Dirt bike recommendations?

[leathel]

How did you find starting the Ktm 200? Think about starting a bike on a slope where you need to balance on one foot.
As a novice/intermediate rider myself I can't recommend an electric starter enough, having trouble or worrying about starting your bike when you are exhausted will ruin your ride, that and you start thinking/worrying about falling off and having to kick the bike over.

a Big +1 on that!

While you have done many k's on the road for balance its a lot different when you are in a dodgy spot and you need to kick the bike over, that looks like a starter on that one but its still a lot of bike

Its a nice bike but while I would recommend a 400 for you for road I cant say the same for dirt

The 250's with the gearing for dirt have plenty of go.. not so great with taller gearing for the road

Some of the 400's are milder and have electric start to negate the dodgy start positions so not saying dont get a 400 full stop.

[Tony.OK]

Well it's electric and starting it was fine? I would love an electric bike and you have a really good point - I just don't know if I can afford an electric one? they are more expensive?

Yup you have to pay a tad more, but worth it for a good bike, I had an XR400 before and it was a sh*t to start once it had fallen over, very long stroke kick on the old bikes, newer bikes are much better in that department.
I picked up my WR250f for $3.5k, an 06 with buggar all kms on it, if you are patient and prepared to sometimes make a cheeky offer there are bargains to be had haha.

[bosslady]

Yup you have to pay a tad more, but worth it for a good bike, I had an XR400 before and it was a sh*t to start once it had fallen over, very long stroke kick on the old bikes, newer bikes are much better in that department.
I picked up my WR250f for $3.5k, an 06 with buggar all kms on it, if you are patient and prepared to sometimes make a cheeky offer there are bargains to be had haha.

Aww crap, now I'm even more confused. What bikes have electric start? I really can't afford to be spending too much for a first dirt bike. I still would have to get a tow bar, trailer, gear etc. I really wanted to spend between the 2-3k mark.

[Midget200]

Darn it, knew there was something I should have got you to do yesterday, start my bike with the kick start! I said I'd never have a kick start, but have had 4 bikes with kick starts. Two strokes are pretty easy to start though, even for someone 5 foot nothing, so don't be put off a kick start, you have the height! First purchases I made were boots and helmet. I wore normal jeans/trousers for ages learning. Go to Cycletreads and talk with Karen and try on helmets, entry level to start with, as well as boots. Gaerne (spelling) and Alpine Stars, are quite expensive. She'll help you for sure!!! With the 230's that people are talking about, they're electric start and reliable and a four stroke. I think that would be a perfect bike, as does Bufstar and Grant who you met the other day! Go you.

[Tony.OK]

Darn it, knew there was something I should have got you to do yesterday, start my bike with the kick start! I said I'd never have a kick start, but have had 4 bikes with kick starts. Two strokes are pretty easy to start though, even for someone 5 foot nothing, so don't be put off a kick start, you have the height! First purchases I made were boots and helmet. I wore normal jeans/trousers for ages learning. Go to Cycletreads and talk with Karen and try on helmets, entry level to start with, as well as boots. Gaerne (spelling) and Alpine Stars, are quite expensive. She'll help you for sure!!! With the 230's that people are talking about, they're electric start and reliable and a four stroke. I think that would be a perfect bike, as does Bufstar and Grant who you met the other day! Go you.

+1 on Cycletreads, got a new pair of W2 Italian mx boots for $119, fine for trails.
Yep too on the CRF230, perfectly fine for learning and even see older riders on them, I had a new one years ago and after doing the power up jetting and exhaust mod it was fine for most situations, and bullet proof too, change oil once in a while and keep air filter clean.....job done! And they prob hold their resale value better than alot of the hi tech bikes.
People seem to think ya gotta have lots of power for fun, I ride/raced a 1000cc road bike and the wr250 keeps me entertained on the dirt without getting into trouble like a big bike would.

[Ocean1]

Well it's electric and starting it was fine? I would love an electric bike and you have a really good point - I just don't know if I can afford an electric one? they are more expensive?

A bit, just because they haven't been common for that long.

I see Buffstar has given you a shopping list Sounds like good advice, but you probably don't need armour for the first few rides, you won't be going too fast.

Any good? http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-594381902.htm or actually maybe anything from this list: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Cate...ch_suggested=0 I'm thinking if it's not in Auckland I have shit show of being able to pick it up since I'd have to get someone to help me as I don't have a tow bar or trailer set up yet, they won't wanna travel out of town!

I'd still suggest you consider a road legal machine, it'll be slightly heavier but you don't need the trailer, etc. Two strokes are more powerful, you should be considering them down to 200cc, even less. That KTM400 is hard work to ride and hard work to maintain. Although now that I think about it it's not much worse than that 200 you rode, just a bit heavier, but don't underestimate the physical clout you need to manage those full-house enduro machines.

[leathel]

I'd still suggest you consider a road legal machine, it'll be slightly heavier but you don't need the trailer, etc. .

But you will be stuck with intermediate tyres and the first years rego on the bike will pay for the trailer..

And if you can borrow a trailer, run good grunty tyres then its much more fun and less hassle sliding around :P

[bosslady]

A bit, just because they haven't been common for that long.

I see Buffstar has given you a shopping list Sounds like good advice, but you probably don't need armour for the first few rides, you won't be going too fast.



I'd still suggest you consider a road legal machine, it'll be slightly heavier but you don't need the trailer, etc. Two strokes are more powerful, you should be considering them down to 200cc, even less. That KTM400 is hard work to ride and hard work to maintain. Although now that I think about it it's not much worse than that 200 you rode, just a bit heavier, but don't underestimate the physical clout you need to manage those full-house enduro machines.

Yea I think I will get the basics, boots, helmet, gloves and goggles(?) then from there armour and clothing etc. Armour's very important but it's also effing expensive and I'd be wanting to do my research on that one and get some real good shit! I have thought about it over and over and I think definitely I don't want to have the same bike that I use on the road to be the same bike that I use on the dirt. It just makes sense to me because if I stuff my bike in the dirt, then I have stuffed my road bike! And because I am trying to save (for said dirt bike and all its gear) I am using my bike to commute at the moment so that fuel costs me more like $16 a week to get to and from work rather than something like $40 and I get to work a little bit quicker too. I think I have decided on a CRF230 based on everyone I have spoken to and some of the advice in this thread. Now, it is just a matter of finding a reasonably (i.e. cheap) priced one that's not stuffed. I also need to sort a tow bar for my car and I have a trailer that I can use indefinitely and that's pretty much free as I only need to maintain warrant and rego on.

[Ocean1]

But you will be stuck with intermediate tyres and the first years rego on the bike will pay for the trailer..

And if you can borrow a trailer, run good grunty tyres then its much more fun and less hassle sliding around :P

Yeah, but you can easily out-ride full comp knobblies, keeping within the traction limits of your machine is the name of the game, not maximising it. Also, the fastest guy I ride with uses trials tyres on his Husaberg 200, the last time out my 525 had brand new Michelin S12s, and I couldn't touch him.

And how many years rego is requiured to offset the fact that you have just one bike to register and maintain?

[Ocean1]

Yea I think I will get the basics, boots, helmet, gloves and goggles(?) then from there armour and clothing etc. Armour's very important but it's also effing expensive and I'd be wanting to do my research on that one and get some real good shit! I have thought about it over and over and I think definitely I don't want to have the same bike that I use on the road to be the same bike that I use on the dirt. It just makes sense to me because if I stuff my bike in the dirt, then I have stuffed my road bike! And because I am trying to save (for said dirt bike and all its gear) I am using my bike to commute at the moment so that fuel costs me more like $16 a week to get to and from work rather than something like $40 and I get to work a little bit quicker too. I think I have decided on a CRF230 based on everyone I have spoken to and some of the advice in this thread. Now, it is just a matter of finding a reasonably (i.e. cheap) priced one that's not stuffed. I also need to sort a tow bar for my car and I have a trailer that I can use indefinitely and that's pretty much free as I only need to maintain warrant and rego on.

Fair enough. The Honda is a good machine, it'll take you a while to learn to make full use of it.

Also, any arguement that means more toys is always automatically teh winner.

[BoristheBiter]

Yea I think I will get the basics, boots, helmet, gloves and goggles(?) then from there armour and clothing etc. Armour's very important but it's also effing expensive and I'd be wanting to do my research on that one and get some real good shit! I have thought about it over and over and I think definitely I don't want to have the same bike that I use on the road to be the same bike that I use on the dirt. It just makes sense to me because if I stuff my bike in the dirt, then I have stuffed my road bike! And because I am trying to save (for said dirt bike and all its gear) I am using my bike to commute at the moment so that fuel costs me more like $16 a week to get to and from work rather than something like $40 and I get to work a little bit quicker too. I think I have decided on a CRF230 based on everyone I have spoken to and some of the advice in this thread. Now, it is just a matter of finding a reasonably (i.e. cheap) priced one that's not stuffed. I also need to sort a tow bar for my car and I have a trailer that I can use indefinitely and that's pretty much free as I only need to maintain warrant and rego on.

You can't go wrong with the 230. a good all round bike. I can still put one around the expert loops so the bike is not lacking.
There is not a lot in the way of maintenance to be done, just the air filter, oil and clean it after a ride and it will last for ages.
Make sure you do have some good tyres on.

Also in regards to a trailer, look at these.
http://www.traxequipment.co.nz/slipstreamer.php
same price if not cheaper than a trailer and you don't have to reg/wof it.

[bosslady]

You can't go wrong with the 230. a good all round bike. I can still put one around the expert loops so the bike is not lacking.
There is not a lot in the way of maintenance to be done, just the air filter, oil and clean it after a ride and it will last for ages.
Make sure you do have some good tyres on.

Also in regards to a trailer, look at these.
http://www.traxequipment.co.nz/slipstreamer.php
same price if not cheaper than a trailer and you don't have to reg/wof it.

Actually I was looking at them last night and considering I am getting the use of a trailer that's only a few years old for free, it didn't make sense to spend that much on one of those. Also, I don't even know if I could transfer a bike on my tiny sedan?

[leathel]

Actually I was looking at them last night and considering I am getting the use of a trailer that's only a few years old for free, it didn't make sense to spend that much on one of those. Also, I don't even know if I could transfer a bike on my tiny sedan?

Nup on your car and the load on the tow bar would far exceed the load a trailer would put on it (down force) I think the specs on cars your size is only 50-70 KG max... then there is the problem that it will lighten the load on the front wheels due the the weight hanging over the back wheel and that + getting stuck easier

If my ute deck was longer one of those would be handy when taking a 2 wheeler and quad.... but the quad hangs over to much..... and I also have the free use of a trailer

[buffstar]

Fabulous choice re: the 230 they may not be the most powerful or the lightest of bikes BUT they will go anywhere, steady & reliable - I freakn loved my 230 & was sad to see it go, I moved on to a 250 after that & it was such a stupid decision, as it was a full on moto bike that I was trying to ride in the tight stuff - many dramas & a big off later I moved onto a 2T - which in turn required a whole new set of skills to ride well.
Im glad I started out on the 230, I cant guarantee I would still be riding at all if not for such a great starter bike. An extra bonus of them is that they do hold their value really really well & are piss easy to maintain.

[BoristheBiter]

Actually I was looking at them last night and considering I am getting the use of a trailer that's only a few years old for free, it didn't make sense to spend that much on one of those. Also, I don't even know if I could transfer a bike on my tiny sedan?

Well if you are getting use of one for free i wouldn't bother.

I have seen them on some pretty small cars.