HUK- New bike on the horizon

[zeRax]

So even thou my DR650/KDX200 combo is fucking rocking my world, i want to go down to one bike, Again..

I love the dr650 with pumper carb, and it could be just be the one bike easily, except i would still need to sort out suspension, and as much as i love rocking it up trail riding on the thing its a bit too heavy picking it up.


So im selling up, bits and all, both bikes.

Been raping my mind, reading as much as i can about certain bikes

namely these bikes....

Husky TE510
KTM EXC 525
Yammy WR250R 09 onwards

even thought about going back to a DRZ400 but ive been there, done that, lack of 6th always bugged me


Love the idea of TE510 or EXC525 and ive been reading about adding an oil cooler for extra capacity to the 525 for longer distance stuff,

also as i understand it the valves will stretch and stretch untill the valve faces get so thin , then you replace them with some really awesome ones that will last and last

te510 i thought much the same, small oil capacity and maintenance.

wr250r good maint, fuel injected, great things like super stator output, great economy,
i would think after seting up suspension and bigger tank, to go for 290 kit and full arrow exhaust, and of course all the removing of things..

my only fear is head winds, my xr250l struggled in head winds, and was heavy for what it was, it also has no after market too thou, so yeh, different animal.

toss up between EXC525 and WR250R, as much as id like to be orange, probably wiser to have the more road reliable one, yea ?

please give me your thoughts guys!

[marks]

there is a simple answer for this one - and you should know it by now

one bike will not do it all WELL

it will either be mediocre at everything (and probably boring ) or good at one end of the spectrum and crap at the other.

ANYTHING that is comfortable for longer road rides will be shit at PROPER trail riding and visa versa.

two or more bikes is the only solution

[CrazyFrog]

EXC, EXC, EXC, EXC, EXC!
IMHO, Speaking from experience of course. Get a larger tank, and do some work on the seat. You'll love everything else.
You'll get over the oil change frequency, it only holds 1.2 litres, so they ain't that bad. Doing gravel road km's, expect to do oil every 15 hours, approx 1000km. Used for enduro riding/racing you'll change it more often. Expect to pay $7-8K for lowish hours EXC 525 05-07 model, $6-7K for 450 EXC.

I rode a WR250R last summer, great revving little bike, massive service intervals, economical and handled superbly, but it ran out of puff at 125 kmph, long highways could stretch it a bit. I wouldn't be comfortable having one as a full time only bike, there's no replacement for cc's. Mainly 'cos I'm a hefty buggar.

DRZ/KLX - you've been there, and know what they're about. Good bulletproof compromise tho.

How about one of them lovely Husaberg FE570's ....or the 450? Real purdy ain't they??

[Crisis management]

Talk to Anthrax about the 525 EXC, I had a brief ride on his last weekend with the motard wheels on gravel, dirt and seal and it was a lot of fun, good power, light weight and precise handling, more fun than the 640 Adv! The seat got old in about 10kms and he does trailer it to events.......

[cooneyr]

Back the hell off K! All the low hours 450/525 EXC's out there have my name on them till I say otherwise. I'm selling my 950 for a 450/525 (dont really care which) at this point. Just got to sell the 950 first so I'm told. If you have too this is the one I'd be looking hard at if I had the cash.

I'd not get that fussed about the HT oil cooler (about $600). Would be a good idea to change the oil like Froggy says anyway. I'd save me money, get kibblewhite valves when necessary (need significant adjustment each check), appropriate springs (well your just a little tyke so prob dont need) and a 6.6 gal mother of a Aceribis tank for adv rides (factory tank for trail rides).

Just need to take a HTFU pill to get past the 4x2 pain.

Cheers R

[zeRax]

yes, that 525 is on the watchlist

i need to sell the dr650 and bits and the kdx200,

but i can always sell them after.... :P tempted to pull the pin, just want to make sure i make the right decision,

thing is i hardly ride really, unless its a lil trail ride, or with you lot from here,
so the exc is kinda perfect

but i also like the idea of doing the long haul or commuting, where the wr250r would be quite radical i think.... ( in the sense that it can do it )

im really curious as to how the wr250r would do in a head wind on highway thou.


i thought i was close to being sorted on my decision, now u guys make me want the 525 more :P

[pipe]

+1 for the WR250R compared to the DRZ400 I had it is better off road and on road you do need to add a few bits to get the best out of them (lower gearing, EFI programmer,pipe ,speedo corrector, rim locks etc) there is also a lot of junk that can be stripped off to drop the weight.
Check this link for mods and ride reports
http://rickramsey.net/WR250R.htm

Cheers

[dino3310]

Had a short squizz on a 525

know i want one.

the one on here with the big tank etc http://www.giantloopmoto.com/pages/moto-photos

[MXNUT]

there is a simple answer for this....one bike will not do it all WELL

two or more bikes is the only solution

Have to agree wth that one.

Whatever you buy will always be a compromise one way or another.

Like someone else said, talk to Anthrax about the 525exc as he has just sold his because it was no good for long distance rides ( bought a 640 Adventure ).

[Waihou Thumper]

Have to agree wth that one.

Whatever you buy will always be a compromise one way or another.

Like someone else said, talk to Anthrax about the 525exc as he has just sold his because it was no good for long distance rides ( bought a 640 Adventure ).

We are all going Orange, over to the Dark Side...
My 625sxc was ridden for the first time today - in the pouring rain I might add.
It is light, unbeliveably quick and suprisingly comfortable with the Enduro comfort seat.
With the extra 10 litres on the back - fuel pillow it should give a nice range...400Km or so..I will have to try it out..

[dino3310]

Have to agree wth that one.

Whatever you buy will always be a compromise one way or another.

Like someone else said, talk to Anthrax about the 525exc as he has just sold his because it was no good for long distance rides ( bought a 640 Adventure ).

i thought he was still keeping that for trailing and short distance rides, both would be awesome

[Padmei]

Please please get a Hoosaberg... I need to ride one

[zeRax]

i know its all a compromise :P i think a wr250r would be the better small road/offroad mix of the bunch, , with athena 290 kit and zorst maybe 31bhp at wheel or so , may be ok in head winds

hmmm , expensive tho~ surely be able to lighten it up more than most people have done so far on forums ~_~, few ideas

[zeRax]

Please please get a Hoosaberg... I need to ride one

stuff all around at the moment :P not going to buy brand new ;P! , you buy one ;D and then we can both ride it ~

[dino3310]

what about the 400 range XR,DRz, Ktm