KTM, yamaha, honda, kawasaki or suzuki?

[JacksonDH228]

I disagree with that statement.
iown a 2004 crf150f. i've had it since late 03. i don't race it but i ride it on my property a lot. i've done small jumps, crashed it heaps, stalled (my fault not bikes) and revved the crap out of it going up hills. nothing has gone wrong with it since i've had it. i haven't even had to replace a spark plug.

before that, i owned a 2000 xr80r. i owned that until mid last year. and like the crf it has never failed on me. i had it for 7 and a half years. i did some big jumps on that and flat landed bottoming out both front and rear suspension. the bike was still in perfect mechanical condition when i sold it except i bent the forks when i crashed in to a tree.

Honda Bikes have to one of the most reliable around accross all bike types.

hey, have to understand though that a 250 motorcross bike is ALOT different from the kids range in honda which are sick bike that i have also owned. just because they make good kids range isnt going to mean anything when it comes to 250cc, just my opinion anyway, what does everyone else think?

 

[::RideSiK::]

ive got a CRF. its awsome. valves and stuff may have used to have been a problem, but they now are just the same as every other bike (which if you are going by ALL owners manules around 20-30 race or hard hours for rings and valves.)

if i was getting another bike id consider the kawasaki, as its got the strongest engine, but the yamaha would probably get my vote, i just love the feel of them. and still an awsome engine and awsome to ride. depends on the price (for me. . . )

id never get a KantTakeMotoctoss... too expensive for me

 

[john92]

crf are $%^&

20 - 30 hours
are you serious that is my point exactyl
you are doing rebuilds every 20-30 hours
that probably 10 good ride days at a track
OMG
20-30hrs is barely run in on a yzf
my 08 done probably 20 hours
so my point has been proven by Honda "owner manual"
obviously they dont last.
btw they are still the same engine as when they came out. they might have a few tweaks but stil have the same problems.
and they are alot harder to service
they have a dual oil system
one for gearbox and one for topend
verycomplicated and hard to change
thanks hope all this helps jackson but i think he has his mynd made up on the yamaha

 

[SMIIISH]

if you got the dosh, i would flog the KTM. resell on them are quite high aswell. after all, how can you say no to a KTM! they are world renound for a reason; they are the big boys in their field.

 

[john92]

kantakemotorcross

thanks for that smiish you have oviously read the thread
ktm are not the best in the field. we are talking 2008 250cc motorcross bikes.
The yzf 250 has won 9/10 shootouts and ktm is usulaly last or 2nd last
thanks

 

[Graunched]

Little off topic: Being an avid KTM fan and owning a 07 200EXC myself dont discount KTM's entirely. Maynot be the best for the motorcross this year but they kick ass in the enduro.....

Also as to them being more of a money pit than the other manufacturers i am not sure if that is quite right. Ktm's come 'set up to race' which alot of other manufacturers bikes dont. Keep this in mind when buying a bike as an aquaintence bought a yammie to race enduros on this year, had to spend so much on it to get it race ready that he would have just been better off buying a ktm strait up.........my two cents....

 

[JacksonDH228]

Little off topic: Being an avid KTM fan and owning a 07 200EXC myself dont discount KTM's entirely. Maynot be the best for the motorcross this year but they kick ass in the enduro.....

Also as to them being more of a money pit than the other manufacturers i am not sure if that is quite right. Ktm's come 'set up to race' which alot of other manufacturers bikes dont. Keep this in mind when buying a bike as an aquaintence bought a yammie to race enduros on this year, had to spend so much on it to get it race ready that he would have just been better off buying a ktm strait up.........my two cents....

yea maybe in enduro but this thread is 250 motorcross bikes, and KTM were convinsingly flogged in motorcross, the handling and suspension has let them down, john92 is spot of with the rebuild every 20-30 hours with the CRF, that suks and would be a money pit.

 

[mike249cc]

yea maybe in enduro but this thread is 250 motorcross bikes, and KTM were convinsingly flogged in motorcross, the handling and suspension has let them down, john92 is spot of with the rebuild every 20-30 hours with the CRF, that suks and would be a money pit.

exactly, I believe the YZF is the way to go and i know mine flys! 20-30 hours with the CRF just isnt good enough.

 

[gmmoto]

yeah i used to have a TT-R125 i rode it sooo f*****g hard attemped huge jumps flat landed had bout 2000 crashes on it drove it into a car at like 60kms took 4 ppl on it at once justrode itsoo damn hard and it still goes awesome.

I moved on to a YZ125 and it was the best bike i ever rode it was sooo nice and smooth never blew a sparky on it, never burnt out the engine and i also rode it hard my brother over shot a 80ft on it landed soo hard it sounded like it should have blown apart, and it still ran fine so yeah

Definatly get a YZ250F

 

[No Licence]

Ok this has to be the worst place to ask that qeustion. Dirt Action and Aussie dirt bike offer the best reviews. But none of them can tell you how they feel for you "personally" to ride. As the ergos can differ. I have owned an rmz, but have mates with yzf's, crf's, ktm sxf and even a kxf. I currently own a cr250 and love it. Was going to sell it and get the new 08 crf when released but im gonna hang onto it now, and just have 2 bikes. All the manufacturers have valve issues, there is no way around it, these bikes make big revs and valves are an issue on all of them. I cant stand yamahas, this is strictly my own person opinion, they ride like shit, they feel awkward and un comfortable and i would rather pay for my own bike than ride one for free. But as for suzuki, ktm an kawasaki and honda. Comes down to personal preference. Look after your bike and keep ontop of maintenance and it will last the distance, but you will always need a rebuild and it is costly. No two ways about it.


And that guy who said that yz250fs are the 4 stroke version of the yz250 with equal power. Can someone delete his account?

 

[JacksonDH228]

Ok this has to be the worst place to ask that qeustion. Dirt Action and Aussie dirt bike offer the best reviews. But none of them can tell you how they feel for you "personally" to ride. As the ergos can differ. I have owned an rmz, but have mates with yzf's, crf's, ktm sxf and even a kxf. I currently own a cr250 and love it. Was going to sell it and get the new 08 crf when released but im gonna hang onto it now, and just have 2 bikes. All the manufacturers have valve issues, there is no way around it, these bikes make big revs and valves are an issue on all of them. I cant stand yamahas, this is strictly my own person opinion, they ride like shit, they feel awkward and un comfortable and i would rather pay for my own bike than ride one for free. But as for suzuki, ktm an kawasaki and honda. Comes down to personal preference. Look after your bike and keep ontop of maintenance and it will last the distance, but you will always need a rebuild and it is costly. No two ways about it.


And that guy who said that yz250fs are the 4 stroke version of the yz250 with equal power. Can someone delete his account?

haha i agree someone should delete it for that!
well its settled, im getting a 2008 yz250f, thanx for the help guys!! appreciated

 

[|Matt|]

I don't race, I just ride farms/bush/trails and through creeks and stuff....

Would a 250 or a 450 4 stroke motocrosser be better for me? Don't tell me I don't need a motocross bike for that use, because I don't care, I'm getting a motocross bike for it, I just need help choosing which size.

I'll most likely test ride each, but apparently the 450s are scarily powerful...

How much maintenance is needed on each and is it difficult to do?

 

[JacksonDH228]

I don't race, I just ride farms/bush/trails and through creeks and stuff....

Would a 250 or a 450 4 stroke motocrosser be better for me? Don't tell me I don't need a motocross bike for that use, because I don't care, I'm getting a motocross bike for it, I just need help choosing which size.

I'll most likely test ride each, but apparently the 450s are scarily powerful...

How much maintenance is needed on each and is it difficult to do?

hey mate, with the 250 motorcross bike you should.
have oil dropped acording to manuel (about 10 hours i believ)
clean air filter every 2 rides
and have valves checked every certain amount of hours.
as long as you keep on top of stuff like this the bike will stay running sweet and be low maintenence.
i would deffinately recomend the 250 un less you are a heavy rider or ride in the open alot, the 250s these days are incredibley fast and i know i would be worried riding a 450 on some tracks. the 250 is most likely ample power as all the proffesionals mostly ride 250 as a 450 is ushually over kill around a track. in the bush the 450 is probarbly most suited. anyway if you wont a more descript response ask john92 this kid knows it all!!

 

[|Matt|]

Thats the thing. I'm a big rider and I do ride in the open a lot.

I do like the size and weight of a 250 though, but I do like the power of a 450....

I dunno what to do.

 

[::RideSiK::]

20 - 30 hours
are you serious that is my point exactyl
you are doing rebuilds every 20-30 hours
that probably 10 good ride days at a track
OMG
20-30hrs is barely run in on a yzf
my 08 done probably 20 hours
so my point has been proven by Honda "owner manual"
obviously they dont last.
btw they are still the same engine as when they came out. they might have a few tweaks but stil have the same problems.
and they are alot harder to service
they have a dual oil system
one for gearbox and one for topend
verycomplicated and hard to change
thanks hope all this helps jackson but i think he has his mynd made up on the yamaha

errr your yz will say the same mate. 20-30 hours. READ THE MANUAL... actually even if you dont more maintainence is better than less.

and all bikes are run in the same, about a tank of fuel alternating throttle positions riding gently then hard just a varied mix of riding, then oil / filter changes

at 20 hours you shoudl check valve clearences and put rings in for good measure. its way cheaper to do that after 20 hours than rebuild.

if your not doing that id say your engine wont last 50 hours.

and what do you mean hard to service, you got 2 sump plugs instead of one. its not rocket science, takes about exactly 30 seconds more than one sump plug.

if like you say you are cleaning your air filter after every 200km im very suprised your bike has lasted to 20 hours. you should do after every ride (or before the next one so the oil dosent seep to the bottom of the filter leaving the top dry). no matter if it was 10min.

 

[::RideSiK::]

thanks for that smiish you have oviously read the thread
ktm are not the best in the field. we are talking 2008 250cc motorcross bikes.
The yzf 250 has won 9/10 shootouts and ktm is usulaly last or 2nd last
thanks

all the ones ive read online and in magazines say the KX is the go mate. i like yamyhas though thats all.

 

[john92]

errr your yz will say the same mate. 20-30 hours. READ THE MANUAL... actually even if you dont more maintainence is better than less.

and all bikes are run in the same, about a tank of fuel alternating throttle positions riding gently then hard just a varied mix of riding, then oil / filter changes

at 20 hours you shoudl check valve clearences and put rings in for good measure. its way cheaper to do that after 20 hours than rebuild.

if your not doing that id say your engine wont last 50 hours.

and what do you mean hard to service, you got 2 sump plugs instead of one. its not rocket science, takes about exactly 30 seconds more than one sump plug.

if like you say you are cleaning your air filter after every 200km im very suprised your bike has lasted to 20 hours. you should do after every ride (or before the next one so the oil dosent seep to the bottom of the filter leaving the top dry). no matter if it was 10min.

OK mate well done
im pretty dure i have done over 30 hours on my yzf and the mechanic at a well known motorbike dealer says there no wear. And how long do think a trail ride or an enduro is. Well over 200km and not many people stop and change the air filter. and if you use quality air filters and oil the oil doesnt seep obviosly your putting to much in.
Runnung a bike in is not something you shoould say near enough is good enough.
Yoiu have to ride half an hour under half throttle then let it cool down and ride for 5 min varied throttle position. repeat for 3-4 times
then ride 1 hr solid varied throttle but still open it up
then dont rev the @#$$ out of it or hold it at the same speed for the rest of the run in time which is 45 minutes. total of 2 1/2 hours
and what does "... actually even if you dont more maintainence is better than less." mean. Well done Ride sik ur one smart cookie

 

[john92]

wrongness

all the ones ive read online and in magazines say the KX is the go mate. i like yamyhas though thats all.

What magazines do you read because dirt action which is the best australian dirt bike magazine rated it the best a the kawi third. As Did ADB
so sorry mate your wrong

 

[liamo]

Runnung a bike in is not something you shoould say near enough is good enough.
Yoiu have to ride half an hour under half throttle then let it cool down and ride for 5 min varied throttle position. repeat for 3-4 times
then ride 1 hr solid varied throttle but still open it up
then dont rev the @#$$ out of it or hold it at the same speed for the rest of the run in time which is 45 minutes. total of 2 1/2 hours

Running motors in is a bit of a myth. It will not make any difference to the longevity of your motor. It will mean that any faults in the manufacturing/production of the bike will show themselves in a more gradual manner and hopefully not cause a catastrophic failure. e.g. if the motor was put together with a faulty bearing you're more likely to notice an odd noise/feel when you're pootling around at 20% throttle, stop to return it to the dealer. More likely than you would be while trying to set a lap record on your new beasty, not notice, keep on riding, blow the thing up big time. It really should be called a settling in period, not a break in period.

john92, I do believe you are missing out on all that is on offer if you simply rate bikes by their magazine test results or what sponno rider x rides. While those tests are a good indicator of what might suit you it still doesn't compare to taking a few different bikes for a quick test and making your own mind up. e.g. I had my heart set on getting a Honda a few years ago until I took one for a ride. Swapped to a mates Kwaka on the same ride and then ponied up for the green. It fitted me better and suited my riding style and as such was the best bike for me. It really didn't make any difference that it didn't win any magazine tests.

And finally, most importantly, it costs you nothing to keep your responses polite.

Cheers,

Liam

 

[evObda2]

Not sure if i missed the post as this topic has gone on forever?!!
(forgive me if this has already been asked to)

But why is the choice to go 250 4stroke over say a 250 2stroke?

Apart from being cheaper, simpler, less maintainance, less parts to maintain & rebuild, far less to go wrong!, easier quicker to rebuild and.. in my experiences arguably more reliable when maintained correctly like any bike. (ive seen some 4strokes go bang in a very big way and then need virtually new motors because of it worth thousands! and also being near new bikes!). Saying that i have mates that 4stroke bikes have gone great from new without a hitch.

Apart from the fact you will get better power from a 250 2stroke. And alot more fun. Ive ridden a few 250 4strokes and they just felt placid almost boring? Still a great bike, but just didnt do it for me like the 2stroke.

I have a current kx250 2stroke (with numerous different manufacturers over the yrs) and a mate bought a new kx450 (or whatever size they are) 4stroke and my 250 is much better to ride. Nowhere near as heavy (my god there heavy!) and kills the 4stroke around the track.
Not that the 450 isnt fast.. definitely has an unbelievable amount of grunt..
Only exception is once the 4stroke gets into the higher gears tends to have more legs. And tends to not be so reliant on correct gear changes. But by that time ive already gone and flying!

So dont waste your money and go buy a 250 2stroke!
(ill wait for the enslaught of 4stroke supporters now haha)