, ring in September and Piston and ring in Winter. Of course, I have an Eric Gorr built 144 overbore, so I don't want to blow it.

If you get a 4 stroke MX bike, you will need to check and adjust the valves quite often, change the oil every couple rides, etc. . . Rebuilds are not as often, but if you blow the motor on a 4 stroke MX bike, it will cost $2000 or more the repair it. From what I understand, the general maintenance on a 4 stroke MX bike is about the same as far as time, but tends to be more complicated than the 2 stroke since the 4 stroke MX bike is essentially a small Formula 1 motor.

If you blow a 2 stroke 125 MX motor (just top end) it would probably cost a MAXIMUM of $500 to get it going again. Heck, I just had the 144 overbore put in for $450, and that included new piston, ring, overbore, new cylinder plating, porting, polishing, head mods, re-assembly of the motor and shipping back to me.

Masterphil did a study on here of maintenance and overall cost on 2 stroke vs. 4 stroke. He came up with $10/hr for the 2 stroke and $20/hr for the 4 stroke.

A 4 stroke trail bike (ie CRF100) requires almost no maintenance outside of oil changes and chain adjustment. I suppose they're about like a car as far as maintenance and durablility.

One only has to look at dyno charts and HP ratings to see why. (The following are approximate #s). A CRF 100 is probably about 9 or 10 HP, give or take, and revs to maybe 8000 rpm (total guess). A 125 2 stroke MX (stock) is about 31-33 HP and revs to 12,000 rpm. Likewise, a 250 Four stroke MX is about 31-33 HP with a broader powerband and more torque and revs to 12000 or rpm (along with a more complicated design and more moving parts).

Bottom line: I'm no mechanic and I think 2 stroke MX'ers are EASY to work on. 4 stroke trail bike require little work for years, and 4 stroke MX'ers are a bit more complicated.

Hope this was helpful . . .


Posted by: dirt4life---------------------

all you guys have been really helpful ESPECIALLY ROBWBRIGHT! Your 2 stroke MX/4stroke MX/ 4stroke trail bike comparison is the most help I have gotten. My decision is now b.w some thing like an RM125 or a CRF230. One of my friends has the RM125 and it is SWEET. thnx again to everyone for there input and setting me in the right direction.


Posted by: the trail rider---------------------

if your trails are technical, then you are not going to like a mx 2 stroke on the trail. just some advice.


Posted by: dirt4life---------------------

thnx for the advice "the trail rider". im still about 50/50 on whether i wanna concentrate on trails or mx....i have been pretty big into mountian biking and i cant get enough of the technical stuff (i.e. Blood Rock), but then again mx looks awesome. just another choice i have to make.


Posted by: robwbright---------------------

I agree with "the trail rider" that a 125 2 stroke may not be the ideal bike for the woods, but mine does just fine.

As to 2 strokes in general, in 2005, nine (9) of the top 10 grand national cross country riders were on 250 2 strokes. GNCC is essentially the national woods series.

For woods riding on the 125, you will just have to learn to use the clutch a lot and keep it "on the pipe" as they say.

In the woods I stay pretty close to my brother on his KX250, so if you know what you're doing, you can make the 125 scream in the woods.

I plan on running some enduros/hare scambles/cross countries this year on the 144 . . . We'll see how it works out.


Posted by: CamDayKX125(4)---------------------

definetly between a 125 and 230. i have a kx 125 but havent ridden trails to much. trail rider is right, if the trails are technical dont go for the 125. a 230 would be great especially if it rains alot up in ohio.(im guessing it doesnt)compared to a 125. the 125 is gonna slide around on turns more. the 125s brakes are a little to tight for trails. anyway, id go for a 230.



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