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Help me pick a bike.
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Posted by: SoCal---------------------

I've been riding street bikes for about 5 years. I'm thinking seriously about taking up dirt riding. I've been looking in the cycle trader, manufacturer's sites, my local dealer and here for information on what bike I should get, but so far it's not real clear what it would be. I'm 5'9" and about 160 lbs. Without dirt riding experience though, I don't really know what kind of riding I would be doing. Living in SoCal I assume all types of riding would be available and I'd probably want to try everything and take it from there. So far I'm thinking I would want to go with a four stroke(no mixing fuel, cleaner burning and smoother power delivery) MX bike(CRF450R or YZ250F) since I've heard it would be easier to take a MX bike on trails rather than the other way round. Or should I opt for something like a WR250F or WR400F? Would they make out on a MX track? Any help would be appreciated.

Also can somebody please clear up this green and red sticker thing for me. What bikes get what sticker and why? When are you allowed to ride red sticker bikes and where? I've been told you can only ride red sticker bikes(2 strokes) 2 months a year. Someone else told me you can't ride them only 2 months a year and it also applies to certain 4 strokes. Thanks.

Posted by: jack909---------------------

go with a yz250f if enything but i recomend a kx250f because they are realy good for trails as well as they were ment for motocross and if you try geting a wr..brand and try taking it out on a track it will look emarassing cuz they arent ment to go in the air and cant handle it they will fall right apart but defenetly get a 4-stroke cause they are more realiable and break less allthough when they do break repair costs are a lil higher it is still defenetly save you some $ and embarasment or geting stuck with a wr which also have less power

Posted by: SoCal---------------------

909,...thanks for the reply. So you think a 250 would be better for me than a 450? Could you tell me why that would be? I'm curious because I would think the 450 would be more fun do to it having more power and I believe they don't weigh any more than the 250's now, right?

Posted by: kelsorat---------------------

The main fact is your weight and experience. The 450 might be handful even with your prior street bike experience. If you want to trail ride only, you might want to consider a dual sport. Why not use your street bike experience to ride to your favorite riding spot. Also with a dual sport , you eliminate any green sticker/ red sticker issue.

There are a couple of guys on the Socal Wrecking Crew forum that could lead you in the right way regarding a YZ250F that is "dual-sported"

And do not let the green/red sticker issue confuse you. With a red sticker bike you are only limited during the heavy smog months of the summer. For example you can ride a red sticker bike all you want during the winter when weather is good for riding. Who wants to ride a dirt bike in the desert during the summer months? Any motorcyle shop will give you a free map that shows different riding areas in SoCal along with the specific date ranges that you can ride your Red Sticker bike.

Posted by: jack909---------------------

well yes a 450 weighs a good 20-30 pounds more than a 250 and all you really get is more power but does that make it more fun?...i really dont think so maybe its just me but i like to pump the throttle a bit and fell the bike and have full controll of it i road a 450 before and it feels more like the bike is yanking you around and you can barly touch the gas cuz its too touchy and ive been riding a while ehich also leads to you asking why you would want a 250f over the 450f well...same reasen why all moter crossers dont switch to them.most people cant handle/get used to riding one of those to easyly but they know that the 4-stroke line up is simple a more powerfull and ove all beter supercross bike but then again those guys only weigh like 130 but i also read an artical in Dirt Rider the other that some of the bike testers there said quote:"that the yz450f is to violent in the motor department and somewhat dificult to ride" but then again maybe thats just the yamaha 450f.

Posted by: SoCal---------------------

Thanks alot guys. Things are starting to make more sense. So then then if I went out and bought a kx250f that would be a good place to start out even on trails? When did they start making it? I was looking for a used one in the trader and couldn't find one. Do you thin k I should buy used or are the new bikes that much better?

Posted by: Porstala F9---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal
Thanks alot guys. Things are starting to make more sense. So then then if I went out and bought a kx250f that would be a good place to start out even on trails? When did they start making it? I was looking for a used one in the trader and couldn't find one. Do you thin k I should buy used or are the new bikes that much better?

The Kawasaki KX 250F (along with Suzukis DR250Z) are brand new. They aren't even in stores yet according to my knowledge. My Kawasaki dealer says sometime in november.

Posted by: evil---------------------

i was told to get a yzf250 by my freinds, instead i got the crf450r and love it. i went from no riding experiance to a kx125 and then to the 450. i got bored of the 125 fast, i say go big or go home but dont ride stupid!

Posted by: SoCal---------------------

Anyone know how the YZ 250F is? I could pick up one of those used or would it be be better to wait and get the new CRF 250R or KX 250F? Probably hard to say since the Honda and Kaw aren't even out yet, right?

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Help me pick a bike.

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