Bike recommendation

[Mobile Chernobyl]

Sold my big bikes off during covid and was just looking at a kdx220. Just saved me a ton of grief. =)

This was mine. I love the green but in 2020 it just didn't feel mean anymore lol. I did a full tear down and rebuilt and painted everything with factory paint colors.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Sold my big bikes off during covid and was just looking at a kdx220. Just saved me a ton of grief. =)

This is why some people ride 550's , some ride Superjets and some ride fully custom aftermarket skis , bikes are the same , there is a bike for every purpose and a ass for every seat .

 

[kevbo]

All the 250F MX bikes have more vertical forks than many of older models like the KDX. It works well on a dirt bike. All newer 250F are counter balanced and being a four stroke their power is silky smooth. My only complaint with them is they are all way too loud and too tall for goat trails.

 

[Myself]

I'm 6'8" and rode bikes and 3 wheelers forever. I've ridden a BUNCH of different bikes. Stay away from anything 125cc.......not enough power for big guys. The 2 stroke 250 or larger......great power and suspension......MOST are not good trail bikes. I had a circuit built CR250 for about 13 years. Used to ride my wife on there with me when we first got married! I loved riding that bike but NOT a great trail bike. I bought my wife a KDX200. That or the KDX 220 are one of the best 2 stroke all around play bikes ever imo. When I buy another one I'll probably go Honda xr. Husq and KTM both had a 300 2 stroke that was great on trails. And a good friend of mine used to come riding on an RMX250. It wouldn't hold a candle to the nasty power of my CR but trail rode great. The bigger 450's and Xr500 and so on.......NOT beginner bikes. They are very torquey and top heavy to boot. Fine after you have a couple years trail riding under your belt, otherwise you're asking for a trip to the E.R. My vote goes to a KDX220 or KTM300.

pic of my old CR

 

[WFO Speedracer]

There are a lot of options , but it to me it sounds like you want to plonk along on trails , being a beginner rider you may also want to look at dual purpose bikes, the KLX 250 and CRF300L and LS are good options , I plonked along trails for many years on an 79 XL185 and a 74 TL125 , now I have an XR100R , a BW200 , a TW200 and TLR200 Reflex and I still have the TL125 , even the smallish TL125 will plonk along trails just fine , of course I have always been partial to the 200 -230 class bikes myself .

 

[CD155MX]

@Kohldanielzimmer I'm going to second what @Mobile Chernobyl has been saying. Beta's bikes are great! Wife and I both ride them. I have found them both to be super simple (carbureted and easy to tune) bikes that perform exceptionally while being 100% reliable.

Also, Beta has a new parts website and it is really easy to use. You can look up any parts diagram for your bike, click on the part, and add to cart. Parts ship out of Paso Robles and being that you're in CA like me they usually show up the very next day.

Beta has a demo tour that you may find super valuable and it looks like there are some dates coming up in Northern CA (Modesto, Chico, & Auburn). Beta typically has most of their 2-stroke and 4-stroke models available for test at these events. I attended one a few years ago and found it amazingly helpful in deciding what bike I wanted.

Demo Events

betausa.com

If you want any real insight shoot me a PM and I'll give you my phone number. Would be happy to talk through modern motos and help you with a decision.


From the Demo I went to. Shortly after this Demo I sold both of my Japanese 4-Stroke MX bikes and have never looked back.


My wife rides an X-Trainer and I'm on a 300 Race Edition


Some of the fun riding places my Beta has taken me

Wife, Daughter, and Dog our out for a lil rip.

 

[Quinc]

@Kohldanielzimmer I'm going to second what @Mobile Chernobyl has been saying. Beta's bikes are great. Wife and I both ride them.

Beta has a demo tour that you may find super valuable and it looks like there are some dates coming up in northern CA (Modesto, Chico, & Auburn). Beta typically has most of their 2-stroke and 4-stroke models available for test at these events.

Demo Events

betausa.com

I went to a beta demo last year and tried a trials bike for the first time. Highly recommended!

 

[CD155MX]

I went to a beta demo last year and tried a trials bike for the first time. Highly recommended!

Don't get me started on trials!!! I think I may like trials riding even better than Enduro stuff. My trials is a Gas Gas (only cause it was a smoking deal at the time from a dude that wanted out of the sport).

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Don't get me started on trials!!! I think I may like trials riding even better than Enduro stuff. My trials is a Gas Gas (only cause it was a smoking deal at the time from a dude that wanted out of the sport).

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I am slowly building a TLR 200 for trials, always loved the sport since getting the TL125 back in high school. Yeah I know it's not a real trials bike but it's close enough for my skill level.

 

[TOBY]

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What about something like this

 

[Mobile Chernobyl]

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Fun if you're racing or if you REALLY like the power of a 125. The narrow powerband of that bike can get old for more casual trail riding through. Kick start + cable clutch is not a big deal if you're racing. I got to ride one a year ago and was glad I never picked one up for cheap as a second bike lol. If you're not riding aggressively on the pipe most of the time - there's not much power to play with. Even when you are on the pipe - you have a pretty narrow RPM range to play with so you better be ready to get at it! Classic 125 power delivery.

If you just wanna ride trails, especially tricky sections, electric start is awesome because you can just push the button and re-start without having to worry about it - very nice on off camber scenarios or if you're climbing a deep sketch rut or on roots. The hydraulic clutches on most euro enduro bikes (especially 2017+ KTM and 2022+ Beta) is going to save you a lot of hand fatigue on longer rides.

 

[jpswift1]

Or if you can find a Yamaha bigwheel 350 it's the perfect bike.

You cant go wrong with the reliability of a Honda XR, like the XR400R, XR650L Xr650R, all 4 strokes. You can ride street or trail, climb hills, and your tall enough for a 650.
I have had this 2001 XR650R since 2010, and its been super reliable. I'll never sell it until I cant ride it anymore. Before this bike, I had a 81' XR500R and it was a great bike too.
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Both the Yamaha BW200 and BW350 are fun bikes. And don't forget the TW200, which is a street legal fat tire dual sport.

And the XR's are some of the absolute best all around most reliable trail bikes ever made. I'm hooked on them and none of them have ever let me down. I have an XR650R that is a street legal supermoto, XR400 supermoto, an XR250R, and an XR250L. They are all so much fun and absolutely bulletproof reliable. I too would never sell any of mine either. If you get an XR you'll love it for sure!

 

[Myself]

The Honda xr250r is a GREAT beginner bike as far as 4 stroke goes.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I bought the BW200 and the last TW 200 to repair and flip , the BW's are bringing stupid money right now, I also bought a really nasty looking TW200 to keep and make into an offroader , both are dead reliable but they don't produce a lot of power but they do have a nice flat torque curve and the power they do have is totally usable.

A CRF230 will be much faster and again dead reliable , the 230 is based off the 200 which was based off of the 185 that has been around since 1979.

The TW - BW200 is based off the YTM -YFM 200 engines , the 225 and 250 timberwolf is basically the same they just change stroke lengths and rod lengths again been around forever and dead reliable.

 

[Quinc]

I bought the BW200 and the last TW 200 to repair and flip , but I also bought a really nasty looking TW200 to keep and make into an offroader , those TW. s are dead reliable but they don't produce a lot of power .

A CRF230 will be much faster and again dead reliable , the 230 is based off the 200 which was based off of the 185 that has been around since 1979.

The TW 200 is based off the YTM 200 engine, the 250 timberwolf is basically the same, again been around forever and dead reliable.

Video you might like:

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Video you might like:

Craziness

 

[Sparkplug]

I'm selling a pretty well built 08 kx450f. It's carb. But runs great. I've been all over chappie/shasta ohv with it. Pretyy wepl known hard trails. Goes 80 or does single switch backs no prob. If I was on a budget and couldn't afford a newer bike. That's the type of bike I'd consider. I'd ask 3k but forum memever I'd do 2500. Pro porting. DNA wheels. Powerbomb blah blah