Advice needed, 300 EXC or 450 EXC?

**BoristheBiter** · 15th August 2011, 21:07

Originally Posted by Jay GTI

Having thought about it, I'm probably being a little unfair to the 250, but my riding buddy and I sat at the entrance of the Superbowl and discussed this very thing last time he was there. He was blown away by how easily I could accelerate up the steep sections, even from low revs and low speed. He was moaning that if he wasn't hitting the bottom of the climb right, it was a lot of effort to get up to the top, where I could just wind on the power and fly up, even if I completely screwed it up at the bottom first.

If he did hit it right, he was getting up absolutely no problem, just he didn't have the luxury of being able to just use more throttle to make up for being in a gear too high or not having the initial momentum to carry him up.

After reading that yes i think you are. What you have said makes a lot more sense now.
Having to change gear does not make a bike crap.

**Jay GTI** · 16th August 2011, 07:55

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

Having to change gear does not make a bike crap.

Exactly, it's not a crap bike at all, it just needs to be kept on top of to make decent progress when things get challenging. Should also point out that having that extra torque isn't always a good thing, I've picked up some pretty bad habits from riding bikes with way more power than I've known what to do with, I definitely regret not having done my riding apprenticeship on a 125 2T...

**Crisis management** · 16th August 2011, 08:47

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

Having to change gear does not make a bike crap.

To echo Jay's comments, I have nothing against a 250 4 stroke, it just is not what I want at this stage of my riding "career", I'm getting lazy and don't want to have to throw 100% at the bike to punt it around the woods, lazy torque sounds good to me!
If nothing else this type of discussion illustrates the varied needs / desires of different riders and the solutions offered by the different types of bikes, it's a matter of interpreting the comments and seeing how well they fit with your riding style.

**BoristheBiter** · 16th August 2011, 09:11

Originally Posted by Crisis management

To echo Jay's comments, I have nothing against a 250 4 stroke, it just is not what I want at this stage of my riding "career", I'm getting lazy and don't want to have to throw 100% at the bike to punt it around the woods, lazy torque sounds good to me!
If nothing else this type of discussion illustrates the varied needs / desires of different riders and the solutions offered by the different types of bikes, it's a matter of interpreting the comments and seeing how well they fit with your riding style.

That is what i am trying to say.
On my XR250 i don't need to throw it around. I can sit down and have a nice easy putter around Woodhill whether that be the nice flat yellow trails, the tight blues or the OMFG steep/deep sand reds, Or i can go flat out.
If you need to do this on the 250EXC-F then it looks like it will be the 350 for me.

I was just meaning it seems strange that a 11 year old bike is easier to ride than a new one but then as i have only ridden XR's off road i don't know what other are like to ride.

I just wish that all these demo days where on a Sunday as I work most Saturdays so i can see what it is like on other bikes.

**Jay GTI** · 16th August 2011, 09:36

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

I was just meaning it seems strange that a 11 year old bike is easier to ride than a new one but then as i have only ridden XR's off road i don't know what other are like to ride.

You have to remember that the XR makes somewhere in the region of 25-27hp, whereas the EXC-F is probably making another 10hp more. To get that extra power from the same engine capacity, you need revs, usually at the cost of low-down power, due to the aggressive cams, DOHC head etc. Which is why it needs to be kept on the boil much more than the XR. An XR won't have a hope in hades of keeping up with a well ridden EXC-F, but will potter about all day with much less affort.

**BoristheBiter** · 16th August 2011, 09:47

Originally Posted by Jay GTI

, but will potter about all day with much less affort.

Thats me.

Just look at my 2-man times.

**Stylo** · 16th August 2011, 19:56

Originally Posted by BoristheBiter

Thats me.

Just look at my 2-man times.

Yaaawn ......

**browny** · 16th August 2011, 21:10

go the 450,plenty of power when you need it and when you don't,just ease back on the throttle, its as easy as that.the ning nings need to be ridden harder or have a good supply of spark plugs if you do decide to putt around.they are a bit heavier but you hardly notice it when you're boosting past 300's

,just don't get it bogged cos then you notice it.

**Crabby** · 17th August 2011, 13:30

A lot of people discount the newer 4 stroke 250's... I did until I had a ride last weekend. After owning 2 strokes most of my life ranging from 80cc - 465cc I did not think a 4 stroke 250 would satisfy my needs until I had a ride of a mates '09 CRF250X last weekend. What I can say is there is a fairly broad torque spread and it definitely gets along better than the KDX's I have owned and is way less effort to ride than a 2 stroke 250 or 4 stroke 450! I am extremely unfit and overweight at the moment (bout 20kgs over doh) and hadn't ridden a dirt bike for about 3.5 years and it was a breeze to ride and still does standup 3rd gear wheelies, the next day I didn't feel like the bike had been riding me.I was very close to buying a 4 stroke 250, but I got offered a 07 450 EXC at a price I couldn't refuse so its getting delivered on sunday. EDIT - 450 didn't go ahead, went and bought a KXF250 instead and I love it.