What is best for me????

I have been riding for about a year now and absolutley love it.  I am improving my skills every time i ride but am still a beginner/intermediate rider. I am 30 years old and currently ride a 1999 Honda 80 RB (big wheel).  The bike is heavily modified with boyseen reeds, bill's pipe uni filter etc.  I am 6'2 and weigh about 180.  I ride trails and desert only.  I do hit small juumps but ride trails all day.  I am debateing between a 125 or a 250.  I want a bigger bike (19rear 21 frnt) but not sure if a i should get a used 125 or 250.  I don't need to much power but I am tired of the lack of power when climbing hills on trails. My older brother rides and TTR 125 (four stroke).  I do not like the lag on the throttle response and how his 4stroke takes forever to warm up.  I ride areas in So Cal like Gorman, Stoddard wells, Johnson valley, El mirage etc.

Should i get a 125 or 250? Also should i stick with a so called "race/mx" or more of a trails bike like a Honda 230f for example?

What do you think?...i have been debating for a month or so.  

Hi welcome.  Glad to hear you are loving riding.  You have access to a wide variety of terrain there in socal!  And there are a multitude of bikes that would work fine for you as well.  If you are into hills then a 125 will be limited in what it can climb, otherwise a 125 will be lots of fun because it's a 2-stroke and you're used to the 2-stroke power.  The 250 2-stroke is a beast and might be too much power for you at this stage in the game.  The 250 4-stroke will be more mellow and treat you right on the hills, but you might miss that zippy response of the 2-stroke.  My opinion on the best bike for you would be the KTM 200...a great little 2-stroke with enough power to spare, but a mellow bottom end that loves trail riding.    
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NW Montana
Where the pavement ends and the fun begins  
2005 KTM300exc

I have never rode a KTM, but the 200 cc is a good all around engine size. I can speak of the KDX 200/220, all I really have to say is very friendly and controllable.
KTM 200, KDX 200 check em out and if you end up on one of them I assure you your gonna be satisfied.
Only issue is desert terrain is so open, I call it big bore country!  
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S.E. Indiana

1990 KDX 200
2002 KDX 200
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I'd say any 250f, 125 2 stroke, and KTM 200XC. An XR400 could probably work, but that thing isn't built to go off the smallest of the small of jumps.  
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Lancaster, PA
2007 CRF250R
4 Stroke 4 Life!

hey i barely ever rode bikes im about ur size and i bought a 06 yz250 these guys out there sayin it might be too much power for u dont know wtf they talkin bout its not its a very powerful bike but uve been riding for a year now and its trails not mx u will be fine with a 250 2 stroke ull get the hang of the bike in no time it will last you forever as long as u keep it inb good shape maitence wise and ull love the power take it on any trail you want anywhere you want no worries ever and oh ya liquid cooled buddy 4 strokes are air cooled ... haha 2 stroke power budy ull love the 250  
06 Yamaha YZ 250

4 strokes aint nothin but problems

kzakastro:
hey i barely ever rode bikes im about ur size and i bought a 06 yz250 these guys out there sayin it might be too much power for u dont know wtf they talkin bout its not its a very powerful bike but uve been riding for a year now and its trails not mx u will be fine with a 250 2 stroke ull get the hang of the bike in no time it will last you forever as long as u keep it inb good shape maitence wise and ull love the power take it on any trail you want anywhere you want no worries ever and oh ya liquid cooled buddy 4 strokes are air cooled ... haha 2 stroke power budy ull love the 250

ok the guy who posted the add above mine is off his ace ok he does not know shiz ok 4-strokes are liquid cooled and air cooled, y he does not know that i have no idea anyways get what bike you sit on feels comfortable to you ok, go to a dealership and sit on a few just to figure out what models youy should be looking at ok. then i would ether buy a new bike or go to craigslist.com you will find a shiz load of good deals there ok and by the way 2-stokes might be less maintenence but in the long run you will end up spending more money on them than a 4-stoke i have had 2 4-stokes in my life never had a problem except regular maintence on my bikes.....also its how people take care of there bikes some people like me after a ride clean the bike very good and dry it others put there toys away dirty so you have to look at it that way, just read the manual and stick to the stuff you need to do basically regular maintence and they will run for a super long time be safe and have fun riding!!!!!!!!  
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Autismspeaks.org   check it out
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life in the fast rut!!!!
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my rides- 2008 yz250f fully modified, use to be j-laws bike
        &
IT400 1979 yamaha!!!
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Home: SO CAL

sorry my bad i thought they were mostly air cooled my bad but if ur 4 stroke does ever mess up and which most likly one day it will it was cost alot more then a 2 stroke rebuild thats all im sayin but ya 2 stroke 250 will do u good partna but try everything out see what u like more  
06 Yamaha YZ 250

4 strokes aint nothin but problems

kzakastro:
sorry my bad i thought they were mostly air cooled my bad but if ur 4 stroke does ever mess up and which most likly one day it will it was cost alot more then a 2 stroke rebuild thats all im sayin but ya 2 stroke 250 will do u good partna but try everything out see what u like more

yup i could no agree more with that statement now i just was not understanding what your point was till you reworded it lol my bad.  
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Autismspeaks.org   check it out
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life in the fast rut!!!!
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my rides- 2008 yz250f fully modified, use to be j-laws bike
        &
IT400 1979 yamaha!!!
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Home: SO CAL

I have a 4-stroke Honda XL125, and its almost too small for me and i'm 5'10, i think that the 250 is a better size b/c it really isn't a super-powerful bike, but still enough where dont feel like ur missing out on anything  

i dont really agree with that in the long run you will spend more on a 2 stroke than a 4 stroke. dont agree at all. i know people who have had to drop 300-600 bucks a year on their 4 strokes and 300  bucks in 8 years on their 2 strokes and vise versa. in the end they both stack up pretty even usually with the 2 stroke comming out costing a little less. both have their exceptions I.E. honda xr crf-x kawasaki kdx 2 strokes. any "race" bike will cost more to maintain however a "race" fourstroke will cost more over time than a compairable 2 stroke. with what you said i gathered you would rather stick with a 2 stroke. cant say as i blame you. if your looking for off the floor you have 2 options yamaha and KTM both offer great products. the KTM 200 would be a killer little bike but i think as you put some time on it you will be wanting more. i would look at the yz/sx 250 or the ktm 300xc-w. being a grown adult i would assume you can be respectful with the extra power while getting the seat time that leads to experience. going used may be your best option as everyone jumps on the thumper band wagon you can get 2 strokes for a song. do your shopping new and used and make a informed decision. if you would like to go with a 4 stroke i would look a little larger than the 230 while a great and bullet proof bike i think you would find it a little dogish. you arent going to gain a whole lot of power (if any) over your modded 125 by going to any 250cc 4 stroke.  
-Kirk 88 Honda CR250R
ride hard and crash harder

Hey dude, im 14 and im 6 ft, I ride a lot of trails with a 2001 yz 125. I would tell you to get a 125 2 stroke m8. 4 strokes cost a lot of money to repair so a 125 would be nice for cost . And if your just cruising you could just stay in 2nd or 3rd and even if you were going really slow the bike wouldnt bog out and die. I ride some trails behind my buddies house and its got a lot of different things there. Theres a forest with a hill climb that goes about 200 yards up. My bike handles it great.

Theres also a straight away where the fun is at, which i get up to 5th gear sometimes.

And then there is steep hill climbs which u get into 3rd gear and u go right up the thing.

I would say to get a 2 stroke 125 m8. And if you are looking into going fast, get a yz125 because yamaha has the fastest 125.  

a 4 stroke won't cost much more at all in maintence as long as you take care of it and don't beat the crap outta it.  
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Lancaster, PA
2007 CRF250R
4 Stroke 4 Life!

Honda250rider:
I'd say any 250f, 125 2 stroke, and KTM 200XC. An XR400 could probably work, but that thing isn't built to go off the smallest of the small of jumps.

I'd be a little bit careful about statements regarding XRs and not jumping.  Have you spent any time on an XR400?  Or are you just parroting statements that you've read on here?  
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And on the fourth stroke....      All hell breaks loose!!!

Honda250rider:
I'd say any 250f, 125 2 stroke, and KTM 200XC. An XR400 could probably work, but that thing isn't built to go off the smallest of the small of jumps.

For the defence of the XR400 I present:
Exhibit A:
:

Exhibit B:


That was back in '97 - '98 but it shows what can be done if you put your mind to it.  
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And on the fourth stroke....      All hell breaks loose!!!

you CAN jump them, but a mx bike will be able to jump twice as good.  
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Lancaster, PA
2007 CRF250R
4 Stroke 4 Life!