Best bike? what to get?

[cheese]

ok I'm sick of fixing a bike every time I ride it, so I'm going to get a new one. I think that the problem is that with old bikes things just start to let go. The last guy probably had a sweet run and I'm just the guy that spent heaps of money on it and the next guy will probably have a sweet run with it after all my repairs!

Anyway I've been looking round and from what everyone tells me, get a 4 stroke. but there is a few 2 stroke options......

So I was thinking I'll go for a bike that is no older that 2-3 years old...New if possible but don't really have the budget for a new one.

Honda

CRF X and R models.

From what I've heard, good bikes no flaws, saw a 05 (250 R) for $8500 Looked nice. Seperate oil for clutch and engine (must be good)

An X looks like a good option too. Nice bikes and only 10 less HP.

Kawasaki

Go Team green! I saw a 05 KX 250 F for $7500 and and 04 for $7000. Not heard alot about the Kawa's 4 strokes though. Are they any good? they are only alloy frames with the 06 though. Otherwise....

The famous KDX200. brand new for $7500, with a pipe and bars. The thing is though, I get told that they are basically an old bike that is new. Nothing flash about them, old technology, power valves are a problem. And they look like some thing from the early 90's! put that aside, I keep getting told that you can't go wrong with one! I am quite tempted

Yamaha

YZF - don't know much about them. 5 valve head? Yamaha has always been good bikes as far as I know. But they don't seem to have a strong following here?

Suzuki

To be honest, after the RM, I don't want another one. I did see and 04 RMZ 250 for $6500, but I don't think Suzi has been doing the MX 4 strokes for long and I don't know how geed they are.


I'm not really a hard core rider, but I want to get into some more racing (as I get more practice!!) I've got plenty of practice at repairs now!! Now I want to do more rides!! A 250 is heaps for me. In all honesty I think that the RM was a bit of a handful for me.

[cheese]

Shit I left out KTM! I don't kow anything about them. Tell me more.

[scott411]

if you want no hassle, low maintenence riding, buy a brand new kdx with the pro circuit pipe, you can get them for 7 grand with fat bars on them, all the four storkes you mentioned their are higher maintence and will require more work,
ps a 04 and 05 rmz250 and are identical to the 04 and 05 kx250f, (06 kxf's' are different) if you want the performance of the 250f's the 06 rmz250 is on specail at $8500 (brand new)

[cheese]

Yeah I saw that. Looks like a good buy. I saw a 04 CRF250X for 8500 and for the same $$ I can have a new bike!

[Henk]

Cheese

What do you want to do with the bike? You say you want to do more racing but MX cross country or Enduro?
On top of that you've listed a bunch of 250 4 strokes that are all high performance machines and excluding the 250X all motocrossers, They will all be reasonably high maintenance and great at MX but not so sharp in the bush. The KDX is an old design but still a good bike and rock reliable. First tell us what sort of riding you are going to mainly do, how good you are (an honest appraisal will help) and then you might be able to get some meaningful advice. Of the bikes you listed whats perfect for you might not suit someone faster, slower, fater or fitter.

[cheese]

I like the ride I get from the RM, but Due to its age it's giving me some grief. Everyone tells me get a 4 stroke, so I thought that they were the best bet. I ride at woodhill a bit, but like the enduro events.

I don't mind reasonable maintance, but the RM is very high maintance, but that is what you get out of a 10 year old MX bike. I just want a good reliable bike.

[Cary]

Kawasaki

Go Team green! I saw a 05 KX 250 F for $7500 and and 04 for $7000. Not heard alot about the Kawa's 4 strokes though. Are they any good? they are only alloy frames with the 06 though. Otherwise....

Yamaha

YZF - don't know much about them. 5 valve head? Yamaha has always been good bikes as far as I know. But they don't seem to have a strong following here?

You sure

Whatever you do don't buy the '04 KXF, I had one nice bike till the valves shat themselves, never the same after that, sold it soon after.

Yamaha YZF has the best reliability record by far

[IronicCapers]

I use to have KDX200, bloodly good bike for the fact itt was 10years old wen i sold it. Never had a problem with it spent about a grand on it that saw me do all the bearings, piston etc. along with a standard pipe refitted. Power valves broke once but no biggie all they need is a clean every now and again. And saying that you are getting achey joints now you don't want big bursts of power. Its an enduro bike and the 2004+ have good suspension i have been told. mine was a bit soft (bottomed out a lot). Still very competitive just look at the silver bullet website for the enduro results. Only reason that there are not more is that people are gettn on2 the 4 stroke band wagon (high maintenance machines).
KDX is a keeper and given a little love it can last years. Go for the KDX i think

[Cary]

If I was buying a bike in that range i'd much rather go for a new KDX as opposed to a 2-3 year old 250F and i love the 4 stroke 250's

[cheese]

yeah, I guess that is teh way to go. or the KLX300? but that is a heavy beast.

what about the 06 RMZ for 8500??

[NordieBoy]

Yamaha YZF has the best reliability record by far

4st Yammy - WRF.

YZF has better reliability than a KDX?

KDX all the way.

[Cary]

4st Yammy - WRF.

YZF has better reliability than a KDX?

Course not but the KDX is a 15yo enduro motor, the YZ 5yo high performance MX bike, like comparing a corolla to Porsche.

$8500 for '06 RMZ250, bit dated as far as latest crop of 250's go but again better (much!) than buying 1-2yo Honda,Yam etc.

[NordieBoy]

Course not but the KDX is a 15yo enduro motor, the YZ 5yo high performance MX bike, like comparing a corolla to Porsche.

More like comparing a BDA Escort to a Mitsi EVO

[cheese]

yeah I've also seen 03 and 04 CR 250's for the 5k mark too. two stroke is calling my name.....

[Motu]

or the KLX300? but that is a heavy beast.

10kg? But it's a taller bike,and a 4 stroke carries it's weight higher.They are high tech for a low tech - the first DOHC water cooled 4 stroke,and good suspn.For me it'd be a toss up between the KDX and WR250F....the Yamaha is the better bike,and has the plus of being able to run a road kit....down side is the high maintenance,but the Yamaha has the best rep of all the modern thumpers.