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Which Bike?
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Posted by: GeorgeS---------------------
Wr250F or KDX 220R. I am looking at getting into off-roading and have secured good deals on both the above new bikes. I have 25 years of street riding and am a Senior MSF instructor but have very limited off-road knowledge so I defer to you, the gurus of the trail to help direct me. I'm 6" and weigh 200lbs. Your comments are appreciated.
Posted by: coleman---------------------
I would say the wr250f. I used to have a kdx and have ridden a wrf and a yzf and both of them are much better than the kdx. The wr will have way better suspension, ergos, and if you get the 03 it will have estart too.
Posted by: Y2Z---------------------
well i would go with the WR, 4 strokes are quieter, more reliable, and in my eyes more fun to ride. i noticed you are in ontario, where abouts do you ride, this might help knowing what kinda terrian you ride on.
Posted by: GeorgeS---------------------
I'm in the Timmins area, my riding will be a little bit of everything, logging roads to single track.The WR is a brand new 2001 as opposed to a 2003 KDX, the WR is $1200 cdn more. Alos open to other bikes close to this price range if you can suggest any.
Posted by: beer_stud_76---------------------
georges -
you will learn dirt very quickly. quicker than you think anyway.
having said that, i'd suggest a bike with a bit more power than either the wr or KDX. at 200lbs you might do just fine with either, but you're on the border line. if you were 220lbs, i'd say forget both bikes altogether.
we really need to know more about your intended use. are you going to race? or just putz around on the trails and logging roads? do you plan to do any laps at the track?
if you are just going to putz, i'd say go with the kdx, or maybe an XR400. if you want to maybe race as well, a wr450 would be a great choice (or better yet, a left over wr426), of a KTM450 or 300.
tell us more about how you will ride and we can help you better.
jeremiah
Posted by: GeorgeS---------------------
I'll be strictly recreation riding no racing for me. It would be nice to get something with elec start but more$ of course. I've been told the WR is hard to start when hot, what's the KDX like when hot? The WR I'm looking at is a 2001 so no Electric start although I've heard the 2003 model has some problems? I'm open to any suggestions. Thanks.
Posted by: trailrider1---------------------
The yamaha's a nice bikes, but beware of the dreaded starting process. You can wear youself out on a 4-stroke trying to kick start one if you run into problems - the "older" 250F's are notorious for it. There is a fix for it though; apparently you can retro it with the new '03 cam & get the easier starting.
The KDX is an aging, but great bike. You can't really go wrong with one of these; they're inexpensive (comparitively), have good bottom end for a 2-stroke, and make a great recreational bike that can be easily modified as you grow with it. Contray to popular belief, the KDX is a quiet bike - stock setup is comparible to a stock XR400. If you want o uncork it & still be stealthy, use a FMF Q muffler.
Having said that, you can't go wrong with either. Just beware that the Yamaha can be a royal pain to start, and that if you uncork it, it can be incredibly loud (again, use a FMF Q pipe if you're anywhere near houses).
Posted by: truespode---------------------
The starting issue is easily cured on a the YZ250F and WR250F if you jet it right. The BK mod helps too (and only costs a few bucks if you are mechanically inclined).
Honestly, I had less problems starting my 01 YZ250F cold than I do my new 03 CR450F.
Ivan
Posted by: tigerowner---------------------
You can bolt on an 03 cam to the WR/YZ250 to get the auto decompression. They are in limited supply though.
Posted by: GeorgeS---------------------
Yamaha dealer would really like to see me on a WR450F. I'm the local MSF instructor and riding his bike is always good for sales,as previously stated not much dirt time. Anyway he has made me an offer that is really hard to refuse and from what I've read this bike is king of the hill. I've ridden street bikes that could hit 200 mph so handling power is not a problem but the dirt game is totally different any thoughts?suggestions? Am I good to go?
Posted by: rgordon---------------------
I have the 2002 wr250f. When I went to pick it up, the sales manager went to start it up for me. When it wouldn't start he removed the seat and replaced the fowled plug with a high performance plug. No problems since, although that worried me. Afetr that I learned that he was not using the right technique to start it. And this is worth while to note. Get it in tdc and then decompress and give it a small push below (5-10%). Then kick from the top. Generally no problems since I have used that method.
Other notes. With the silencer in the exhaust the bike has a weak spot in the high mid revs. Yuk, but I ride through a neighborhood to get to the trails. So I usually remove the silencer whenever I can.
I am 150 lb. and have no problems on the steep rocky mountain mining roads that I ride. You may want to try the 426 and see if that makes a difference. But in general, this 250 is not your ordinary 250. much more powerful at both low and full throttle.
Hot start has not been an issue, even after a fall. Just use the hot start pull...
My 2¢. Enjoy!!!
Rob
Posted by: beer_stud_76---------------------
goerges -
if you can get a great deal on a WR450, man jump on it. i think you are thinking the wrong way about dirt and dirt bikes. making the jump from pavement to dirt won't nesecarily(sp) be any easier on a smaller bike. for a big guy like you, it may actually make it tuffer.
the WR is potentialy a very fast, very high performance bike, but they are GREAT for putzing around too. and they come with an e-start (do yourself a favor though and get a kick starter back-up if it doesn't have one).
try this: get the WR450 and spend a day in a big open field, or on some logging roads (if you have any around you) and just play with it. you will pick up the handling and geometry quirks of dirt bikes very quickly. within half an hour you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.
jeremiah
Posted by: GeorgeS---------------------
Thanks guys I think I'll go with the WR450F then I won't have to upgrade in a couple of months.
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