Pick my new bike for me (because I can't figure it out)

[SpikedPunch]

So the RM100 is gonna be a gonner soon all things going well. Hopefully it finds a new home with someone who will love it and care for it...I'll miss you, tank girl

...As such, it's new bike time! I can't figure out what I want. As far as the RM went,

Pros:
Low
Light - really, really light. This is a big pro!!
Fun
Easy to throw around

Cons:
Wonky kickstart
mystery ailments - stuff we always managed to figure out, but it really was a bit of a drama queen. Kind of like me when my bike starts playing up!!
Bollocks at hills (compared to a big bike) - I'd always make it up in the end but it was sometimes kind of an ordeal. I climbed hills on it far better than I ever did on my DR-Z though (possibly due to learning what the clutch was). The boys I ride with have bikes with tractor factor, I hate being the one to make everyone else wait!
More effort to ride compared to a bigger bike (those big wheels do make a difference...bugger).

I'm leaning towards the idea of a 125 2t because it's cheaper and lighter than some of my other options, the concern being it'll just be a big version of what I already had - bit crap at hills and high strung. I have this crazy idea that if I put a FWW on it I might be ok - am I dreaming? Will a 125 really be that much gruntier than the 100/tuff enuff to do alright at trail rides and maybe some XCs for fun? I'm not very heavy if that helps - in the 50's (and I'm not getting any more specific than that!).
Really what I fancy is a 200exc, but it's out of my budget at the moment. I don't know whether to save up, be bikeless for a little while, and be able to get an ok condition 2nd hand ktm now, or get a better nick 125 to ride for the next couple years at which point I will hopefully be earning more $ and can have my fancy old man euro bike - and maybe I will decide the 125 is my dream bike in the meantime! Thoughts?
Thanks.

[krad_nz]

You should get a DRZ-125.... oh wait. *zing*

[SpikedPunch]

You should get a DRZ-125.... oh wait. *zing*

Naughty!! No wife bikes allowed, that's the one condition

[vazza]

KTM 125 EXC. Cant go wrong. Hard to get one thou I think.. It would be far easier to ride than a 125 2T. Far more predictable/useable power. Ideal for the sort of riding you do

EDIT: or a 200EXC???

[L Rider]

Have you ridden different bikes to see what you do like to ride without considering the price.
Personally if its 200 exc you want then i'd work towards achieving this rather than 'settling' for a 125 mxer and it not doing what you want.

How long do you think you'd have to be bikeless for before you can get a 200 exc? Or could you hang onto the RM for longer whilst you save or is this totally out of the question?

[Crisis management]

Don't know what your budget is, but as money is tight (it always is) then buy the newest bike you can in the 125 / 200 class. What you need is something reliable more than a specific make so you can ride more rather than spend time fixing it.
I would plug your price range and 125/200cc size into Trade me and see what comes up...thats the bikes you can chose from.

[noobi]

I know where theres a trail ridden 07 125 enduro bike for sale

[Ktmboy]

I'd have a ride on a 125 or a 125exc. I don't know what your budget is but I know of a 09 125exc that you could get for about 7k.
An earlier 200 exc could be the go. Say an 05 model.

Have a ride on Logans 125 next. A YZ125 would be a good option with a fly wheel.
(chopping down the seat etc for the vertically challenged)

[SpikedPunch]

Have you ridden different bikes to see what you do like to ride without considering the price.
Personally if its 200 exc you want then i'd work towards achieving this rather than 'settling' for a 125 mxer and it not doing what you want.

How long do you think you'd have to be bikeless for before you can get a 200 exc? Or could you hang onto the RM for longer whilst you save or is this totally out of the question?

After it's last little 'incident' at tussock buster, well, me and the RM have called it quits and I won't be going back The trust is gone there!
How long I'm bikeless depends on how long the RM takes to sell. I guess I'm just worried I'll end up with another pain in the arse bike. Makes me feel a bit sick really. All that money on something that causes constant frustration. I hope it's a long, loooong time before I'm towed out of a ride again.

[Rupe]

The only way is to ride them. What I like, might be what the next man/woman hates.

An MX 125cc needs to be ridden fairly aggresivly. It will teach/force you to ride it hard, use the clutch alot and carry good corner speed. In the right hands they are weapons in the tight stuff, but you have to take control of the bike.

An enduro/trails bike 125cc/200cc is easier all round and probably a better move if you found the rm100 too peaky.

but yeah try to get as many goes, on as many different bikes as you can in the meantime

[clmintie]

Height wise, there's not much to choose from, either '85' size or full size. Grace is finding out just how big the jump is, but is adapting by learning to plan ahead more, stopping where she can get a foot down, setting up a box at the trailer to stop at etc.... The riding is good, just the stopping requires thought.....She had her first Sandpit ride on the 125 last week and loved it, only had a couple awkward moments needing help............

[SpikedPunch]

I'd have a ride on a 125 or a 125exc. I don't know what your budget is but I know of a 09 125exc that you could get for about 7k.
An earlier 200 exc could be the go. Say an 05 model.

Have a ride on Logans 125 next. A YZ125 would be a good option with a fly wheel.
(chopping down the seat etc for the vertically challenged)

Cool, YZ is top of my list for a 125, everywhere I read seems to reckon they're the best 125 mxer for trail, but yes what I really need is to ride one, and other bikes too! Whenever Krad goes out riding next, I'm hitching a ride and commandeering the bike of every KBer I see
7k is out of my budget Right now the new bike fund is sitting at just over 3gs and hopefully closer to 5 when I sell the RM, just don't know how quickly I can sell it at the moment.
Maybe the wise thing to do is just save for a while

[SpikedPunch]

Height wise, there's not much to choose from, either '85' size or full size. Grace is finding out just how big the jump is, but is adapting by learning to plan ahead more, stopping where she can get a foot down, setting up a box at the trailer to stop at etc.... The riding is good, just the stopping requires thought.....She had her first Sandpit ride on the 125 last week and loved it, only had a couple awkward moments needing help............

Haha, love that pic, I know that pose well, it's like me on Krad's 200 ! I had a sit on Midget's lowered 200 at tussock buster and it felt great, so I'm sold on the idea of a big bike now

[Meatbomb]

1983 XL250R you know it!!!! bent and all

[laserracer]

Hows about something like this Listing #: 283071957 trademe ....or go with the 200 ktm...