Dirt bike recommendations?

[bosslady]

From what I've read, there's a few things of issue to focus on.

1) No offence but, you've bitten off more than you can chew trying to learn off road & road skills all at the same time; two separate things that need two separate approaches... and learning both from new it's hard to keep them apart. You'd have been better off learning off road before heading for the road
2) CRF230 is too small for you....it's a kids bike an intermediate stepping stone between minis and full size.
3) Talk of dropping the suspension to help you will be more detrimental to the issue than good,paddling around with your hoofs on the ground is for the tight stuff & negotiating shit at walking pace.

Years ago riding off road used to be about feeling the bike under you, keeping up on the pegs & getting to know the looseness of the bike being literally out of control 8/10s of the time just making sure it was pointing in the right direction & enjoying the thrill, keeping off the brakes and learning control via the throttle.

Agree with this post. I've been told this is too small for me, too late now though lol. What I don't understand is how is it that a "too small" bike adversely effects your riding? Part of me feels like maybe I should get better at road riding then come back to this. Kind of a bit late now though...

[nzspokes]

My XR200 was to small but epic fun to learn on. Just set the bike up for you and wait for thundercross to open.

on another note, how good are your tyres? Still got sharp edges? I struggle in sand with worn tyres.

[bosslady]

My XR200 was to small but epic fun to learn on. Just set the bike up for you and wait for thundercross to open.

on another note, how good are your tyres? Still got sharp edges? I struggle in sand with worn tyres.

ahhhhhhhh...... pass?

[Tony.OK]

If the thought of hooking up the trailer and loading the bike is enough to put you off having a ride you're seriously starting out with a bad mindset.

Seeing as you can ride the GN at the track ok maybe you should find an industrial area carpark and take the CRF there to just get the hang of riding on the thing, no need to worry about terrain then and you will be able to just tootle around and get the feel of being higher than on the GN and then get a really good feel for moving around on the bike, testing the brakes at each end etc..............real back to basic's shit.

The 230 will go just about anywhere once ridden well, lucky you didn't get the DRZ400 as was suggested Stay off the sand tracks until confidence is gained (as said many times in this thread), better to not ride at all if the falls are knocking your resolve, also if you wait until you're just gagging to get out on the bike it makes the whole buildup to a ride much better. You have the bike etc now so parking it for a few weeks won't cost a cent and you'll feel the urge to ride build

[nzspokes]

ahhhhhhhh...... pass?

Are the blocks sharp? or have rounded edges?

when I changed my rear tyre the difference was massive.

[T.W.R]

Agree with this post. I've been told this is too small for me, too late now though lol. What I don't understand is how is it that a "too small" bike adversely effects your riding? Part of me feels like maybe I should get better at road riding then come back to this. Kind of a bit late now though...

Trying to learn two different skills takes two different mindsets and being a novice, making the separation is difficult but if you persevere you'll get there.
The bike being too small or you being to big for the bike means all the balance of the bike is effected....weight distribution,C.O.G etc. Too big and the bike is fighting weigh transfer all the time, suspension gets confused; on & off throttle fires weight all over the place & turns the bike into a flexing bucking bronco and natural reaction is to fight this and that's where the trouble starts either blasting off track uncontrollably or ending up in a crumpled mess

[bosslady]

If the thought of hooking up the trailer and loading the bike is enough to put you off having a ride you're seriously starting out with a bad mindset.

Seeing as you can ride the GN at the track ok maybe you should find an industrial area carpark and take the CRF there to just get the hang of riding on the thing, no need to worry about terrain then and you will be able to just tootle around and get the feel of being higher than on the GN and then get a really good feel for moving around on the bike, testing the brakes at each end etc..............real back to basic's shit.

The 230 will go just about anywhere once ridden well, lucky you didn't get the DRZ400 as was suggested Stay off the sand tracks until confidence is gained (as said many times in this thread), better to not ride at all if the falls are knocking your resolve, also if you wait until you're just gagging to get out on the bike it makes the whole buildup to a ride much better. You have the bike etc now so parking it for a few weeks won't cost a cent and you'll feel the urge to ride build

I think you read wrong I don't mind sorting out the trailer although can find moving that 250kg beast around on a slope (and prevent it from attacking my car!) a bit hard. I just meant that it's hardly worth it if you spend more time hooking the trailer and bike up than you do riding the bike. Also I'm not sure how knobblies would handle on concrete? I also don't know any industrial parks to practice in and one time I did, I was told by security I couldn't do that and to leave (not dirt bike, something else). Bit much to go there all by myself, car, trailer and bike. I also don't know that it's better to not ride at all? like yesterday for example just up and down the two way and up and around the learners loop, I did drop the bike once but that didn't bother me, I went to turn around at the end of the two way and didn't hardly give it any gas when I turned and she keeled over, surprisingly easy to pick up then but I guess I wasn't tired either, it's the swinging the leg over that was hard haha. I feel that if I leave it too long all that happens is that the scardey catness builds up, I only have the opportunity to ride every second weekend.

[george formby]

I just wandered onto the last page of this thread but my interest is piqued that your learning on & off road at the same time. Good stuff IMHO.
I can't argue that they are different skill sets, I tend to think the same but different, but they are complementary. The G/F is doing both too.
We have found the best way to get better off road is to focus on doing all your handling practice standing up, same exercises as you do for a road bike, figure 8's, slaloms, braking etc. No matter whether it's on tarmac or off road. After awhile controlling the bike with your legs, staying balanced, leaning out from turns & generally just letting the bike move about underneath you becomes second nature. When you do get off road properly, standing up to negotiate obstacles is comfortable & natural rather than gluing your butt to the seat & hoping the bike will pull you through.
Knobbies are just fine on tar seal as long you as you stay away from the tire edges with lots of or no throttle. They even hang on in the rain........ just...

Enjoy.

[Tony.OK]

I think you read wrong I don't mind sorting out the trailer although can find moving that 250kg beast around on a slope (and prevent it from attacking my car!) a bit hard. I just meant that it's hardly worth it if you spend more time hooking the trailer and bike up than you do riding the bike. Also I'm not sure how knobblies would handle on concrete? I also don't know any industrial parks to practice in and one time I did, I was told by security I couldn't do that and to leave (not dirt bike, something else). Bit much to go there all by myself, car, trailer and bike. I also don't know that it's better to not ride at all? like yesterday for example just up and down the two way and up and around the learners loop, I did drop the bike once but that didn't bother me, I went to turn around at the end of the two way and didn't hardly give it any gas when I turned and she keeled over, surprisingly easy to pick up then but I guess I wasn't tired either, it's the swinging the leg over that was hard haha. I feel that if I leave it too long all that happens is that the scardey catness builds up, I only have the opportunity to ride every second weekend.

Oh ok, its reads like you fell off alot and were about to give up altogether. If thats how it went yesterday it sounds like a good day out.
I can't see why the 230 would be too small for you, ya can't be very heavy. I had one ages ago and they can be bloody fun, and one of the best learners bikes for trail riding. Coming from the GN it'd almost feel powerful haha.

[Motu]

My first time in this thread too - is there a picture of you and your bike somewhere in this 39 pages ? Unless you are overly long and lanky I can't see a CRF230 being to small for someone under 100kg. Small bike means you can push it harder, more brake, more throttle, closer and over the limit, crash and burn and more fun. You need to be laughing when you pick the bike up for the 10th time in that corner. You don't want to be scared of a big bike, that's not a good way to start the experience.

Kenny Roberts used to have a Superbike school where he taught road racers first on small bikes like XR80's and XR100's on a dirt track, then they applied those skills learned to the race track on big powerful bikes. I see nothing wrong with learning both road and off road at the same time, only benefits, the same applies to the bike, don't move up until you can push it far beyond it's limits. Of course you don't want to do that, but finding the limit of a dirt bike is what it's all about, and it's what is going to help you for riding on the road, and track.

[T.W.R]

Unless you are overly long and lanky I can't see a CRF230 being to small for someone under 100kg.

CRF230s suspension is very basic and it isn't about being tall etc it's the weight. The average new MX/off road bike is set-up roughly for a 55kg rider out of the factory, the CRF even less; and far less for one that isn't new. Tell me what's the fun going to be with a bike off road for a learner if that bikes going to wallowing around underneath them behaving like an unhinged pin and the rider is all over it like a gorilla on a tonka toy mmm?

What your implying is like seeing a 100kg rider on a RG150 scooting around a twisty backroad & them saying their bike is behaving badly and saying don't worry about it the bike is ideal for ya

[george formby]

Well, if it's all about the bike I have been deluded for years riding clapped out twin shockers with spaghetti forks & licorice springs. Must not have been any where near as much fun as I remember.
Riding a PW80 round a muddy moto x track a wee while back was shite too, did not enjoy one second of it.

Guess you need a KTM EXC to learn on boss lady. Or T.W.R. is talking cobblers.

[Motu]

Tell me what's the fun going to be with a bike off road for a learner if that bikes going to wallowing around underneath them behaving like an unhinged pin and the rider is all over it like a gorilla on a tonka toy mmm?

From my experience, a shit load of fun. Just how fat is this girl ?

[Kickaha]

From my experience, a shit load of fun.

From my experience doing a trailride for several hours swapping with a mate on a DR125 a shit load of fun as well

[leathel]

The bike is not to small to learn on, hell I am 105KG and 6 ft tall and I had fun riding that bike that Bosslady has, yes it is to small for me but I could throw it around without an issue, The speed that bike is being ridden at the moment the suspension is not anywhere near its limit! Way way off its limit.

Going to a MX style bike 2 stroke or 4 will not go well for her style yet as any taller will only have her dropping it more as a lot of the drops as lack of footing at slow speeds, trying to put the foot down and stop rather than ride it out, Confidence is the key. Get used to dirt on that bike first as stepping up will not help her at this stage. In fact dropping the forks in the triple clamps and dropping the rear might be called for to gain confidence on smoother grounds first.

Yes when the basics are sorted an upgrade might be called for as the new bikes sure are sweet, floating over the ruff stuff like its not there but until she can ride in smooth hills without falling off new suspension wont help much

I loved riding on the near new RMZ 450 as it soaked up the landings from good air time but I am positive it would not have gone well if she had a go on that.


Get out of the sand and trees and confidence will follow, Unfortunately there are not a lot of easy rides on ATM. A day in easy country where you can stop and rest and ride at your leisure is needed, hopefully it works out like that on the trip you have planned