Best trail bike for a newbee?

[cowpoos]

from the experience ive had with suzuki's of mates tho, it sounds like shineray or chinacrap are more reliable...

(thatl open some cans of worms)

typical honda rider!!!! piffft!!! thats because suspension is set up firmer to handle the higher levels of speed the suzuki's and kawasakis achieve



lol...ya shit stirrer!!

[James Deuce]

Gas Gas Pampera. It weighs 90kg, is a 250 2 stroke with a really broad spread of power and nothing breaks when you fall over.

[merv]

Hey poos and BOOOOM even I never complained about reliability of the Suzukis we've had in the sense of the main engine parts but its all the bloody niggly little cheap shit that's wrong like that latest thing we had with the DR650 leaking oil.

I rode my 250 hard and the engine never broke but it was a bitch to ride smooth, lacked good power characteristics so wouldn't hold traction on slippery slopes and the design flaws irritated me when servicing it because things were just thrown on it like a parts bin special as I say with no obvious design thought going into it. All the naysayers can jump in but yes my friends Hondas just aren't like that.

We must be superstitious about green or something because we've never owned a Kawasaki in our wider whanau so can't comment on KDX's other than to say when I raced enduros in the 80's it was still generally XR Hondas that did most of the winning. Nowadays for sure the ol' XR's are getting long in the tooth and its probably hard to find a good one and I don't think Frosty means he's going to blow $9,000 buying a new L version like I did.

[green machine]

I was in the same boat i while ago and got talked into an old dr350........and it was heavy and hard work in the bush....rode it twice then traded it on a KDX200 and have never looked back,plenty of boogie and heaps lighter which is a bonus when you have to pick your bike up as often as i do

[FROSTY:Me]

Checked the olbank balance--Hmm maybee aN xl125 is in my budget

[jafar]

Checked the olbank balance--Hmm maybee aN xl125 is in my budget

Honda bros

[riffer]

What about one of these:

Yamaha XT250
Honda XR250R
Suzuki RMX250

All of these are going cheap, need a bit of work (which I'm sure you can do) and are Auckland based.

[1-james-1]

Hey, I got a crf230 as just getting started. I love riding it, super easy to ride, smooth power, enough low end pull, so far really reliable and cheap as to run.
Would def recommend

[FROSTY:Me]

I decided that Im best with a plodder.My own lack of self control is my own worst enemy.
Looking at an old farm bike -200cc or so
That way I can follow the boys around with no worries

[Pierce]

I'm 1m 76cm tall, 60kg and was happy with XR200 size, although felt a little under powered.
Now riding a stock standard CRF230 (except for bashplate/handle bar risers sort of mods) and very happy with it. Same height as XR200, similar power to XR250. Very easy to break the back loose.

He did say that he was on a bit of a tight budget and a CRF230 would be about $4-5k.

If you do want to go that way I've got a CRF230f in brand new condition for $5000 PM me if you have that much to spend because you wouldn't find a better bike unless you bought new

If you want to keep it under the $2k mark id say go the XR200/250 as they're reliable as anything.

[Buddy L]

here you go frosty
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...218235.htm?p=1

he wants 2 grand ono
but you can point out the fact thats its missing the plastics on the right hand side and the tyre is realy shot he might drop the price down.
and its only a 1998, so kinda new

[quallman1234]

NXR125... Who cares... Wont loose any money when you feel like selling it.

[Buddy L]

Well spoke to the man himself on thursday night, and he has got a bike (rough and tough trail ready)
A real deal if you ask me, should keep him and the kids happy.
But i will let him tell you all about, with pic's i hope.

[FROSTY:Me]

Ok folks sorry to restart this one.
I hit the trails and loved it.The bike I bought is pretty rough n ready but it did prove the point that this is great fun.
So Im thinking if I sell it off I can afford a $2000 bike
If anyone has a spare bike for sale I'd like to hear from ya ---clearly i dont care about the cosmetics as long as its straight n has a solid motor

[cheese]

Hmm I may know of a KX for that price. I'll email teh guy on monday for you. I think its a 96 or a 98.