Entry back into trails

[dnalder]

Hi All,
Just found and joined this forum - great to see!

Quick question - I'm keen to get a bike for beach/forest/trails/mud. Haven't riden since I was a teenager (almost 20 years ago) but keen to get back into it. Have always thought a 4 stroke 250's would be a good 're-entry' bike (eg XR250)

I have been offered a 1991 DR350 at a good price. Thoughts?

Also, what events are around for novices to ride without shaming themself too much :-)

Cheers

[Skunk]

Won't go too wrong. Depends though... were you an upcoming Josh Coppins back then? :wari:

[Motu]

I'm in a similar position,I haven't really ridden off road for nearly 10 yrs,but have got back into trials for the last 3,and have had adventure bikes for 5 yrs and ridden in a few.But I want to get a lighter bike and get into mud,hill climbs and a bit of fast going without having to pick up or push a heavy bike.

The XR250 is the benchmark,but they hold their prices for just that reason,dungers fetching good prices.I always thought the Drs and TTs were just a bit heavier and cumbersome compared to the XR,I'd say go for a ride on it and see what you think,if it's a real good price it'd be hard to pass up.There are a hell of a lot of KDX200s for sale out there,made for years and not much you can fault with them,a nice light easy to ride bike that you won't grow out of.

Get the latest Kiwi Rider,it's full of trail and adventure rides happening all over the country.

[FROSTY]

funny ya should mention that --Theres some interesting "new" motorcycles coming up for sale soon
Like the latest GN250 it seems suzuki has allowed their traillies to be "remade" by other unnamed manufacturers.
Im pretty certain that VERY soon theres gonna be some brand new bikes for sale at around the 2500 mark--and thats with warrantees etc.

[Motu]

Same as the Honda clones? they have crap suspn and brakes,good for kids or a cheap trail bike,but not much good if you want handling and to be able to iron out a few ruts.

[scumdog]

Are they still making XL 350's? :spudwhat:

[XTC]

My pick for the do every thing cheap reliable lightweight trailie KDX200 :wari: Brand new for $6500 can't go wrong really.

[F5 Dave]

Good condition 2 stroke (Loved my old KDX, easy to ride, um isn't that supposed to be 8500 new? 2nd hand 2-3 k should get a goody) is the go esp if you are not a big guy. Four strokes of the older style are heavier & a pig to start when hot & laid over. If you are a big guy then no drama.

Check on silverbullet website for rides.

[XTC]

Good condition 2 stroke (Loved my old KDX, easy to ride, um isn't that supposed to be 8500 new? 2nd hand 2-3 k should get a goody) is the go esp if you are not a big guy. Four strokes of the older style are heavier & a pig to start when hot & laid over. If you are a big guy then no drama.

Check on silverbullet website for rides.
Brand spankers KDX200 $6995 but then cash talks..... 05 the same as 96 but with BNG.

[F5 Dave]

That's cheaper than I bought my second hand GasGas!
Still I wouldn't trade it.

[merv]

Are they still making XL 350's? :spudwhat:
Not that I'm aware of. Even the XRs are finished now. Overtaken by the fancy CRFs. However the new motors are nowhere near bulletproof like the old ones were.

[Jimmy]

I returned to 2 wheels after a 25 year gap - last bike was a Suzuki GT 750 waterbus, but with a hankering to get back off road (& a safer option for a family man??!!) bought a TTR600 enduro. Haven't looked back and ride as many charity rides and adventure rides as possible - bike has enough power, torque and versatility to do most things. Just a bitch when stuck in a deep rutted bog out the back of nowhere! But next bike will be a bit lighter, such as a WRF450 so long as it stacks up for reliability.

Get some practice in before doing an 'event'. Here in Wellington we use the Akatarawa forest (entry at Waterfall Road, McKays Crossing or Karapoti Road, Upper Hutt), Long Gully (up by the wind turbine at Brooklyn - talk to Chris Watson [farmer] first), Terewhiti Station, and the South Coast.

Silver Bullet,the HMCC (Horowhenua Motorcycle Club), and Gary Worsley Motorcycle web sites give you all the local ride information you'll ever need. We are truly blessed!!

Cheers

[sels1]

Hi All,
Just found and joined this forum - great to see!

Quick question - I'm keen to get a bike for beach/forest/trails/mud. Haven't riden since I was a teenager (almost 20 years ago) but keen to get back into it. Have always thought a 4 stroke 250's would be a good 're-entry' bike (eg XR250)

I have been offered a 1991 DR350 at a good price. Thoughts?

Also, what events are around for novices to ride without shaming themself too much :-)

Cheers
Welcome aboard the site.
Not much wrong with a DR350 - a bit heavier than a 250 of course but depends on what you want. If its a good price, go for it - its a good re-entry type bike. Dosnt pay to spend too much on a "first" bike. Once you have got into the swing of things again you can upgrade to another bike when you work out what sort of riding you prefer. Like you I got back into bikes a year ago after a 20something year absence and started off with an Yam XT400 which was great as it was street legal also. So I did quite a bit of trail riding in the first few months but then started using more and more on the road and now have upgraded to an F650 (BMW) for more longer distance and adventure type riding - but its not what I would have gone for first up.

[Dutchee]

The thing about a first bike is it also opens up doors. A lot of folk will let you try out their bike, but won't be keen if they're left with nothing to ride & a total stranger on their bike. There are so many bikes out there, most of them are "which is your favourite colour", did you want 2 stroke or 4 stroke. Most 4's also have that wonderful button, which is great when stuck in a bog or struggling to reach the ground somewhere.

The one thing about my drz250 (apart from weight) is the fact you have to hold the clutch in to start her - not usually a problem, but try being on a hill having just picked her up, with the back wheel balanced precariously at the edge of a big rut (the reason I'd dumped her in the first place - I was meant to cross it, not get stuck in it - doh) not really able to touch the ground properly. No way in hell would I have been able to kick her into life & the clutch thing almost caused me to dump her again. That is something that can be shortcutted, but the button is, to me, something I won't be without on a 4.

It does depend on what sort of riding you want to do - there's a strong trials group down Wellington ;)

[dnalder]

Thanks all for the responses re first bikes and trail rides. I have been looking through the kiwi rider and bike marts for the past few months to get a sense of what I can get for my money. There is such a range out there and as a bit of a newby its not always easy to tell how a DR compares to a DRZ, TTR, WR, XR, CFR etc (let alone any of the 2 stroke screamers!).

I'm thinking that a 4 stroke 250 at a reasonable price will be the best compromise between affordability, reliability and ease of handling. How much heaver/harder to handle would the DR350 be?

Do I need a road registered bike to take part in organised adventure rides, or do most of these take part on private property?

Cheers

[Katman]

My mate has a great condition '94 TT350 I'm selling on his behalf. Would "suit you sir". The guy with the DRZ250, just disconnect the wire coming from the clutch lever perch - problem solved!