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calling all dirtbikers

hungryleprican

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2006
1,970
0
ndub
05 RMZ250-4400?
or
06 YZ125-3400?

im 5'8" 140 lbs...I don't race, pretty much just dunes, woods, tracks.

which one requires less maitenence (can't spell)?
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,941
13,134
Portland, OR
:stupid: CRF or YZF would be best.

A four stroke requires less work, so the RMZ would be a better bet for my $$$. I'm not a fan of that bike myself, but I would take it over a 2 stroke.
 

RJM

Monkey
May 18, 2005
258
0
on the rocks
I own yz250f...having said that my fav would be a 4stoke, in this order.

1.ktm250sxf
2. hondacrf250/yz250f/Kx250f
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
Two stroke more maintence? wtf.

Ever week I change oil and adjust valves on a 450.

My YZ250 gets nothing but gas and ONE piston a year,

Damn forks get rebuilt more then I touch the motor.

Yes I am a two-stroke hold out.
 

blt2ride

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2005
2,333
0
Chatsworth
does anyone have an opinion here that isnt bias?
Generally speaking, a 4-stroke should require less maintenance than a 2-stroke; however, when a 4 stroke does require that maintenance it will be a lot more difficult and expensive.

When it comes to 4-strokes, all of the power is usable and the acceleration is a lot smoother than a 2-stroke.

I have to be honest, the 2-stroke is really on its way out; Honda has officially announced that 2007 will be the last year they will even make 2-strokes. I would say that your best bet would be to go with the 4-stroke.
 

RhinofromWA

Brevity R Us
Aug 16, 2001
4,622
0
Lynnwood, WA
Old school 4 strokes are low maintenance. HOWEVER, modern racing 4 strokes require just as much maintenance as a 2 stroke, if not more.

You are comparing apples to oranges when you compare an old school Honda XR400 type engine with a CRF450X. The modern racing 450X will require maintenance and $$$ to keep it going. Unlike the old XR400 with is pretty bullit proof but slower and heavier.

2 strokes have some negatives.
1- polution (emission requirements in the future)
2- power delivery (some disslike the "hit", others thrive and know how to use it to their advantage)

4 strokes have some negatives.
1- noise (regarding High Performance (HP) racing bikes) their lower frequency exhaust note travels farther.
2- wieght. I don't care if they say they only weigh 15 pounds more....35lbs of it is higher than a 2 stroke. :D They feel much heavier.
3- maintenance cost. Repair bills are much pricier than a 2 stroke especially if either one grenades.
4- Initial cost. modern racign 4 strokes are flat out more expensive to buy new AND used.
5- Tempermental/starting issues. Buddy DNS'd a race yesterday because his bike wouldn't start. (RMZ450) It isn't the first time, it won't be the last. 2 strokes are simplistic beasts, if you have gas and a spark with some compression, they generally fire. :) 4 strokes, at least HP ones are tempermental
6- HP 4 strokes suffer from boiling over much faster than 2 strokes....I have seen in too many times to give you a number. Coolant is an issue if the going gets slow and nasty.

The biggest negative is that 2 strokes don't seem to be destine for this earth as motorcycles in the future. For now they are light, cheap, and fiendishly effective machines.

RhinofromWA
04 Suzuki RM 250
Pic of me and my bike :D :http://www.fastphotolab.com/store/watermark.php?i=38534
 

RhinofromWA

Brevity R Us
Aug 16, 2001
4,622
0
Lynnwood, WA
hungryleprican (wich by the way everytime I see your handle I read "hungry pelican" :D)

To answer your Q....depends.

1- condition of the bikes
2- your experience both on the bike and mechanically regarding motorcycles.
3- how much time you will spend in the dunes. Because if you spend a bunch of time in the dunes I would lean towards a larger 250F 4 stroke. But I have ridden dunes on a 125 and had a blast.

Heck when you get the bike let me know and I will invite you out to some trail rides with my club.

Rhino
Lynnwood, WA
 

DH Diva

Wonderwoman
Jun 12, 2002
1,808
1
Ever week I change oil and adjust valves on a 450.
You have to adjust your valves every week? I'm guessing you mean check your valves every week, because if you're acutally shimming them every week something is seriously wrong with your bike.

I've had to shim the valves once after break in on my 250x (and they were only moderately out of spec, .01 past the safe range) and never again. I check them at regular intervals and they haven't budged. I've had the bike well over a year now.

As far as how much mainentance each type of bike goes this is my opinion:

Old four strokes-very little, change oil occassionally and they live forever
New four strokes/two strokes-about the same just different schedules. New 4's need the valves checked and oil changed regularly, and occassionally need a valve adjustment. All my friends with 2 strokes seem to need to rebuild their head every season.

I really think it comes down to what type of bike best suits your riding style and where you're riding, and you just have to accept whatever maintenance comes with that type of bike.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,941
13,134
Portland, OR
In the woods near me, you will not have a good day on a 2 stroke (unless you are a VERY good rider). It's too tight and twisty to ever get into the power of a 2 stroke.

If you head out to Bend, then you have some area that you can open up on and go for miles. A 2 stroke can be a lot of fun. So depending on where you will ride it, that might have a lot to do with what will work.

For me, I'm big (240ish) and nothing feels as good as a 400cc thumper. I had a Huseburg FC400 and loved it. I will be getting either a WR400F or WR426F as my next bike in a month or two.

I don't care for the dunes all that much, but that's just me.
 

DH Diva

Wonderwoman
Jun 12, 2002
1,808
1
In the woods near me, you will not have a good day on a 2 stroke (unless you are a VERY good rider). It's too tight and twisty to ever get into the power of a 2 stroke.

If you head out to Bend, then you have some area that you can open up on and go for miles. A 2 stroke can be a lot of fun. So depending on where you will ride it, that might have a lot to do with what will work.
Where do you ride other than Bend? I'm in Oregon as well.
 

4xBoy

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2006
7,014
2,847
Minneapolis
You have to adjust your valves every week? I'm guessing you mean check your valves every week, because if you're acutally shimming them every week something is seriously wrong with your bike.
No adjust, not my bike but a very fast friend of mine, the kind that humbles you everytime you ride with him.

Personnally I ride only tight woods and a two stroke is so superior in that condition that I wouldn't even consider a 4-stroke. I also ride trials and will have a two-stroke for that also.

If I got back into supermoto or serious about motocross I would go the four stroke route the displacement advantage is just unbeatable.
 

DH Diva

Wonderwoman
Jun 12, 2002
1,808
1
No adjust
Yikes! Sounds like that bike is on the fast track to a whole valve job!

I am a 4 stroke girl. Don't know why, I've test ridden 2 stroke woods bikes and just don't like they way they feel or ride. I like the power and the low end torque of a well tuned 4 stroke. I feel like the 4 stroke works well in a wider variety of terrain, which for me is ideal because I ride everything on one bike. I also don't have a problem with the weight of a 4, if I dump my bike I can't pick it up in just about any terrain, all by my lonesome. And I started out on old beater bikes that weighed a ton, so 225 pounds feels like a feather to me!

Oh and as far as the humbling thing, I pretty much only ride with a group of guys that all are on WR450's. Talk about humbling! I always have to be pinned if I want any chance of keeping up with them! But it's actually a good thing because I'm a much better rider because of it.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,941
13,134
Portland, OR
Where do you ride other than Bend? I'm in Oregon as well.
I live about 20 minutes (from my house to the trail head) from Browns Camp, so I ride there the most. About 3 times a year (1 Spring/ 1 Summer/ 1 Fall on average) we head out to Bend and go ride. I have friends who go out to Florence and Sand Lake a lot, but I just can't get into the dune stuff. I would rather romp in the woods on some tech stuff.

I am looking for some property in Southern Oregon and would love to get a place near Crater Lake to go ride as well. Sort of the best of both worlds.

I want to get another bike for cross training during the off season. When it's not too frozen, Browns Camp is a blast in the cold.
 

hungryleprican

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2006
1,970
0
ndub
hungryleprican (wich by the way everytime I see your handle I read "hungry pelican" :D)

To answer your Q....depends.

1- condition of the bikes
2- your experience both on the bike and mechanically regarding motorcycles.
3- how much time you will spend in the dunes. Because if you spend a bunch of time in the dunes I would lean towards a larger 250F 4 stroke. But I have ridden dunes on a 125 and had a blast.

Heck when you get the bike let me know and I will invite you out to some trail rides with my club.

Rhino
Lynnwood, WA
awsome, I should be getting the bike within the next 2 weeks and I got a couple buddys (or buddies?) who ride 1 with an sx 85 and another with a kx250f and were always looking for places to ride, theres a couple we know in liberty (small mining town) and a track in fall city and some other places but back to the subject

1)the 05 rmz250 was a demo bike and has like no riding on it
the 06 yz125 is BRAND NEW
2)experience, never ridden a 125 but I have ridden an 85 (i assume they are similar) and I've ridden a kawasaki 250f and absolutly loved the feel and the power it had.
mechanicly regarding both bikes: I know jack but I am learning about engines and I and not stupid so I could just read the manual if any problems comes up that are in my range of knowledge.
3) I probly go once or twice to the dunes a year.. so just a summer trip or two but thats about it- mainly track and trails
 

RhinofromWA

Brevity R Us
Aug 16, 2001
4,622
0
Lynnwood, WA
The weekend following Thanksgiving we(my club and I www.stumpjumpers.org) are going up to Reiter Trails. I don't know were we will be in Dec. If you are intown we go ride at a private track New Years day :D Just need to be invited....better if you show up at another club event before just poping in at the track in Marysville.....just we get a lot of gate crashers. Better if they recognize you.

Rhino
 

hungryleprican

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2006
1,970
0
ndub
The weekend following Thanksgiving we(my club and I www.stumpjumpers.org) are going up to Reiter Trails. I don't know were we will be in Dec. If you are intown we go ride at a private track New Years day :D Just need to be invited....better if you show up at another club event before just poping in at the track in Marysville.....just we get a lot of gate crashers. Better if they recognize you.

Rhino
alright sounds good, I bet we could make it out to the Reiter Trails.. I don't know where they are but if you are inviting us, could you pm me some directions?
thanks

my names harry by the way