General Discussion Forum

I am a beginner/intermediate  rider about to buy a new trail bike in the 250 to 300cc range. I was leaning towards the crf250x but I' ve heard alot about them being a handful to maintain (frequent oil changes and piston work). I am also looking at the wr250f and the klx300r. I live on the georgia/alabama line, so most of my riding is dodging pine trees and climbing hills. My buddies and I ride pretty hard so I need something I can beat the hell out of and not have to take it to the shop every time I ride. Any suggestions? Thanks!  

the wr 's have a stupid half throttle smog pollution thing but i live in California if that makes a difference

Yeah the 250F's go through valves, and all that really fast. TTR's and XR's are super reliable if you are looking for something that you will NEVER have to take to the shop for repairs. Only for oil changes, etc...

I have an 06 YZ250 and it is an absolute dream to ride.  It is very light, turns and handles perfectly, and has a ton of power.

You buy one of these bikes and you will need a drule cup everytime you see it, not to mention ride it.  A truly outstanding piece of gear.

Thanks guys. I had overlooked the TT-R's. They sound pretty good, especially the fact that they are air cooled. I've wanted an XR since I was a kid but I'm a little scared of getting a used bike.  

Id say a ktm 300 mxc or exc, both great bikes. I own a 03 300mxc, and love the thing to death, its soo fast, im sellin mine right now though to buy a 450.  

Man you can't go wrong with an XR. My friend bought a used '99 XR400, and it's bullet proof. He never even changes the oil or anything. The only thing he's done to it was bending the front wheel on a curb, but other than that, it's super reliable.

Your right about the wr's , but with a few simple adjustments with the throttle screw, removing the baffle, and cutting the grey wire,  you have a good bike for the woods.

The crf's x modles do go through valves a little faster if you ride everyday.  A normal few times a month rider, and your fine.  If you do ride every day  and are worried about valves,, go to www.crfsonly.com,  they give a step by step, with pictures, on how to check and adjust them.  Even someone that has no experience in motorcycles can follow it.

Skullhead: I have done some research and can tell you that the CRF valve issue is not as bad as everyone thinks it is. However, in this group of bikes, the CRF will have more maintance here.

The KLX is a good beginner friendly trail bike. It has fairly decent power 20-22HP, yet has soft suspension that will limit you basically to the trail.

The CRF and WR are both about the same in terms of power. They both have great suspension and are some what lighter. You can uncork both of them very easily, but to aviod even worse valve issues with the CRF, it may be best not to. Both the CRF and WR when uncorked have about 28-29 hp. Its cheep and free on both. Change the throttle stop, cut the airbox, remove the baffle. And on the WR, you can dissconnect the grey wire, which doesnt do much.

Soo, I would say that you go with the Wr/F. It is a great bike, and is pretty peppy when uncorked, and I have ridden one. Do you have a budget? There are other alternatives that can be ridden faster and have even more power and low end. Like the 300Xc is a great choice, and also if you want a 4 stroke the 400XC is also a great bike. Personally i think that if you want a fast, purpose built bike for offroading that you can beat the crap outta, go KTM! But the WR's are a great chioce too.

Good Luck!

Right now I really like the WR especiallly after checking them out at the dealership. I've looked at the KTMs a little but I think they're out of my price range. I'm afraid the 250-300 range is about all I can afford (financially and in riding ability). What is a good website to check out aftermarket parts for the Yamaha? It seems like I change my mind every few days so who knows what I'll decide to get in the end!

Thanks for the advice. Keep it coming!

http://www.ncyyamaha.com/

That's definitely a good website to use. They have super cheap prices on parts and on bikes. They sell KTM's, and Yamahas. I think those are the 2 best bike choices for your price range. XR's are a good buy too though.