Best trail bike for a newbee?

[FROSTY]

My lads now have themselves sorted out with trail bikes. peewee80's Great but now dad has a hankering to hit the trails with them.
My budget is well er not a lot
Advice is really apreciated

[merv]

How tall are you and do you want road legal or not and how hard out do you want to go?

You usually can't beat the ol' XR250 if you can get one for a good price.

[cowpoos]

xr's are okay...I'ld suggest a kdx200/220 yes its a 2 stroke...and a very very broad power abnd though...can be picked up dirt cheap [excuse the pun]...and are cheap as chips to run and maintain...and they just keep going and going and dam going!!

[FROSTY]

I'm 1.75 and I dont need any road legalness at all.
Hard out probably not a good idea -but i do wanna be able to break the back endloose

[Ktmboy]

Yep, the KDX200, can't beat them for getting back into the sport as well as being semi (depends on the body) competitive without modification. Also probably the cheapest and easiest dirt bike to run and maintain.

[merv]

OK if you don't need road legal and you're not such a short arse as me you could buy just about anything in your price range (that not a lot budget).

You'd be able to break the rear loose on even 100cc so that's not an issue, but at your height you are going to want at least a 250 4 stroke and 2 strokes like the KDX would be OK because they are a reasonable size.

The XT250 like Mrs merv has and later model XR200 would be too small for you I reckon with their low seat heights so you'll need something bigger than them.

XR250R or DR350 are a good size and I'll always bleat on about the Hondas to keep Poos happy and say they are just built that tad more rugged than the Suzukis, though Aslan is thoroughly enjoying his 1999 DR350. The 4 strokes I reckon would be the better bike for tootling along with the kids and are still good for a squirt.

[dino3310]

even a late eighties XR200,they're pretty cheap, should be able to keep up with the PW's

[cowpoos]

and I'll always bleat on about the Hondas to keep Poos happy and say they are just built that tad more rugged than the Suzukis, .

meh!!! not alway's merv :) I too will never ever ever say a good thing about DRZ250's they should have the suzuki stickers taken off and labled shineray or chinacrap

[B0000M]

meh!!! not alway's merv :) I too will never ever ever say a good thing about DRZ250's they should have the suzuki stickers taken off and labled shineray or chinacrap


from the experience ive had with suzuki's of mates tho, it sounds like shineray or chinacrap are more reliable...

(thatl open some cans of worms)

[ArcherWC]

The KDX would be the way to go Tony, give me a yell if you need a hand with anything

[scott411]

KDX200 is the go, light, easy to ride, try to get one with the std pipe as well, leave that on for the first couple of months then put the pro circuit/FMF one on,
any model after 95 is the go, even early E model bikes still go good

[FlangMasterJ]

For the beginner I suggest the ATK 700 Intimidator. It's light, easy to handle and has a powerband ideally suited to the younger or less experienced rider.

[Transalper]

I'm 1m 76cm tall, 60kg and was happy with XR200 size, although felt a little under powered.
Now riding a stock standard CRF230 (except for bashplate/handle bar risers sort of mods) and very happy with it. Same height as XR200, similar power to XR250. Very easy to break the back loose.

[T-Thunder13]

im 6'3 and have an xr250
and i love it. go the honda mate.:2guns:

[Wellyman]

I had a CRF230. it was a good beginners bike, and never missed a beat and dirt cheap to run.
WM

[cowpoos]

from the experience ive had with suzuki's of mates tho, it sounds like shineray or chinacrap are more reliable...

(thatl open some cans of worms)
typical honda rider!!!! piffft!!! thats because suspension is set up firmer to handle the higher levels of speed the suzuki's and kawasakis achieve ;)



lol...ya shit stirrer!!

[James Deuce]

Gas Gas Pampera. It weighs 90kg, is a 250 2 stroke with a really broad spread of power and nothing breaks when you fall over.

[merv]

Hey poos and BOOOOM even I never complained about reliability of the Suzukis we've had in the sense of the main engine parts but its all the bloody niggly little cheap shit that's wrong like that latest thing we had with the DR650 leaking oil.

I rode my 250 hard and the engine never broke but it was a bitch to ride smooth, lacked good power characteristics so wouldn't hold traction on slippery slopes and the design flaws irritated me when servicing it because things were just thrown on it like a parts bin special as I say with no obvious design thought going into it. All the naysayers can jump in but yes my friends Hondas just aren't like that.

We must be superstitious about green or something because we've never owned a Kawasaki in our wider whanau so can't comment on KDX's other than to say when I raced enduros in the 80's it was still generally XR Hondas that did most of the winning. Nowadays for sure the ol' XR's are getting long in the tooth and its probably hard to find a good one and I don't think Frosty means he's going to blow $9,000 buying a new L version like I did.

[green machine]

I was in the same boat i while ago and got talked into an old dr350........and it was heavy and hard work in the bush....rode it twice then traded it on a KDX200 and have never looked back,plenty of boogie and heaps lighter which is a bonus when you have to pick your bike up as often as i do

[FROSTY]

Checked the olbank balance--Hmm maybee aN xl125 is in my budget

[jafar]

Checked the olbank balance--Hmm maybee aN xl125 is in my budget

Honda bros :drool:

[riffer]

What about one of these:

Yamaha XT250 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Dirt-bikes/auction-116227187.htm)
Honda XR250R (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Dirt-bikes/auction-115787249.htm)
Suzuki RMX250 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Dirt-bikes/auction-116229682.htm)

All of these are going cheap, need a bit of work (which I'm sure you can do) and are Auckland based.

[1-james-1]

Hey, I got a crf230 as just getting started. I love riding it, super easy to ride, smooth power, enough low end pull, so far really reliable and cheap as to run.
Would def recommend :niceone:

[FROSTY]

I decided that Im best with a plodder.My own lack of self control is my own worst enemy.
Looking at an old farm bike -200cc or so
That way I can follow the boys around with no worries

[Pierce]

I'm 1m 76cm tall, 60kg and was happy with XR200 size, although felt a little under powered.
Now riding a stock standard CRF230 (except for bashplate/handle bar risers sort of mods) and very happy with it. Same height as XR200, similar power to XR250. Very easy to break the back loose.


He did say that he was on a bit of a tight budget and a CRF230 would be about $4-5k.

If you do want to go that way I've got a CRF230f in brand new condition for $5000:woohoo: PM me if you have that much to spend because you wouldn't find a better bike unless you bought new:woohoo:

If you want to keep it under the $2k mark id say go the XR200/250 as they're reliable as anything.

[Buddy L]

here you go frosty
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Dirt-bikes/auction-116218235.htm?p=1

he wants 2 grand ono
but you can point out the fact thats its missing the plastics on the right hand side and the tyre is realy shot he might drop the price down.
and its only a 1998, so kinda new

[quallman1234]

NXR125... Who cares... Wont loose any money when you feel like selling it.

[Buddy L]

Well spoke to the man himself on thursday night, and he has got a bike (rough and tough trail ready)
A real deal if you ask me, should keep him and the kids happy.
But i will let him tell you all about, with pic's i hope.

[FROSTY]

Ok folks sorry to restart this one.
I hit the trails and loved it.The bike I bought is pretty rough n ready but it did prove the point that this is great fun.
So Im thinking if I sell it off I can afford a $2000 bike
If anyone has a spare bike for sale I'd like to hear from ya ---clearly i dont care about the cosmetics as long as its straight n has a solid motor

[cheese]

Hmm I may know of a KX for that price. I'll email teh guy on monday for you. I think its a 96 or a 98.

[rijekaz]

Another vote for the KDX 200 you can't beat these for value can be picked up for the 2-3k mark, best bang for buck trail bike out there IMHO.:niceone:

[dammad1]

Another vote for the KDX 200 you can't beat these for value can be picked up for the 2-3k mark, best bang for buck trail bike out there IMHO.:niceone:

I second that!

[FROSTY]

Sounds fantastic guys thanks

[NZsarge]

Yamaha DT 230.:done:

[Rupe]

So Im thinking if I sell it off I can afford a $2000 bike


My mate brought a 95 kdx200 about three weeks ago, he paid $2250 and he doesn't need to spend any more on it. It's a really good bike for the money, and runs mint. So just have a good look around.

[FROSTY]

Decision made Bike bought --thanks guys ---for better or worse a kawasaki it is,

[NordieBoy]

kdx200?

:D

[FROSTY]

its some sort of kdx an oldie but straight and disk brake front

[rijekaz]

Got any pics of the beast?

[NordieBoy]

:D

All KDX's are oldies, even new ones.