2 or 4 stroke for a new rider?

[Mattyc]

Sorry Mattyc but rubbish I'm 110, 6'1" and I pass 450's all the time

$3000, XR250 or KDX200/220 is the bike to get.

Good on you Buddy!!

Maybe on an MX track you pass a few 450's.... lol , My Mrs passes dudes on 450's (NOVICES) on her BW CR80 - As the dude said, he wants something for TRAIL riding

For 3000$ go for a 2 stroke - you wont get a powerful 4 stroke for that - you may get good XR ..... but id say it might be a long hunt for one

also remember 2 strokes can have a bottom end, with the right reeds/jetting/pipe, and one thing i think people forget is that they only go as hard as you turn the throttle. The exhaust powervalve can also be adjusted on some models to soften the hit of the powerband or to flatten it out while u get used to the bike, MX bikes generally have better suspension, than the average trailie

[Motu]

I still think a 2 stroke is a bit yappy for a learner.If we take my DT230 as a supposedly low performance trail bike,it's probably what you skilled riders consider as pretty tame for a 2 stroke,but it's much harder to control traction with than with a milder 4 stroke like an XR.A touch of throttle and they light up the rear tyre,find traction and they snap back,riding a bit harder and it's going strong with no real idea what the motor is doing,it's just going nuts.A 4 stroke breaks and makes traction much slower and doesn't need the same reactions,you can hear the load on the motor and know where it is in the rev range,just things that help a learner with bike control.

I'm not totaly inexperianced,I started trail riding in 1971 on a 2 stroke and have always had a 2 stroke in my stable since 1970,I love them and the power delivery,but my do or die days are over.I love the DT230,I'm so happy I got it over a 4 stroke,I'd need a 600cc to get this much performance,but carry less weight than a 250 thumper.

Hey,I weighed it the other day - 116kg with a little fuel and oil,not bad for street legal and electric start.

[Fryin Finn]

I have recently gone from a WR450 4 stroke to a Gas Gas 250 2 stroke and have rediscovered the joys of 2 stroking. The 450 was prone to stalling or wheelying at low revs where the 250 just lugs. Traction has not been a problem so far. What happens with 2 strokes is getting on the pipe in low traction situations - the back wheel goes mental. My old PE and IT 175's were great in the slippery stuff just lugging along.
For less than $3000 you ain't gonna get a bike with a fresh motor - I know what I would sooner be rebuilding.

[Mattyc]

The 450 was prone to stalling or wheelying at low revs where the 250 just lugs.

Haha, this is the same reason why one of my mates on a yz400 cant make it up the some of the hills on our trail rides (it either stands up on him or stalls), his bike is geared really tall and wont just LUG along like our 2 smokers.

another situation is steep downhills on the 4 stroke, touch the back brake too much and the engine stalls, then compression locks and proceeds to skid down the hill........

gimme a 2 stroke any day :P

[chris]

If you are new to trail riding, it will be a long time before you can ride the nuts of a 250. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need a 450. I've been riding a CRF250X for most of this year and it has got me everywhere and I'm 100kg and 6 foot. As some have said, don't overlook a KDX200 either.

[kro]

For what its worth, I have ridden a fair few 250 four strokes, and I'm 6'4, and 110kg, and find myself wanting a bit more poke when riding the 4 stroke 250's, even at my novice level.

I am currently looking to acquire a DR350, or an XR400, and if the budget allows, a DRZ-400, as I have ridden all these, and can safely say they will keep me amused for ages to come.

As has been said numerous times, a 2 stroke will keep most riders happy with its power, but its a trade off, with sometimes higher maintenance costs, and not being suited to just putting along a Forest track, and tooling around at slow speeds for long periods of time, as they will foul plugs before too long. I ride an 84 KX250 fairly regularly, and it still scares the crap out of me, and I have been riding one litre road bike for quite some years, if this gives you an idea of the power delivery.

You can grab a good 1993-1998 DR350 for 3 or just under quite easily. The DR350 is air cooled, and potentially a bit lower maintenance.

Personally, I love riding the KLX300R that my brother just bought, hence whey Im going four stroke too.